diff --git a/common/Makefile b/common/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0565a09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+BUILDDIR := ${current_dir}/build
+
+# Set board properties based on TARGET variable
+ifeq ($(TARGET),arty_35)
+  DEVICE := xc7a50t_test
+  BITSTREAM_DEVICE := artix7
+  PARTNAME := xc7a35tcsg324-1
+  CONSTRAINT_PATH := ${current_dir}/arty
+  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/arty_35
+else ifeq ($(TARGET),arty_100)
+  DEVICE := xc7a100t_test
+  BITSTREAM_DEVICE := artix7
+  PARTNAME := xc7a100tcsg324-1
+  CONSTRAINT_PATH := ${current_dir}/arty
+  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/arty_100
+else ifeq ($(TARGET),nexys4ddr)
+  DEVICE := xc7a100t_test
+  BITSTREAM_DEVICE := artix7
+  PARTNAME := xc7a100tcsg324-1
+  CONSTRAINT_PATH := ${current_dir}/nexys4ddr
+  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/nexys4ddr
+else ifeq ($(TARGET),zybo)
+  DEVICE := xc7z010_test
+  BITSTREAM_DEVICE := zynq7
+  PARTNAME := xc7z010clg400-1
+  CONSTRAINT_PATH := ${current_dir}/zybo
+  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/zybo
+  SOURCES := ${current_dir}/counter_zynq.v
+else ifeq ($(TARGET),nexys_video)
+  DEVICE := xc7a200t_test
+  BITSTREAM_DEVICE := artix7
+  PARTNAME := xc7a200tsbg484-1
+  CONSTRAINT_PATH := ${current_dir}/nexys_video
+  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/nexys_video
+else
+  DEVICE := xc7a50t_test
+  BITSTREAM_DEVICE := artix7
+  PARTNAME := xc7a35tcpg236-1
+  CONSTRAINT_PATH := ${current_dir}/basys3
+  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/basys3
+endif
+
+# Determine the type of constraint being used
+ifneq ($(wildcard ${CONSTRAINT_PATH}.xdc),)
+  XDC_CMD := -x ${CONSTRAINT_PATH}.xdc
+endif
+ifneq ($(wildcard ${CONSTRAINT_PATH}.sdc),)
+  SDC_CMD := -s ${CONSTRAINT_PATH}.sdc
+endif
+ifneq ($(wildcard ${CONSTRAINT_PATH}.pcf),)
+  PCF_CMD := -p ${CONSTRAINT_PATH}.pcf
+endif
+
+.DELETE_ON_ERROR:
+
+# Build design
+all: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.bit
+
+${BOARD_BUILDDIR}:
+	mkdir -p ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}
+  #Check if design includes initialization files for memory
+  ifneq (${MEM_INIT},)
+    #if there are memory initialization files link them to the build/board_type directory
+	  ln -s ${MEM_INIT} ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}
+  endif
+
+${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.eblif: | ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}
+	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_synth -t ${TOP} -v ${SOURCES} -d ${BITSTREAM_DEVICE} -p ${PARTNAME} ${XDC_CMD} 2>&1 > /dev/null
+
+${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.net: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.eblif
+	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_pack -e ${TOP}.eblif -d ${DEVICE} ${SDC_CMD} 2>&1 > /dev/null
+
+${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.place: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.net
+	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_place -e ${TOP}.eblif -d ${DEVICE} ${PCF_CMD} -n ${TOP}.net -P ${PARTNAME} ${SDC_CMD} 2>&1 > /dev/null
+
+${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.route: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.place
+	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_route -e ${TOP}.eblif -d ${DEVICE} ${SDC_CMD} 2>&1 > /dev/null
+
+${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.fasm: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.route
+	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_write_fasm -e ${TOP}.eblif -d ${DEVICE}
+
+${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.bit: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.fasm
+	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_write_bitstream -d ${BITSTREAM_DEVICE} -f ${TOP}.fasm -p ${PARTNAME} -b ${TOP}.bit
+
+clean:
+	rm -rf ${BUILDDIR}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/xc7/counter_test/Makefile b/xc7/counter_test/Makefile
index 07bc449..a12a7ba 100644
--- a/xc7/counter_test/Makefile
+++ b/xc7/counter_test/Makefile
@@ -1,68 +1,12 @@
-mkfile_path := $(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
-current_dir := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(mkfile_path)))
-TOP := top
-VERILOG := ${current_dir}/counter.v
-DEVICE := xc7a50t_test
-BITSTREAM_DEVICE := artix7
-BUILDDIR := build
+export mkfile_path := $(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))
+export current_dir := $(patsubst %/,%,$(dir $(mkfile_path)))
 
-ifeq ($(TARGET),arty_35)
-  PARTNAME := xc7a35tcsg324-1
-  XDC := ${current_dir}/arty.xdc
-  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/arty_35
-else ifeq ($(TARGET),arty_100)
-  PARTNAME := xc7a100tcsg324-1
-  XDC := ${current_dir}/arty.xdc
-  DEVICE := xc7a100t_test
-  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/arty_100
-else ifeq ($(TARGET),nexys4ddr)
-  PARTNAME := xc7a100tcsg324-1
-  XDC := ${current_dir}/nexys4ddr.xdc
-  DEVICE := xc7a100t_test
-  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/nexys4ddr
-else ifeq ($(TARGET),zybo)
-  PARTNAME := xc7z010clg400-1
-  XDC := ${current_dir}/zybo.xdc
-  DEVICE := xc7z010_test
-  BITSTREAM_DEVICE := zynq7
-  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/zybo
-  VERILOG:=${current_dir}/counter_zynq.v
-else ifeq ($(TARGET),nexys_video)
-  PARTNAME := xc7a200tsbg484-1
-  XDC := ${current_dir}/nexys_video.xdc
-  DEVICE := xc7a200t_test
-  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/nexys_video
-else
-  PARTNAME := xc7a35tcpg236-1
-  XDC := ${current_dir}/basys3.xdc
-  BOARD_BUILDDIR := ${BUILDDIR}/basys3
-endif
+export TOP := top
+export SOURCES := ${current_dir}/counter.v
 
-.DELETE_ON_ERROR:
-
-
-all: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.bit
-
-${BOARD_BUILDDIR}:
-	mkdir -p ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}
-
-${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.eblif: | ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}
-	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_synth -t ${TOP} -v ${VERILOG} -d ${BITSTREAM_DEVICE} -p ${PARTNAME} -x ${XDC} 2>&1 > /dev/null
-
-${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.net: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.eblif
-	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_pack -e ${TOP}.eblif -d ${DEVICE} 2>&1 > /dev/null
-
-${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.place: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.net
-	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_place -e ${TOP}.eblif -d ${DEVICE} -n ${TOP}.net -P ${PARTNAME} 2>&1 > /dev/null
-
-${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.route: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.place
-	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_route -e ${TOP}.eblif -d ${DEVICE} 2>&1 > /dev/null
-
-${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.fasm: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.route
-	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_write_fasm -e ${TOP}.eblif -d ${DEVICE}
-
-${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.bit: ${BOARD_BUILDDIR}/${TOP}.fasm
-	cd ${BOARD_BUILDDIR} && symbiflow_write_bitstream -d ${BITSTREAM_DEVICE} -f ${TOP}.fasm -p ${PARTNAME} -b ${TOP}.bit
+all:
+	cd ../../common && $(MAKE)
 
 clean:
-	rm -rf ${BUILDDIR}
+	cd ../../common && $(MAKE) clean    
+