The best software for firestopping contractors is the one that can prove every installation. That’s Onetrace for most of the 2026 firestop subs. It integrates penetration-by-penetration evidence, QA approvals, QR labels and closeout reports, timesheets and crew scheduling, all in one platform designed for passive fire contractors.
Other tools are used to fill specific gaps. Center Software is the solution for takeoff and bidding, Procore matters when the general contractor (GC) uses it to manage the project, Fieldwire by Hilti provides lighter penetration tracking, and Raken is for daily reporting and time cards.
The right mix will depend on where your business wastes time and money. This guide covers the seven jobs firestop contractors need software to handle, what good software looks like for each, and then compares them side by side.
Quick Answer: The Best Software for Each Firestopping Job
| Job | Best fit | Also consider |
|---|---|---|
| Proving every install | Onetrace | Fieldwire by Hilti, STI Firestop Locator |
| Passing special inspection | Onetrace | STI Firestop Locator |
| Getting change orders approved | Onetrace | Fieldwire by Hilti |
| Managing crews and timesheets | Onetrace | Raken |
| Estimating and bidding | On Center Software | Onetrace |
| Working in the GC’s system | Procore | Fieldwire by Hilti |
| Closeout and handover | Onetrace | Fieldwire by Hilti, STI Firestop Locator |
Why Firestopping Contractors Need Specialist Software
Most trades are evaluated based on whether the final product works. The success of firestopping is based on whether the installation corresponds to a tested and listed system, and that has to be provable long after the firestopping is covered with drywall or above a ceiling.
Three things make firestopping harder to document than most scopes:
- Every penetration is its own compliance item. All of these must be UL or an approved engineering judgment (EJ) for the barrier type, barrier rating, and penetrating item. That can be more than a thousand locations for large jobs. The UK-based Cotswold Fire Services monitor over 1500 sites on single schemes.
- The work is inspected, often destructively. Section 1705.18 of the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) mandates special inspection for firestopping in high-rise buildings, Risk Category III and IV buildings, and Group R fire areas of more than 250 people. A minimum of 2% of each type of penetration firestop, and at least one, is destructively tested per 10,000 square feet when the destructive testing method is used per ASTM E2174. ASTM E2393 provides for examination of at least one sample for each type of joint system every 500 linear feet.
- Other trades keep changing the scope. Once the price of the firestop scope has been agreed, the record must stay with the building as MEP will trade add, move and re-route pipes, duct and cable.
A small job can get through spreadsheets, paper penetration logs and photos in a group chat. On a data center, hospital or high-rise setting, missing data becomes rework, missed inspections, and change order/demand rejection and retainage at closeout.
Use Case 1: Proving Every Penetration Was Installed to the Listed System
The problem: Once drywall, ceilings, or shaft walls close, the only proof that a penetration was sealed correctly is the record made at the time. If that record is missing or vague, the sub carries the risk.
What Good Software Does:
- Pins each install to its exact location on the drawings, by building, level, and zone
- Records the barrier type and rating, penetrating item, UL system or EJ, products used, installer, and date
- Captures time-stamped photos before, during, and after installation, linked to that specific penetration
- Uses mandatory fields so no record is saved incomplete
- Works offline, since shafts, basements, and mechanical rooms often have no signal
How Onetrace handles it: Onetrace’s firestop install evidencing tools are built around this exact workflow. Installers pin each install to the uploaded drawings, organized by building, level, zone, and core, and capture time-stamped before-, during-, and after-photos in the mobile app. Custom forms with mandatory fields and conditional logic keep every record consistent; materials are logged by type, quantity, and dimensions, and an installer declaration confirms the work was completed. Drawings and data download in advance, so crews can keep recording without a signal and sync later.
That level of detail pays off when something is questioned later. UK passive fire contractor City Fire Proofing used its Onetrace photo records during an investigation in an occupied building and avoided opening up ceilings to check the work.
Other options: Fieldwire by Hilti lets crews pin firestop locations on plans, add photos, and select the UL system from dropdown menus. STI Firestop Locator places firestop items on interactive floor drawings. Both work well for documentation but have less depth on approvals, materials, and crew management.
Use Case 2: Passing Special Inspection the First Time
The problem: Special inspectors to ASTM E2174 and E2393 observe a percentage of the penetrations during installation (at least 10% of each type of penetration firestop and 5% for each joint type) or test samples after installation is complete. Document deficiencies by location and write them up on an inspection form within one working day. Each failed specimen will require repair and further investigation of the remainder of the assignment.
What Good Software Does:
- Lets foremen or QA managers review each install before it’s marked ready for inspection
- Sends deficient work back to the installer with notes and photos, then tracks the fix
- Uses statuses that show at a glance what is installed, approved, ready for inspection or needs corrective work
- Produces area-by-area reports the special inspector and GC can work from
How Onetrace handles it: Onetrace supports multi-stage approval workflows; work can be reviewed on mobile or desktop before inspection, and corrective work goes straight back to the installer with feedback. Custom statuses can reflect your process. Cotswold Fire Services created color-coded statuses indicating what is ready to install, what requires input from MEP trades, and what is on hold, and added formal sign-off from the Cotswold Fire Services Technical team. The company claims to have saved approximately 3 hours of manual QA time every day.
Other options: STI Firestop Locator produces corrective action reports for tracking deficiencies after inspection.
Use Case 3: Getting Change Orders Approved and Getting Paid
The problem: One of the most frequent applications of unpaid work in firestopping is the need for additional penetrations from MEP trades. A potential change order or change order request (PCO / COR) will only be as powerful as the evidence supporting it. The same evidence also supports monthly pay apps (usually submitted on AIA G702/G703 form) and the release of retainage (usually 5-10% of each payment) at closeout.
What Good Software Does:
- Records each additional penetration with a time-stamped photo, location, and date
- Tracks materials and labor against each location so extra work can be priced quickly
- Exports cost breakdowns and evidence packs the GC can review without a site visit
How Onetrace handles it: Each Onetrace record is assigned a time stamp, a location on the drawings and photos, and additional penetrations are recorded as they are discovered. Materials are monitored by type, quantity, cost, and dimensions. Cotswold Fire Services enters measurements, rates, and markups in Onetrace and outputs cost breakdowns to show the client where the money is going. Onetrace is integrated with Firesafe’s dashboards, a passive fire contractor in the Channel Islands, to help them price remedial work and summarize changes faster.
Other options: Fieldwire’s Business Plus plan includes change order and budget tools, which suit teams already running projects in Fieldwire.
Use Case 4: Managing Crews Across Multiple Jobs
The problem: Firestop crews move from site to site and, in one week, can be at several projects. Office teams need information on who is working on which project, for how long, and whether all installers have signed the current safety documents. Time records are also used for union or prevailing wage projects.
What Good Software Does:
- GPS-verified clock-in and clock-out tied to the job site
- A schedule that shows work by project or by installer
- Digital sign-off for toolbox talks and other safety documents
- Timesheet exports for payroll and client billing
How Onetrace handles it: Onetrace’s staff solution includes timesheets, GPS clock-in and out, geofencing, and a map view for managers to see where employees clocked in. Visits are scheduled by the Planner, either by project or by installer, and scheduled work is displayed in the installer’s app with maps and directions. Signed Docs allows documents like toolbox talks to be signed and tracks who has seen, signed, and who is pending. UK-based contractor Elite Fire Stop operates on about 30 projects, with 80 installers logged into Onetrace. With the move away from manual entry, a full-time administrative function was eliminated.
Other options: Raken is a field-first app offering daily reports, time cards, production tracking, and toolbox talks. If you work on prevailing wage projects, check how any timesheet export fits your certified payroll process.
Use Case 5: Estimating and Winning Bids
The problem: Firestop bids are dependent on an accurate takeoff; all penetrations counted, sized, and all linear feet of joint measured. Winning work also requires showing the GC you will do compliant, documented installs.
What Good Software Does:
- Counts and sizes penetrations from digital plans, including mechanical and electrical sheets
- Measures linear feet of top-of-wall and other joints
- Prices materials and labor with current supplier pricing
- Produces sample reports and records that show the GC how you document work
How On Center Software handles takeoff: Center’s On-Screen Takeoff lets estimators size penetrations for duct, conduit/cable, and measure linear feet of top-of-wall joints directly from the digital plans. Overlay view allows architectural and mechanical drawings to be viewed simultaneously, and AI-assisted takeoff delivers count, linear, and area quantities as a first pass. The goods prices are then generated in Quick Bid, which includes sealants, devices, and sleeves, as well as labor costs, and eQuote fetches the new supplier prices.
How Onetrace supports winning work: Many firestopping specs depend on the installer becoming FM 4991 Approved or a UL Qualified Firestop Contractor. Both programs audit a contractor’s quality management system, and it’s simpler to operate and prove when all installations are documented with a defined process. Cotswold Fire Services now offers structured traceability, approvals, and live project visibility as part of its offering. Lee Drew, Project Manager at Cotswold Fire Services, said that they were not selling mastic, but a compliance package. City Fire Proofing uses Onetrace from estimation to delivery, with estimators uploading project information and the City Fire Proofing commercial team reusing the data to cost the project.
Use Case 6: Working Inside the GC’s Project Management System
The problem: Many GCs run projects in their platform and expect subs to do their RFIs, submittals, and punch list responses there. Of course, Firestop subs will still have to keep their own detailed records of installers, QA, and timesheets – which a GC doesn’t have a system for.
What Good Software Does:
- Handles formal submittals, such as product data, UL system details and EJs, in the GC’s system
- Keeps detailed installer records in the sub’s own system, with easy exports or client access for the GC
- Connects data between systems where possible
How Procore fits: With over 3 million users, Procore is a construction management app that many US GCs and owners use. For a GC-led Procore project, the firestop sub would likely review the existing drawings, answer RFIs, provide product data and UL system submittals, and complete punch list items in the GC’s workspace.
How Onetrace fits alongside it: Onetrace gives GCs and clients immediate access to live project records, so they don’t have to wait for status meetings to check. For teams that want to take it further, the Onetrace API lets contractors pull site data into their own systems. Firesafe leveraged the API to create Azure management dashboards, and reports a 70% time saving for admin and technical management.
Use Case 7: Closeout, Handover and the Life of the Building
The problem: The GC must request penetration logs, inspection records, and as-builts as part of the closeout documents before payment and retainage are released at substantial completion. Once handed over, the firestopping is still required to withstand years of other trades making additional openings.
What Good Software Does:
- Exports complete penetration logs, photos, and inspection records in one step
- Labels each installation so facility teams and future trades can identify it
- Keeps a history at each location that later work can be added to
How Onetrace handles it: Onetrace exports branded PDF and Excel reports in one click, including the map, photos and signatures to the location. City Fire Proofing can deliver workbook documentation for big projects in a matter of days. Onetrace’s QR codes link each physical label to its digital record. Later, the label is scanned by anyone, and they get all the details for that location; future visits add more details, so the record is useful long after closeout is complete.
Other options: Fieldwire supports Hilti pre-printed QR labels linked to tasks, and STI sells label rolls for Firestop Locator.
The Best Software for Firestopping Contractors Compared
| Software | Best for | Built for firestopping? | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onetrace | Evidence, QA, closeout, and crew management in one platform | Yes, started as a passive fire platform | Quote-based |
| On Center Software | Takeoff and bidding | Has a dedicated firestopping estimating workflow | Quote-based |
| Procore | Subs on GC-led Procore projects | No, general construction platform | Annual contract, quote-based |
| Fieldwire by Hilti | Field management with firestop templates | General platform with firestop templates | Free plan; paid from $39/user/month |
| STI Firestop Locator | Low-cost penetration tracking | Yes, built by a firestop manufacturer | Free up to 3 floors; paid from $29.99/month |
| Raken | Daily reports and time cards | No, general field app | Through a demo |
1. Onetrace
Best for: Firestop contractors who want one platform for install evidence, inspections, change order support, closeout, and crew management.
Onetrace is construction management software that started as a passive fire protection platform and is used by more than 1,000 specialist subcontractors. Across the platform, customers have created more than 200,000 projects, captured more than 50 million photos and generated more than 1 million reports.
Strengths:
- Drawing-based install records with time-stamped photos, materials and installer declarations
- Multi-stage approvals and corrective work tracking before inspection
- QR labels that link each install to its full history
- Branded PDF and Excel reports, plus live client access for GCs
- Timesheets with GPS and geofencing, a crew Planner and Signed Docs
- Offline working, an API and ISO 27001 certification
Pricing: Three plans: Traceability, Workforce and All in One. Pricing is provided through a demo.
2. On Center Software
Best for: Estimators who need fast, accurate firestop takeoff and bid pricing.
Strengths: Penetration counts and sizes from digital plans, linear footage for joints, architectural and mechanical overlays, and bid building with current supplier pricing through eQuote.
Limitations: Estimating only. Field documentation, inspections and closeout need separate software.
Pricing: Quote-based.
3. Procore
Best for: Firestop subs whose GCs run projects in Procore.
Strengths: A single source of drawings, submittals, RFIs and punch lists shared with the GC, and unlimited users on annual contracts.
Limitations: Built around GC and owner workflows, so firestop-specific penetration logs, labels and installer QA need configuring. Many subs use Procore on the GC’s projects alongside their own system.
Pricing: Annual contracts, quote-based.
4. Fieldwire by Hilti
Best for: Teams that want general field management with firestop templates and Hilti’s labeling.
Strengths: Plan-based tasks, photos, UL system dropdowns, Hilti pre-printed QR labels and reports with checklists, photos, UL systems and locations. Fieldwire also replaced Hilti Documentation Manager, which was sunset on September 30, 2025.
Limitations: Custom forms start on the Business plan, and firestop workflows rely on templates that need setting up.
Pricing: Free for up to 5 users and 3 projects. Paid plans are $39, $64 and $89 per user per month, billed annually.
5. STI Firestop Locator
Best for: Small firestop contractors that want simple, low-cost penetration tracking.
Strengths: Interactive floor drawings, 24-hour team notifications, corrective action reports, custom item types and fields, and unlimited team members on every plan.
Limitations: Focused on documentation, with no timesheets or scheduling listed. Pricing scales with the number of floors.
Pricing: Free for up to 3 floors. Paid plans run from $29.99 to $99.99 per month, billed annually.
6. Raken
Best for: Field teams that mainly need daily reports and time cards.
Strengths: Digital daily reports, time cards, production tracking, toolbox talks, checklists and observations.
Limitations: A general field app with no firestop-specific records such as UL systems, penetration logs or labels.
Pricing: Provided through a demo.
How to Choose the Right Firestopping Software
Start with the job that’s costing you the most:
- Rework, failed inspections or disputes over what was installed: prioritize drawing-based evidence and QA approvals, which is where Onetrace is strongest.
- Unpaid extra penetrations: look for time-stamped, location-linked records and materials tracking that make change orders easy to support.
- Office time spent chasing timesheets and paperwork: choose a platform that combines field records with GPS timesheets and scheduling, so crews only use one app.
- Losing bids on price or credibility: pair a takeoff tool such as On Center with sample reports that show the GC how you document work.
- GCs that require their own platform: use the GC’s system for submittals and RFIs, and keep detailed installer records in your own.
Before you buy, run one live project through the software and check three things: how long a crew takes to log a penetration, whether a special inspector can work from the report, and how quickly you can produce a closeout package.
FAQ
What Software Do Firestop Contractors Use?
Firestop contractors typically use a mix of tools: a takeoff and estimating tool for bids, a field documentation platform for penetration logs, photos and inspections, and often the GC’s project management system for submittals and RFIs. Platforms such as Onetrace combine field documentation with timesheets and crew scheduling, which reduces the number of separate apps crews need.
What’s the Difference Between Firestopping Software and General Construction Software?
Firestopping software is built around individual penetrations and joints, each with its location, UL system or engineering judgment, products, photos and inspection status. General construction software handles drawings, tasks and punch lists well, but firestop-specific records usually need custom forms and setup.
How Does Firestopping Software Help With Special Inspection?
It lets firestop subs review every install before the inspector arrives, track corrective work, and hand the special inspector area-by-area records showing locations, UL systems and photos. That reduces failed samples and makes it faster to close out deficiencies.
How Many Penetrations Are Destructively Tested During Special Inspection?
When the destructive method is used under ASTM E2174, at least 2% of each type of penetration firestop, and no fewer than one, is inspected per 10,000 square feet. Under ASTM E2393, at least one sample per type of joint system is inspected per 500 linear feet.
Can Firestopping Software Connect to Other Systems?
Some can. Onetrace offers an API that contractors have used to build their own management dashboards, and most tools export PDF or Excel reports for the GC’s system. Procore and Fieldwire’s top plan also handle submittals, RFIs and change orders inside their own platforms.
Do Firestop Contractors Need Separate Estimating Software?
Usually, yes. Field documentation platforms don’t perform takeoff from drawings, so most firestop estimators use a dedicated tool such as On Center’s On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid. Material and rate data from the field platform can then help check bids against real installation costs.
Is Firestopping Software Worth It for Small Contractors?
For small contractors, the main benefit is protection against unpaid extra work and failed inspections, which can quickly outweigh the cost of the software. Fieldwire and STI Firestop Locator offer free plans for small teams, while all-in-one platforms such as Onetrace suit contractors running several projects or crews at once.
