How to Use Voice Commands in Built Simple: Hands-Free Construction Management

Built Simple’s voice command features let you update schedules, create tasks, and capture notes hands-free, ideal for on-site work when hands are dirty or gloves prevent touchscreen use. This guide explains all voice features in the Built Simple mobile app.

Internal link placeholder: Add link to overview of Built Simple mobile app features.

Why Voice Commands Matter

Construction Site Reality

Hands often dirty
Gloves prevent touchscreen use
Safety gear makes typing difficult
Time pressure requires fast updates
Multitasking while performing tasks
Immediate documentation of issues

Voice Command Benefits

Up to 3x faster than typing
Hands-free operation
Natural language input
Works offline
Automatic transcription
Reduces errors

Getting Started with Voice

Initial Setup (Mobile App)

Step 1: Enable Voice Features

Open Built Simple app
Go to Settings → Voice Commands
Toggle Enable Voice ON

Step 2: Grant Permissions

Allow microphone access
Enable speech recognition
Optional: offline voice data
Accept privacy policy

Step 3: Choose Voice Settings

Language: English (AU) recommended
Activation: Button or wake word
Confirmation: Required or auto-accept
Voice feedback: On/off

Testing Voice Input

Tap microphone icon
Say: “Test voice input”
Check transcription accuracy
Adjust microphone sensitivity
Test in noisy environment

Voice-to-Schedule Feature

Overview

Speak naturally about schedule changes; Built Simple interprets construction terminology to create or update schedule tasks.

Accessing Voice Scheduling

From Schedule View

Open project schedule
Tap microphone button
Speak your update
Review interpretation
Confirm or edit

From Quick Actions

Long-press app icon
Select Voice Schedule
Record immediately
Review same as above

Voice Schedule Commands

Creating New Tasks

“Plumber coming Thursday morning”
“Concrete pour scheduled for Monday”
“Electrician needs 2 days starting Wednesday”
“Tiler booked for next Tuesday to Friday”
“Frame inspection tomorrow at 2 PM”

What Built Simple Understands

Trades: Plumber, electrician, tiler
Timing: Today, tomorrow, next week
Duration: 2 days, half day, all week
Specific times: 9 AM, afternoon, morning

Advanced Examples

“Reschedule the concrete pour from Tuesday to Thursday because of rain”
“Add safety inspection before roofing”
“John’s crew doing bathroom rough-in Monday and Tuesday”
“Cancel the painter for tomorrow, weather’s no good”

How It Works

Record: Up to 30 seconds
Transcribe: Convert speech to text
Parse: Extract meaning
Match: Identify trades and dates
Create: Generate schedule entry

AI Understanding

Built Simple recognises:

Australian trade names
Construction terminology
Common abbreviations and site slang
Weather references
Relative dates

Review and Confirm

Confirmation screen shows task details, assigned person/trade, dates, duration, confidence level
Options: Confirm, Edit, Speak Again, Cancel

Voice Task Creation

Quick Task Entry

Speak task details instead of typing:

“Need to order bathroom tiles”
“Check with council about permit”
“Remind John about safety meeting”
“Follow up on window delivery”
“Get quote for extra electrical work”

For creating formal client-ready quotes, see [How to Create Professional Estimates in Built Simple: Complete Guide].

Task Voice Commands

“Create task for Mike to check the roof”
“Add todo to call the building inspector”
“New task: Order cement, due Friday”
“Remind me to check waterproofing tomorrow”

Captured Information

Task description
Assigned person (if mentioned)
Due date
Priority
Project context

For a full breakdown of task management features, see [How to Manage Tasks and To-Dos in Built Simple: Complete Guide].

Voice Notes on Tasks

Adding Notes

Open existing task
Tap Add Voice Note
Speak your update:
- “Completed except for final touchup”
- “Waiting on materials delivery”
- “Client requested change to color”
Note attaches automatically with timestamp

Voice Documentation

Site Notes

Capture observations instantly:

Tap Voice Note in project
Speak observation:
- “Foundation ready for inspection”
- “Bathroom plumbing issue found”
- “Weather damage to stored materials”
Auto-transcribed and saved
Optional: attach photo

For organising and sharing all project files, see [How to Manage Documents and Files in Built Simple: Complete Guide].

Quality Issues

Document problems immediately:

“Crack in concrete slab near garage”
“Tiles not level in main bathroom”
“Wrong paint color on feature wall”
“Missing insulation in ceiling”

Progress Updates

“Framing 80% complete, on track for Friday”
“Electrical rough-in finished, ready for inspection”
“Painting delayed due to weather”
“Kitchen install started this morning”

Voice Commands List

Schedule Commands

Add: “Schedule [trade] for 2026“
Move: “Reschedule [task] to 2026“
Cancel: “Cancel [trade] for 2026“
Check: “What’s scheduled for 2026“

Task Commands

Create: “Create task [description]”
Assign: “Assign to [person]”
Due date: “Due 2026“
Complete: “Mark [task] as complete”

Note Commands

Add note: “Note that [observation]”
Issue: “Problem with [description]”
Reminder: “Remind me to [action]”
Update: “Update: [status]”

Quick Actions

Call: “Call [contact]”
Message: “Text [person] about [topic]”
Photo: “Take photo of [item]”
Find: “Show me [item/person/task]”

Voice Recognition Tips

Speaking Clearly

Normal pace, clear volume
Natural Australian pronunciation
Minimise background noise
Hold 15–30cm from phone

Construction Terminology

Trades: Sparky, chippy, plumber
Tasks: Rough-in, fit-off, set-out
Materials: Gyprock, reo, formwork
Timing: Knock-off, smoko, arvo
Aussie terms: Ute, site shed, dunny

Improving Accuracy

Find quieter spot
Use earbuds with mic
Shield phone from wind
Wait for machinery breaks
Speak slightly louder

Common Issues

Wind noise → turn back
Echo → move away from walls
Multiple speakers → one at a time
Machinery → pause
Radio → turn down

Advanced Voice Features

Voice Shortcuts

Custom commands for repetitive actions
Batch commands for multiple tasks
Contextual understanding based on project/schedule/task

Offline Voice Features

Download language pack
Full processing on device
Sync when online
Slightly less accurate, basic commands only

Privacy and Security

Voice processed securely, encrypted, not permanently stored
Options: offline-only, clear history, disable cloud processing

Troubleshooting

Voice Not Working

Check microphone permission
Test in quiet area
Update app, restart, re-enable

Poor Recognition

Speak clearly
Reduce background noise
Check language settings
Clean microphone

Commands Not Understood

Use simpler phrases
One topic per command
Say trade names clearly
Include time markers

Best Practices

Daily Use

Morning: “What’s scheduled today?”
On-site: Quick updates
Document issues immediately
End-of-day progress summary
Prepare reminders for next day

Effective Commands

Be specific with names and dates
One topic per command
Confirm important changes
Review transcription

Team Training

Demonstrate benefits
Practice together
Share command list
Celebrate adoption

Voice Analytics

Track commands per day, time saved, accuracy
System learns voice patterns, trade preferences, site terminology

Integration with Other Features

Photo Capture: “Take photo of bathroom progress” → auto-tags transcription
Location: Voice notes include GPS
Team Chat: “Message team about tomorrow” → sends with optional voice memo

Future Voice Features

Wake word activation
Multi-language support
Voice search
Voice reports
Team voice messages

Quick Reference Card

Essential Commands

SCHEDULING:

“Schedule [trade] for [day]”

“Move [task] to [day]”

“What’s on [day]?”

TASKS:

“Create task: [description]”

“Assign to [person]”

“Mark complete”

NOTES:

“Note: [observation]”

“Issue with [item]”

“Reminder: [action]”

QUICK:

“Call [person]”

“Take photo”

“Show today”

Next Steps

Need Help?

In-app tutorial: Voice guide
Guides & Tutorials
Support: [email protected]
Community: Share voice tips

Core Features

Getting Started

Improve Your Process