Every week you don't track is a week you can't recover.
LPS runs On Center DPC for self-performing contractors — aligning estimate structure, field reporting, and payroll into one weekly labor tracking system so ownership and PMs always know where the job stands.
Digital Production Control (DPC) is On Center Software's field-to-office labor tracking platform. Unlike timecards that only capture hours, DPC puts the actual estimated takeoff in front of your foreman on a laptop — every week. They select the phase codes for work completed that week directly from the estimate. They learn the scope. They learn to spot change order items. They report actual production accurately. Gain confidence that you know the health of your projects. See your foremen appreciate a tool that gives them the means to report actual performance accurately to the office. Find your strengths and weaknesses objectively — and we will help you get there.
Most contractors who use On Center's estimating platform know DPC exists — but never had someone to run it consistently. LPS manages the complete weekly workflow — estimate alignment, field reporting, and labor analysis — so DPC becomes a weekly decision-making system, not just software you're paying for.
We align your estimate, field reporting, and payroll into the same phase code structure — so every hour is tracked where it actually belongs.
We'll walk you through DPC on a realistic self-perform project.
Best engaged before field labor begins — when phase codes, estimate structure, and reporting workflow can be aligned from day one.
Most labor overruns are not a single event. They are weeks of small misses that nobody caught in time.
By the time it shows up in billing, it's already gone.
Built from managing live self-perform projects — not from training or theory.
Built for drywall, framing, interiors, and self-perform operations.
Most contractors find out they're over labor budget at month-end billing. By then, the work is done and the margin is gone. DPC shows you exactly where you stand — every week, by phase code — while you can still do something about it.
Most projects recover the full cost of LPS with less than 1% labor improvement.
Know where you stand on every phase code — hours ahead, hours behind, and where the job is trending. Updated weekly, not at closeout.
Your foreman opens DPC on a Windows laptop, enters percent complete for work in place using the actual takeoff in front of him, logs hours for each crew member tied to those phase code conditions, and submits everything through Project Express — weekly, within DPC. No paper timecards. No emailed hours. No arbitrary phase code selection. The estimate drives the reporting.
Each report flags high-risk phase codes, identifies what is performing well, and projects where the job will land. Ownership, PMs, and field leadership all see the same data — every week, not at closeout.
LPS takes over weekly timecard collection, phase code reconciliation, and report delivery — 5 to 8 hours per week your PM gets back to focus on trade coordination and schedule management where they create more value.
At setup, LPS aligns DPC phase codes with your accounting budget labor items. If accounting isn't currently tracking labor by phase code, we consult new codes and deliver a full phase code report before the first hour is entered. When DPC and accounting don't match, ownership sees two different pictures of project health. We close that gap before kickoff.
DPC gives your foreman the same labor picture ownership sees — real data, updated weekly. On well-estimated projects, that transparency gives the foreman breathing room to know exactly where he stands without guessing. No end-of-job surprises. No office politics around whether the job performed. The numbers are objective, visible to everyone, and tied directly to the estimate he's building against.
DPC activation requires four things. If you have them, we can be live in under a week. If you don't have all four, we have a path to get there.
Don't have all four yet? Ask about DPC Readiness & Estimate Conversion — LPS can convert your existing estimate into the correct format and get you activation-ready. Contact us to assess your setup.
Visibility only matters if it comes early enough to act. Every report is structured for quick review — so your PM and ownership know exactly where to act before another week passes.
LPS audits your OST/QB estimate, activates DPC on our PM license, configures all phase codes and budgets, and onboards your foreman. If your estimate needs alignment first, we handle that before activation.
Your foreman submits percent complete and timecard entries by phase code via Project Express — typically 30–60 minutes per week, depending on project size. LPS receives the data and processes it immediately.
Designed to require minimal time from the field — without disrupting production.
Your PM and ownership receive a labor performance report: budget vs. actual by phase code, end-of-job projection, flagged risks, and a weekly payroll report — ready to review in minutes, every week.
LPS supports your PM and foreman — it does not replace them.
We'll demonstrate DPC on a real self-perform project — your scope, your phase codes, your numbers.
Every engagement starts with a structured setup, runs on weekly management for the life of the project, and includes a performance-aligned fee — so LPS is accountable to the same labor outcome you are. Fee structure, blended labor rate, and engagement terms are locked in writing at kickoff. No surprises mid-project.
LPS does not replace your PM, estimator, or foreman. We give them better data — every week.
LPS is best engaged before field labor begins — when estimate structure, phase codes, and reporting workflow can be aligned from day one.
Tell us your project scope and On Center setup. We'll tell you the fastest path to activation.
LPS follows the On Center workflow exactly — OST takeoff, Quick Bid pricing, DPC activation, and weekly field submissions. Every step is managed by LPS from setup through closeout.
LPS supports your PM and foreman — it does not replace them.
LPS reviews your OST and Quick Bid estimate for DPC compatibility — proper labor cost codes and Interactive mode pricing are both required. We also align DPC phase codes with your accounting budget phase codes for all major labor items you track. If you are not currently tracking labor by phase code in accounting, we will consult new phase codes aligned with the estimate and provide a full phase code and description report — your accounting budget should be updated before kickoff. When DPC phase codes and accounting phase codes don't match, ownership ends up with two separate pictures of project health that never tell the same story. Getting this right before activation is the most important step in the entire setup.
LPS activates DPC on our PM license and builds the full tracking structure — phase codes, budgets, and weekly hour distributions. The package is pushed to your foreman via Project Express. Every labor line in Quick Bid becomes a live tracking phase code. No double entry, no manual re-keying.
For Core Engagement clients, your estimating team already uses OST and QB — your foreman adds a DPC Foreman license on a Windows laptop. Running one project at a time, that's one license. Running multiple projects simultaneously, each foreman needs a license per active project. For Estimate Conversion clients, once LPS completes the estimate rebuild, your foreman only needs a DPC Foreman license and a Windows field machine per project — plan for additional lead time before activation. LPS conducts virtual training covering the bid package, percent complete by phase code, and accurate timecard entry. The first month includes regular check-ins to confirm clean submissions.
Each week the foreman submits percent complete and timecard entries by phase code via Project Express — typically 30–60 minutes. LPS processes the data, runs budget-vs-actual across every phase code, and generates the weekly payroll report. When payroll is tied to DPC phase codes, untracked labor entries are eliminated and payroll reporting becomes a direct output of the tracking system.
Your PM and ownership receive a labor performance report within 3–5 business days of payroll close — after the last hour is submitted, not before. The report covers budget vs. actual by phase code, cumulative variance, end-of-project projection, high-risk phase codes flagged, top performers noted, and the timecard payroll report. Structured for a quick read. The goal is a clear picture of where the job stands — not a data dump.
Core Engagement
Estimate Conversion
LPS holds: DPC Project Manager licenses — used to build, manage, and analyze all project tracking.
Core Engagement: Your existing OST & QB licenses are the foundation. You only need to add a DPC Foreman license on a Windows laptop per foreman. One project at a time — one license. Multiple simultaneous projects — one license per foreman per active project.
Estimate Conversion: Once LPS recreates your estimate in OST & QB on our end, you only need DPC Foreman licenses and Windows field machines — one per project. No OST or Quick Bid license required. Plan for additional setup lead time before activation begins. Licenses available from On Center Software (ConstructConnect®).
We'll walk through DPC tracking using a project scope that matches your work type and On Center setup.
Every week LPS delivers three branded reports tied directly to your DPC phase codes. Here is what each one looks like and what it does for your operation.
| Metric | Prior Week | Current Week | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| % Complete | 43% | 44% | ▲ +1% |
| Base Bid Position | +1,460 | +1,750 | ▲ +290 |
| Projected Final | +1,820 | +1,800 | → holding |
| Zone | % Done | Est. Hrs | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A — Primary Drywall, framing, doors, ceilings | 85% | 2,800 | +730 | Strong gain |
| Zones B/C — Phase 2 Ceiling grid, tile, framing | 68% | 1,390 | −195 | Over — flag |
| Zone G — Q4 Phase Ceiling grid, tile, drywall | 53% | 570 | +98 | Monitor |
| + 8 additional active zones tracked in full report | ||||
| Employee / Phase Code | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10001 — Field Superintendent | 40:00 | |||||
06.1100.00 — Roof Blocking Zone A | — | 2:00 | 3:00 | 4:00 | 7:00 | 16:00 |
00.1001.00 — Change Event Non-estimated — pending CO | 8:00 | — | — | — | — | 8:00 |
| 10002 — Journeyman Carpenter | 40:00 | |||||
09.2140.00 — Ceiling Grid Zone B/C | — | — | 4:00 | 8:00 | 8:00 | 20:00 |
| Project Totals — All Employees | 8:00 | 2:00 | 7:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 80:00 |
Saturday = premium time. Sunday = double time. DPC does not flag these automatically — LPS notes them in the weekly recap for your payroll team.
These reports represent what self-perform contractors receive every week — labor performance, payroll recap, trends, and alerts.
30-minute call. We will show DPC running on a self-perform project like yours.
Most labor overruns we see are not caused by production — they come from lack of visibility. By the time they're discovered, they're already unrecoverable.
Best time to engage: Before field labor begins — when phase codes, estimate structure, and payroll reporting can be aligned from day one. Mid-project activation is possible but requires more setup work.
Fees are structured around your project. Setup is one-time and covers estimate audit, DPC activation, and foreman onboarding. Management is priced per project engagement — locked at kickoff for the life of the project. The performance fee only applies when savings are verified.
Minimum applies: performance fee activates only on verified savings above $5,000. Rate locked in writing at project kickoff via Exhibit B.
Foreman Incentive: We incentivize your foreman's execution by sharing our performance fee savings with him — paid directly by LPS. You get labor recovery. He gets recognized for discipline. No guesswork. No office politics. DPC gives your foreman the same labor picture ownership sees — on well-estimated projects, that transparency gives the field breathing room to know exactly where they stand, every week.
Every LPS engagement is structured around your project — not a subscription. The first foreman is included. The performance fee only activates when savings are verified. You are not paying for software — you are paying for a managed weekly labor control system.
Engagement terms are locked at project kickoff. Fee structure, blended labor rate, and performance fee percentage are all documented in writing before DPC activation begins. Multi-project discounts available for 3+ simultaneous active projects.
For Core Engagement clients — yes, your estimating department already uses OST and Quick Bid. You only need to add a DPC Foreman license per foreman per active project. For Estimate Conversion clients — once LPS recreates your estimate on our end, you only need DPC Foreman licenses and Windows field machines. No OST or Quick Bid license required. LPS holds all PM licenses. Licenses available from On Center Software (ConstructConnect®).
Most estimates are not. The OST/QB bid must be structured with Interactive mode and proper labor cost codes for DPC to activate. We audit the estimate as part of setup. If alignment is needed first, ask about our DPC Readiness & Estimate Conversion service.
Typically 30–60 minutes per week from your foreman — percent complete and timecard entry by phase code via Project Express. LPS processes the data, runs the analysis, and delivers the report. That is your team's entire weekly commitment.
The rate is tiered by project size — 10% for projects under 6,000 hrs, 7.5% for 6,000–15,000 hrs, 6% for 15,000–25,000 hrs, and 5% for 25,000+ hrs. The rate and baseline are locked in writing at kickoff via Exhibit B. Savings are verified through DPC data — not estimated. The fee activates only on savings above $5,000. If DPC does not document savings, no fee is owed. A portion of the performance fee is shared directly with your foreman by LPS — rewarding field execution based on the same verified data.
The baseline is your own Quick Bid estimate — built by your estimating department before LPS is ever involved. LPS audits and configures that estimate for DPC tracking, but does not author it. We have no ability to inflate hours we didn't set. Beyond that, the performance fee calculation explicitly excludes change orders, scope busts, and unbudgeted work — all of which are tracked under separate phase codes. Hours recovered on work that was never in the original bid don't count. You're paying on real production discipline against your own numbers, not on hours that should never have been in the budget in the first place.
Illustrative estimate based on an 8% efficiency gain on a 10,000-hour project at $85/hr blended rate. Setup includes estimate audit, DPC activation, and first foreman onboarding — no additional onboarding fee for the first foreman. Results vary based on project type, estimate quality, crew performance, and tracking maturity. We provide realistic projections specific to your scope before any engagement begins.
LPS holds DPC Project Manager licenses — no PM-level license purchase required on your end.
Clients need: OST and Quick Bid in your estimating department, plus a DPC Foreman license on a Windows machine for your foreman. Licenses are available from On Center Software (ConstructConnect®). If your estimate is not in OST/QB format, ask about DPC Readiness & Estimate Conversion.
Tell us your project size and On Center setup — we'll put together a specific fee and ROI projection.
The math behind LPS is straightforward. Weekly phase code visibility surfaces labor variances early enough to act on them. Here is how that translates into dollar value across different project sizes.
These are illustrative models based on real DPC workflow patterns and industry labor cost data. They show how weekly tracking creates recoverable value — not guaranteed outcomes. LPS provides project-specific projections before any engagement begins.
The typical pattern: a PM realizes at 55–65% complete that labor is tracking over budget. With that much work done, recovery options are limited. The job finishes over budget, and the loss is written off as a production problem.
It usually is not a production problem. It is a visibility problem. The crew was drifting for weeks before anyone noticed — and by the time the signal appeared in billing, it was already unrecoverable.
Most contractors believe they are tracking production because timecards are coming in. Timecards track hours. DPC tracks production — percent complete by phase code against the estimate. These are not the same thing, and the difference is exactly where labor losses hide.
DPC surfaces that signal at Week 4, not at Month 4. That is the difference between a correctable variance and a locked-in loss.
When DPC phase codes don't match accounting budget phase codes, ownership sees two completely different pictures of project health — one from DPC reports, one from accounting. Neither tells the full story. Both create confusion.
At setup, LPS aligns DPC phase codes with your accounting budget labor items. If your accounting budget doesn't yet track labor by phase code, we consult new phase codes and provide a full phase code and description report — so your accounting budget can be updated before the first labor entry hits. One system. One story. Every week.
Three project scales. Same methodology. The efficiency improvement required to recover the full cost of LPS shrinks as project size grows.
Illustrative estimates only. Performance-aligned fee not included in net return calculations. Results vary based on project type, estimate quality, crew performance, and consistent weekly field submissions.
Every hour your PM spends pulling timecards, reconciling phase codes, and building labor reports is an hour not spent on trade coordination, schedule management, or owner communication. LPS takes that function off the PM's plate entirely — and that time has a dollar value your labor budget never captures.
Weekly timecard collection, phase code reconciliation, variance analysis, and report building — removed from the PM's weekly workload.
At a fully-loaded PM cost of ~$85/hr, 5 hours per week over a 6-month project is roughly $11,000 in recovered management capacity — before a single hour of labor savings is counted.
A PM focused on trade coordination and schedule management on a $10M project creates more value than a PM splitting time between coordination and weekly labor admin. LPS eliminates the split.
PM capacity figures are illustrative. Actual hours recovered depend on existing reporting workload, project complexity, and PM compensation. LPS provides project-specific estimates before any engagement begins.
A single phase code running 15% over budget in Week 4 is a conversation. The same code running 40% over in Week 12 is a loss. DPC flags it while you can still act.
Hours buried in general labor contaminate base bid performance. DPC separates soft costs, change events, and scope busts so production data stays clean and defensible.
Unapproved change order hours coded to base bid phase codes distort every metric. DPC isolates them in real time — clean base bid data and a clear change order record simultaneously.
We will show you the DPC workflow on a project similar to yours — and give you a realistic projection before any engagement begins.
LPS was not built in a consulting firm. It came from 20+ years in the field — watching contractors lose labor margin they could have protected if they had seen it coming a few weeks earlier.
After 20+ years running self-perform labor on commercial projects, one pattern repeated: contractors owned On Center DPC, estimators used OST and Quick Bid, but DPC sat dormant — or was activated on a poorly structured estimate and produced data nobody trusted. The losses were consistent. A few percent over on one activity, a few hundred hours untracked on another. On $2M–$5M in annual self-perform labor, that adds up fast.
LPS was built to fix that: provide the dedicated operator On Center's DPC platform requires to run correctly — every week, on every active project.
Our experience comes from managing self-perform labor across commercial interiors, healthcare renovation, framing, drywall, and finish scopes — where estimate structure and field execution must stay aligned.
The best foremen I've worked with always knew whether they were ahead or behind — they felt it. We built a process that makes that instinct visible to everyone from the foreman to the owner, using a system they already paid for.
We've run DPC on active commercial projects, resolved OST/QB compatibility issues, trained foremen who had never used Project Express, and managed weekly reporting from setup through closeout — not in theory, in the field.
DPC accuracy depends entirely on how the OST takeoff and Quick Bid estimate are structured. We know exactly what a DPC-ready estimate requires — and how to build or fix one.
Part of our fee is contingent on DPC-verified savings. If your labor numbers do not improve, we do not earn that portion. That is not a sales line — it is how the engagement is structured.
We work entirely within On Center's platform — OST, Quick Bid, and DPC. No proprietary dashboard, no data migration, no subscription layer on top. Just DPC running the way it was designed to.
What LPS does not do: LPS does not replace your PM, estimator, or foreman. We strengthen their visibility by managing the weekly DPC workflow and reporting structure — so your team leads with accurate data, not guesswork.
Independent Consultants. Labor Production Services is an independent consulting firm. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or employed by On Center Software or ConstructConnect®. Digital Production Control®, On-Screen Takeoff®, and Quick Bid® are registered trademarks of their respective owners.
15 minutes is enough to know whether LPS is the right fit for your projects.
Fill out the form and we'll schedule a 30-minute call. We'll walk you through DPC on a project similar to yours — phase codes, weekly tracking, and what the reporting looks like in practice.
We'll reach out within one business day to confirm your demo time. We'll walk you through DPC on a self-perform project relevant to your trade and scale.
Prefer to schedule now? Pick a time below. Available Monday through Thursday, 3:30pm to 4:30pm PT.
Reach out at info@laborproductionservices.com — we respond within one business day.