Construction Software
Despite the consistent economic pressures, the construction industry has continued to produce positive results. Nonetheless, the industry faces a series of challenges to maintain its strength to date.
Many construction companies still use pen and paper, excel spreadsheets, or generic accounting tools (e.g., Quickbooks). However, despite its growing popularity among builders, big and small, construction software solutions have remained a virtually untapped technology for many construction companies. The persistent questions are always what is construction software, which ones are right for my business, and how to use them best.
Although general software options exist that can fill the needs of most industries, businesses within the construction industry require specific solutions for the complex, unique needs of the segment.
Construction industry software facilitates daily activities and, most significantly, helps ensure projects are completed on schedule and within the allocated budget. A purpose-built solution is required for any construction business to succeed in the competitive construction market. It includes all the features you need to run your construction company, including accounting, project management, scheduling, estimating, invoicing, field management, and more.
Types of Construction Software
For construction firms seeking to move away from paper or spreadsheet-based systems or upgrade their current software platform, it can be challenging to determine which individual or integrated solutions would be most effective in optimizing their projects.
Construction software solutions come in many forms, from basic project management solutions to more advanced enterprise-level systems. Understanding what each solution can provide for your projects is critical in determining the right investment strategy.
Some common types of construction software include:
Project Management Software
This type of software can help manage a construction project's various stages and tasks, including scheduling, budgeting, and task tracking. Project management solutions can also provide real-time data about project progress and performance.
Estimating Software
Estimating software is designed to help construction companies accurately estimate the cost of labor, materials, and other project expenses. It can also help track changes in the price of materials over time.
Bid Management Software
This type of software helps construction companies manage the bidding process for projects. Solutions focused on bidding execution can help contractors analyze bids and decide which to accept. It includes features for creating, sending, and tracking bids and analyzing bid responses.
Construction ERP Software
Enterprise resource planning systems provide a comprehensive suite of integrated tools to manage projects, personnel, and finances. It helps streamline processes, improve efficiency, and increase overall productivity. Construction ERP software also offers powerful analytics to help identify areas of improvement and gain real-time insights into project performance.
Job Costing Software
This type of software is designed to provide an overview of project costs to accurately budget and manage expenses. Job Costing software tracks labor, materials, equipment, and overhead costs associated with a job, making it easier for construction companies to manage their projects and ensure they stay on track. Job Costing software often integrates with other types of construction software, such as ERP systems.
Construction Accounting Software
Construction accounting software helps construction companies manage their financial records and transactions. It can also help construction firms to track income and expenses, manage accounts payable and receivable, and generate financial reports.
Construction Invoice Management Software
This type of software helps construction companies manage invoices and payments. It automates the process of creating, sending, and tracking invoices and managing accounts receivable. Invoice management software can also generate reports to help construction firms better understand their financial performance.
Document Management Software
This software helps manage all documents related to a construction project, such as plans, drawings, and contracts. It can also be used to store and share documents with other project team members.
Field Management Software
Field management software helps manage all aspects of a construction site, including labor, materials, equipment, and safety. Field mobility and management solutions can also provide real-time project progress and status updates.
Field Productivity Software
This type of software helps streamline the communication process between teams in the field, providing real-time updates on project progress, materials used, tasks completed, and more. It also provides analytics to give insight into areas of improvement and enable teams to make informed decisions that can help reduce costs.
Work in Progress (WIP) Software
The construction WIP report is a document that indicates whether jobs in progress are charged above or below the expected amount. It evaluates whether you have over or under-billed by looking at how much has been billed to date and the percentage of completion on the project. WIP reporting solutions are necessary for managing projects and ensuring they remain on track, within the targeted timeline, and on budget.
Construction Site Quality & Safety Management Software
This software helps ensure construction sites are safe and compliant with relevant regulations. It can track safety protocols and monitor quality control on the job site. It can also provide analytics to help identify areas of improvement and ensure projects are completed safely. Additionally, this type of software can be used to track permits and inspections, helping to ensure compliance with local regulations.
Workforce Management Software
Workforce management software helps construction companies manage their teams more efficiently. It allows them to schedule, track and pay employees quickly and easily. This software also provides tools for monitoring employee certifications, qualifications, and training records. Additionally, it can streamline onboarding new employees by providing automated workflows for onboarding tasks such as background checks and paperwork reviews. Finally, workforce management software can generate reports for performance evaluations and training needs.
Construction Talent Management Software
Construction talent management software is designed to help construction companies recruit and retain top talent. It provides tools for posting job listings, conducting background checks, managing employee onboarding, tracking performance metrics, and conducting reviews. The software can also provide analytics to understand the effectiveness of recruitment efforts better and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, the software can be used to keep track of employee qualifications and certifications.
Design Coordination Software for Construction
Design coordination software for construction is designed to help manage the flow of information between architects, engineers, contractors, and other stakeholders throughout the design and construction process. This type of software allows teams to collaborate in real-time on project designs and documents and track changes, versions, and approvals. Additionally, this software can help streamline the process of creating Building Information Modeling (BIM models) by automating sharing and accessing data.
Construction Analytics Software
Construction analytics software can help you analyze data about your business and make better decisions. This type of software will allow you to see how well you're doing against competitors and what areas of your business need improvement.
Construction Equipment Tracking and Inventory Management Software
Construction equipment tracking and inventory management software helps construction companies track their equipment from purchase to disposal. This type of software can monitor equipment utilization, maintenance schedules, inventory levels, cost estimates, and more. It also helps automate managing contracts and warranties for your equipment. Additionally, this type of software can be used to generate reports that provide insight into areas of improvement and help reduce costs associated with equipment repairs and maintenance.
Benefits of Using Construction Software
The construction industry has come a long way since this 2016 report by McKinsey & Company, highlighting that the industry was ripe for digital disruption. However, the challenges remain for contractors desperately trying to manage all aspects of their projects, finances, and labor. In fact, a recent study by Deloitte indicates that while productivity has increased 25% across all industries in the past 25 years, the same is not true for the construction industry, where it was only a 5% gain in productivity during that same time period.
As a result, more construction and building contractors are turning to industry-focused software to help increase productivity, establish better project controls, and improve customer experience. Whether you're searching for building, financial, or project management solutions to keep you organized and efficient, construction software solutions increase profits while decreasing expenses, driving project efficiency, and keeping the field better connected.
As the construction industry progresses, new trends within construction management software continue to drive positive changes. Cloud computing and construction cloud-based platforms are revolutionizing how the construction industry operates. Enabling real-time data sharing between multiple platforms makes project collaboration and communication more efficient, thereby providing teams with more precise knowledge of project goals and outcomes.
Key Principles for Construction Business Success
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What is the best construction management software?
When it comes to construction management software, there are countless options out there. However, finding the best one for your specific situation can be overwhelming. An excellent place to start is by looking at software comparison sites, including Software Advice. Your construction peers review and rate the most user-friendly choices that could suit your industry needs.
Furthermore, how suitable a specific software often depends on various factors, such as the size of your business, what type of projects you deal with, and your propensity for growth. For example, complex programs like Procore usually cater to only large companies, while Deltek ComputerEase offers solutions tailored for both small and large construction firms.
Paying attention to each solution's features can help you determine which one will deliver value to you in the most effective way. With enough research and thorough comparison between several contenders, you can guarantee a reliable and hassle-free experience during your workflows.
Deltek ComputerEase Construction Management Software
Deltek ComputerEase Construction Management Software is an easy-to-use, cloud-based solution to help construction companies streamline their operations. This software helps contractors track and manage projects, resources, and finances from anywhere. It offers a range of features that enable efficient project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and communication between teams.
Deltek ComputerEase also offers industry-specific solutions for construction projects such as commercial, civil, and residential. This industry focus ensures that users can choose the most suitable configurations for their needs.
Deltek ComputerEase complies with state and federal regulations on construction management, making it a secure and reliable solution. Lastly, the software offers support services to help users get the most out of their system and provide outstanding customer experiences.
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