Construction Software

Posts Tagged ‘construction management software’

Such as Primavera, Meridian- Prolog and PENS?

This article is based on a true story and is meant to show how software installations, despite management’s best intentions, can go wrong. The name of the company has been left out for obvious reasons.

Every day, I speak with various users of manufacturing and construction software who are disappointed with their current system. They come to me looking for advice in selecting a new package that will better meet their needs and will solve the problems that they believe their current system is creating. In most cases, their concerns are real and they probably will be better off with a new system. However, I would estimate that about 20% of the cases that I see are companies that are destined to be just as disappointed with a new system. Why? Because the software isn’t the main problem in the first place – the users are. In fact, you don’t have to be talking about construction software or manufacturing software specifically – the bottom line is that any software is only as good as the user that uses it.

Several years ago, I spoke with a medium sized electrical contractor that had a very short amount of time to complete several jobs. They were using a very old version of one of the more common construction management software packages that lacked some of the modern features of new software, such as allowing multiple people to be logged in to the system at the same time. This lack of functionality in their software was having a serious negative impact on the company’s productivity.

Of course, the first thing that popped in to their heads was to get new software that was more powerful and had the features that they needed. I spent some time researching various packages for them and finally arrived at a package that wasn’t completely state of the art, but was more than adequate for their uses. After viewing several demos, everyone concluded that the software looked like a good fit. The final step before purchasing and installing the new software was to have their primary accounting person sit down and try the software out since she would be the one using it the most. Since they were on such a tight schedule, this had to be done late at night and after normal work hours.

Several months passed without progress. Nobody in management positions for this company volunteered to help this lady out and since the assignment was difficult, it kept getting pushed back. Finally, after TWO years, the company decided to buy the software, install it, and do some basic training. The staff and end users were hesitant to use the new software and were not very technologically inclined themselves, so they decided to use both the new software AND their old software in parallel for a period of 12 months. Why? Because there was nobody in management positions that gave the time and effort to ensure that proper training was done and there was nobody overseeing the transition process. In turn, the company did twice the amount of work required for an entire YEAR due to fear and poor management. Undoubtedly, hours upon hours of productivity were lost, as was money!

This case, although funny in it’s own right, teaches us several lessons about the process of evaluating and implementing new construction or MRP software. First, managers need to be involved in every step – from the initial meetings to the training sessions to the implementation time line planning and so on. Second, if management is not fully committed to moving to a new platform, they will likely pass the job on to somebody in the company that is not qualified to complete it. In this case, the company learned later that several employees were skipping the training sessions put on the by the accountant because they knew there would be no supervising manager involved.

Therefore, if your company is in the process of selecting and implementing new software, make sure that you have the support and commitment of upper management. Managers need to know what resources will be required to get the system up and running in a timely manner and must be held accountable if those time frames are not met. It is imperative that the right people are selected to learn and train your staff on how to use new software, and if the management isn’t even committed to making that decision properly, is it realistic to expect positive results from the new software?

Pool Pro Office is the easiest to use swimming pool construction management software available anytime, anywhere 24/7. Increase sales, reduce operating costs and costly mistakes while providing your customers with the very best in project management. Visit poolprooffice.com for more details.

Strata landscaping is a progressive organization dedicated to excellence in landscape architecture and construction. Based in Calgary, Alberta, we have constructed some of the areas most impressive outdoor spaces. We specialize in detail oriented, quality driven projects rich in local materials and superior workmanship. Our streamlined project services ensure our clients desires, schedules and budgets are met. Strata creates spaces through a dynamic and collaborative process. We embrace and meet challenges with innovation and order. Our process is cemented by consistent communication between all project members. We use integrated construction management software to make decisions with correct and current information. Our process enhances the collaboration between designer, builder, and client leading to superior project. We continue to cultivate a strong network of specialized trades and suppliers to provide unrivaled resources and quality to our projects. At Strata, we reveal the scope of work, mobilize the resources and complete the job.

The Construction Software is one of the pillars that define the progress of a certain country. The sky scraping buildings that we have today, the wide roads for easy transport, the railways, and even each of our individual houses are few of the contributions that the construction business has offered to us. With the combined efforts of the engineers, contractors, workers, operator of different machines and other people involved, the building of different and new forms of construction becomes a possibility. The role of these people is not easy at all because a lot of plans are made first to achieve the main goal which is to build the construction structure accordingly. To be able to organize and control the projects done by contractors, construction management software is recommended. This software is very effective especially in making plans when it comes to plotting the schedule for the construction of a specific structure, making necessary accounting of the money that will be needed, making the documents and of course fulfilling the correspondence that needs to be dealt with other people or groups. Having your own Construction Software will help you have an organized flow when it comes to the management of your projects. This helps you follow the same process even if you have finished a project and will start on a new one. Moreover, you do not have to make another training program for new workers because you already have your own software that can be used anytime and which can be improved and changed as time goes by. By in the meantime, it will give you the standards when it comes to your projects. It is also a better means of communication which is the base program for all workers. The project management software will be able to provide the necessary information related to the tasks and schedules of construction wherein any worker can just log in and inquire about the work. It eliminates the troubles in miscommunication because the software will be the one to provide the updates. It serve as an organization of all the documents including the drawings and the plans. Moreover, the Construction Software takes away the wasting of time and costs. First of all when it comes to time, there is no need for the contractor to make extra efforts on printing documents and other materials because they are all reflected on the program. In addition, it also reflects the costs, any change in costs and any money being used for the project which makes it more efficient. The contractor will be able to see any problems on budgeting through the software and will have a visible evidence of where the money went. The construction programs are being utilized by many contractors today because of its advantages. The contractor has the capacity to take control and manage the whole project by following the same standards and organizing all the plans so that the construction of the project will be a success without any detail left behind. It gives the contractor the knowledge if they are already behind schedule or if they are following the budget allotted for it. The project management software enables contractors to organize their plans on a certain construction projects and which can be used for more incoming projects too. To know more about the benefits of this software, visit http://www.Construction-Software.org.

Purchasing new construction software for your business likely involves more costs than you are planning for. Beyond the price of the actual software itself, there are a number of hidden costs that many businesses do not plan for that become a part of the “true cost” to implement the new software. If you do not account for these costs prior to purchasing software, you may be in for a rude awakening when you go to implement the new package and realize that you do not have enough money to move forward.

The five most common additional costs incurred when implementing new construction management software are:

The Cost to Train New Staff and Properly Implement the Software: Many buyers understand that some money will be tied up in training staff and actually installing the software, but this number is often underestimated. In most cases, it costs at least as much to properly train staff and implement the software as it does to purchase the software. This 1:1 ratio can grow even higher for more complex systems. Some companies try to limit this cost by skimping on training, but this never pays off. Your best bet is to figure this number in to your budget from the get-go to prevent problems down the road. The last thing you want to do is have a great piece of software that nobody can use properly.

Cost of Hiring Staff with More Experience or Different Skill Sets: In most cases, your current staff should be able to learn the new software and operate it well. However, in certain cases where the software or company does highly specialized work, it may be necessary to hire a few new people to run the system. This will obviously result in higher payroll costs. Even if the new staff replaces old staff, since they have better skills, chances are that you will have to pay them more. Before purchasing new software, consider whether or not new software will require new people to operate it and make sure that you figure this number in to your budget.

The Cost to Maintain the Software: Most construction software vendors charge an annual fee to maintain the software. Generally, these costs are between 18 and 24 percent of the cost of the software and are paid every year. Beyond the annual fees, you also need to account for the additional costs for things like custom reports that you may have to have one of your vendor reps complete for you.

The Cost of Purchasing the Wrong Software: Some may argue that this cost should not be considered here, but the truth is that it is a real cost. If you purchase the wrong software and using the software takes more time than it should, that extra time is lost time that could be spent on value-added activities. This extra cost can add up over time, eventually making the true cost of the software more than the value that the software is delivering.

The Cost of Inferior Software: This cost is slightly different from the one above in that this applies to companies that buy software that is right for their company but that does not do all of the features that they require. As a result, employees will resort to using things like spreadsheets to manage the data that the software doesn’t. This creates issues with integration and also adds time to tasks that can be avoided by purchasing the right software up front.

To avoid any surprises down the road, make sure you look at all of the above and estimate the true cost that acquiring new construction software will have. Training will pay for itself over time if it is done properly and maintenance costs will protect your investment, so neither should be avoided – just accounted for up front.

Pool Pro Office is the easiest to use swimming pool construction management software available anytime, anywhere 24/7. Increase sales, reduce operating costs and costly mistakes while providing your customers with the very best in project management. Visit poolprooffice.com for more details.

A construction project is much more than merely hammering nails and cutting boards.  A large amount of work goes into juggling the many needs of a project.  Resources and labor must be managed carefully, and spending must be timed expertly to ensure budgets are adhered to, and there is no unnecessary loss of profit.

Few realize the complicated nature of project management until they are overwhelmed by too many details and not enough time.  It is common for entrepreneurs skilled in carpentry or building to start their own construction company.  Unfortunately, many of these builders learn the hard way that skills in management can make or break a project.  

The first management hurdle to be overcome involves managing money.  It’s rare for the entire project budget to be available at any one time.  More likely funds will come in installments, which requires project spending to be carefully thought out.  Effective planning and timing often cause problems for new builders.  Luckily, construction project management software makes it possible for even new project managers to keep projects running smoothly.

One helpful feature of construction management software is the ability to efficiently map dependencies.  Dependency mapping is a management technique in which segments of the project are represented in a flow chart that presents project objectives.  Objectives on the chart often have prerequisites that must first be completed.  The dependency map allows a project manager to see which steps of the project have priority at any given time.  This process can be complicated if done by hand, especially considering the frequent changes that must be made.

Time management is essential to the completion of any construction project.  Software makes it possible to keep track of task time and slack time.  Slack time is down time and should be avoided whenever possible, especially when employees are still being payed.  This makes it possible to anticipate areas of increased slack time and fill them with other needed tasks.  This simple process can do wonders to keep a project on track or even ahead of schedule.

As any corporate construction company knows, reporting is a necessary practice.  Reporting keeps parent companies, clients, or financial institutions aware of a projectÕs progress.  Clients must be kept happy, and this is easiest by showing them in simple terms how the project is going.  Banks often require progress reports if credit lines are used.  Construction software makes it effortless to create easy to understand reports like Gantt Charts that can be printed.

Construction software is one of the best ways to increase the efficiency of your construction company.  Read through the available online construction management software reviews to get an idea of which software will best fit your needs.  Look for useful features like dependency mapping and reporting that uses Gantt charts.  Being able to save charts as PDFs makes reporting even easier.

Project management is a critical component of any construction project.  In fact, after securing a job and getting funded, management is easily the most important part of the job, and construction software is a management must-have.

Pool Pro Office is the easiest to use swimming pool construction management software available anytime, anywhere 24/7. Increase sales, reduce operating costs and costly mistakes while providing your customers with the very best in project management. Visit poolprooffice.com for more details.

Jeff Brook discusses how Procore, web-based construction project management software (construction cloudware), changed how his construction company managed projects, how RFI Logs, Submittals, Change Orders, Documents and Daily Logs all became accessable 24/7 with a simple internet connection in the field or office. Construction software has now improved beyond the “difficult to use” systems from Prolog, Timberline, Primavera, Masterbuilder, etc… The Procore construction management software system is completely web based ( cloud based ) and is easy to use – as easy as answering email for most users. Jeff co-founded ProTech, the only preferred dealer of the Procore construction software system.