Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions
Straight answers. No jargon.
Product
What is RunBlu?
RunBlu is a material control layer for construction contractors. It tracks physical material through every stage — from purchase order through receiving, storage, allocation, installation, and reconciliation. It sits alongside your ERP and gives your team real-time visibility into what you have, where it is, and who it's for.
What is a material control layer?
A material control layer is a new category of construction technology that tracks the physical material itself — not the financial transaction (that's your ERP) and not the shelf location (that's an inventory app). It enforces state transitions so material can't move without being tracked. Every state change is an immutable event on a ledger.
What is a BSIN?
A BSIN (Base Stock Identification Number) is RunBlu's canonical product identifier. Multiple supplier SKUs for the same physical product collapse into one BSIN. This lets purchasing see that the conduit fitting they're about to order already exists in the yard under a different vendor's part number.
How is RunBlu different from an ERP like Sage or QuickBooks?
ERPs track financial transactions — POs, invoices, journal entries, job costing. They don't track where a physical piece of material is right now or who it's allocated to. RunBlu fills that gap. It connects to your ERP, doesn't replace it. POs and invoices stay in Sage or QuickBooks. Physical material tracking lives in RunBlu.
How is RunBlu different from Procore?
Procore is project management — tasks, documents, schedules, workflows. RunBlu is material control — tracking the physical stuff that goes into those projects. They're complementary. RunBlu integrates with Procore so material visibility feeds into your project workflows.
Does RunBlu replace our current systems?
No. RunBlu connects to your existing ERP, accounting, and procurement systems. It adds the material layer they don't have. You keep Sage, QuickBooks, Procore, or whatever you run. RunBlu handles the physical tracking they can't.
Implementation
How long does implementation take?
17–24 weeks across four sprints: Foundation (site survey, categories, integrations), Receiving (yard team goes live), Allocation (PMs and field crews), and Readiness (validation and go-live). Each sprint adds a layer without disrupting your current operations.
How much of our team's time does this require?
2–3 hours per week from your operations lead during Foundation. Less during later sprints as the system takes over routine tracking. Field crew training is 15 minutes per person, done at the yard during a normal shift. No classroom sessions.
Can we start with just one yard?
Yes, and we recommend it. Most implementations start with your main yard, prove the value, then expand. It's easier to get buy-in across the organization when the first yard is already showing results.
What if our data is a mess?
That's the norm, not the exception. Sprint 1 includes a full inventory baseline. We catalog what you have, clean up categories, and build from reality — not from what your books say you should have. Starting messy is fine.
Do we have to shut down operations during rollout?
No. Each sprint runs alongside your current process. We add tracking without removing anything your team currently does. By the time enforcement goes live, everyone's already comfortable with the system.
ROI & Cost
How much does RunBlu cost?
Pricing depends on the number of yards, warehouses, and users. Book a walkthrough and we'll scope it for your operation. We don't publish pricing because every contractor's setup is different — but we'll give you a straight number, no games.
What ROI can we expect?
Contractors using material control typically recover $400K–$700K in working capital in year one through reduced over-purchasing, surplus recovery, and carrying cost reduction. Industry benchmark is 13x+ ROI. Run a free Bleed Audit to see your specific estimate.
What is a Bleed Audit?
A Bleed Audit is a free, 2-minute self-serve diagnostic on our website. You answer 8 questions about your operation — trade, revenue, yards, tracking method, surplus handling — and we calculate your estimated annual material bleed, break down where the money goes, and give you a bleed grade (A–F). Instant results, no obligation.
What is material bleed?
Material bleed is the gap between what you purchase and what you can account for. It comes from four sources: over-purchasing (40%), waste and surplus (25%), shrinkage (20%), and reconciliation gaps (15%). For most $5M–$50M contractors, bleed runs 15–30% of total material value annually.
Data & Security
Where is our data stored?
RunBlu is hosted on AWS Canada Central (Montreal). Your data stays in Canada. This is required for contractors working on government and Crown corporation projects, and it meets Canadian data residency requirements.
Who can see our data?
Only your authorized users. RunBlu uses role-based permissions — you control who sees what. Your data is never shared with other customers, vendors, or third parties. We don't sell data. Period.
What happens to our data if we cancel?
Your data is yours. If you cancel, we export everything in standard formats (CSV, JSON) and delete it from our systems within 30 days. No lock-in, no hostage data.
Technical
What systems does RunBlu integrate with?
Sage 300, QuickBooks (Canadian Edition), Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud, and any system with a REST API. ERP integrations sync POs and invoices. Procurement integrations feed purchase data. Field apps connect via our mobile SDK.
Does RunBlu have an API?
Yes. RunBlu is API-first with a REST API for all material operations — state queries, event history, integrations, and webhooks. Documentation is available at runblurun.com/developers.
What hardware do we need?
Any tablet or phone with a camera for scanning (iPads work great). No proprietary hardware required. If you already have barcode scanners, those work too. We assess your hardware needs during Sprint 1.
Still have questions?
Book a 20-minute walkthrough or email us directly. No pitch, just answers.