First-class subcontractor support across project, time tracking, job costing, and A/P

Problem

The platform has no first-class concept of a subcontractor. Today the workaround is using a custom field with the subcontractor's name plus a generic hourly time entry. That misses the parts of the workflow that matter: the cost can only be modeled hourly (no flat-rate option); there's no completion-driven trigger for accounts payable to know when to pay the sub; and there's no per-subcontractor record to manage rates, contacts, or paid-vs-unpaid balances over time.

Required capability

• A first-class subcontractor entity with name, contact info, default rate, payment terms, and payment-method preferences.
• Per-project assignment of subcontractors with project-specific rate (hourly OR flat).
• Time / scope entries that link to a subcontractor and to specific project tasks.
• Completion-driven A/P workflow: when a project manager marks a sub's task complete, A/P sees a ready-to-pay item.
• Job-costing roll-up that treats subcontractor cost as a distinct cost category (not lumped into "labor" or buried under products).
• Optional integration with the accounting layer so paid-out subs flow through to QBO / Xero / Cloud Payments without re-keying.

Why it matters

Most integrators work with subs on at least some projects — specialty trades (network installs, low-voltage permits, lift / scaffolding rentals), overflow capacity, or whole-project subs for distant geographies. The current "use a custom field plus generic time entry" path is technically possible but it doesn't tie sub completion to A/P, so the bookkeeper either pays subs from a side-tracked list or chases the project manager weekly. That's friction worth removing across the board.