5 Key Features of Construction Software to Invest in to Grow your Business
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Blog posted by : Admin / 23 Mar, 2022
Construction project management software is a boon for every stakeholder, irrespective of the size and scope of a project. When utilized to its fullest potential, it generates insights very specific to a business. Such invaluable actionable information facilitates an increase in sales and productivity.
Construction is a labor, resource and machine-intensive industry with a lot of moving parts. Accomplishing all targets with the given budget and a timeline, seems like a herculean task. Construction ERP software can easily streamline, optimize and standardize all construction processes in an organization.
Automating construction processes eliminates manual workload, provides real-time visibility, increases production efficiency and facilitates savings through a centralized system that is instantly accessible to all employees at any time.
Listed below are the 5 most relevant features of construction software along with the process it streamlines and the challenge it addresses.
1. Project Engineering
Process: Planning and conception with design
Challenge: Constantly changing specifications and plans
The initial phase requires planning for a lot of parameters, leading to an exchange of ideas, information and documents. It involves a great deal of coordination among architects, contractors and engineers.
Plan for structural stability and functional performance in accordance with local standards.
Choose a construction software system that can easily integrate with third-party engineering drawing applications for easier sharing of design files. Track version history of documents and assign tasks easily to create strong designs.
Avoid duplication of design changes by securely sharing single source files, recoding audit trails and indexing for quick retrieval. Raise drawing requisition requests with the construction management software, receive notifications and track approvals.
The online collaboration of project files helps cut down on stationery costs, save time by eliminating cumbersome paperwork while enhancing visibility and productivity.
|
Construction Process |
Challenges Faced |
Construction Software Module |
|
|
1. |
Planning and conception with design |
Constantly changing specifications and plans |
Project engineering |
|
2. |
Project initiation and sitework |
Delays due to weather and unavailable resources |
Integrated project management |
|
3. |
Job costing and procurement |
Material price fluctuations |
Job costing and procurement |
|
4. |
Sitework |
Machinery breakdown |
Machinery management |
|
5. |
Project initiation, sitework and close-out phases |
Communication gaps and attrition |
Stakeholders and workforce management |
2. Procurement and Job Work
Process: Procurement
Challenge: Material price fluctuations
The large scale of a construction project makes purchase, procurement, resource allocation and inventory management very difficult and time-consuming to plan. Business Intelligence integrated construction software is fast, secure, scalable and adaptable. Prevent overspending, understocking and double buying with construction management software for builders and contractors.
Material cost volatility is a major concern, though cannot be eliminated but mitigated with careful measures. Draw-up tight supplier contracts and decide when the price list needs to be reviewed.
Streamline procurement, storage, processing and transportation with real-time data visibility. Lease, rent or purchase equipment and raw materials. Manage inter-site usage of resources to maintain optimal usage depending on demand. Respond to tender enquiries, analyze bids, award contracts, adjust and upgrade budgets and create rate analysis and vendor comparison reports.
Construction project management software that is integrated with Artificial Intelligence is quite a diverse tool. Stay on top of market fluctuations with Machine Learning-enabled forecast reports. Inventory planning can benefit greatly by the generation of demand forecast reports.
3. Integrated Project Management
Process: Project initiation and sitework
Challenge: Delays due to weather and unforeseen circumstances
Breaking ground sees the influx of sub-contractors and laborers on site. After methodical planning and scheduling, it is time to put the plan to work. Project and site managers play crucial roles in monitoring construction management software timelines and maintaining clear lines of communication.
Even with careful planning, unexpected delays may crop up, especially with the first dig at the site such as incompatible ground conditions or bad weather. The project manager needs to take contingencies into account while creating project schedules.
Construction project management software with Gantt charts, calendars and integration of productivity tools form the perfect one-window solution for all stakeholders in the industry.
Generate daily progress reports, watch out for over-spending, receive alerts for deviations, analyze cost to completion, set and monitor safety parameters and easily analyze project or site status at a glance with an interactive dashboard system.
Construction Project life-cycle tracking with data management can be highly optimized with trends analysis reporting. Avoid deviation from expected timeline with system-generated reminders for deadlines.
4. Machinery Management
Process: Sitework
Challenge: Machinery breakdown
Create and monitor maintenance routines with the asset management feature. Maintain logs for equipment and other assets, track idle hours and schedule servicing to prevent breakdown. Once the machine maintenance data is fed into the construction software, it can create alerts for service requests, which in turn minimizes downtime. It can also provide and record training completion for high-end equipment.
Lease and rent equipment while monitoring usage, fuel, maintenance, duration and other parameters. Integrate heavy machinery such as weighbridges with the construction ERP software to conveniently import machinery data onto the system.
5. Stakeholders and Workforce Management
Process: Project initiation, sitework and close-out phases
Challenge: Communication gaps and attrition
Ineffective communication across multiple sites for various projects among all employees and stakeholders is bound to create project delays.
Easily manage manpower deployment, training and payroll with Construction Software mobile app. Create and track key performance metrics to enhance productivity. Identify and flag high-risk behaviors that compromise safety.
Check for language compatibility before investing in the software. It is recommended to buy one that comes with multiple regional languages to encourage user-adoption.
Organization, finance and regional heads, project and site managers, engineers, general contractors, sub-contractors, mechanical contractors, surveyors, electricians and plumbers can all function as a single unit with the web-based construction ERP software.
Ready? Set. Automate!
Continue reading for some real-world use cases of StrategicERP modules.
Watch Sarnar Builtech’s Upgrade Story
Sarnar Buildtech, a multidisciplinary construction company for industrial, institutional, commercial and residential projects.
Benefits to the client:
- Purchase management
- Contractor management
- Streamlined multiple remote sites
- Clean and easy UI/ UX
- Upgrading to a larger StrategicERP suite
Watch Tripura Constructions’ Success Story
Tripura Constructions, a family-run construction company has completed 12+ residential projects with more than 1 million sq. ft. of built-up area.
Benefits to the client:
- Automated reports, insights and updates
- Scale up processes for business expansion
- Real-time information and accountability
- Channel the workforce towards high-priority initiatives
NRP Projects, an ISO Certified engineering construction company provides procurement, construction and project management services for the Oil & Gas industry.
Benefits to the client:
- Easy integration with current systems
- Industry-specific
- one-window solution
- technologically well-endowed ERP
The web and mobile-based construction management software for builders and contractors, created specifically for commercial, industrial and private construction companies can be further customized and integrated seamlessly with your process workflows.
