KAI PLATFORM TERMINOLOGY
Reference Document
Last Updated: February 19, 2026
This document defines the terminology used across the Kai platform. It covers the organizational model, work structure, artifacts, roles, and interface components. It serves as a shared reference for internal teams, partners, and new users.
PLATFORM STRUCTURE
Organization | The top-level entity in Kai. Contains markets, templates, users, and configuration settings. Defines org-wide financial standards and permissions. |
Market | A geographic container within an organization, defined by a configurable set of zip codes that can be added or removed as needed. Each market can have one or many templates, its own pricing, labor rates, and contractor networks. Allows regional customization while maintaining org-wide consistency. Both users and contractors can be scoped to one or many markets. |
Template | A standardized digital framework configured at the market level that defines the structure and content of a property walk. The ‘menu’ that guides field users through systematic assessment, organizing both what they evaluate and what options are available. Configuration — work category assignments, contractor defaults, SKUs, and labor rates — is embedded in the template and carried forward into the field. |
Property | The physical asset being assessed. Attributes include address, market, beds, baths, square footage, and year built. Property characteristics shape which Groups are relevant and influence quantities and pricing. |
Project | A specific scope of work tied to a property. Defined by type (e.g., Turn, Acquisition, Disposition), budget, and objective. Project parameters influence which Options and priorities apply. |
Walk | The on-site assessment of a property. A field user captures conditions, selects from the template, and builds the scope in real time. The walk is the process that translates physical observation into structured data. |
Dispatch / Assign | The action of assigning a project to a field user for assessment. Moves a project from Not Started to Active once the walk begins. |
WORK STRUCTURE
This hierarchy mirrors how renovation work is organized. It reflects how a construction manager thinks, walks, and documents a property.
Group | A physical location within a property (e.g., Kitchen, Primary Bathroom, Exterior Front). The top level of scope organization. Properties are walked room by room, area by area — Groups reflect that structure. |
Task | A specific job to be done within a Group (e.g., Replace Faucet, Repair Drywall, Document HVAC). Tasks are specific, observable, and actionable. |
Option | The action type for a Task: Replace, Repair, or Document. Captures intent — what will be done about what was found. Influenced by project type, objective, and budget. |
Line Item | The atomic unit of cost. Contains either labor (hours × rate) or materials (quantity × price with SKU). Line Items are the foundation of every budget, purchase order, and invoice. |
Modifier | An optional financial classification applied to a Line Item. Examples: Deferred (included in budget but excluded from purchase orders) or Tenant Responsible (billed separately to tenant). |
ASSIGNMENTS
Assignments connect work to the people who perform it and the systems that track it — enabling task-level progress tracking, contractor-specific outputs, and compounding project visibility.
Contractor | The service provider assigned to perform a Task. Enables the ‘by trade’ view and generates contractor-specific work packets and purchase orders. One scope, many outputs, zero ambiguity about who’s responsible for what. |
GL Code | The accounting code assigned to a Task for financial reconciliation. Connects physical work to the financial system, enabling cost tracking by trade, variance analysis, and ERP integration. |
ARTIFACTS
Formal documents produced through the project lifecycle. Artifacts drive the renovation from scope through completion.
Scope of Work (SOW) | The complete specification of work, materials, and cost. Created during the initial walk. Once approved, becomes the locked financial baseline. |
Purchase Order (PO) | Generated automatically when a Scope of Work is approved. SKU-level material lists organized by contractor for procurement. Excludes deferred items; includes tenant responsible items. |
Change Order (CO) | A modification to an approved scope. Changes to who, what, or how much — requires admin approval and updates purchase orders. |
Punch List | Tasks requiring remediation. Created when work is marked ‘rework’ during a progress walk. Addresses execution quality, not scope changes. |
Close Out | The final artifact. Confirms all work is complete. Approval moves the project to Closed. |
Scope Addendum | Supplemental work added after project completion. Reactivates a Closed project, uses the Change Order workflow, and requires a second Close Out. |
STATES & STATUSES
Artifact States
State | Definition |
Draft | In progress, not yet submitted for approval |
Current | Approved and active — the governing document |
Outdated | Superseded by a newer version; read-only |
Work Statuses - task level statuses
Status | Definition |
Not Started | Task exists in scope but work has not begun |
In Progress | Work is underway |
Rework | Work completed but doesn’t meet standards; requires remediation |
Complete | Work finished and verified |
Project Lifecycle
State | Definition |
Not Started | Dispatched but not yet walked |
Active | Work in progress across any artifact |
Closed | Project ended — Complete (closeout approved) or Incomplete (stopped before completion) |
SYSTEM CONCEPTS
Three-Tag System
Kai uses a consistent three-tag system for quick identification across the platform:
Project Type — Customizable per organization (e.g., Acquisition, Turn, Disposition, Assessment)
Artifact Type — System-defined (Scope, Change Order, Punch List, Close Out)
Status — Current state of the artifact or work item
Attention Summary
Master aggregation of all items requiring admin attention before approval or during scope modifications. Categories include: Deferred items (work identified but not ready), Tenant Responsible items (billable to tenant), Unassigned Contractors (tasks without provider),
Dual-View Model
Note: Trade View is coming soon. Currently, Kai supports Group View.
The same scope data can be viewed two ways:
Group View (By Room) — “Here’s everything in the Kitchen.” Organized by physical location. How users walk and assess.
Trade View (By Contractor) — “Here’s everything for Smith Plumbing across the whole property.” Organized by who does the work. How contractors receive their scope.
Both views roll up to the same total. Same data, different lens.
Notes
Notes (installation instructions, context, exceptions) can be added at three levels: Group level (applies to entire room/area), Task level (applies to specific job), and Line Item level (applies to specific material or labor). Notes appear on the Scope of Work document.
ROLES & PERMISSIONS
Core Principle: Everyone in an organization can currently view everything and download all artifacts. There is no “secret” information within an org at this time.
Role | Work Projects | Manage Projects & Properties | Markets & Contractors | Templates | User Mgmt |
Admin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ Add/Edit | ✓ Create/Edit | ✓ Full |
Manager | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ Add/Edit | View only | View only |
Ops User | ✓ | ✓ | View only | View only | View only |
Field User | ✓ | View only | View only | View only | View only |
View | View only | View only | View only | View only | View only |
Role Definitions
Admin | Full system access. Configures templates, manages users, sets up markets and contractors. |
Manager | Oversees operations. Can add markets and contractors, manage projects, but cannot edit templates or manage users. Cannot promote self to Admin or create other Managers. |
Ops User | Office-based coordinator. Creates/edits properties and projects, assigns field users. A Field User with project management capabilities. |
Field User | Performs walks, builds scopes, does progress walks, captures photos. The on-site assessment role. |
View | Read-only access across the org. Can view and download all artifacts but cannot edit or create. |
Permission Definitions
Work Projects | Perform walks, build scopes, do progress walks, capture photos, add notes |
Manage Projects | Create/edit properties and projects, assign users to projects |
Markets & Contractors | Add/edit markets, add/edit contractors at org level |
Templates | Create and edit market-level templates |
User Management | Add users, remove users, change roles |
Key Rules
Only Admins can manage users or edit templates. Managers cannot promote themselves to Admin. Managers cannot create other Managers. Everyone can view everything within their org. Everyone can download all artifacts (SOWs, Change Orders, Punch Lists, Close Outs, Photos).
SCREENS & COMPONENTS — KAI MOBILE (iOS)
Primary Screens
Project Dashboard | All assigned projects at a glance. Filter by Active, Closed, or Not Started (coming soon). Entry point to any project. |
Project Overview (HUB) | Command center for a single project. View project details, access artifacts, manage contractor assignments, and track history. |
Scope Editor | Where the scope is built. The template drives the experience and defines what work is needed. Assign photos and configure line items. |
Artifact Viewer (HUB) | Where artifacts are reviewed and actions are triggered. View the Scope of Work, initiate changes, or start progress tracking. |
Progress Editor | Where work completion is tracked. Update task status, capture verification photos, and document issues requiring rework. |
Project Dashboard Components
Project Card | Summary view of a single project showing tags, address, key dates, and current artifact |
Three-Tag System | Project Type + Artifact Type + Status — visible on every card |
Scope Editor Components
Side Nav | Left panel showing Project Overview link, Scope Views, and Group navigation |
Scope Views | Filtered views of the scope: All Tasks, All Photos, All Notes |
Group Selection | List of Groups in the side nav; tap to navigate to that Group’s tasks |
Group Photos | Photo column showing images captured at the Group level |
Space Details | Dimensions panel showing floor/wall measurements with auto-calculated totals |
Task Panel | Main work area where Tasks, Options, and Line Items are selected |
Photo Capture | Camera interface with dual capture buttons, selfie cam for hard-to-reach areas, and photo upload from device |
Photo Assignment | Drag-and-drop from Group photos to specific Tasks |
Photo Carousel | Full-screen image viewer; tap any photo to open |
Artifact Viewer Components
Artifact Banner | Header indicating artifact type, state, and version context |
Task Actions | Buttons that appear on tapping Group rows or Task rows — ‘Edit’ (draft) or ‘Change/View’ and ‘Progress’ (approved) |
Task Table | Line-item display showing Status, Contractor, Task Description, Product, Qty, Rate, Amount |
Download Options | Export to PDF, CSV, or Photos (per Org permission settings) |
Submit for Approval | Action to send artifact to admin for review |
Progress Editor Components
Progress Nav | Left panel showing only scoped Groups and Tasks (not full template) |
Snapshot | Read-only history of a task showing status at capture, photos, and any updates |
Status Selector | Control to set task status: Not Started, In Progress, Rework, Complete |
Comparison View | Side-by-side photo display for verifying work completion |
Calendar/ASAP Picker | Date selector that appears when ‘Rework’ is selected |
Photo Metadata | Stamps on photos showing user, date/time, phase, and event icons (change order, rework) |
Project Overview Components
Current Documents | Row showing Draft and Current artifacts — editable and actionable |
Historical Documents | Collapsed section showing Outdated artifacts — read-only |
Project Details | Type, name, ID, budget, assigned user, dates |
Property Data | Market, beds, baths, sqft, year built |
Contractor Assignments | List of assigned contractors for the project — task by task |
Dispatch Notes | Instructions or context provided when project was assigned |