Cortex sector summary
Construction company and site
The evidence for a progress payment is created on site and compiled at head office
In construction, money comes from progress payments, and the evidence for a progress payment is created on site: quantities, measurement sheets, test reports, timesheets and photographs. When this evidence stays on paper and in messaging apps, payment slips, extension of time claims fail and subcontractor debt falls back on the main contractor. Cortex keeps this chain in a single record.
- 493
- workers who lost their lives in the construction sector in 2025 — the sector ranks first with 23%
- 84%
- share of falls from height that occur in construction
- 20 days
- written notification period for force majeure in public works — if missed, the right to an extension of time is lost
Executive summary
What changes in this sector, in six points.
Multiple sites are visible on a single screen
Schedule deviation, pending progress payments, open safety incidents and budget status are monitored and compared site by site. A site that deviates is reported to senior management in time.
The evidence for a progress payment is created on site
Quantities, measurement sheets and photographs are recorded together with the work. The progress payment file is compiled from the records; missing documents are flagged before submission.
Extensions of time are documented
The cause of a delay and its evidence come from the daily report. The 20-day period for force majeure notification is monitored; no delay remains without evidence.
Subcontractor risk becomes visible before it falls back on the company
Personnel with incomplete documents are not admitted to the site. A subcontractor's progress payment is not paid until SGK (Turkey's Social Security Institution) and wage evidence has been submitted.
The risk of fatal accidents is monitored in advance
Personnel with incomplete training and equipment whose inspection is due are not put into use. Near-miss reports reveal recurring risks early.
Project profit is visible in real time with SmartERP data
Cortex is not an accounting system; costs and collections are read from SmartERP and shown alongside the project. A loss-making project is noticed during the period, not at year end.
Sector figures
- 493
- workers who lost their lives in the construction sector in 2025 — the sector ranks first with 23%
- 84%
- share of falls from height that occur in construction
- 20 days
- written notification period for force majeure in public works — if missed, the right to an extension of time is lost
- 3 working days
- notification period for a workplace accident
- 10% / 20%
- limit on work increases: 10% for turnkey contracts, 20% for unit price contracts
- 5 / 15 years
- liability for defects in housing: 5 years, 15 years for the load-bearing structure
Work handled in Cortex in this sector
16 topics. Each one states why it requires tracking — most are tied to a deadline, a piece of evidence or a sanction.
- 01
The direction set by the general manager: project portfolio, profitability, schedule, safety
Which jobs will be taken on, which sites have priority, the targeted profit margin, delivery dates and the zero-accident target must reach project managers, site managers and field teams with the same clarity.
- 02
The head office view and the role of AI
Which site is behind schedule, which progress payment is pending, which subcontractor's debt could fall back on the company, which accident record is open — across multiple sites this answer must arrive on a single screen and on time.
- 03
Work schedule, critical path and evidence for extensions of time
Delay penalties accrue daily; an extension of time is granted only for a documented cause of delay. In public works, failure to notify force majeure in writing within 20 days forfeits the right to an extension of time.
- 04
Preparing and approving progress payments: quantities, measurement sheets, green book
The progress payment is the only source of cash inflow. When measurement sheets, quantities or test reports are missing, the client's supervision team returns the progress payment and the payment slips.
- 05
Project-based profit and loss and cash flow (with SmartERP data)
Cortex is not an accounting application. Financial data comes from SmartERP; Cortex shows this data alongside the project record: progress payment collections, subcontractor and supplier debt, project profit.
- 06
Subcontractor management: contracts, progress payments, SGK, joint liability
The principal employer is jointly liable towards the subcontractor's workers; unpaid wages and SGK debt fall back on the main contractor and, in public works, are deducted from the progress payment. If sham subcontracting is established, the subcontractor's workers are deemed employees of the principal employer from the outset.
- 07
Occupational health and safety: preventing fatal accidents
In 2025, 493 workers lost their lives in the construction sector; the sector ranks first with 23 percent. 84 percent of falls from height occur in construction.
- 08
Building inspection, permit and occupancy calendar
If installation designs are not approved within 30 days of the permit, construction is stopped. Concrete cannot be poured without a formwork and reinforcement inspection record.
- 09
Contractual obligations, letters of guarantee and acceptances
Half of the final guarantee is returned after provisional acceptance and the remainder after final acceptance; a letter whose return is forgotten ties up the bank limit. Work increases are limited to 10 percent for turnkey contracts and 20 percent for unit price contracts.
- 10
Change orders, additional work and design revisions
Additional work carried out on a verbal instruction is not paid. When a design revision does not reach the site, incorrect work and dismantling result.
- 11
Material procurement, site stock and wastage
Concrete and steel prices are volatile; wastage is a direct loss of profit. When the site places requests by telephone, the difference between quantities and consumption cannot be measured.
- 12
Daily site report: timesheet, weather, progress, photographs
The daily report is the only evidence for an extension of time; the SGK minimum labour calculation is based on the timesheet. Paper timesheets and photographs in messaging apps carry no evidential value when someone tries to collect them at month end.
- 13
Construction machinery, vehicles and rented equipment
Equipment without periodic inspection leads to fines and to fault in the event of an accident. The hourly cost of rented equipment grows unchecked when no records are kept.
- 14
Quality control, tests and non-conformities
Concrete samples are taken in the presence of the building inspection firm; a negative test result stops the work. When the laboratory report stays on paper, it reaches the progress payment annex late.
- 15
Housing handover, snag list and warranty period
Liability for defects in housing is five years, and fifteen years for the load-bearing structure. In pre-paid sales, delayed handover gives rise to compensation.
- 16
Tender tracking and bid preparation
An inquiry into an abnormally low bid requires documents; work experience depends on provisional acceptance. The tender calendar, the bid cost analysis and the document set must be in a single file.
What lies outside the scope of Cortex
This section of the presentation is reproduced as it stands. A buyer who does not know what a product does not do will not trust what it does either.
It is not an accounting application
Financial data comes from SmartERP; SmartERP is configured according to Cortex work tracking. Cortex shows this data alongside the project and does not keep books.
It does not perform design or structural calculations
Design and BIM tools remain in place; Cortex tracks the distribution of revisions and their implementation on site.
It does not make decisions
AI produces suggestions; it does not make tender, subcontractor, personnel or spending decisions.
It does not connect to every system out of the box
An integration layer is available; the scope is defined specifically for each project.
Legal basis
The sector headings, deadlines and figures on this page are taken from the Cortex product team's sector presentation dated September 2026. The legal bases are listed below; how each obligation is met is assessed specifically for each institution.
- 4735 sayılı Kamu İhale Sözleşmeleri Kanunu (Public Procurement Contracts Law No. 4735) Art. 6, 10, 13, 24 · Yapım İşleri Genel Şartnamesi (General Specification for Construction Works)
- 4734 sayılı Kamu İhale Kanunu (Public Procurement Law No. 4734) Art. 10, 33, 38
- 4857 sayılı İş Kanunu (Labour Law No. 4857) Art. 2, 36 · 5510 sayılı Kanun (Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No. 5510) Art. 85, 90
- 6331 sayılı Kanun (Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331) Art. 10, 14, 17, 25, 26 · Yapı İşlerinde İSG Yönetmeliği (OHS Regulation for Construction Works)
- 4708 sayılı Yapı Denetimi Hakkında Kanun (Building Inspection Law No. 4708) · Yapı Denetimi Uygulama Yönetmeliği (Building Inspection Implementation Regulation) Art. 5, 9, 20, 27
- 6502 sayılı Tüketicinin Korunması Hakkında Kanun (Consumer Protection Law No. 6502) Art. 8–12, 40–46
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to learn?
It does not need to be learned. A Cortex trainer is always at the employee's side. The user says or writes what they want to do; the trainer opens the relevant screen, shows it step by step and, if necessary, does the work itself. It provides training according to the person's authorisation and the work they will do.
Does it integrate with our existing systems?
There is an interface layer for connecting with external systems. Scope and duration are defined specifically for each project, according to the capabilities the other system provides.
Can our existing data be transferred?
Data can be transferred from Excel and similar sources; the duration depends on the data volume and how well the source data is organised.
Does the AI make decisions?
No. It produces summaries and suggestions; the decision to act belongs to the user, and the person who approves is recorded. It handles routine work itself and brings decisions to you for approval.
Is there a separate charge for AI?
No separate subscription is required. If the institution prefers to connect its own provider account, the cost arises in that account.
Let us review together what changes in your sector
The full product — 19 module groups, 396 screens — is described on the Cortex page. This page covers only one sector: Construction company and site.