About this guide
If you are getting started with Acelab's Materials Hub, we highly recommend looking through the resources organized in this guide. It includes videos and links to articles covering the main tasks you are likely to complete in the Materials Hub:
Note: The guide includes some practice suggestions in the "Now it's Your Turn to Practice" sections. Use them to follow along the instructions and put your knowledge into practice.
Welcome to Acelab!
We’re thrilled you’re here! Let’s kick things off by introducing ourselves and telling you what you really want to know: What is Acelab and how it can help you.
👉 Check out the full article here
📚 Keep learning about Acelab's database
Set Up Your Profile and Join Your Company
We know... you're excited to get started, but how to begin? First things first, if you have not yet created your account, let's do that now.
Go to acelabusa.com and click to Join For Free.
🎨 If you already have an account, add some finishing touches. It's like choosing the right façade for your digital presence.
🧑🏽 Upload a profile picture, fill in your details, join your company space, and make yourself at home.
👉 Check out the full article here
Need more help creating your account, joining your company, or creating a new company in Acelab? Check out the resources below:
Now, it's your turn to practice
Go to acelabusa.com
Create your account
Join Your Company (or create a company, if you are an Admin)
Set Up Your Profile
Invite Your Team (if you are an Admin)
Navigate the Materials Hub
We've set things up and it's time to start playing around.
⁉️ "But... where do I go? Where do I click?" - you ask desperately.
🧘 Keep calm and watch the video below.
Consider it your site visit before breaking ground.
👉 Check out the full article here
Now, it's your turn to practice
Sign in at acelabusa.com
Click around to explore the platform
Play scavenger hunt and see if you can find:
The page where all your projects are displayed
How to check which project you are in, and how to switch projects
Your conversations with reps and Acelab experts
The page where you'll find the resources to help you make better materials decision (including product guides, construction details, recordings of our webinars, and building science courses)
What's Next?
By now, you’re familiar with Acelab’s Materials Hub, and you might be wondering: where do I go from here?
The answer is both simple and complex.
The simple answer is: you can do whatever you want, there is no right way and no linear order.
The better answer is: where you go next depends on what you are looking to achieve. Your workflow in the Materials Hub will evolve as your needs change, just like a project site after the first concrete pour.
To get you started, here are some ideas:
Build your firm library
Create a new project
Search, save, and compare products
Organize schedules
Set up specifications
The next sections show you how to get started with these tasks.
Watch them all or pick what you need!
Build Your Firm Library
Every firm needs a well-organized digital materials library. The Materials Hub provides the structure to do just that!
But here’s the best part: You might not have to do it alone.
✅ Check if your firm is eligible for the Materials Hub Concierge. If so, we’ll do the heavy lifting. Learn more and check eligibility here.
🛠 If not, don’t worry. Just follow the steps here to self-implement your firm library and start organizing your materials like a pro.
Now, it's your turn to practice
Sign in at acelabusa.com
If your firm already has a Firm Library in Acelab, take a look at it to become familiar with its structure.
If your firm does not yet have a Firm Library in Acelab, check your eligibility and schedule a meeting with us to get started.
Create a New Project
In the Materials Hub, Projects function as folders where you can track the materials selection process.
When you create a Project, you will also be creating a workspace where your product research, comparisons, schedules, specifications, and conversations will be organized.
🚧 It's time to break ground: create a project and invite collaborators.
Now, it's your turn to practice
Sign in at acelabusa.com
Create a new project (it can be a test project, if you prefer)
Edit project information
Invite your collaborators
Find, Save, and Compare Products
🔎 Do you want to look around and get a feel for what’s out there (like walking through a showroom with no need for small talk)?
🛒 Or, are you ready to start adding products to your project?
Either way, it's time to begin a search, save, and compare products.
Oh, and you can easily get in touch with reps whenever you need additional product information.
👉 Check out the full article here
Now, it's your turn to practice
Sign in at acelabusa.com
Begin a search using the Search Bar
Begin a search using the Products Visual Search
Change the filters to explore your options
Check the Manufacturer's page and try to find specific brands
Save a few products to your new project
Navigate to the Comparisons page and check the products you saved
If you have questions, get in touch with a product rep
Setting Up Your Spec Overview
📋 Use SpecPlanner to create checklists of the materials you'll need.
As products are approved, you can keep track of what's still missing.
🏗️ Detecting and filling gaps has never been this easy!
👉 Check out the full article here
📚 Keep learning about SpecPlanner
Now, it's your turn to practice
Sign in at acelabusa.com
Go to your new project
Navigate to the SpecPlanner
Create a new Spec (try using an Acelab template)
Add and remove sections as needed
Add a product from your Firm Library or a Manufacturer page
Navigate to Schedules and note that the product has a green check mark indicating it has been added to the SpecPlanner
Organizing Schedules
At some point, all those product discoveries need to get organized (because sending a random list of materials to a client and hoping for the best isn’t exactly best practice).
Think of Schedules as a smart table where you can:
📌 Keep track of materials across different projects.
📑 Coordinate approvals so no one specs the wrong type of flooring.
🔄 Make updates easily, instead of dealing with 37 confusing versions of a spreadsheet.
➕ And much more!
Now, it's your turn to practice
Sign in at acelabusa.com
Go to your new project
Navigate to Schedules
Note that the products you saved already appear in their own schedules
Explore adding a custom and a default field
Sort products
Use the filters
Create a new private view
Managing Conversations
The Materials Hub keeps all your conversations with product reps and Acelab experts organized. No more digging through old emails trying to remember who said what about which product.
In the Materials Hub you can:
🧑 Find product reps
💬 Send questions and requests directly
📖 Keep all responses in one place
Having conversations organized and accessible to your team means no one needs to ask the same question twice.
👉 Check out the full article here
Now, it's your turn to practice
Sign in at acelabusa.com
Go to your new project
Go to the Conversations page
If you sent a message to a rep, find the message and check if you've got a reply
🎉 Congratulations 🎉
You've completed the Materials Hub 101 Guide.
Go ahead and put your knowledge into practice.
Your journey with us is only starting!