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Improving Safety on the Job Site with Construction Software

It’s a long-standing motto that safety is everyone’s responsibility on a construction project. Projects require inspections, reports, safety gear, training, and protocols to keep everyone safe and heading home to their families at the end of the day. However, accidents do still happen, and while they may be difficult to avoid completely, the industry should do its best to hedge its bets.

And now it can. Rather than leaving the safety of a job site up to just the folks who work on it, what if the industry added another layer of protection by implementing construction software that also takes safety seriously? With management software, each job site can become safer, more efficient, and run smoother by preventing injuries and accidents. The following are just some of the ways that construction software can improve job site safety.

Hazard Tracking

What if everyone, from the subcontractor to the executive board member, had the ability to report and track hazards on a construction site through construction software? Not only would everyone feel like their voice is being heard, but the level of accountability could truly change the safety on a project site, the home shop, and more. Folks would be able to report a hazard and track its progress.

Many of the best software programs allow users to set up custom workflows. This ensures that everyone on the project who needs to be aware of the hazard receives the report, and also allows them to update the status as it moves through the chain of responsible parties. Safety managers and project managers can then work together to rectify the situation before it causes an injury, delay, or code failure. 

Compliance Management

One of the best ways to solve an injury-causing accident’s impact is to prevent it in the first place, and the best way to do that is through education. But, most contractors have a hard enough time tracking their own employees’ training, certifications, and licensing that tracking subs can go by the wayside. But, the best construction management software can help through compliance tracking. 

Compliance tracking should be utilized to monitor subcontractors’ and suppliers’ credentials, such as licensing, insurance policies, and more. When these entities’ certifications are near expiry, the management software can send an alert to the parties who need to see it, ensuring that they have enough time to alert the subcontractor to the potential issues. 

So how can this prevent accidents and injuries? Consider this: A subcontractor’s insurance docs are about to expire. Since the system alerts clerical staff, they’re able to request renewal documents. But the subcontractor isn’t able to obtain renewal documents because they’ve had too many accidents or safety violations. The contractor is then able to avoid a potential accident just because they were tracking compliance docs. 

Inspection Management

Inspection management is one of the most important proactive approaches that construction companies can adopt. Ensuring that inspections are performed, tracked, and then utilized to create a safer environment for everyone involved is key. This includes the job site itself, the tools and vehicles used, and simply ensuring that certain standards are being followed and adhered to by all parties on the project.

Not only are the inspections themselves important, performed by trained safety managers and inspectors, but equally as important are the reports and the follow-up activities the inspections should spur. When unsafe conditions or items are located, they’ll be documented, often categorized by priority, and then assigned to someone to fix the issue. Without inspection management software, items can fall by the wayside and lead to injuries or accidents that could’ve been avoided.

Real-Time Communication

Hazards and unsafe conditions need to be handled in a timely manner. Every day that goes by while the condition exists has the potential to injure someone, delay the project, or cost the contractor significant financial losses. Waiting for a report to cross the right desk, a voicemail to be listened to, and for an employee to run into the safety manager to inform them doesn’t ensure a timely response to a serious safety problem.

Rather than waiting, construction management software gives users the ability to send and receive updates, reports, notes, and changes in real time. This allows for better communication and collaboration, helping get to the bottom of these issues before someone gets hurt or the company experiences a serious loss. 

It’s also worth noting that many construction software programs use cloud-based storage for documents and drawings. This allows users to gain access to all of the important documents they need from wherever they have internet access, even via phone. So, if the plans changed due to a safety concern or there is a viable solution that everyone needs to see, these documents can be accessed through the cloud, ensuring everyone is able to see the latest updates.

Daily Documentation

On top of the different inspection, reporting, and compliance support that construction software can offer, contractors can also implement daily logs. Employees can fill these logs out on their mobile devices at the end of each day, allowing them to report their progress and what was done, as well as any looming issues or accidents that might’ve occurred. 

While these logs are not to replace safety hazard reports or accident reports, they can serve as a helpful tool for determining the cause of an issue or how long a particular condition has existed. They can also ensure that those safety issues are handled correctly, as project managers reviewing daily logs can follow up with employees to make sure they file the correct reports. 

Construction Management Software Creates Safer Job Sites

Construction companies can improve their safety practices by implementing construction management software. These programs can supercharge the amount of time it takes to not only report a problem, but also have it assigned and solved. And, with modern documentation processes, these companies will be able to improve hazard tracking and increase accountability, creating a safer workplace for everyone involved. 

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Industry Insight Tips & Advice Trends & Technology Ultimate Guide

From Good to Great: The Power of UX Design in Software Products

Software is supposed to solve a problem. Whether it’s simplifying tasks that humans struggle with or just streamlining the workflow process, companies spend money on software in order to make their day-to-day operations run smoother. But for this to occur, the development company has to focus on the end users’ needs and wants. And that’s where good UX design comes into play.

Why is good UX design important? The reasons are endless. However, we’ll discuss 9 of the most important reasons here. Keep reading to find out what they are.

What is UX Design?

Before we dive too deeply into UX design, it’s important to understand what it is. It’s become something of a buzzword in the industry over the last few years, but a quick breakdown could be helpful.

UX stands for “user experience.” UX design is the process of developing a product, whether it be a website, software program, or device with the end users’ experiences in mind. With that description, good UX design sounds like a no-brainer, but it takes an experienced team of developers and designers to make it happen.

There are decision trees and formulas that developers use to ensure they’re implementing good UX design, but that’s far beyond the scope of this article. At the core, the development team considers who the user is, what their challenges are, and how the software can solve those challenges in the easiest and most efficient ways possible.

UX designers use market research, product development, strategy, design, and lots of testing to ensure they’re creating a product that is attractive, effective, efficient, and easy to use. That’s good user experience design in a nutshell.

This isn’t wildly different from the construction design process. Engineers, designers, and architects constantly consider how the buildings and infrastructure they create will impact the people using them during the design process.

9 Reasons Why Good UX Design is Important in Software

It might be easy to understand that good UX design is important, but all of the ways it can impact the end user might not be so obvious. The following are 9 reasons why good UX design is important when choosing a software program.

It Leaves a Lasting Impression: Good and Bad

UI (user interface) gives the user their first impression, but UX creates a lasting impression. How smoothly a software program runs, offers intuitive workflows, and allows the user to find the solutions, data, or reports they’re looking for will create an opinion of that program for the user. If the UX is subpar, even if only at the start, users will feel frustrated over just the thought of the software.

However, if that software is fast, intuitive, and provides answers without digging through multiple tabs in error, the user will remember it. They’ll have a much more favorable opinion of the program and rather than feeling dread when they log in, they’ll feel positive that they’re going to achieve their goals.

It Provides Value

Good UX design is not a mistake. It’s the result of a development team focusing its efforts on developing exactly the type of software that the user needs. This means the team won’t be spending time or energy developing aspects of the program the user really can’t use.

In the end, this streamlined and targeted development approach means less wasted resources, and this means a more affordable product for the end user. They’ll be able to get more value from the program because it was designed to solve their specific challenges and nothing else.

It Makes Learning Easier

Regardless of the software program, there is always a learning curve or implementation period where users have to get used to the new processes. Whether it’s the layout, workflow, or integration with other software programs, users need to learn how the new system works and deal with the bumps in the road.

Good UX design can pave those bumps and make learning the new system much easier. With a well-planned layout, intuitive workflows, and the ability to make adjustments that scale across multiple reports automatically, using the program can become like second nature.

It Ensures the Program Will Fit the Users’ Needs

Good UX design involves developing “personas,” or creating a fictionalized version of the ideal real-world user, and developing the software for that persona. Developers will take into account all of the user’s daily activities and responsibilities and the challenges that those activities and responsibilities create, and come up with a tailored solution.

In terms of construction, this ensures that the software meets the needs of the people in the building industry. An effective UX design will account for the project types, contract types, personnel, reports, and accounting that the construction industry uses. There are no useless functions or fluff to deal with.

It Encourages Widespread Adoption of the Software

It’s one thing to decide to implement new software and another thing to actually get everyone on board. While there are always a few folks that will resist change, a good UX design can help pry those old spreadsheets from their desperate clutches.

When a program is designed well and works as it should, the team will notice. Folks will start to show each other how certain functions are saving them time and frustration over the old program. And while a program champion must still learn the software and introduce it to the team, a good user experience can make implementation effortless.

It Reduces Reliance on Customer Support

How often do we get frustrated with a program, app, report, or input point and have to call customer support, only to realize the solution was simple? It was just a toggle buried in five layers of user settings. If we’re all being honest, the answer is “too often.”

While great customer support and service are critical to any software program, good UX design minimizes the users’ need to lean on it. By using simple, easy-to-adjust settings and input points, well-designed programs allow users to understand what they’re doing, make adjustments, and see an impact instantly. If something doesn’t seem right in a report, they should be able to access that report immediately and fix the issue without digging through tab after tab to get there.

It Helps Users Serve Their Customers Better

When a company decides to implement new software, the goal should be to simplify processes in order to run smoother and more efficiently. It can change the way the company handles almost all of its most important office work. And you better believe this transfers to the customer.

When a customer, partner, or lender calls a well-run construction company and requests an update, the latest report, a change order, or just clarification, good UX design really shines. A company rep should be able to log in, access the account, and pull that report or make that change in seconds. And if they’re using a program that simplifies data entry and provides automatic updates, they know all of those changes will be reflected across the program.

Not only does this mean serving the customer faster, but it also means providing them with accurate data. Good UX design lessens the chances of mistakes and oversights, and this makes it one of the most important aspects to look for in a software program.

It Promotes Communication

No one understands the importance of communication better than a well-oiled development team, and this often trickles down to the software. Good UX design involves creating channels and avenues that teams can use to talk to each other, work on the same project, and simplify communication.

In many cases, this means using cloud technology to ensure everyone has access to the same data at once. Any changes they make can be sent automatically to the folks who need to know about them, as well. This type of communication promotes collaboration and responsibility—all because the software was designed to do it.

It Directly Impacts Profitability

At the end of the day, any new tools or software that a company implements should improve its profitability. Good UX design, with its focus on efficiency and automation, can do just that.

With less time spent on data entry, updating reports, fixing mistakes, and tracking down signatures, office staff can focus their creative efforts on other projects. Those projects can then help the company move forward, improve its efficiency, and make better decisions. Only a software program created with great user experience design can offer the type of freedom a team needs to work like that.

 

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Author Biography:

Tom Scalisi has over 15 years of experience working in the trades. Since moving to full-time freelance writing, he has developed a passion for helping construction companies grow. He enjoys teaching contractors how technology can streamline their businesses and educating them about their rights during payment disputes. 

 
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Industry Insight Tips & Advice Trends & Technology Ultimate Guide

Why Forecasting Project Costs Is Important For Your Construction Business

From day one on a construction project, the number one question everyone has is whether the project will meet the expected budget. You can wait to answer this question at the end of the project when you can’t do anything about it, or you can assess where the project stands as you progress through the work, allowing you to act proactively if an overage is found. In order to assess the project costs before completion, however, you must forecast or predict the potential costs to complete the work.

A forecast to complete the project is a well-educated guess of how much you have left to spend to finish the work. It’s based on the current costs, the percentage of the project that’s complete, and what’s remaining to be finished. The better you are at tracking your costs, the easier it will be to predict how much is left to spend.

Before we get into how to forecast final costs on a construction project, let’s look at why it’s important to know how much the remaining work will cost you.

The importance of forecasting final costs

One of the primary benefits of forecasting costs is that you get an early warning if a project is losing money. Since many contractors rely on their profits to fund future work, losses on today’s job can quickly lead to real problems when it comes time to start the next one. Without adequate profits to fund the work, contractors have to rely on alternative financings, like bank loans or credit cards, that ultimately cost them more in the long run, further reducing profits. It’s a never-ending cycle of higher costs.

Predicting final costs also allows companies to identify their future cash flow needs and address any issues before they become real problems. If contractors know that they won’t have enough money coming in to finance their payroll or other necessary business expenses, they have time to move money from investments or seek lower-rate financing options.

Sometimes forecasting final costs can help contractors identify change orders that have been missed or haven’t been processed yet. If a change hasn’t been made to the project budget but extra materials have been paid for or work has been completed, it may show up as a cost overage. The contractor can then follow up with the owner or architect to determine the status of the required change.

Finally, forecasting allows companies to learn valuable lessons about the accuracy, or inaccuracy, of their estimates. If a contractor is always going over budget on labor costs, they will see that sooner and be able to adjust future budgets accordingly. This will make their estimates more competitive and lead to more work.

How to forecast final costs

One of the most important things you can do to help forecast final costs is to monitor costs as you go. If you’re relying on data from a single point in time to predict costs, it can be difficult to make the appropriate assumptions and gather enough data to accurately predict future costs. By tracking costs as you go, with an accounting system that supports job costing, you’ll be able to monitor the project’s progress and see cost patterns that may not be visible with a static report.

To forecast final costs, you’ll be looking at three data points: the amount remaining in committed costs, amount remaining in your budget, and historical costs. Based on these three data points you should be able to predict, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, the final costs for a specific scope of work. Let’s look at an example to help illustrate how these data points help predict future costs.

Let’s say we are forecasting costs for the concrete scope of work on a project. The contract with the concrete subcontractor was originally for $100,000, and they have billed $80,000 so far, leaving $20,000 to bill. This is the amount remaining in committed costs. Based on our original budget, we know that we still need to purchase some rebar that wasn’t part of the concrete contract for $5,000. We also know, based on reviewing past projects and the amount of work left to be finished, that we have about $30,000 in work remaining to be completed. So, how do we predict what our future costs will be?

Remaining committed costs:                       $20,000

Remaining in the budget:                                     $5,000

Historical data:                                                  $30,000

The answer will be somewhere between $25,000 and $30,000, depending on whether we are looking at it for cash flow reasons or to assess what our profit margin is for this particular project. Either way, we are using the three data points to inform our prediction and will continue to improve the accuracy of each prediction as we analyze the data on more projects.

What to do when you’re over budget

The second most important question, after “Are we on budget?” is what to do when you’re over budget. The answer depends on why you’re over budget.

  • If there has been a change in the project scope that affects the budgeted costs but hasn’t been reflected in a change order yet, that could cause an overage.
  • If there was an unforeseen condition, such as bad soil, that caused additional costs, this may cause an overage.
  • Or, if the general contractor or a subcontractor made an error in their work, that could also cause a budget overage.

Depending on the cause, the contractor will need to either ask for a change order or make an internal budget transfer. The internal budget transfer will move excess monies from one line item of the budget to another to help cure the overage. It’s important to note the reason for the transfer for future lessons learned.

How Premier helps you predict future costs

Premier has made forecasting future costs in your projects easier with its forecasting module. Using this module, project managers can account for unexpected costs and request internal budget transfers to cover overages.

To see how Premier can help keep your projects on track, request a demo.

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Author Biography:

Dawn Killough is a construction writer with over 20 years of experience with construction payments, from the perspectives of subcontractors and general contractors. Dawn has held roles such as a staff accountant, green building advisor, project assistant, and contract administrator.  Her work for general contractors, design firms, and subcontractors has even led to the publication of blogs on several construction tech websites and her book, Green Building Design 101.

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Features Industry Insight Tips & Advice Ultimate Guide

The Ups & Downs of Using Multiple Construction Systems Vs. an All-In-One Solution

If you’re considering making a change to your construction software, you’re probably wondering if you should stay with your existing way of doing things (usually multiple systems for multiple functions) or if you should integrate all your software needs into one central system. All-in-one solutions, like Premier, can take the place of document management, accounting, and project management software.

To help you make this decision, we’ve listed some of the benefits of staying with multiple solutions (because there are some), as well as the benefits of moving to an all-in-one solution. While cost is, and should be, a part of this decision, there are many other things to consider before deciding.

Benefits of using multiple software systems

  • If you’re using multiple software systems, say one for field communication and one for accounting, and it’s time to make a change to one of those systems, either an update or a software change, fewer people are affected by the change. Only the field or accounting department has to be trained on the new system, change processes, and work out the bugs. This can be less frustrating than having the entire company learn a new program together.
  • Let’s talk cost. Generally, software systems targeted to just the field or the office are less expensive than all-in-one solutions. They usually offer simplified processes that are targeted at a few pain points, so the costs to implement and purchase them are lower. Of course, this means that their capacity is limited, and you may not have access to more advanced functions if you need them. For example, many construction companies use Quickbooks for accounting, even though it lacks many of the tools and workflows necessary for contractors. In order to tap into these advanced functions, you’ll have to invest in a software that is structured specifically for the construction industry.
  • Depending on the structure of your business, using multiple solutions may fit your needs better. Very small companies, with only 1-2 employees, may not require the robust features of an all-in-one, and investing in such a system would be a waste of money for a company that small. However, as the business grows, so will its needs, and soon it will outgrow the capacity of these solutions.
  • Probably the biggest perceived benefit of using multiple systems, if you’re currently doing so, is that you don’t have to change what you’re currently doing. The fear of change and the havoc it can create keeps many companies from growing and adopting new tools. Transitioning to new software doesn’t have to be stressful when you have the right team and the right software for your business.

Benefits of all-in-one software solutions

  • One of the benefits of using an all-in-one software solution is that there is one centralized location for all your data and files. No more searching desktops, laptops, and the cloud for the information you need. By making the information available through the internet, your team members can get the data and files they need no matter where they are and what type of hardware they’re using. No more lost data.
  • With an all-in-one system, entries made in one part of the software are automatically sent where they need to go to update the entire system. For example, an AP invoice will show up immediately on budget reports, open AP reports, and the project’s work-in-progress report. Double entry isn’t required. This ensures that everyone can see the same data at the same time, and you don’t have to worry about whether the cost data has been synced with the project management data. It’s all in one system.
  • Everyone has access to detailed cost data, allowing them to drill down to the transaction if necessary. Synced data in other systems may come across as a summary of costs, not allowing a project manager to see the detail of those costs. Of course, everyone can only see the records they’ve been given permission to see, ensuring privacy when necessary.
  • An all-in-one solution grows as your company grows. You can add users and functionality as the need arises. Taking on new types of work or responding to requests for new reports or cost data can easily be accommodated without having to change systems or upgrade software.
  • Automation allows your team to save time so they can work on more pressing tasks. Automated AP invoice entry, pay-when-paid payments, and notifications allow your team to spend their time doing the really important things, and not babysitting the software system. Automation can also reduce the need for double entry, saving you from countless errors and time searching for them.
  • Instead of spending time on processes you’ve developed to work around the limitations of the software systems you currently use, you can streamline those processes and save workers time and money. For example, a worker enters a change order into the project management system, then has to enter the same change order into the accounting system. While in the same time it took them to enter the CO twice, with an all-in-one system the CO would be entered in both accounting and project management, and a CO issued to the appropriate subcontractors, as well.
  • When information from the project management and accounting systems are combined into a dashboard managers can see the big picture of how the company is running. New synergies can be seen when the data is presented together, and management can act quickly based on trends. Without a central system, creating these dashboards requires combining the data by hand, which leaves room for errors and takes time.

If you’re looking for a single solution for your accounting, project management, and document control needs, look no further than Premier. Afraid of change? Our team will work closely with you to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible.

See how we can help, schedule your demo today to get started!

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Author Biography:

Dawn Killough is a construction writer with over 20 years of experience with construction payments, from the perspectives of subcontractors and general contractors. Dawn has held roles such as a staff accountant, green building advisor, project assistant, and contract administrator.  Her work for general contractors, design firms, and subcontractors has even led to the publication of blogs on several construction tech websites and her book, Green Building Design 101.

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Company News Features Industry Insight Tips & Advice Ultimate Guide

Why Great Company Systems Attracts Great Employees

We all know there’s a labor shortage in construction. But did you know that your company processes and systems, or the lack thereof, could play into your hiring difficulties? Good employees are looking for companies that are organized, use technology to their advantage, and help them feel useful. If you’re still using outdated software and systems, you could be turning away future star employees.

Almost one-third of senior leaders cite finding talent as their most significant managerial challenge. The problem isn’t so much finding workers (although that may seem to be the challenge right now), it’s finding quality workers. Workers you can trust and that have the skills your company needs.

As top talent becomes scarcer, the best companies will cherry-pick the best workers. But you won’t even be in the running if your systems aren’t up to date. Employees are choosing companies with the best systems because they provide them with a feeling of security, reduce stress, make them feel productive, and provide professional development.

Feeling of security

Job seekers want to know their new job is secure, that it won’t be cut, and that they are protected from layoffs and other events that might affect their employment. If the position provides a key role in the company’s business processes, workers are more likely to feel that their work is important to the company and that their job is secure.

If company systems are disorganized or are still heavily reliant on paper, it can be frustrating for new employees, especially younger workers who are more comfortable with technology. If your company is slow to adopt technological advancements, your pool of potential workers may be smaller. Top producers will be attracted to companies with better organizational systems.

Reduced stress

Learning a new job is stressful enough. When it’s paired with learning unproductive processes, it can increase the stress felt by new workers. This may lead them to make a hasty exit and look for greener pastures.

Before bringing in new workers, it pays to assess your existing processes, discovers why you do things the way you do, and make changes to improve efficiency. This will reduce the stress felt by your existing employees, as well as those you are hiring.

Increase productivity

Streamlined company systems and processes help workers perform their jobs in the most efficient way possible. There are no extra steps or unnecessary workarounds, saving employees time so they can concentrate on more important tasks. By reducing extraneous or duplicative processes and harnessing the power of technology, work will be completed more efficiently and productively.

Professional development

New employees can learn a lot from the companies they work for. If your company uses effective company systems that take advantage of technology and other efficiencies, new workers learn how to implement these processes and can use this knowledge throughout their professional careers.

What does a great company system look like?

We all know what a poor company system feels like, but how can you identify if your system is truly good enough? Here are some characteristics of a good business system:

  1. The system is designed with the end customer in mind. Does it help you provide better service to your customers and vendors?
  2. It represents the best-known way of doing something. Is it the best you can do, or could the process be improved?
  3. It has one primary purpose. What is the objective of the system, and does it help you meet your company objectives?
  4. The system has an owner. Who is accountable for and reports on system results?
  5. It is as simple as possible, written down, understood by employees, and repeatable.
  6. Results are measured against performance standards. Improvement requires measurement. Can the results be quantified?
  7. You provide ongoing feedback to employees on the system’s performance, and workers are recognized for good results. You celebrate victories and give frequent feedback.
  8. Waste is reduced, including bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and rework.

If your systems aren’t matching up with these characteristics, then you probably have some work to do. Meet with your team, document your current systems, and see what you can do together to improve them. Even incremental change is better than keeping the status quo.

To hire the best employees, you need the best business systems. If you’re still relying on paper and analog systems, it’s time to upgrade. Premier Software can help you streamline and digitize your project management and accounting processes, making your company more attractive to the best candidates.

To see how Premier can help your company get ahead, request a demo today.

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Author Biography:

Dawn Killough is a construction writer with over 20 years of experience with construction payments, from the perspectives of subcontractors and general contractors. Dawn has held roles such as a staff accountant, green building advisor, project assistant, and contract administrator.  Her work for general contractors, design firms, and subcontractors has even led to the publication of blogs on several construction tech websites and her book, Green Building Design 101.