ERW Site Solutions Transforms Business with Deltek ComputerEase

ERW Site Solutions is a turn-key construction company with multiple divisions in their business. Headquartered in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the company has been a leader in the industry for over 35 years.

From Traditional Accounting Software to Construction Accounting Software

Before implementing Deltek ComputerEase in 2018, ERW Site Solutions relied on notepads, QuickBooks® software, and spreadsheets to manage their business. Carl Griffith, SVP of Operations, joined the company and quickly recognized the need for a more robust and integrated system. The company's previous reliance on manual methods presented challenges in data consolidation, real-time visibility and scalability. These tools, while familiar, made it difficult to efficiently track project costs, manage resources and ensure consistent data accuracy across departments. Carl mentioned, “There are a lot of people and companies in construction that dump everything into QuickBooks and think they are either making a profit or not, and not necessarily seeing the full picture.” As the company grew, the limitations of these manual processes became increasingly apparent, hindering their ability to optimize operations and maintain a competitive edge.

Moving to the Cloud

When it came to deciding where their data should be located, the decision was easy for Carl, whose prior background was with large technology companies. ERW fully embraced the cloud, seamlessly transitioning its operations to this environment. Carl noted that with their previous system, they lacked the ability to effectively and safely manage their own data. “We actually never looked at anything other than cloud. I mean, we talked about on-prem and just said, ‘Nope, absolutely not. We're going to do it in the cloud’,” Griffith stated. He also noted that, “Everything has really transitioned to the cloud for us, and we run very little on-premises now. Whatever we are running on-prem, we probably have a plan now to transition that to the cloud.”

Carl continued, “Moving our data to the cloud has been a game-changer for day-to-day operations. By eliminating the need for internal IT oversight of servers and data lines, the team has been able to reallocate valuable resources—those with deep knowledge of budgeting and takeoffs—back to their core strengths. This shift has improved efficiency, supported professional development and allowed staff to focus on specialized roles rather than juggling IT responsibilities.” As a result, the company is better positioned for growth, has embraced a more paperless workflow and is no longer bogged down by constant daily crises.

Improving Efficiency and Evolving the Business with Transparency and Technology

At ERW Site Solutions, adopting Deltek ComputerEase wasn’t just a software switch—it marked a turning point in how the company ran its business. One major area of transformation was how they handled retainage, a critical factor in construction cash flow. In the past, retainage was viewed as something they simply had to wait for. But with ComputerEase, ERW was able to track project milestones like substantial completion more accurately, empowering the accounting team to take charge and trigger retainage billings proactively. This shift from reactive to strategic thinking started a ripple effect across the entire organization.

What began with retainage turned into a larger initiative to drive efficiency by uniting teams around the company’s financial picture. ERW began holding regular meetings between operations, accounting and sales, bringing everyone to the table to review real-time data from ComputerEase. Leadership opened up the P&L for discussion and began breaking down departmental silos. For the first time, the whole company could see how day-to-day decisions impacted the bottom line, including the significant interest expense they were paying each month on their line of credit.

That transparency sparked a company-wide mission: get out of the credit line. And they did. In 2024, ERW officially paid off their credit line—an achievement they hadn’t imagined possible. Part of what made that progress possible was the way ERW evolved its Work in Progress (WIP) reporting. Comparing how ERW runs WIP reports now in ComputerEase versus eight years ago, Carl says, “We used to bring 20 people in a room. We would sit through about four or five hours going through a manual WIP report. Now we have one person doing the analysis to let us know if we have any over or under billings and which jobs need to be corrected.”

In addition to the robust WIP reporting features ComputerEase offers, a custom report was created to show side-by-side comparisons of the percentage of budget used versus the percentage of actual work completed. A simple red-green indicator flags when spending is outpacing production or vice versa, allowing project managers to course-correct before it’s too late. “We live on that report now,” said Griffith. “It’s incredibly powerful.” These changes also revealed other process gaps, such as delays in finalizing contracts that were causing underbilling. Now, with deeper insights from ComputerEase, ERW is actively monitoring those lags and improving internal workflows to ensure faster billing and healthier cash flow.

In addition to these strategic changes, leaders within individual divisions also saw meaningful improvements in their day-to-day workflows. Patricia Rodriguez, the Controller of the LandTec landscape division, shared,

“ComputerEase has been the easiest teachable tool to train or move my staff to. It really helped us simplify several processes, including AIA billing. Each release has provided us additional advantages we have benefited from, like managing our Subcontractor's Certificates of Insurance, dates and expirations. The latest release provided OCR capabilities, which was a game changer for us, and allowing us to attach invoices to transactions is a huge timesaver and improves our responses during the audit process.”

What began as a push to gain tighter control over their financials has evolved into a company-wide transformation in all divisions of the company. With Deltek ComputerEase, ERW has embedded data-driven decision-making into its culture—empowering project managers with real-time insights, improving visibility across departments and setting the stage for long-term, scalable growth. “While ERW continues to grow organically at 20%—in addition to our growth through acquisitions—we haven’t needed to increase our support staff,” said Carl. “Without tools like ComputerEase, we would have had to double our project management team to keep up. Instead, we’ve been able to scale efficiently because our teams can rely on construction-specific technology instead of sifting through outdated, inaccurate paper and QuickBooks reports.”

Open Communication and Collaboration Drive Confidence

At ERW, strong communication and collaboration are key—both internally and with external stakeholders. As the team transitioned to an employee-owned structure, they made a conscious effort to involve third-party stakeholders like bankers and trustees directly in staff meetings, showcasing their reporting using ComputerEase as well as key performance indicators (KPIs). This transparency not only earned praise from external parties—who were impressed by the team's deep understanding of their business—but also built trust and confidence essential for securing loans and navigating growth. Internally, the open sharing of information fosters alignment and engagement among employee-owners, creating a culture where everyone understands the company’s direction and performance.

Built on Values, Elevated by Technology

At ERW, growth isn’t just measured by revenue or headcount—it’s measured by how well the team lives out its core values. From encouraging cross-division collaboration to embracing change for the sake of efficiency, the company fosters a culture rooted in unity, accountability and innovation. “We’re stronger together,” says Carl, and that belief drives how teams share best practices—even across different systems—to improve collectively. By staying open to new solutions like Deltek ComputerEase, even when it requires change, ERW reinforces its commitment to doing what’s best for the business and its people, positioning themselves as a leader in construction and a place where people want to work, grow and stay.