Construction project management software is designed to improve a construction company’s operations.
However, selecting software that is not right for your business can have precisely the opposite effect on construction businesses. Complex construction project management software that requires stakeholders to do data entry will not have a positive impact and can actively harm employee motivation.
What problems need to be solved?
The most crucial point is that software should be chosen according to your specific needs. Several solutions may initially seem able to do everything and have long lists of features. These solutions are meant to improve all business processes and are intended to be used by all the team members.
However, in reality, such tools require extensive implementation methods, and it could take several years to adopt and use them smoothly and fully. It’s also common for such software to ultimately fail in its purpose.
Before looking for the right construction project management software, you must first determine which problems really need to be solved within your business by meeting with relevant stakeholders and learning about their problems.
For example, does your business currently have good visibility in terms of the financial management of your projects? Is this process particularly time-consuming for your key team members? Was your budget over the last year exceeded due to limited control over your projects? With clearly mapped knowledge, you can start looking for a solution that helps you truly solve your problems.
"There is nothing more important to management than a real-time overview of what's happening in the business, and that’s exactly what Planyard provides."
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Usability matters
In the past, software tools were built and sold primarily to improve management control. These tools were sold by consultants, and in most cases, there was very limited awareness about how any given tool would work for its users prior to purchasing it. Choosing a complex tool meant that employees needed to be trained in its use to become properly accustomed to how it worked, often outside of the company.
Today, this is no longer the case. Modern construction project management tools are built to help ease the workload of key business stakeholders. It is important to ensure that team members such as project managers will find the tools easy to use and to gain their confirmation that the tools will genuinely help them improve their day-to-day actions. For example, they may want a tool that means they would no longer need to make reports within multiple databases.
Questions to ask
How long is the implementation process? Can you quickly start testing the tool without prior costs, or do you have to invest significantly and undergo training before using the tool?
- Does the tool have APIs, and can it be integrated with your current solutions, such as accounting, CRM, and inventory software?
- What type of security is built in? Does it provide automated testing, multiple backups in several geographic locations, data protection policies, etc.? Keeping your data in private servers in one room is not considered safe.
- Does it provide value to the end user? Too often, construction software is built for management, with little focus on the actual users.
- How is the software vendor’s customer service? Do they have personal support representatives? If so, how helpful are they, and how quickly will they respond?
- What is the price of the software? Modern software tools have good pricing visibility in pricing, so price lists should be quickly accessible and easy to understand.
"The learning curve is impressively shallow. Between watching the training videos and simply spending some time exploring the platform, you can realistically be up and running in just two to three hours. It really doesn't take any more than that to feel confident using the system."
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Accessible whenever you need it
Cloud-based construction project management software such as Planyard has several benefits for small and medium-sized construction companies. One of the main reasons for using this kind of software is that it’s accessible whenever and wherever there is internet access via mobile, tablet, or computer. You’ll, therefore, be on top of your project at all times.
The pricing is also much lower than on-premise solutions, and you won’t need to spend money hiring IT specialists. Moreover, the monthly subscription helps avoid making any vast, one-time investments. While most construction project management solutions do not allow users to check if their purchase is a good solution for them, Planyard is different.
Cost control software – buyer’s guide
We have also put together a guide to construction cost control software. It’s free to download.
Test the tool before you commit.
Try Planyard free for 14 days with a real project. No setup fees, no training required.