Information technology began to creep into the world of construction in the early 1970s. Today, IT is central to nearly every aspect of the contractor's operations, playing a vital role in their success under a ultimate of fierce competition. With closer margins and tighter schedules, companies need to respond to opportunities more quickly. This is nearly impossible without sophisticated construction, bid tracking, project management, and estimating software.

Computerized systems integration maximizes the benefits of estimating, job costing and project management. Smart solution applications and new technologies promote cost-saving and productivity-enhancing results through seamless sharing of one set of data among compatible software applications. This provides a huge edge over your competition by eliminating redundant data entry and the possibility of human error. Hours, days and even weeks can be saved when detailed data is passed directly from the estimate to the project management system for scheduling resources, tools, subcontractors, material procurement, setting up schedule of values, tracking change orders and submittals and job costing budgets. The bottom line result is project management that is more accurate and productive. Data sharing isn’t the next generation in construction software; it’s today’s technology.

It all starts with complete and accurate estimates that break down the job into manageable tasks. These breakdowns provide scheduling budgets for individual tasks and enable quick and accurate reac- tion to changes in requirements on the job and/or dependencies on other trades. This information should feed directly into a bid tracking system that allows you to analyze and improve future bidding opportunities. This analysis includes job types, GCs and other competing subcontractors’ historical bidding results, thus ensuring the best use of your estimating resources and promoting maximum profitability.

Once you’ve been awarded the project, all detailed bid data should feed seamlessly into your project management application to provide maximum flexibility, optimal scheduling and efficient resource allocation. Your estimating software should also provide accurate task budgets that equal your bottom line bid. With accurate labor budgets there is no need to be juggling and optimizing labor schedules based on inaccurate estimates. Reacting to changes in schedules caused by external factors will also be handled more easily and efficiently when your estimating and project management applications share critical bid data. When you’re faced with extremely tight construction timelines, job-tracking software proves to be the fastest and most efficient method for scheduling labor resources. Having bid data that flows accurately to project management also means that material procurement will be smoother with on-time, accurate inventory deliveries. Being able to manage your information will minimize inventory carrying costs as well as onsite damage and shrinkage by having the right material in the right quantities in the right place at the right time. Make sure the project management system that you’re using or considering provides the features and flexibility to handle these tasks!

Information sharing is not limited to estimating and project management. The ability to create change orders in the original estimate, and then transfer and track those change orders in your project management system, will maximize efficiency and profits on every job. A fully integrated document creation and tracking system allows you to initiate and manage RFIs, transmittals, submittals, memos, meeting minutes, change orders and more, enabling your project managers to fine tune and control the flow of information to and from the office. There are a number of Internet-based solutions, most of which work okay if you want to trust your documents on a stranger’s computer. With today’s Terminal Servers, VPNs and various remote access applications such as Citrix®, PCAnywhere™ and GoTo- MyPC®, you can host your own projects while keeping full control over who has access to your information. When shopping for electrical construction software, look for solutions that provide a broad range of tightly integrated applications. Enhance your effectiveness and increase your profitability with integrated estimating, project management and job costing applications.