Why you Need an Integrated and Not a Stand Alone Construction Software in 2022?
Construction businesses have encountered exceptional demand for their services in the last few decades. Despite this, numerous contractors find it challenging to stay profitable and generate revenue proportionate to the amount of work they do. As construction processes become more complex, good project management practices become necessary.
According to researchers, the construction industry has underperformed for the last two decades, with time and cost overruns becoming common in the sector. Project managers in the construction sector encounter unique operational challenges, and the pandemic has only worsened them. Fortunately, new technologies can always help.
However, with the latest tools and technologies come several challenges, such as operating the platform efficiently, integrating with third-party apps, and much more.
Let’s understand why you should integrate your existing construction software rather than use a standalone one:
Why is integration indispensable?
To simply put it, detached systems augment risk. And the construction projects entail multiple moving parts, so it’s vital to have an audit trail for each step of the way.
Without well-integrated systems, you may have different versions of crucial documents living in several systems with potentially numerous data sources, confusing the facts and exposing you to critical errors. Think of making a decision that affects the entire organization based on inaccurate figures!
On the contrary, uncluttered data that flows seamlessly between your systems will enable staff to make crucial decisions faster. From start to finish, the data is trustworthy and consistent.
What are the Benefits of Using Integrated Construction Software in 2022?
Generally, stand-alone software comes in numerous shapes and sizes, offering functions for different construction management tasks. But contractors should beware of merging apps made by other developers—it can be terrifying.
When asked to work together, these apps don’t always get along. This may take a toll on your construction productivity. This is why integrating your construction software is crucial. Let’s check out some benefits of integration:
- Manage all your operational data from one place.
Every construction project relies on massive data sets to ensure safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. Progress reports, safety forms, time logs, and email communications are collected and stored on different platforms. This makes it challenging for construction leaders to extract data when required. Multiple data sources also promote the formation of data silos.
When you integrate your construction software, it makes it easy to keep all this data in one place since it incorporates:
- Digital forms that are easily accessible across departments
- Establishes communication that allows a collaborative working environment
- Consolidate document storage
- Improves decision-making process
As a result of profoundly rooted data silos, it can be challenging for construction contractors to take a robust view of their operation — even more so if the data collected through various means is obsolete when it reaches the decision-maker’s desk.
With the help of integrated software-based solutions, construction businesses can ensure that all data is collected and evaluated in real time. This allows project managers to quickly identify and resolve potential safety or functional issues. Integrated construction management software can also help contractors automate this process by determining points of inefficiency and suggesting solutions.
- Save money with better finances
According to a report, construction businesses usually wait 83 days for payment. This time lag between service completion and expense can create cash flow issues for construction businesses. This prevents them from taking up new construction projects or continuing work on existing ones.
Adequate financial planning and resource management for construction are crucial. With the help of integrated construction software, contractors can factor in the time required for payments to come through, plan for any resource deficit, and pinpoint areas for cost reduction, should the need arise.
To plan for financial situations smartly, construction businesses must consider multiple factors, including current cash flow, external vendor payment terms, and expected income. The complex nature of such a strategy means that human error will always be an aspect, but using automation and software-based solutions can reduce that considerably.
- Promote collaborations across departments
Teamwork and collaboration can be complex when construction companies are working in silos. This is because of the biased view of the operation that each employee is afforded. Even though construction divisions should work together, such as site managers and payroll employees, they can disburse months without any critical interaction.
Integrated construction management software bridges this gap by adapting to the information across departments and providing employees a route to share recommendations and interact with members of additional teams.
Bottom Line
As the construction industry has discovered, digitalization has the potential to reduce human error, transform operational efficiency, and forge financial value via reduced costs and conserved resources. Integrated construction management software can unlock exceptional operational cohesiveness for construction businesses —and every stakeholder can benefit from it.