The software industry is expected to generate a revenue of $650.70 billion by 2023, making it one of the latest markets in the US. While construction management software might make up a small segment of this market, it’s still a significant help to the construction sector.
Modern construction management software like the ones listed in https://gobridgit.com/blog/guide-to-construction-management-software/ have many notable features, such as budgeting, communication management, and collaboration to help project teams optimize project performance and increase efficiency while reducing costs.
But how do you make the most out of construction management software? Let’s find out.
Benefits of construction management software
Before you learn how to maximize them, it’s essential to know the benefits of construction management software. Here are some of them.
Improved efficiency
Research shows that only 61% of project managers use proper practices. While this is partly due to negligence on the managers’ part, it’s also a result of manual practices that increase the risk of errors and project delays.
Meanwhile, construction project management software offers plenty of features to improve efficiency. These include:
- Resource allocation
- Real-time project updates
- Workforce management
- Task tracking
Seeing the progress and bottom line of the project in a unified dashboard allows all stakeholders to make informed decisions. Moreover, project managers can share every update with stakeholders through a single platform, minus the hassle of multiple communication channels.
Better documentation
Construction sites produce many documents, including:
- Blueprints
- Contracts
- Invoices
- Permits and licenses
These documents must be stored securely with easy access for all stakeholders. Construction management software makes document control easier, allowing you to keep them in a central repository with strong access controls.
Better risk management
Since many organizations do not use project management software, only 54% can track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in real time. Consequently, most risks are noticed once it’s too late or the project has already been significantly affected.
Project management software mitigates risks by providing real-time analytics and data insights. The information helps project managers take proactive measures to avoid delays, cost overruns, and other threats.
Enhanced collaboration
Collaboration is critical to successful project management. Construction project management software has collaboration tools that remove communication barriers and allow teams to perform better through seamless teamwork and better workflow.
Increased cost savings
Since construction management software has resource allocation and similar tools, construction managers can see cost-saving opportunities. Real-time updates and analytics prevent unforeseen costs, allowing managers to make accurate financial decisions.
How to maximize the benefits of construction management software?
Just because you pay for a construction management software doesn’t mean you’re also using it to its full potential. Here are a few tips to ensure this.
Know its features
The first step is to familiarize yourself with the features of the project management software. What can it do? Which of your tasks can it optimize? Here are some standard features of construction management software.
- Project scheduling
- Workforce planning
- Forecasting
- Resource management
- Budgeting and cost tracking
- Document management
- Time tracking and payroll
- Equipment management
- Quality control
- Safety management
- Reporting and analytics
- Collaboration tools
- Communication tools
- Change management
- Contract management
Not every software will have all these features. Ideally, it would be best if you chose software that ticks all your project management boxes.
For instance, you might need software for project scheduling, workforce management, and quality control. You may not need the software to have budgeting and payroll tools since your accounting software already handles these things.
Train your workforce on software usage
Everyone using the software should know how to use it properly. For example, if you use a collaboration software, everyone should know how to:
- Access their messages
- Look for new communication updates
- Reach their teammates
- Upload documents
Many software platforms come with onboarding guides and videos you can use to train your employees. Or, you can hold a seminar or webinar to familiarize users with the core functionalities of the tool.
Automate workflows
The global industrial automation market size has grown to $190 billion. So, it’s about time construct project managers leverage automation for seamless operations on the construction site.
Construction management software helps you automate repetitive and menial tasks, such as:
- Invoicing
- Scheduling
- Work allocation
- Reporting
- Safety report generation
- Daily logging
Besides reducing the risk of error, these software platforms also lessen manual labor, allowing you to focus on strategic initiatives instead.
Monitor performance
Once you’ve implemented construction project management software, you should monitor its performance periodically. How much time is it saving? Is it helping you reduce cost overruns? How is the collaboration tool affecting your project’s performance?
Here are some KPIs to measure a software’s performance.
- Efficiency – It measures the effort and time your team spends completing tasks using the software. The lesser time required, the more efficient a tool is.
- Adoption rate – How many of your employees use the software daily? A high adoption rate signifies high software efficiency, indicating that it is user-friendly and meets the team’s needs.
- User satisfaction – You can measure user satisfaction through Net Promoter Score by asking users for their opinion about the software. Paper or web surveys are a great way to get workforce feedback, with a higher user satisfaction score indicating software usefulness.
Use integrations
Most construction management software supports integrations with contract management tools, accounting software, and other third-party apps. Integrations make it easy to share data between two diverse software platforms without manually entering information into both platforms.
You can also collaborate with accounting and human resources teams through these integrations. It creates a comprehensive network of everyone working in tandem to ensure high work efficiency on the construction site.
Conclusion
The specific benefits of a construction project management software will depend on its features. While some software platforms are better at saving time and money, others improve collaboration and communication.
Nevertheless, the best way to maximize the benefits of these software platforms is to know their functionalities, train everyone to use them adequately, monitor their performance, and leverage built-in integrations. In this way, you can ensure that the software saves time and resources while improving workforce efficiency, productivity, and engagement.