Benefits of Cloud-Based Construction Data Management Solutions

One of the main advantages of cloud-based software and storage for professionals in the construction industry is mobility. These days, it’s essential to be able to handle every part of your business from any location with an internet connection and a mobile device, like a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

The money your business may save by cutting IT expenses is another fantastic advantage of migrating to the cloud. The cloud-based construction data management can assist reduce the need for pricey software license renewals, server and computer upgrades, and maintenance. As your company develops and evolves, you may also scale your cloud-based construction data management computing requirements. Improved information sharing and collaboration are further benefits of cloud-based construction data management technologies.

The number of companies offering cloud-based solutions specifically designed for the construction sector is constantly expanding. These businesses provide a wide range of services, including cash flows, budgeting, scheduling, subcontractor and supplier bids, contract management, and estimating and takeoffs. Options include tailored services like project management or payroll solutions, as well as comprehensive solutions for handling every facet of your construction company management.

How does Traditional Construction Software Work?

For a number of years, the construction industry has been using standard tools like Microsoft Projects, Excel, and WhatsApp. Although these technologies have their uses, they have several drawbacks and restrictions that hinder teamwork, reduce productivity, and jeopardize the success of the project as a whole.

Let’s examine how cloud-based construction data management solutions are transforming the construction business and how traditional software functions.

Employing conventional software can result in

• Project Delays: Gathering constraints-related information or data can be a highly laborious task if it is difficult to access and involves switching between several software programs. This makes it difficult to make judgments quickly and adds to the already existing delays.
• Cost Overruns in Construction: Projects that are delayed result in excessive labor and material utilization, which raises costs and leaves a gaping hole in your wallet.
• Lack of Teamwork: Teams at the office and on the job site start to communicate and share information slowly and ineffectively. Team members may not be aware of modifications or updates made by others because there aren’t any real-time updates.

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Cloud-based Construction Data Management Software

Across the globe, the construction industry is regarded as one of the least digitalized. But until recently, the technology needed to take full advantage of the complex workflows and challenging conditions in the construction industry wasn’t readily accessible.

Software engineers have been creating Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions for the construction industry in recent years, utilizing 4G WiFi, mobile devices, and cloud-based construction data management computing to their fullest potential. This explains the recent spike in cloud computing usage among contractors.

The foundation of the digital revolution in construction is cloud-based construction data management computing. It is the cornerstone of all reliable software programs and a real enabler of utilizing the newest technologies in the construction industry.

Advantages of cloud-based construction data management Software

Construction software that is hosted on the cloud has many advantages over desktop programs, such as real-time team collaboration, mobility, quick upgrades and backups, and much more.
What Benefits Can cloud-based construction data management Software Offer Your Company? These Are The Three Main Methods

The versatility that cloud-based construction data management computing offers your organization is unparalleled. You have a significant edge over rivals employing antiquated desktop construction software as you’re not restricted to any one device or place. This is the way your competitive edge comes from the cloud.

1. Mobility and Collaboration Exponentially Speed Up your Processes

Making a good impression on general contractors requires speed, whether it comes from your preconstruction team completing takeoffs and estimates more quickly, your project management team monitoring site activity, or your finance department utilizing cloud-based construction data management accounting software.

When contemplating a cloud migration, think about the capabilities you want for your team: your software should enable cross-platform working between Mac and PC, and you should be able to examine specifications and plans on any device for easy access by teams operating in remote locations. These features enable you to give data in a fraction of the time. For example, your takeoff software can increase your measuring speed by up to 10 times.

Remember the circumstances under which your team functions optimally as well. Your team may operate from home, in the field, or in the office thanks to the increased freedom offered by cloud-based construction data management technologies. Allowing employees to work remotely can increase employee loyalty and produce individuals who are eager to go above and beyond for the firm. Remote teams can be incredibly adept at managing their time and duties. Your team will perform better and more quickly at work if they have a better work/life balance. (If you haven’t overseen a remote team before, attempt these tactics.)

2. Increased Accuracy and Quality Win More Work Every Time

By giving your company’s data a single source of truth, cloud-based construction data management solutions drastically lower the possibility of errors. Errors may occur when you export measurements into Excel and work with the spreadsheet, for instance, while estimating from a takeoff. Any one decimal point out of place can have a disastrous effect on all of your numbers.

But, since everything is housed on a single cloud-based platform, you can generate thorough, precise estimates that will wow general contractors. Even if your bid isn’t the lowest, you’ll demonstrate your experience, and they’ll have faith in you to finish the job correctly.

Sustaining the high caliber of your job also requires regular appraisals of accomplishments, challenges, and performance. Utilize your cloud tools to quickly locate and go over previous assignments. To start visualizing project health, you might even think about utilizing the Integrated Project Monitoring Method from the Construction Institute.

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3. A Great Impression Starts with Excellent Customer Service

Your team can quickly access the most recent versions of plans and documents from any location with cloud-based construction data management document storage and an organization plan, allowing you to pull up any documents you need to discuss with GCs. Prove to them that you’re equipped and willing to work.

Don’t leave any room for doubt about the services you will and won’t give. A well-crafted proposal that is produced straight from your estimate data in the cloud and covers all bid documents, alternate materials, value adds, and a clear pricing breakdown reflects good on your business.

You can send bids to GCs directly using online plan rooms. They can provide you with all the specs and contact details you need to submit a competitive offer. To ensure that your offers are noticed, adhere to recommended bidders’ guidelines. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask for further information.

4. Interconnecting Employees with other Employees

Many businesses use the central office method to do business. For people who work in the construction industry, this isn’t the case, though. The majority of construction companies’ work is done outside, even though they have an office where they perform administrative tasks including payroll, invoicing, and administration.

Contractors may use tablets, phones, and computers to access their work and email files thanks to the cloud-based construction data management technology. They can also request materials needed by construction workers and update the state of their construction. In order to secure the success of their building project, workers on a construction site can improve communication and save time by speaking with their employer.

They can also collaborate on documents and plans with employees from their company’s internal department. For example, if workers aren’t completing the building project on schedule or there are problems with the plans, the on-site manager can speak with the internal staff to resolve the matter and update the building’s blueprint.

5. Access to Unlimited Data Storage

To keep their plans, blueprints, and other project-related papers safe, construction companies need to store their data. To store all the data, they employ tangible storage systems like paper files and hard drives. However, the data may be lost if these storage devices are lost, stolen, or even damaged.

On the other hand, data stored on the cloud is secure and available on any device. Employees can sync and backup their data to several devices using cloud-based construction data management storage. All of an organization’s data can be stored in the public or hybrid cloud. It is also possible to transfer data between cloud services. Even though this may raise the price of cloud storage, it’s still less expensive than storing the data locally on disks or files.

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6. More Efficient Processing of Data Stored in the Cloud

An average construction project takes up a lot of room. Civil engineers must plan, organize, supervise, and provide upkeep for the building process in order to erect any project.

Large volumes of data are gathered during the process for processing, which is time-consuming. The outcomes of the data processing may take longer to share with other data. The cloud-based construction data management system uses several algorithms to expedite processing in order to overcome this problem. They can analyze data more quickly and give users instant access because all of the data is stored on the cloud system.

7. The Cloud System Can be Easily Customised to Fit your Needs

In the end, businesses can focus on their primary activities without having to worry about their IT infrastructure. Every construction company has a unique method for conducting its business. Based on their objectives, construction firms can create customized management and data storage. Cloud-based construction data management gives construction firms the tools they need to complete their tasks.

8. Giving a Competitive Edge to Small Companies

It could be challenging for a smaller construction company to compete with the industry heavyweights. When competing with other small construction companies, cloud computing can help you gain an advantage.

For a fraction of the price that businesses pay, they may function at the enterprise level of storage access, management, access, and recovery thanks to cloud-based construction data management technologies. Small businesses are able to leverage the cloud’s approach and apply it in a way that best suits their requirements.

Furthermore, small businesses can pay for the resources and services they use with the cloud pay-per-use option. Larger construction companies have access to the same cloud services that small enterprises use. This permits a healthy level of rivalry between large and small businesses.

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How does Cloud-based Construction Data Management Software Benefit the Construction Industry as a Whole?

The two largest advantages of cloud computing for the sector are its capacity to draw in new talent and reduce expenses: Younger, tech-savvy employees are excited about benefits like remote work, and businesses can easily adopt remote rules thanks to an array of cloud-based technologies. Reduced rework and expedited procedures can save non-billable hours spent finding and making corrections, which translates into cost savings.

Reasons Cloud-based Construction Data Management is Crucial for Your Construction Company

Although it may be trailing other sectors in this regard, the construction industry is by no means an exception to the mobile, adaptable culture that has been embraced by our economy and society. Your team will need to use cloud-based construction data management technologies in order to stay competitive.

Why is Cloud-based Construction Data Management Software Important for your Construction Company’s Growth?

Everyone in the construction industry wants to expand, which is why you put in so much effort and manage your cash flow carefully. However, you’re probably simply treading water if you’re still using desktop software that was designed for the 1980s or paper and pencil.

You are limited to a few bids every week because bidding on a job takes days. You only win a small portion of the tasks you are able to bid on, and you lose out on chances that could have been beneficial for your construction company.

Preconstruction work is overwhelming you and your staff, and you are angry that you aren’t spending more time in the field practicing your actual craft. Working on bids takes up your weekends and late nights. Hiring additional estimators would be necessary if you wanted to submit more bids, but since you can’t foresee which projects you’ll win, hiring staff is out of the question.

All of these issues can be resolved with the aid of a cloud-based construction data management technology. Your current workforce will be able to do takeoffs up to ten times faster than they can currently, and they will be able to bid on many more tasks, so you won’t need to hire new people.

Your estimates will be far more accurate if you complete all of your preconstruction work on a single platform. This will help you accurately project material, labor, and other costs and get a better idea of how many jobs you can anticipate to win. You might even find that you can raise your prices once you’ve established solid relationships with some general contractors and have a notion of what other contractors are costing.

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How Can Cloud-based Construction Data Management Software Help Make Your Construction Company More Efficient?

Among the main advantages of cloud computing is efficiency. You’ll discover that you require fewer workers to complete a task thoroughly after your crew is proficient with your selected equipment. You’ll be able to submit more bids without having to pay for the overhead of hiring new staff, including payroll taxes, insurance, supplies, and training.

Using cloud-based construction data management storage will also enhance the procedures used by your current staff. They can focus on extra duties that increase profits once they are not required to waste time looking for documents or pages within plans.

Common Myths Of Cloud-based Construction Data Management Solutions

Making an informed selection requires careful consideration of the drawbacks. Potential drawbacks, however, are usually the result of misinterpretations or—dare I say it—somewhat antiquated ideas about data handling and solutions. Let’s examine a few often asked questions regarding cloud-based construction data management software use in the building sector.

1. Is my Data Secure?

This widespread misperception mostly stems from the idea that you are giving up physical control over your data. In a cloud setting, your data is safer. By not keeping data on local devices, you have already removed the possibility of data loss or harm, and cloud storage offers unparalleled protection. Because cloud data is critical, the security is comparable to that of Fort Knox. Because of economies of scale, cloud-based construction data management server providers can implement the most advanced security measures, which would be difficult for individual users to afford and maintain on their own.

2. Do Servers in the Cloud Ever “Go Down”?

It is impossible to guarantee that a server will never experience an outage or malfunction. The measures to prepare for such events should be the main focus. This worry is unfounded because cloud data servers, like security systems, may offer redundancy measures and compensate for possible server outages. Even in its early days, server failures were exceedingly uncommon, and for such little periods of time, the advantages far outweighed any possible pain that a small amount of downtime would cause.

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3. Is it Expensive?

Although cloud-based construction data management solutions are expensive, when will anything truly valuable become cheap? Nevertheless, when compared like-for-like, they are frequently less expensive than physical server solutions, especially when you account for the price of servicing and new as well as replacement hardware.

Furthermore, cloud-based construction data management has a potentially huge return on investment. However, it is crucial to recognize that in difficult times and a highly competitive market, solutions must be customized to meet the requirements and capacities of specific firms. Cloud solutions offer an extra alternative that has long been needed.

4. Is Constant Internet Access Necessary?

When internet access was less reliable in the past, this was a much bigger issue. But there will be “Dead areas,” especially if you’re working in a rural place. Software vendors have made sure this is covered by switching back to an offline feature that can activate as needed. Transferring any data that was temporarily stored when the internet connection was restored serves as additional evidence for this.

Conclusion

A more adaptable option to traditional servers run by individuals or businesses is cloud-based construction data management computing. Instead of being licensed for specific devices, software is now accessible across the internet thanks to cloud computing. The procedures for cloud-based construction data management entail a change in perspective and approach to cooperative project management in the cloud. This change in emphasis aids businesses in streamlining cloud-based construction initiatives.

Software as a service, or SaaS, companies are typically identified as those who provide cloud computing services. SaaS solutions in the construction sector can include project management systems, online plan rooms, takeoff and estimating platforms, accounting software, and more.

In the construction sector, where there are often many stakeholders, intricate duties, and stringent deadlines, effective project management is essential. Building industry professionals are increasingly using cloud-based construction data management software to address these issues head-on.

Numerous advantages provided by this revolutionary technology alter project management methodologies and optimize processes. Knowing these advantages can empower you as an executive, project manager, or member of the onsite team.

Resources:

RIB | CMAA | Asti | StackCT | GetPowerPlay | ConstructConnect | GoCodes 

For all the pictures: Freepik