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Help centre

Answers, without the runaround.

The questions we get asked most, grouped by what you are trying to do. If yours is not here, the team picks up the phone.

Getting started

How long does setup take?

Usually one working day for your first project. Send us the bill of quantities, the drawings, a quote or whatever the job currently runs on, and we configure the project, load the bill and set up your people and permissions.

Do I have to migrate old projects?

No. Most contractors start with one live job and add the rest as they come up for renewal or reach a natural stage break. There is no requirement to bring history across.

What if my foremen are not confident with apps?

We run a session on site with them. The field app is deliberately narrow - photographs, attendance and work done - and works the way WhatsApp does. We stay reachable while it beds in.

What do I need on site?

An Android or iPhone with a data connection. Uploads queue and send when signal returns, so a weak connection at the back of a plot does not block anyone.

Billing

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Every company starts with 14 days free, with everything switched on. Nothing you spend in the trial is billed.

How is my bill worked out?

Pay as you spend works from the money your projects spend in the month: 2% on the first KSh 1M, 1.5% up to KSh 3M, 1% up to KSh 10M, 0.75% up to KSh 25M and 0.5% above that, with a KSh 5,000 minimum. A fixed package is one price a month, from KSh 10,000 to KSh 100,000.

What counts as spend?

Every payment recorded against your projects - wages, suppliers, expenses and petty cash - however it was paid. Money you receive from clients does not count, so nothing is charged twice.

How many users do I get?

As many as you need when you pay as you spend. Fixed packages include 3 to 50 users and projects, by package.

How do I pay?

Each invoice comes with a link to pay by mobile money. Bank transfer and cash also work. Invoices are due within 5 days and exclude VAT.

Am I tied in?

Pay as you spend is month to month and you can cancel with 14 days notice. Fixed packages run for 12 months, billed monthly. Access runs to the end of the period you have paid for, and you can ask for a full copy of your records at any point.

Money and payments

What about payment and bank charges?

Passed on at cost. We do not add a margin and we do not bury them inside our rate.

Can payments run through my own account?

Yes. Payments run on your own mobile money account, so you hold the funds. Setup is free if it is ready to connect; otherwise there is a one-off setup fee.

Does SiteBooks hold my money?

No. Funds stay in your own account, and every payment is recorded against the job.

How does casual payroll work?

Attendance captured on site is priced at each worker's agreed daily rate to produce a run. You review it line by line, approve once, and wages disburse to workers' phones and post to the right cost line.

For homeowners

My contractor is not on SiteBooks. Can I still use it?

Yes. Talk to us and we will approach them with you. Most contractors take it up once they see it removes the reporting they are already doing by hand.

What does it cost me as the owner?

Nothing, if your contractor is on SiteBooks - the reporting comes with their account. If you would rather someone ran the build for you, one of our partner firms can, and quotes you once they know the site and scope.

What can I actually see?

Today, we report to you rather than handing you a self-serve login: dated site diary entries and photographs, progress against the programme, deliveries matched to orders, and spending against the agreed bill. A self-serve owner portal is on the roadmap, not live yet - we will not pretend otherwise.

Can my family see it too?

Yes. Tell us who should be on the reporting and we will include them. When the owner portal ships, each of them gets their own read-only login.

Data and security

Who can see what?

Access is role-based. You decide who sees costs, who sees photographs, who can approve a payment and who is read-only. Every approval and change carries an audit trail.

Can I get my data out?

At any time, as PDF or CSV. Nothing about your project is locked in here, and that includes after you cancel.

Is two-factor authentication available?

Yes, and we recommend it for anyone who can approve payments.

Contact

Talk to the team

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