Do you know there are over 3.7 million construction companies in the US? Each one of them is actively working on a construction project and surviving. But considering the rising competition, survival is not enough for a company to thrive in the market.
Most firms are switching to smarter construction means investing in technology and reducing burdensome work. This includes using construction planning tools like Bridgit to boost efficiency and avail many more benefits. To learn more, visit here.
But why is it important to choose the right construction planning software? Let’s find our answer.
Why is it important to choose the right construction planning software?
Choosing the right construction planning software will give you the following six benefits:
1. Mobile apps
The latest construction software is mobile-compatible, which means now you can do the following on your smartphone:
- Check project status – Check how much the project is incomplete.
- Monitor activities – Keep track of all the construction activities.
- Modify tasks – Update, create, and delete tasks if you have access.
That’s a significant advantage because you don’t need to turn on the computer or carry your laptop wherever you go during the project. Instead, just pick up your phone, launch the construction planning app, and do the necessary work.
If you face any issues while using the app, you can simply contact customer support. The software development team will get back to you within a few minutes with a solution.
Always check the OS compatibility of the software with your device before purchasing it. You can check that in the software specification document.
2. Real-time communication
Communication is the foundation of making a construction project successful. According to research, more than 30% of projects fail due to poor communication.
The main reasons behind the lack of communication could be ignorance, failure to adopt new technology, or work environment friction.
You can solve this problem using the right construction planning software, which offers real-time communication. This feature allows your whole project team to collaborate online and keep each other in touch using that software.
You can also enjoy seamless voice and video calls without additional charges. The real-communication feature is undoubtedly important, especially in the construction industry.
Poor communication in construction projects has adverse effects, including:
- Life-threatening risks – Many job site accidents happen due to improper communication, and employees lose their life.
- Failure of equipment – Not reporting the machine status might lead to equipment failure, which eventually causes project delays.
- Financial loss – A construction project behind schedule will never be completed under budget.
- Stress – The lower management and workforce suffer from stress when there is no communication because they can’t share their concern.
3. Secure document sharing
The construction planning software allows you to share documents with your project member over a secured network. This feature also allows you to change a particular file or folder access.
For example, you want the “Master Schedule File” available for everyone.
So you can share it with everyone and give them access as a viewer. But you want the “Budget Planning” document kept hidden from other team members except for the construction manager and contractor.
Therefore, you can only share that document with those two users and hide its access. That will make the file invisible to other users.
The document-sharing feature needs a stable internet connection. You can’t use that feature if you are in an area with no internet coverage. You can also use cellular data to make the sharing successful.
Remember that if the connection becomes unstable during the document-sharing process, you must have to try again when the connection becomes stable.
Some software suites limit the document-sharing feature, which might be problematic for you. So it’s better to check the services offered in the construction planning software.
4. Resource management
Managing resource is a critical part of the construction project. To efficiently complete the project, you must keep the resources aligned with the estimated budget. However, manual management of construction resources is quite hectic.
The construction planning software manages these resources for you and keeps the resource utilization under budget without compromising the project quality. You can also enter estimated costs of individual resources to manage them better.
You should always consult the construction manager and contractor while using the resource management feature. Since they supervise the procurement phase and know the project’s requirements, they will help you enter details in the software.
After that, you might get different suggestions from the software for utilizing resources differently. Then, again, the two experts will analyze the situation and follow the directions accordingly to manage the construction resources.
5. Automated timesheets
Manually preparing timesheets is an older trend. It’s time-consuming and requires energy and money because you must hire a professional to generate timesheets. The construction planning software helps you solve all these problems.
The automated timesheets feature enables you to generate employee, equipment, and project timesheets without an additional workforce. The software uses algorithms to process the input data.
For example, you can set the timings of the employees and save it for the next three months. That way, the software will save their entry and exit time. Similarly, you can integrate modern construction equipment with the software and send them in hibernate mode.
That will save fuel and money and also give rest to the machinery.
6. Account management
You can also manage accounts using the construction planning software while maintaining confidentiality.
For example, the construction cost of a 10-story building ranges from $10.9 – $17.6 million. That’s a huge amount of money, and its security becomes your responsibility.
So, you can keep track of the project’s budget using the software, as it notes down every financial activity regardless of whoever is making the transaction. That keeps transparency among the project members and stakeholders.
Another advantage of using the software is you easily calculate the workers’ daily wages and salaries.
Conclusion
As a construction manager, you should invest in technology and buy the right construction planning software to boost the efficiency of your team. That will save you time and money, and you can also complete the construction project before schedule and under budget.
That’s a win-win situation for everyone!