---
sidebar_label: The 6-phase deal backbone & smart due dates
sidebar_position: 2
description: Give every checklist the same phase structure so any file is readable at a glance, and anchor task due dates to key dates so your schedule builds itself.
---

<!-- Canonical: https://help.docjacket.com/docs/power-tc/phase-backbone -->
<!-- Source: docs/power-tc/phase-backbone.md -->

# The 6-phase deal backbone & smart due dates

A great checklist isn't just a pile of tasks — it has a **structure** that mirrors how a deal actually moves. Give every template the same backbone and any file becomes readable at a glance.

## The 6 phases

Group every task into one of six phases, in order:

```
Intake → Under Contract → Financing → Due Diligence → Pre-Closing → Post-Close
```

| Phase | What lives here |
|---|---|
| **Intake** | Open the file, confirm parties, collect the executed contract, set up the deal |
| **Under Contract** | Introductions, send executed docs, open escrow/title |
| **Financing** | Loan application status, appraisal ordering & scheduling |
| **Due Diligence** | Inspection scheduling, repair negotiation, contingency tracking |
| **Pre-Closing** | The heavy phase — title, HOA/estoppel, walk-through, closing disclosure, scheduling the closing |
| **Post-Close** | Deliver documents, request a review, close out the file |

:::tip Pre-Closing is where deals go wrong
In a real workload, Pre-Closing is consistently the heaviest phase — it's where the most balls get dropped. Front-load detail there.
:::

A full buyer or seller file typically lands around **10 milestones and 45–50 tasks**. A listing file is lighter — about **7 milestones and 25 tasks**. Don't force the full buy-side structure onto a listing.

## Smart due dates: anchor to key dates, don't hand-type them

This is the feature that saves the most time. Instead of typing a calendar date on each task, set a **due-date offset anchored to a key date**:

> "3 days **after** the Inspection Deadline"
>
> "1 day **before** Closing"

When DocJacket extracts the contract's key dates, **every anchored task schedules itself automatically**. Change a date (an extension, a delay) and the whole schedule shifts with it. You never rebuild a calendar by hand.

To set an anchored due date on a template task:

1. Open the task in the template.
2. Under **Due date**, choose **Relative to a key date**.
3. Pick the key date (Inspection Deadline, Financing Deadline, Closing, and so on), the number of days, and before/after.

![Task editor with the due date set relative to a key date — for example, 3 days after the Inspection Deadline](/img/power-tc/phase-backbone-due-date.png)

:::note State-specific: this is where your days go
The *number of days* for inspection, financing, and appraisal periods come from **your state's contract and your local practice** — they're not the same everywhere. The 6-phase structure is universal; the day-counts are yours to set. Set them once per template and every file inherits them.
:::

## Next

→ [Your email template library](./email-library.md)