---
title: Why Showcase a Timeline in Join?
description: Create a single source of truth to keep your team aligned on key dates, milestones, and deliverables.
---

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2. [Timeline](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/timeline?hsLang=en)
3. [Timeline](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/timeline?hsLang=en#timeline)

# Why Showcase a Timeline in Join?

## Create a single source of truth to keep your team aligned on key dates, milestones, and deliverables.

Building out a timeline in Join gives your team a clear, shared view of how your project is expected to unfold. It keeps everyone aligned on upcoming activities, milestones, and responsibilities, reducing confusion, avoiding delays, and helping your team focus on the right work at the right time.

Use the Timeline to:

1. [Align around upcoming activities and deliverables](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/why-timeline#alignment-around-upcoming-activities)
2. [Manage decision volume more effectively](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/why-timeline#manage-decision-volume)
3. [Avoid the cost of delayed decisions](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/why-timeline#avoid-the-cost-of-delayed-decisions)

![](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-06-17%20at%2012-42-55%E2%80%AFPM-png.png?width=670&height=382&name=Screenshot%202025-06-17%20at%2012-42-55%E2%80%AFPM-png.png)

***Tip:** Connect your master schedule to Join Timeline by importing a file. [Learn more](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/importing-a-schedule?hsLang=en).*

### Align Around Upcoming Activities and Deliverables

Provide your team with a centralized view of what’s ahead.

Build a Timeline with key events such as drawing issuances, design reviews, or meetings. Highlight important milestones or targets like the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) estimate or permit approvals, so the entire team knows what’s coming and when.

***Tip:** Dates in Join are flexible. Don’t wait for perfect information to get started.   
Use placeholders for target dates to set expectations early, and add dependencies (predecessors or successors)<https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-timeline?hsLang=en>to make updates faster and easier as plans evolve.   
Learn more about how to [create a Timeline](https://success.join.build/en/knowledge/project-timeline?hsLang=en).*

### Manage Decision Volume

When too many decisions accumulate at once, your team can become overwhelmed. The Timeline helps spread the decision-making workload across time, making it easier to manage and resource appropriately.

Set Due Dates on Items to populate the **Item Distribution Chart**. Visualize how decision volume is distributed, and identify any bottlenecks or Items that are falling behind.

![item vis click](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/item%20vis%20click.gif?width=670&height=129&name=item%20vis%20click.gif)

To plan ahead, link **Items** directly to **Activities** like upcoming Owner-Architect-Contactor (OAC) meetings. This turns your Timeline into a living agenda, helping you focus conversations and drive decisions forward with intention. 

![sidebar open](https://success.join.build/hs-fs/hubfs/sidebar%20open.gif?width=670&height=485&name=sidebar%20open.gif)

**Tip:** Add **Due Dates** and **related Activities** to your **Items** to activate smarter planning and visibility across Timeline.

### Avoid the Cost of Delayed Decisions

Preconstruction is full of decisions that impact cost, scope, and schedule. Delayed decisions during this phase can ripple into construction, leading to expensive consequences like overtime, rework, or expediting. 

Timeline helps you stay ahead by making it clear *what* needs to be decided and *by when*. Use it to track key items, align on deadlines, and keep decision-making moving so nothing critical falls through the cracks.

***Tip:** Use Item Due Dates to define the **“last responsible moment”**—the latest point a decision can be made without impacting downstream work. This gives your team flexibility while keeping the project on track.*

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