Welcome to the Unlikely Professionals portal. This guide covers everything you need to know as a General Office Admin (GOA) — your role, your tools, and how to use the portal to manage your branch’s projects.
What Unlikely Professionals Does
Unlikely Professionals performs building code compliance inspections across Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia. We focus on structural foundation and water management systems — foundation, waterproofing, drainage, and structural integrity. When a builder constructs or renovates a home, local codes require third-party verification that the work meets standards. We inspect, certify, and deliver the paperwork the builder needs to close permits.
What the Portal Is
The portal is a custom-built web application that manages every project from intake to certification delivery. It replaces spreadsheets, email chains, and manual tracking. Scheduling, inspections, certifications, invoicing — everything flows through the portal.
Behind the portal sit SmartSuite (the project database), a FastAPI backend (the engine), and Supabase (a mirror for reporting). You do not need to interact with any of these directly. The portal is your interface to all of it.
Your Role: General Office Admin (GOA)
As the GOA (goa), you are the branch manager. You have oversight of all projects linked to your branch account. Here is what that means practically:
- Branch oversight: You see every project assigned to your branch — from intake through delivery and beyond.
- Project submission: You submit new projects via the Intake wizard on behalf of your branch.
- Schedule management: You view your branch’s calendar and submit schedule change requests (reschedule, cancel, hold, add).
- Communication hub: You submit and respond to RFIs. You trigger and participate in escalations when issues arise.
- Deliveries recipient: You receive certification packages and invoices. You are typically the invoice recipient for your branch.
- Triage continuity: When projects transfer to triage after 45 days, you retain full visibility — even after schedulers lose access.
What You Do Not Do
Understanding the boundaries of your role is just as important as knowing what you do:
- You do not confirm or decline schedule change requests — you submit them, and the admin/owner reviews them.
- You do not create or manage portal users.
- You do not access the Work Pool, Drafting Queue, or Cert & Invoice pipeline — those are admin-side tools.
- You can see the SOW Gate for your projects (the scope of work breakdown).
The Big Picture
Every project follows this general path. Your involvement is highlighted:
Accessing the Portal
Open your browser and go to unlikely.management. This is the GOA domain. Log in with the credentials provided to you.
unlikely.management or unlikely.works — both serve the same portal. Your role determines what you see after login.
Your Dashboard
After login, you land on your dashboard. It is branch-filtered — you see only data for your branch. Here is what each section means:
| Dashboard Section | What It Shows | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Project Status | Pipeline counts for your branch — how many projects are in each status | Gives you an at-a-glance view of your branch’s overall health and workload |
| Certifications | Recently delivered certs and any pending certifications | Track what has been delivered and what is still in the pipeline |
| Schedule | This week’s inspections for your branch | Know what field work is happening and when to expect results |
| Triage Activity | Triage counts for your branch — projects that exceeded the 45-day threshold | Monitors aging projects that may need attention or intervention |
| RFIs | Open RFIs that need your response, plus RFIs you are waiting on | Unanswered RFIs block projects from moving forward — respond promptly |
| Schedule Changes | Pending schedule change requests you have submitted | Track whether your requests have been approved, not approved, or are still pending |
Morning Numbers to Check
Every morning, glance at these numbers before doing anything else:
- RFI count — Do any RFIs need your response? These are the highest priority because they block project progress.
- Schedule change status — Were any of your pending requests approved or not approved overnight?
- This week’s inspections — What field work is coming up for your branch?
- Triage count — Are any projects approaching or in triage? These need attention.
- Recent deliveries — Have any certs or invoices been delivered since you last checked?
Work through these steps in order each morning. This priority sequence ensures nothing gets stuck and your branch stays on track.
RFIs (Requests for Information) are the single biggest blocker in the pipeline. When the admin team sends you an RFI, it means they cannot move your project forward until you respond. The SLA clock on the project is paused while your RFI is open — but the longer it stays open, the longer your certification is delayed.
What to Do
- Navigate to Communication → RFIs in the sidebar
- Look for any RFIs marked as awaiting your response
- Open each one and read what is being requested
- Provide the requested information directly in the portal — attach files, photos, or documents as needed
- Submit your response
A timely response to an Agent RFI doesn’t just unblock the project — it restarts the automated 3-day SLA clock for certification generation. The moment you respond, the system resumes the countdown. Within 3 business days of your response, the certification package is generated, the invoice is issued, and the permit can be closed with the county.
Every day an RFI sits unanswered is a day the permit stays open. A fast response means a faster close.
Your dashboard is the pulse of your branch. Scan each section for anything that needs immediate attention.
- Project Status: Are the counts what you expect? Any projects unexpectedly on hold or with open RFIs?
- Certifications: Check for recently delivered certs. Download and forward to the appropriate people internally if needed.
- Schedule Changes: Were your pending requests approved or not approved? If not approved, read the admin’s reason and decide whether to re-submit with modifications.
- Triage Activity: Any projects newly in triage? These are projects that sat for 45+ days — check if there is something you can do to help resolve them.
Navigate to Daily Work → Calendar to see your branch’s upcoming inspections. This tells you what field work is planned and when to expect projects to come back from the field.
- Today’s inspections: Know what is happening today so you can anticipate any questions or issues from the field.
- This week: Plan ahead — if you know a batch of inspections is happening on Thursday, you can expect RFIs or deliveries by the following week.
- Conflicts: If you see a scheduling conflict (e.g., site will not be ready), submit a schedule change request now rather than waiting.
If you have new projects that need inspection, submit them via the Intake wizard. See Section 05 for the full walkthrough. The sooner you submit, the sooner the project gets on the calendar.
Adding visits to existing projects: If you need to add a follow-up visit to a project that already exists, you can do this from the project detail page (click + Add Visit in the Site Visits section) or from the calendar inspection panel (click Add Visit to Project). Do not submit a new intake for an existing project.
Understanding how a project moves through the system helps you know what to expect at each stage and when your involvement is needed.
The Full Journey
You (or a scheduler) submit a new project via the Intake wizard
UP admin reviews and accepts the submission
An inspection date is set (visible on your Calendar)
Inspector goes on site, collects data, photos, measurements
Inspector marks the inspection done
Admin verifies data completeness and accuracy
All data present? SOW verified?
Cert + invoice arrive via email
Respond promptly to unblock
Where You Are Involved
| Stage | Your Role |
|---|---|
| 1. Intake | You submit the project. Ensure all required data is included to avoid delays. |
| 3. Scheduling | You can view the calendar. Submit schedule changes if needed. |
| 7. RFI (if needed) | You respond to RFIs from the admin team with requested information. |
| 10. Delivery | You receive the cert package and invoice. Request resend if needed. |
Project Statuses
Projects move through these statuses. You will see these throughout the portal:
| Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Intake | Just submitted, awaiting admin review |
| Scheduled | Inspection date is set, waiting for field visit |
| In Progress | Field inspector is currently working on it (includes multi-visit projects) |
| Field Complete | All field work done — now with admin for review |
| Ready for Cert | Reviewed and ready for cert/invoice drafting |
| Certified | Cert package has been generated and finalized |
| Invoiced | Cert + invoice sent to you — project is done |
| Closed | Fully complete, paid, and closed out |
| Flags (can apply to any project regardless of status): | |
| On Hold | Project is paused — visible in the Holding Pool. This is a flag, not a status — the project retains its current status. |
| Cancelled | Project was cancelled. This is a terminal flag — the project will not progress further. |
The Intake wizard is a 5-step form that guides you through submitting a new project. A complete, accurate submission gets accepted faster and avoids back-and-forth with the admin team.
Accessing the Intake Wizard
Navigate to Daily Work → Intake in the sidebar. Click the button to start a new submission.
The 5 Steps
Provide the basic project information:
- Property address: Full street address including city, state, and zip code. This must be accurate — it appears on the certification.
- Lot number / subdivision: If applicable, include the lot and subdivision details.
- Account: Your branch account is pre-selected based on your login.
Select the inspection stage and review type. These determine how the project flows through the system:
| Field | Options | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Stage | In Production / Post Production | In Production: construction is ongoing, field inspection needed. Post Production: construction is complete. |
| Review Type | Field / Desk | Field: inspector goes on-site. Desk: office-based review from documents only (no site visit). |
Select the products and services that need to be inspected for this project. The available items are determined by your branch’s ABSoW (Account-Branch Scope of Work) — the standard template for your account.
- Select each product/service that applies to this project
- Set the quantity for each item (e.g., “Insulation Inspection × 3 units”)
- The SOW determines what gets inspected and what gets billed
Attach supporting documents to the submission:
- Permits: Upload the building permit for the project. The system can parse permit information automatically.
- Plans: Architectural or structural plans relevant to the inspection.
- Photos: Any site photos that help the admin team understand the project scope.
- Other documents: Any additional supporting documentation.
Review all the information you have entered. The wizard shows a summary of:
- Project address and details
- Stage and review type
- SOW items and quantities
- Attached documents
If everything looks correct, submit. The project enters the admin’s intake review queue. You will be notified when it is accepted or if the admin needs corrections.
Intake Flow Summary
The Calendar View
Navigate to Daily Work → Calendar to see your branch’s inspections. The calendar is branch-scoped — you only see inspections for projects linked to your account.
The calendar shows:
- Scheduled inspection dates and times
- Which projects are being inspected
- The assigned inspector
Schedule Change Requests
Navigate to Daily Work → Schedule Changes to submit or view schedule change requests. You submit requests; the admin/owner team reviews and confirms or declines them.
Request Types
| Type | When to Use It | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Reschedule | Site is not ready, client needs a different date | Admin checks availability and confirms or suggests an alternative |
| Cancel Inspection | A specific visit needs to be cancelled | Admin reviews and confirms if valid |
| Add Inspection | Additional visit is needed (e.g., re-inspection) | Admin checks capacity and confirms or suggests a date |
| Hold | Project needs to be paused temporarily | Project moves to Holding Pool, removed from active schedule |
| Cancel Project | Project needs to be cancelled entirely | Admin reviews carefully — late cancellation may incur trip charges |
Submitting a Schedule Change
Cancel Project
To cancel an entire project (not just a single inspection visit), use the Action Center or the project detail page. This is a separate action from cancelling an individual inspection. A project cancellation means the entire engagement is being terminated.
The Projects page is your master list of every project in your branch. Navigate to Projects → Projects in the sidebar. Everything is branch-scoped — you only see projects linked to your account. Each project row includes a pipeline indicator — a compact dot-and-line graphic showing exactly where the project sits in its lifecycle (green = completed stages, blue = current stage, grey = upcoming stages, amber = on hold).
Searching
- By address: Type part of the street address. The search is fuzzy — it will find partial matches.
- By project ID: If you have the project ID, enter it directly for an exact match.
Filtering & Sorting
- By status: Filter to show only projects in a specific status (e.g., all Scheduled projects or all Field Complete projects).
- By date: Sort by inspection date, creation date, or last modified.
Project Detail View
Click on any project to open its detail view. Here you can see:
- Project information: Address, status, dates, account, and all metadata.
- SOW Gate: The scope of work breakdown — every line item, quantity, and product.
- Site visits: Inspection history, dates, and inspector assignments.
- Files: All attached documents, photos, permits, and plans.
- RFI history: Any RFIs associated with this project.
- Escalation history: Any escalation threads on this project.
When to Use Projects vs. Dashboard
| Use Projects Page When... | Use Dashboard When... |
|---|---|
| You need to find a specific project by address or ID | You want a quick overview of your branch’s status |
| You want to see all projects in a particular status | You need to check today’s schedule or recent deliveries |
| A client calls about a project and you need full context | You want to see pending RFIs or schedule change status |
| You need to review the SOW or files for a project | You are doing your morning check-in |
The Holding Pool
Navigate to Projects → Holding Pool to see all of your branch’s projects that are currently on hold. Projects end up here when:
- You submitted a hold request and the admin confirmed it
- The site is not ready for inspection and the project is paused
- There is a dependency that needs to be resolved before work can proceed
- The project is waiting for additional documentation or permits
Projects in the Holding Pool are not forgotten — they are visible and tracked — but they are removed from the active scheduling pipeline. Think of it as a parking lot for projects that are not ready to move forward yet.
Getting a Project Off Hold
Desk Review
Navigate to Projects → Desk Review to see projects in the desk review queue. A desk review is a post-production, office-based review. Unlike a field review (which requires an on-site visit), a desk review means the project can be evaluated entirely from submitted documents, photos, and data.
When a project’s intake is marked as post-production stage with desk review type, it follows a streamlined path:
- No field inspection needed — the construction is already complete
- The admin reviews the submitted documentation from their desk
- If everything checks out, they proceed directly to cert/invoice drafting
- If data is missing, you receive an RFI asking for the missing items
Navigate to Communication → RFIs and Communication → Escalations in the sidebar. These are your communication tools for resolving issues on projects.
Understanding RFIs
An RFI (Request for Information) is a formal request for missing or unclear data tied to a specific project. RFIs flow in both directions:
Agent RFI (UP → You)
The admin team is requesting information from you. Common reasons:
- Missing permits or plans
- Unclear site conditions
- SOW quantity questions
- Additional photos needed
- Permit number corrections
Your action: Respond in the portal with the requested information. Attach files as needed. The sooner you respond, the sooner your cert is delivered.
Client RFI (You → UP)
You are requesting information from the UP team. Common reasons:
- Cert status inquiries
- Inspection result questions
- Billing clarifications
- Schedule questions
- General project inquiries
Your action: Create a Client RFI via the portal. Specify the project and what you need. The admin team will respond.
Responding to an Agent RFI
Creating a Client RFI
- Navigate to Communication → RFIs
- Click to create a new Client RFI
- Select the project this RFI relates to
- Describe what information you need
- Submit — the admin team is notified and will respond in the portal
Escalations
Escalations are for situations that cannot be resolved through normal RFI communication. They signal that something is seriously wrong or blocked and needs immediate attention from multiple parties.
When to Escalate
- An RFI has gone unanswered despite multiple reminders
- There is a dispute about inspection results or scope
- A project is stuck and normal channels are not resolving the issue
- There is a safety or compliance concern that needs urgent attention
- A client or builder is escalating an issue to your level
Escalation Flow
Branch-Scoped Escalation Routing
RFI escalations are routed to specific contacts based on the project’s branch. This means escalations reach the right people immediately instead of broadcasting to all GOA users. Each branch has a defined escalation chain:
| Branch | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | Julia Marketis | Nicole Lovo | Ryan Joyner |
| Manassas | Sidney Kent | Lily Jacobs | James C |
| New Haven | Kai Perkins | J Corso | J Corso |
| Triage | Stephaney Bilyard (all levels) | ||
As a GOA, you are typically the recipient for certification packages and invoices for your branch. Understanding how delivery works helps you track what has been received and what is still in the pipeline.
How Delivery Works
What You Receive
| Document | What It Contains | What to Do With It |
|---|---|---|
| Certification Package | PDF with inspection results, compliance data, certifier information, and project details | Forward to the builder/superintendent as proof of compliance. This is the document they need to pass final building inspection. |
| Invoice | Itemized bill based on the project SOW — products, quantities, unit prices, and total | Process for payment per your company’s AP workflow. Payment terms are on the invoice. |
Viewing Recent Deliveries
Your dashboard’s Certifications section shows recently delivered certs and pending certifications. You can also find invoiced projects on the Projects page by filtering for Invoiced status.
Requesting a Resend
If you need a cert or invoice re-sent (lost email, wrong recipient, etc.), you can request a resend through the portal. The system will re-deliver the same documents to the correct recipient.
The SLA
Unlikely Professionals targets 3 business days from the final field inspection to cert + invoice delivery. This is tracked automatically. If a project has an open RFI, the SLA clock pauses until the RFI is resolved. This means your timely RFI responses directly affect how fast you receive your certs.
Conversations live inside each project, not on a separate page. Open any project, scroll to the Correspondence section, and you will see the full message thread alongside the project’s files, site visits, and certifications. Red dots on project rows and calendar events tell you where unread messages are.
How It Works
A red dot appears on project rows in the Projects table and on calendar events when there are unread messages for that project. Click through to the project to read and reply. Messages deliver in real time — no page refresh needed.
Starting a Conversation
If a project has no conversation yet, type a message in the compose area and send — a conversation is auto-created and linked to the project. You can also click + new message to choose a type (general, RFI, or review).
Project Activity Timeline
Every project detail page has an Activity section showing a unified timeline of all events: status changes, messages, cert deliveries, invoices, file uploads, and site visits. Messages you send about a project appear in this timeline, giving everyone visibility into the communication history.
Ask Friday
The ask friday action in the compose bar invokes Friday, the portal AI assistant, directly in the thread. As a GOA, you get Friday’s Staff voice — it can look up project status, check calendar availability, and answer questions about your branch’s projects. Friday will not expose financial data or internal pricing. Friday’s responses are visible to the team.
Notification Preferences
Click the gear icon in the notification panel to configure how you receive alerts: portal notifications, email fallback, and Do Not Disturb hours. Notifications consolidate within a 2-minute window.
What Is Triage?
Triage is the system’s escalation mechanism for aging projects. When a project sits for more than 45 days after its last inspection without being certified and delivered, it automatically transfers to a dedicated Triage Team for resolution.
Why does this exist? Projects that sit too long become problematic — data goes stale, clients get frustrated, and revenue goes uncollected. The 45-day rule ensures nothing falls through the cracks permanently.
What Happens at 45 Days
Your Role in Triage
As a GOA, you have a unique position during triage. While schedulers lose access, you retain full visibility. This means:
- You can still see the project on your Projects page and dashboard triage counts
- You can respond to RFIs from the triage team just as you would from the admin team
- You receive the invoice when the triage team completes the project
- You can provide context that the triage team may need about the project history
Common Reasons Projects Hit Triage
| Reason | Prevention |
|---|---|
| Unanswered RFIs | Respond to all RFIs within 1–2 business days |
| Missing documentation | Submit complete document packages with the intake |
| On Hold too long | Proactively resolve hold reasons and get projects back on schedule |
| Scheduling delays | Submit schedule change requests early, not at the last minute |
| Incomplete field data | Ensure your sites are ready for inspection when the inspector arrives |
Before you log off each day, run through this checklist. It takes 5 minutes and ensures nothing slips through overnight.
| # | Check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | All RFIs responded to — no open Agent RFIs waiting for your response | Unanswered RFIs block your projects and trigger escalation reminders. Clear them daily. |
| 2 | Schedule changes reviewed — check if any pending requests were approved or not approved | Approved changes may require you to coordinate with your field teams. Not Approved changes need a follow-up decision. |
| 3 | New deliveries acknowledged — check for any certs or invoices that arrived today | Certs need to be forwarded to builders promptly. Invoices need to enter your AP workflow. |
| 4 | Tomorrow’s inspections — check the calendar for tomorrow’s scheduled visits | Confirm sites are ready. If a site will not be ready, submit a schedule change now rather than a last-minute cancellation. |
| 5 | Triage check — any projects approaching 45 days? | If a project is aging, take action now. Respond to RFIs, submit missing docs, or escalate before it transfers to triage. |
| 6 | Holding Pool scan — any projects on hold that can be returned to the schedule? | Projects on hold still age toward the 45-day threshold. Resolve hold reasons and get them back in the pipeline. |
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| SOW | Scope of Work. The list of specific inspection items for a project. Each SOW line is a product/service that gets inspected and billed. Example: “Blower Door Test × 1” or “Insulation Inspection × 3 units.” |
| ABSoW | Account-Branch Scope of Work. The standard SOW template for your branch account. Defines which products and services are available to you when submitting projects. Individual project SOWs are derived from this template. |
| PSoW | Project Scope of Work. The specific SOW for an individual project — what is actually being inspected on this particular job. |
| SOW Gate | The detailed breakdown view showing each SOW line item, its quantity, product, and status. You can view (but not modify) this for your projects. |
| RFI | Request for Information. A formal request for missing data. Agent RFI = UP asking you. Client RFI = you asking UP. Agent RFIs pause the SLA clock while open. |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement. UP’s commitment to deliver cert + invoice within 3 business days of final inspection. Tracked automatically. Clock pauses during open RFIs. |
| Cert Package | The certification document(s) delivered to you confirming a project meets building code requirements. Generated as PDF. Contains inspection results, compliance data, and certifier information. This is what the builder needs to pass final permit inspection. |
| Branch | A subdivision of a client account. Your portal access is scoped to your branch — you only see projects, schedules, and data for your branch. |
| Account | A client company. Each account can have one or more branches. Your branch belongs to an account. |
| Branch Scoping | The portal’s access control mechanism. Everything you see — projects, calendar, RFIs, dashboards — is filtered to show only data for your specific branch. |
| Triage | Projects that exceeded the 45-day threshold after inspection without delivery. Handled by a dedicated triage team. You retain visibility as the GOA even after schedulers lose access. |
| Trip Charge | A fee charged when the field inspector arrives on site but cannot complete the inspection (e.g., site not ready, late cancellation). Submit schedule changes early to avoid these. |
| Escalation | A formal signal that an issue cannot be resolved through normal RFI communication. Opens a threaded message channel with instant notification to all responsible parties. Maximum 5 per project. |
| Holding Pool | Where projects go when placed on hold. Still visible and tracked, but removed from the active scheduling pipeline. |
| Desk Review | A post-production, office-based review that skips the field inspection step. The project is evaluated entirely from submitted documents, photos, and data. |
| Intake Wizard | The 5-step form used to submit new projects to Unlikely Professionals for inspection. |
| Schedule Change | A request to modify the inspection schedule — reschedule, cancel, add, hold, or cancel project. Submitted by you, reviewed by admin/owner. |
Portal Access
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Your portal URL | unlikely.management |
| Your role | goa |
| Login | Credentials provided by Unlikely Professionals |
| Scope | Branch-scoped — you see only your branch’s data |
Your Sidebar Navigation
| Section | Pages | What You Do There |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard | — | Overview of branch status, deliveries, triage, RFIs, schedule changes |
| Daily Work | Intake, Calendar, Schedule Changes | Submit new projects, view inspections, request schedule modifications |
| Projects | Projects, Holding Pool, Desk Review | Search and filter all branch projects, view on-hold and desk review items |
| Communication | RFIs, Escalations | Conversations live inline on project detail pages (Correspondence section). RFIs and escalations accessible from sidebar. |
What You Can and Cannot Do
You Can
- Submit new projects via Intake
- View the branch calendar
- Submit schedule change requests
- View all branch projects and filter by status
- View the SOW Gate for projects
- View the Holding Pool and Desk Review queue
- Submit and respond to RFIs
- Trigger and participate in escalations
- Receive certs and invoices
- Request cert/invoice resend
- Retain visibility on triage projects
You Cannot
- Confirm or decline schedule changes
- Create or manage portal users
- Access the Work Pool
- Access the Drafting Queue
- Access the Cert & Invoice pipeline
- Draft or send certifications
- Draft or send invoices
- See other branches’ data
Who to Contact
| Situation | Contact | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Missing cert or invoice delivery | UP Admin (Jacob) | Client RFI via portal or request resend |
| Billing question or dispute | UP Admin (Jacob) | Client RFI via portal |
| Inspection results question | UP Admin (Jacob) | Client RFI via portal |
| Urgent project issue | All responsible parties | Escalation via portal |
| Portal access or login issue | UP Admin or Owner (Dustin) | Email or phone |
| Triage project questions | UP Triage Team / Admin | RFI or escalation via portal |
Daily Priority Order
- Respond to open Agent RFIs (these block your projects)
- Review dashboard for status changes and new deliveries
- Check schedule change request outcomes
- Review the calendar for upcoming inspections
- Submit new projects via Intake
- Check Holding Pool for projects ready to return
- Monitor triage counts for aging projects
Key Thresholds
| Threshold | Value | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Cert + invoice SLA | 3 biz days | After final inspection — clock pauses during open RFIs |
| Triage transfer | 45 days | Auto-transfer to triage team — you retain visibility, schedulers lose access |
| Late cancellation | < 24 hrs | May trigger trip charge if inspector has been dispatched |
| Max escalations | 5 per project | Hard limit on escalation count per project |
| RFI escalation | Day 1→3→5→7+ | Automatic reminder cadence for unanswered Agent RFIs |