Registering additional work automatically: no more disputes about what was agreed

Additional work: a structural problem

Almost every construction project ends with a dispute about additional work. The contractor claims to have carried out extra work at the client's request. The client has no memory of this. Or the client acknowledges the additional work but disputes the amount.

This is no coincidence. Additional work almost always arises informally: a phone call, a brief remark on site, a WhatsApp message. That informal communication is rarely well documented.

Why email is the key

Email is the only communication channel that automatically leaves a written trail. A client who asks via email for an extra socket has automatically given a written instruction — provided that email is kept and linked to the correct project.

The problem is that most companies do not systematically save these emails. They sit in the personal inbox of the engineer, the project manager or the work planner — each in a different mailbox, with no coherence.

What goes wrong without a system

• Additional work orders cannot be found at invoicing time
• The engineer does not know whether additional work has been approved by the client
• In case of dispute, written substantiation is missing
• When an employee is ill or leaves, the information disappears

Automatic registration with AI

An AI system that links emails to projects automatically flags additional work. As soon as an email arrives with keywords like "additional work", "extra", "change" or "modification", the system can mark this as potential additional work.

What the system does:

1. Reads incoming emails for additional-work indicators
2. Links the message to the correct project
3. Marks it as "additional work — for approval" or "additional work — approved"
4. Saves the entire email thread as substantiation for the invoice

Practical result: a stronger file

If you consistently register additional work via the email system, you always have a complete file at invoicing time: the original email from the client, the confirmation, any adjustments and the final approval.

This is not just convenient — it is also legally relevant. In case of a dispute, written evidence is decisive. Companies that have this properly organised win most discussions before they even begin.

Start with the basics

You do not need to implement a fully automated system straight away. Start with one simple step: ensure all project-related emails end up in a shared project inbox rather than personal mailboxes. That is the foundation on which you can build a good registration system.

Read how ProjectInbox handles this or start a free trial.