A shortlist should reduce uncertainty, not just collect links. Its job is to show which proposed projects deserve attention, why they fit and what to check next.
You can use a spreadsheet or the business system you already have. This workflow does not require—or imply that Trade Watch Alerts includes—a CRM, saved notes or a project pipeline feature.
Set three entry rules
Before adding records, define a practical working area, the scope of work your team wants and a clear exclusion rule. For example, your exclusion rule might be that the proposal lies outside your team's experience.
Keep the criteria simple enough to apply consistently. If every interesting record gets added regardless of fit, the shortlist will become another inbox rather than a decision tool.
Keep one entry per identifiable project
Check whether a record is genuinely new to your list. An amendment, later application or additional document may relate to a project you have already researched.
Where the relationship is clear, link the records in your own notes instead of counting them as independent opportunities. If it is unclear, flag the possible overlap. Do not merge records merely because their descriptions sound similar.
Use a compact set of fields
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Source link and reference, where available | Return to the relevant council record |
| Date checked | Know how old your assessment is |
| Area and scope | Apply your basic fit criteria |
| Fit reason | Explain why this project deserves attention |
| Unanswered question | Identify the gap that affects your next decision |
| Next action | Make the intended follow-up specific |
| Review date or closed reason | Avoid leaving records indefinitely unresolved |
Store only information you need for that purpose. Avoid unnecessary personal details or copying whole documents into an uncontrolled shared folder. Follow your business's information-handling arrangements and applicable requirements.
Write a useful fit reason
“Looks interesting” is difficult to act on. A better note explains the connection: “Proposed rear extension within our normal working area; similar scope to work our team delivers.”
That example is fictional. It describes fit, not a claim that the project is available or ready to quote. Timing, contractor involvement and the detailed scope could all remain unknown.
Give the next action a clear purpose
An action such as “check the current drawing revision” tells you what the next review should achieve. “Follow up” does not.
Keep actions proportionate to the information available. Further source research may be appropriate before any contact. Public information is not automatic permission to market to someone; check the relevant ICO guidance before using personal details for outreach.
Close records without treating that as failure
Finding out that a project is outside your area or unsuitable for your services is a useful result. Record a brief reason and remove it from active attention.
Review closed reasons periodically. If most exclusions have the same cause, narrow your research criteria. The aim is to improve relevance, not to preserve a large list for its own sake.
Add a weekly review point
During a regular review, examine new app results and revisit existing shortlist items only when there is a reason. Keep source activity separate from genuine customer conversations and quotations.
Trade Watch Alerts provides a starting point for finding selected extension-related proposals. Your shortlist turns that discovery into an explicit business decision. Use the qualification checklist alongside the weekly research routine to make the process repeatable.
Continue your research
Read the extension leads guide for builders for the wider workflow, or browse all practical guides.
