This 3-minute read will investigate the challenges the architecture, engineering, and construction industry face in this new year. We will also discuss how our BUILDFitters solution can help you solve them. 

Document and Data Challenges 

In recent years, project documentation has increased, and data creation has improved immensely. However, architecture engineering and construction companies are still relying on spreadsheets to track their work. One reason for this fallback is that companies adopt new data documentation technology but are not upgrading their data management tools.

For example, drone technology has exponentially grown data frontiers by enabling video capture projects, photographs, etc. Still, only a handful of companies can create actionable insights out of such data. Contractors often fail to capture and review data consistently. Resources are bogged down in hunting project information. Most of the initial data created during design and construction phases are lost by project closeout.​ This is a pressing concern in 2021 as most architecture, engineering and construction companies are trying to improve operational efficiency to bring down overall costs. 

Solution: 

BUILDFitters is a robust platform that connects the sales, pre-construction, construction, and closeout phases of the project in one solution. It is the best construction management software that offers an integrated solution for the project lifecycle. From bidding and contracts to change orders and project budgets, reviews and approvals, and closeout reports, all your project’s data is stored safely and securely! The BUILDFitters solution also allows integrations with Microsoft Project Online and Office 365 to ensure that your existing data links up with your project. By utilizing Microsoft’s SharePoint and Teams, BUILDFitters allows your AEC projects to be saved in the cloud so that no data is lost.  

Furthermore, by leveraging AI and BI, BUILDFitters ensures that you can convert your data into actionable insights. It also offers automated processes to reduce re-work and multiple data entries. The BUILDFitters solution allows you to skillfully prepare and share all your estimates, change orders, and invoices without relying on complex spreadsheets or disparate documents. Furthermore, it automatically saves and secures your documents which makes it the best construction management software of 2021. 

Project ​Tracking Inefficiencies 

One of the most common inefficiencies suffered by the AEC industry is poor visibility. Most organizations struggle to keep track of construction project updates or have poor planning and scheduling capabilities. This results in low resource utilization and a lack of insight into their project updates. Overall, these anomalies result in an impaired project. 

Contractors often waste time that can be invested in more productive tasks in updating schedules and managing surprise changes in budgets. Furthermore, because most projects are either employing different tracking methods across the project lifecycle or using a project management tool that is not connected to all phases, they lose necessary information in the process. This results in increased costs, deadlines, time wastage, etc. 

Solution: 

As one of the best construction management software, BUILDFitters allows for advanced project creation, management, and collaborative capabilities. BUILDFitters allows for transparent processes across the project lifecycle that give the project owner complete visibility. BUILDFitters  helps the user manage project budgets with access to all estimation details, PO material, PO subcontractors, and timesheet data. You can easily track change orders and purchase orders in a single view – no more siloed data! 

Additionally, BUILDFitters allows you to access your project summary, internal team information, and owner team information in one comprehensive view. Other features such as 3-D modeling enable users to understand further what the project will look like once completed, even before the groundwork is laid out. Streamlined equipment information with real-time access, vendor information, daily timesheets, associated documents filters, project team information, etc., are some of the other features of BUILDFitters centralized dashboards. 

Ineffective ​Collaboration 

While there has been an increase in project management tools that aid in collaboration, the matter remains that there is a disconnect between the collaboration tools in place and the document storage solutions being used by architecture, engineering, and construction firms. AEC projects have always required collaboration between the teams in the office and the teams out in the field, but with companies forced into working remotely, collaboration becomes a graver challenge.

Gathering project status updates have become a tiresome job which is often done through manually contacting stakeholders. Creating and documenting change orders is a more hated endeavor than going to work on Mondays. Any changes in team alignment mean that resource managers will be handing out new tasks verbally. 

Additionally, despite having tools like mobile apps to contact team members and gain access to the project data, most managers do not utilize them. The reason being their complicated interface. Ineffective collaboration results in the quality and timeliness of the construction project being compromised. 

Solution: 

BOLDConstruct is a connected solution built on top of Microsoft Dynamics 365. It offers integrations with your existing project management tools such as excel, Wrike, Microsoft Project Online, and Office 365. Furthermore, it also offers custom integrations, meaning that collaboration and document sharing are among its strongest suits. Its automated processes allow you to share files easily without having any security or privacy concerns. BUILDFitters enables users to collaborate and communicate efficiently with video meetings for up to 10,000 people through Microsoft Teams. BUILDFitters allows for real-time file sharing and innovative co-editing features. 

On top of that, the BUILDFitters app is super easy to use. Project managers can easily access, track, and view employee timesheets to approve and manage on-site activities from the comfort of their device’s screen. Automated processes and scheduling capabilities allow for a smooth flow and optimized resource utilization throughout the project phases. All stakeholders have access to relevant data and can communicate efficiently without switching back and forth in apps or worrying about security breaches.

The BUILDFitters solution offers streamlined workflows and enhanced collaboration through an integrated platform that helps connect teams across the globe. Lethargic tasks such as documenting change orders and purchase orders are automated, contracts are templatized, and project status updates are made visible via real-time insights. These capabilities drastically improve the quality of the AEC project and its ability to meet expected deadlines.  

AEC industry expert Michael Patterson (Vice President of Operations, M Bar C Construction believes that BUILDFitters is a must-have software for companies that hope to gain a competitive edge in the construction landscape. It is indeed the best construction management software out there! 

“Initially, we were only looking for a Project Management Solution at M Bar C, but AlphaBOLD helped us take a deeper look at our processes, which helped us understand where we wanted to go. Through this partnership, we’ve significantly improved M Bar C as a whole. This is just the beginning for us, and we’re very excited about where we’re going in the future.”