Connect Smartsheet, build your Gantt, run projects with AXIOM QX.
Open your browser. Go to app.axiomqx.com.
Click Sign Up. Enter your company email — use the same email as your Smartsheet account. Create a password. Turn on two-factor authentication.
You'll see the onboarding screen with two buttons. Click Connect Smartsheet. A popup opens — this is Smartsheet asking you to authorize AXIOM to read your project data. Click Allow.
Click Deploy Templates. AXIOM builds your workspace and starter projects inside your Smartsheet account. Takes about 15 seconds.
Both buttons show green checkmarks. You're connected. Next login goes straight to your dashboard.
If the Smartsheet popup doesn't appear, allow popups for app.axiomqx.com in your browser settings. This is the #1 issue on setup.
You need a Smartsheet Pro plan ($9/month) or higher. The free plan doesn't support API access. If you don't have Smartsheet yet, go to smartsheet.com and start a free 30-day trial first.
When you clicked Deploy Templates, AXIOM created two workspaces in your Smartsheet:
Every project folder has exactly two sheets:
Gantt Sheet — your project schedule. Tasks, milestones, durations, predecessors, selections, sub assignments. AXIOM identifies it by the Task Name + Start Date columns.
Client Portal Sheet — payments, documents, change orders, credits, notices, client uploads. AXIOM identifies it because it does NOT have Task Name + Start Date columns.
AXIOM identifies which sheet is which by column structure, not by name. You can rename the sheets anything you want — AXIOM will still find them.
Open Smartsheet. Go to your AXIOM QX workspace. Open a project folder. Click on the Gantt sheet. This is where you build your schedule.
Go to the Task Name column. Read each task. If it applies to your project, keep it. If not, delete the row. Add any tasks that are missing. Put them in build order — top to bottom.
Go to the Duration column. For each task, type the number of days it takes. Framing — 5 days. Plumbing — 3 days. Roofing — 2 days.
Go to the Start Date column. Click the cell for your FIRST task only. Pick the date work begins. Smartsheet calculates every other date from durations and predecessors.
Go to the Predecessors column. For each task, type the row number of the task that must finish before this one starts. Example: if Plumbing is row 8 and it can't start until Framing (row 5) is done, type 5 in Plumbing's Predecessors cell.
Go to the Assigned To column. Type the email address of the sub or supplier who's doing this task. This is what feeds the sub portal — their tasks appear automatically.
| Column | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Task Name | The name of each task, in build order. Parent rows are phases (Foundation, Framing). Child rows are individual tasks underneath. |
| Duration | Number of days this task takes. Smartsheet calculates the end date. |
| Start Date | Set only the first task's start date. Everything else calculates from predecessors. |
| End Date | Calculated automatically. Don't type here — it fills in from Start Date + Duration. |
| Predecessors | Row number of the task that must finish first. Creates the dependency chain. |
| Assigned To | Email address of the sub/supplier. Feeds the sub portal and tracker. |
| % Done | Progress percentage (0-100). Updated from the Tracker or directly in Smartsheet. |
| Stage | Status tracking: Quarter (Start Process), Half (In Progress), Three Quarter (Ordered), Full (Complete/On-Site). |
| Show Schedule | Checkbox. Check = client sees this task on their portal. Uncheck = internal only. |
| Selection Required | Checkbox. Check = client needs to make a decision. Triggers selection tracking and alerts. |
| Finalize By | Date. When you need the client's selection decision. Drives the 5-tier alert system. |
| Supplied By Owner | Checkbox. Checked = client supplies the material. Unchecked = you supply it. |
| On Site | Checkbox. Checked = shows green ON SITE badge on the client portal. |
| Comments | Free text notes. Displayed on the portal for each task. |
Once you fill in Task Name, Duration, Start Date, and Predecessors, the Gantt chart builds itself in Smartsheet. You'll see bars, dependencies, and a visual timeline.
Move one task and everything downstream shifts. Change a duration and end dates recalculate. Add a predecessor and the dependency chain updates. AXIOM reads this data in real time — your portal and dashboard always reflect the latest schedule.
Work in Smartsheet, not in AXIOM. The Gantt sheet is your source of truth. Edit tasks, dates, and assignments directly in Smartsheet. AXIOM reads from it — it never writes to your Gantt (except the Tracker, which updates % Done and Stage).
Open the second sheet in your project folder — the Client Portal sheet. This is where payments, documents, change orders, credits, and notices live.
The sheet is organized by section numbers in Column 1. Each section has a specific purpose:
| Section | What it holds | Which columns to use |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | Documents | Column 3 = description. Attach files directly to each row using Smartsheet's attachment feature. |
| Section 2 | Payment Schedule | Col 3 = milestone name. Col 5 = amount. Col 6 = date. Col 7 = status (Not Billed / Billed / Paid). |
| Section 3 | Change Orders | Col 3 = description. Col 5 = amount. Col 6 = date. Col 7 = status (Pending / Approved / Not Doing). |
| Section 4 | Credits | Col 3 = description. Col 5 = amount. Col 6 = date. Col 7 = status. |
| Section 5 | Pricing Required | Col 6 = date. |
| Section 6 | Notices | Col 2 = visibility checkbox. Col 3 = notice text. Col 6 = date. |
| Section 7 | Client Uploads | Col 3 = selection name. Col 6 = date. Client uploads files through the portal. |
Find Section 2 in the sheet (look for "2" in Column 1).
Add a new row under Section 2. In Column 3, type the description — "Foundation Complete."
In Column 5, type the amount — 25000.
In Column 6, enter the date (optional).
In Column 7, type the status — start with "Not Billed." Change to "Billed" when you invoice. Change to "Paid" when the client pays.
Find Section 1 in the sheet.
Add a new row. In Column 3, type the document name — "Architectural Plans."
Right-click the row. Click Attachments. Upload your file. The file attaches to that row and shows on the client portal.
Change orders, credits, and notices follow the same pattern — add a row in the right section, fill in the columns. The portal reads it instantly.
Go to app.axiomqx.com. Click Projects in the sidebar.
Click + New Project. A dropdown appears showing every folder in your AXIOM QX Smartsheet workspace.
Select the project folder. AXIOM automatically finds the Gantt and Client Portal sheets inside it.
Enter the client's name, address, phone, and email.
AXIOM generates a 4-digit PIN. This is what your client types to access their portal.
Click Deploy to Smartsheet. Your client is connected.
In the Projects list, find your project. Flip the Deploy Portal toggle. It turns green.
Click Copy URL. The portal link is on your clipboard.
Text or email the link to your client with their 4-digit PIN. They open it on any device. No app. No account.
Turn on the Alert Toggle. AXIOM starts sending automatic selection reminder emails.
Your project is running. Everything your client sees on the portal comes directly from your Smartsheet. Update your Smartsheet and the portal updates automatically. Use the Tracker from your phone to update progress on the job site.
The Tracker updates your Smartsheet Gantt from your phone. Open it on the job site, update tasks as you walk the project, hit Save — it writes directly back to Smartsheet.
Click Tracker in the sidebar, or go to app.axiomqx.com/tracker on your phone.
Select your project from the dropdown.
Tap a task to expand it. Set the percentage and stage.
Move to the next task. Tap, update, move on.
Tap Save to Smartsheet. One button writes every update back to your Smartsheet Gantt in one batch.
20 tasks in 30 seconds. The % Done and Stage columns in Smartsheet update instantly. Your portal, dashboard, and sub portals all reflect the changes.
Not Started — empty. No work begun.
Quarter — Start Process. Work being prepared.
Half — In Progress. Work underway.
Three Quarter — Material Ordered. Materials in transit.
Full — Del./On-Site. Complete or delivered.
The Tracker is the only part of AXIOM that writes to your Smartsheet. Everything else is read-only. Your Smartsheet is always the source of truth.
Your client opens the portal link and enters their PIN. Everything they see comes directly from your Smartsheet — the Gantt sheet feeds the schedule, the Client Portal sheet feeds payments and documents.
Contract Price, Total Billed, Total Paid, Balance Due. Calculated from your Payment Schedule rows in the Client Portal sheet.
Every task where Show Schedule is checked in your Gantt. Progress bars, On-Site badges, start and end dates.
Every task where Selection Required is checked. Status, Finalize By deadline, and action buttons. Overdue items show red alerts.
Files attached to Section 1 rows in the Client Portal sheet. NEW badges on documents the client hasn't opened.
Section 3 rows. Client sees description, amount, and can sign with their finger to approve.
Section 4 rows. Description and amount. Subtracts from contract price.
Section 6 rows where the visibility checkbox is checked.
Section 7. Clients can upload documents through the portal. Files attach to your Smartsheet automatically.
Update your Smartsheet and the portal updates instantly. Add a payment row, upload a document, check a box — the client sees it immediately.
Any email address in the Assigned To column of your Gantt sheet automatically appears in your Subs list. Their tasks show up across all your projects.
Click Subs in the sidebar. You'll see every email from your Assigned To columns.
Click Deploy next to a sub's name. AXIOM sends them an email with their portal link.
Subs see their task name, stage, delivery date, and progress across all your projects. Suppliers can update stage (Ordered, On-Site) directly from their portal.
Kill Switch: Click Kill to revoke access instantly. Click Reinstate to restore it.
Go to Smartsheet. Open the Axiom Templates workspace.
Right-click the master Gantt sheet. Click Save as New. Choose your AXIOM QX workspace. Create a new folder with your project name. Save.
Do the same for the master Client Portal sheet — save it into the same new folder.
Go back to AXIOM. Open the project dropdown. Your new project is already there.
No extra fees. No calling support. No limits. Copy, rename, done.
Never edit the master templates in Axiom Templates. Always copy first. If you mess up a sheet, copy a fresh one.
When you check Selection Required and set a Finalize By date in your Gantt sheet, AXIOM sends automatic emails as the deadline approaches.
7 days before — friendly reminder to the client
3 days before — urgent reminder to the client
1 day overdue — alert to the client
3 days overdue — alert to both client AND builder
5+ days overdue — alert to both, project flagged delayed
Alerts fire automatically every day. You never chase a selection again.
Every week, AXIOM emails your client a summary — milestones completed, upcoming work, selection status, payment summary. Automatic. No action needed.
Go to Axiom Templates in Smartsheet. Copy the master sheets into a new folder in your AXIOM QX workspace. AXIOM sees it automatically. See Section 10.
Go to Projects in AXIOM. Click the project. The PIN is on screen. Text it again, or click Reset PIN for a new one.
Go to the Client Portal sheet in Smartsheet. Find Section 3. Add a row. Column 3 = description, Column 5 = amount, Column 6 = date, Column 7 = status (Pending). The client sees it on their portal and can sign to approve.
Same as a change order but in Section 4. Add a row with description, amount, date, status. Credits subtract from the contract price.
Go to Section 2 in the Client Portal sheet. Find the payment row. Change Column 7 from "Not Billed" to "Billed" or "Paid." The portal updates instantly.
Go to Section 1 in the Client Portal sheet. Add a row with the document name. Right-click the row, click Attachments, upload the file. It appears on the client portal with a NEW badge.
Edit your schedule (tasks, dates, assignments) in Smartsheet. Edit your projects (portal toggle, PIN, client info) in AXIOM. The Tracker updates both from your phone.
Yes. Clients upload through their portal. Files attach to Section 7 in your Client Portal sheet automatically.
Go to Subs in AXIOM. Click Kill. Instant. Click Reinstate to bring them back.
No. The portal is a website. Any browser, any device. Link + PIN.
No. Subs click their portal link. No Smartsheet account, no AXIOM account. Just a link.
You keep everything. All your project data stays in your Smartsheet. It was always yours. You just lose the portals and automated alerts.
About 20 minutes for your first project. Follow Sections 01 through 06.
Email support@axiomqx.com. Training videos at axiomqx.com/training.