A Guide to Selecting the Best Construction Software
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Construction management is no easy task, as today’s contractors have a lot to juggle: job costs and budgets, progress reporting, overseeing subcontractors, field crews and schedules, materials and equipment, constantly moving timelines and much more. That’s why many turn to modern software solutions to streamline and manage a wide variety of workflows. The annual construction technology survey from JBKnowledge lists nine common workflows construction companies use technology for, including estimating, project management, accounting, scheduling and BIM. It also lists dozens of solutions ranging from spreadsheets to fully-integrated, cloud-based construction ERP platforms that contractors use to handle these processes.
With all the solutions out there, how do you choose the one that’s right for your business? Contractors can consult industry peers, explore what competitors use, try to do research on their own, read reviews and reach out to technology providers. But busy owners and managers may not have the time or technology expertise to do all that digging. And if you choose the wrong solution, your ROI likely won’t be great, and the software may end up hindering your jobs rather than helping them.
How to Choose The Best Construction Management Software
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To select the right software, you should first and foremost understand your own business needs, as well as its challenges. How do your processes work now? What would make them better? How connected are your office employees, project teams and field crews? Where do delays typically occur in your processes?
To help you assess your business’s needs and consider every construction software solution, we’ve put together an e-book to walk you through the process of selecting the best construction software.
The newly published e-book, A Practical Guide to Selecting Construction Software, explains key steps contractors should take during the software research, buying and implementation process including:
- Understanding the three pillars of construction technology.
- Learning about the technology landscape, including generic and construction-specific ERPs and cloud-based options.
- Evaluating a software’s features, flexibility and support services.
- Setting realistic expectations with stakeholders for software capabilities and likely outcomes, as well as achieving buy-in from employees and end users.
- Considering possible deployment challenges and preparing for implementation.
The guide also includes a helpful checklist to use while you’re shopping for construction software, so you know exactly what features you should be looking for. The checklist makes it easy to evaluate solutions and ultimately feel confident in your decision.
Once you’ve selected and implemented the best software for you, you’ll begin to see the benefits of more connected, automated processes, especially if you’ve been relying on paper or more manual methods.
Better Collaboration, Better Bottom Line
Tight budgets, tight deadlines and thin profit margins mean the stakes are high for contractors. An integrated construction software solution that enables better collaboration and increased efficiency helps construction projects stick to their timelines and budget requirements, which ultimately benefits the company’s bottom line.
Download Viewpoint’s free guide today to find construction management software that will enhance your processes, connect users throughout your company and provide the quick access to information you need to make smart businesses decisions every day.
