How to Close a Project in Procore

Why Project Closeout Matters for Success

Proper project closeout does far more than simply removing a project from your active portfolio. It creates a comprehensive record of all project activities that serves as a valuable reference for future warranty claims and legal compliance requirements. A thorough closeout process ensures that every outstanding task, document, and compliance requirement is properly addressed before final handover to the client.

Project closeouts also provide an excellent opportunity for team reflection through post-project debrief sessions. These sessions allow your team to identify what went well and what could be improved for future projects. By documenting these insights, you create an organizational knowledge base that continuously improves your project management practices.

Without implementing a structured closeout process, critical details may be lost, billing issues might remain unresolved, and even well-executed projects can leave teams scrambling to reconcile information months later. The ripple effects of poor closeout procedures can impact client relationships, team morale, and ultimately, your company's bottom line.

Understanding Active vs Inactive Status

Every project in Procore exists in one of two states that determine how the system treats your project data and notifications. Understanding these statuses is essential for effective project management throughout the lifecycle.

Active projects represent the default status for all new projects in Procore. These projects are fully operational within the system, counting toward your project cap and receiving all scheduled notifications. Active projects appear prominently in company reports and project extracts, making them easily accessible to team members who need to reference or update project information.

When work is completed or temporarily suspended, projects can be marked as inactive. This status removes the project from your primary portfolio view and halts automated processes like overdue email notifications for construction and administrative tools. However, inactive projects remain accessible for record keeping purposes, allowing users with appropriate permissions to access them through Portfolio and closed project reports.

The distinction between these statuses forms the foundation of Procore's project closeout process. By transitioning a project from active to inactive, you ensure that all active work is properly concluded while maintaining access to important historical data. This balance between current operations and record preservation makes Procore an effective platform for managing projects throughout their entire lifecycle.

Preparing for Successful Project Closeout

Before initiating the formal closeout process in Procore, proper preparation ensures nothing falls through the cracks. Thoughtful planning at this stage prevents headaches and ensures a smooth transition from active work to completed status.

Permission management forms the first critical step in the closeout process. To close a Procore project, you must have 'Admin' level permissions or ensure that the "Update General Settings" granular permission is enabled on your template if you have 'Read Only' or 'Standard' permissions. This security measure prevents unauthorized personnel from making significant changes to project status.

Data preservation should be your next priority before changing a project's status. Using Procore's Extract Project Data feature allows you to backup all important documents, communications, and activity logs. This step becomes especially important because once a project is marked inactive, certain features like custom reports or data extractions may become unavailable until the project is reactivated.

Project dependencies require careful consideration during the closeout phase. Any future assignments, work orders, or automated notifications associated with the project will become inactive after closeout. Review these items thoroughly and resolve any that still require attention before proceeding with the closeout process.

Step-by-Step Project Closure Process

The technical process of closing a project in Procore involves several key steps that must be completed in sequence. Following this structured approach ensures that all project information is properly preserved and the project status is correctly updated.

Data Extraction and Backup

Before making any status changes, extract all project data you want to preserve for future reference. Procore's built-in extraction tools make this process straightforward and comprehensive.

Navigate to the data extraction tool in your Procore account and select the specific project you're preparing to close. Download all relevant project information including schedules, RFIs (Request for Information), submittals, and other critical documents that provide a complete record of the project. This extraction creates a backup that remains accessible even after the project is marked inactive in the system.

Consider organizing your extracted data into logical folders that mirror your Procore structure. This organization makes it easier to locate specific information months or years later when questions arise about the project. Store these backups according to your company's data retention policies, ensuring they remain secure yet accessible to authorized personnel.

Changing Project Status in Admin Tool

Once you've secured your project data, you can proceed with changing the project status within Procore's administrative interface. This process officially marks the transition from active work to project completion.

Sign in to your Procore account and navigate to the specific project you want to close. Click on the "Admin" tool, which is only accessible to users with appropriate permissions. Within the admin tool, ensure you're on the "General" page where basic project information is displayed.

Look for the Active/Inactive toggle under the Project Information section. To mark the project as inactive (closed), move the toggle to the OFF position. After setting the toggle correctly, click the "Update" button to apply the change. The system will then mark your project as inactive, removing it from your active project count and discontinuing automated notifications for tools such as Action Plans and RFIs.

Documentation Archiving and Confirmation

After successfully changing the project status, take additional steps to ensure all documentation is properly archived and accessible for future reference. This final stage completes the technical closeout process.

Create a dedicated archive folder in your company's document management system for storing the final set of closeout documents. If your closeout documents are already organized in a specific folder within Procore's Documents tool, download this entire folder to maintain the organizational structure. Include all warranty information, as-built drawings, and final inspection reports in this archive.

Verify that all team members with ongoing responsibilities related to the project understand its new inactive status. Send a confirmation email to key stakeholders informing them that the project has been officially closed in Procore and providing instructions for accessing archived information if needed in the future. This communication prevents confusion and ensures everyone is aligned regarding the project's status.

Effective Project Closeout Strategies

Construction professionals have developed numerous strategies to optimize the project closeout process in Procore. These practical approaches can significantly improve efficiency and ensure nothing is overlooked during this critical phase.

Visual Management Techniques

Visual indicators help teams quickly identify project status and prioritize closeout activities across multiple projects. These visual cues create immediate understanding without requiring team members to dig through detailed reports.

Many successful project managers implement a color-coding system using flags on the Admin page to signal a project's current stage. Green flags typically indicate new jobs or projects in the initiation phase, providing a visual cue that these projects are just getting started. Yellow flags signal projects nearing 90% completion, alerting team members that closeout planning should begin. Red flags identify projects in the final closeout or completion stage, highlighting where immediate attention is needed to complete the process.

This visual management approach allows teams to quickly scan their project portfolio and identify priorities. Project managers overseeing multiple projects particularly benefit from this system, as it provides an at-a-glance understanding of which projects require closeout attention. The color-coding can be extended to other project management tools, creating a consistent visual language across your organization's systems.

Accounting Coordination Techniques

Synchronizing project status between your construction management and accounting systems prevents financial discrepancies and ensures accurate record-keeping. This coordination becomes especially important during the closeout phase.

Establish a clear communication protocol with your accounting department regarding project activation and deactivation. As soon as a project number is created in your accounting system, activate the corresponding project in Procore to maintain alignment. When accounting confirms that a project can be financially closed, mark it inactive in Procore to ensure both systems reflect the same status.

Create a formal handoff process for transferring financial information during closeout. This process should include verification of all outstanding invoices, confirmation of final payments, and documentation of any retention amounts still being held. By maintaining this tight integration between project management and accounting, you prevent discrepancies that could cause confusion or financial issues after project completion.

Documentation and Handover Best Practices

The final deliverables package represents one of the most important aspects of project closeout. Creating comprehensive, well-organized documentation demonstrates professionalism and provides significant value to project owners.

Creating Professional O&M Manuals

Operation and Maintenance (O&M) manuals provide critical information that facility managers need to properly maintain building systems after construction completion. A well-crafted O&M manual demonstrates your commitment to quality and supports the long-term success of the project.

Gather all manufacturer documentation, warranty information, and maintenance schedules for equipment installed during the project. Organize these materials in a logical structure that makes information easy to find when needed. Many successful teams leverage specialized tools like BuildR that integrate with Procore to automate the O&M manual creation process, generating professional, linked PDFs with all final documentation.

Consider the end user's perspective when designing your O&M manual format. Include a detailed table of contents, tabbed sections for different building systems, and contact information for key subcontractors and suppliers. This user-friendly approach makes the manual a genuinely useful resource rather than just a contractual requirement to fulfill. The quality of your O&M manual often leaves a lasting impression that can influence future business opportunities with the same client.

Managing User Access After Closeout

Controlling access to project information after closeout helps maintain data security while ensuring appropriate personnel can still reference historical information when needed. A thoughtful approach to user management protects sensitive information without creating unnecessary barriers.

Review the project directory and consider removing users who no longer need access to the inactive project. This restriction ensures that only Company Admins and specifically authorized personnel can access archived project information. For projects with sensitive information or proprietary details, this access control becomes particularly important to protect intellectual property and confidential business information.

Create a documented process for handling access requests to closed projects. This process should include approval requirements and time limitations for temporary access when needed. By maintaining appropriate access controls even after project completion, you protect your company's information assets while still making historical data available to those with legitimate business needs.

Post-Closeout Considerations

Even after officially closing a project in Procore, several important considerations require attention to ensure long-term success and proper record management. These post-closeout activities help maintain organizational knowledge and support future business needs.

Warranty Management Systems

Construction projects typically include warranty periods during which contractors remain responsible for addressing defects or issues. Establishing a structured approach to warranty management protects both contractors and owners during this critical period.

Create a centralized warranty tracking system that includes expiration dates, coverage details, and contact information for each warranted item. This system should generate automatic notifications before warranty expiration to allow for final inspections. Consider maintaining limited access to closed projects in Procore specifically for warranty management purposes, allowing team members to document and track warranty-related activities within the original project context.

Develop a standardized process for handling warranty claims that includes documentation requirements, response timeframes, and resolution procedures. This systematic approach prevents warranty issues from falling through the cracks while demonstrating professionalism to clients. The quality of your warranty management often influences client satisfaction more than the initial construction process, making it a valuable investment in your company's reputation.

Knowledge Transfer Protocols

The insights gained during each project represent valuable intellectual capital that should be preserved and shared throughout your organization. Implementing formal knowledge transfer processes turns individual project experiences into organizational learning.

Schedule a comprehensive project debrief meeting with key team members after closeout completion. During this meeting, document successes, challenges, innovative solutions, and lessons learned throughout the project lifecycle. Create a standardized template for capturing this information to ensure consistency across different projects and team members.

Establish a central knowledge repository where these insights can be stored and accessed by team members working on future projects. This repository might include case studies, problem-solving examples, and best practices derived from completed projects. By systematically capturing and sharing knowledge from each project, you create a continuous improvement cycle that enhances your organization's capabilities and competitive advantage over time.

Communication During Project Closeout

Clear communication forms the foundation of successful project closeout. Keeping all stakeholders informed throughout the process prevents misunderstandings and ensures everyone understands their responsibilities during this transition.

Stakeholder Communication Plan

Developing a structured communication plan for the closeout phase ensures that all parties receive appropriate information at the right time. This planning prevents information gaps that could delay completion or create confusion.

Create a comprehensive stakeholder list that includes all parties who need to be informed about closeout activities and status changes. This list typically includes the owner, design team, subcontractors, suppliers, and internal team members. For each stakeholder group, define what information they need, when they need it, and the preferred communication method.

Develop standardized templates for closeout communications that provide clear, consistent information. These templates might include project completion notifications, warranty information summaries, and final documentation delivery confirmations. By implementing a structured communication approach, you demonstrate professionalism while ensuring that all stakeholders remain properly informed throughout the closeout process.

Final Verification Procedures

Before officially closing a project, thorough verification ensures that all contractual obligations have been fulfilled and all systems function as intended. This verification provides confidence that the project truly meets all requirements.

The following verification steps should be completed before finalizing project closeout:

1. Conduct a comprehensive walk-through with the owner to identify any remaining punch list items that require attention before final acceptance.

2. Verify that all required inspections have been completed and documented, including building department approvals and any specialized inspections required by the contract.

3. Confirm that all contractual deliverables have been provided to the owner, including warranties, as-built drawings, and operation manuals.

4. Document owner training sessions for building systems, creating a record of who received training and what information was covered.

5. Obtain formal written acceptance from the owner acknowledging that all contractual requirements have been satisfied.

This verification process provides protection for both contractors and owners by clearly documenting the completion of all requirements. The thoroughness of your verification procedures often influences the smoothness of final payment processing and the overall client satisfaction with the project outcome.

Streamline Your Procore Project Closeouts Today

Mastering the project closeout process in Procore transforms what could be a chaotic final phase into a smooth, professional conclusion that impresses clients and preserves valuable project knowledge. The structured approach outlined in this guide provides a roadmap for consistently successful closeouts.

Remember that project closeout isn't merely an administrative task—it's a critical business process that impacts client relationships, financial outcomes, and organizational learning. By implementing the strategies and best practices described here, you'll elevate your closeout process from a basic requirement to a competitive advantage. Your attention to detail during closeout demonstrates professionalism that clients notice and appreciate.

Start by evaluating your current closeout procedures against the recommendations in this guide. Identify areas where improvements could streamline the process or enhance the quality of your deliverables. Consider creating a standardized closeout checklist customized to your organization's specific needs and project types. This checklist ensures consistency regardless of which team member manages the closeout process.

The effort invested in developing excellent closeout practices yields significant returns through improved client satisfaction, reduced post-project issues, and enhanced organizational knowledge. By closing projects properly in Procore, you not only complete current obligations successfully but also lay the groundwork for future project excellence.