Construction Viz

Project Management Perfect

da_admin

Cost Engineers Rejoice – You Can Keep Using Excel for Cost Management

Forms |

One thing has never changed in my 20+ years in project controls: cost engineers want to manage cost in Excel. It doesn’t matter to them how many fancy enterprise cost management systems there are on the market. Excel is like that special blanket from childhood – it is familiar, dependable, and nothing else can replace it. We get it, which is why we have designed the Construction Viz Cost Report app to integrate deeply with Excel for cost management.

I can understand why, if you are a cost engineer, you prefer to stick with Excel. Your spreadsheet is yours and yours alone. It has your very own custom columns to check formulas, worksheets for data dumps, macros for updates and reporting, comments on variances, and so on. Most importantly, you can use it to generate a cost report the way you want. And so, at the end of the month, you’ll take all that data from your Excel file and re-enter it into that enterprise cost management system your organization mandates to satisfy the corporate reporting requirement. You’ll do this even though it is a time-consuming process and riddled with the potential for clerical errors.

With Construction Viz, we set about creating a better solution that lets cost engineers stick with what they know while ensuring that managers have the dashboards and reports they need.

Designing the Ideal Cost Management Workflow with Construction Viz

When we started designing the cost management application for Construction Viz, we knew we needed to meet cost engineers where they prefer to work, and this is in Excel.

At the same time, we also needed a way for management to have real-time visibility to cost data across all projects, meaning that critical data could not stay locked away in Excel until someone re-entered it in a shared system.

So, we set about designing a solution that allows cost engineers to work in Excel while automating the flow of data to the Construction Viz portal for viewing and reporting.

Construction Viz Cost Report App and Excel

Based on the above, we created the Construction Viz Cost Report app. With our new app, the workflow is:

  1. A cost engineer saves their Excel cost report into a SharePoint document library where they can continue making regular updates.
  2. The Cost Report app, using the magic of a Power Automate workflow, then automatically grabs the critical data from the Excel file and makes the cost information available via an updated SharePoint list for all stakeholders to see.
  3. Next, we designed the Cost Report app to talk to the SharePoint List to provide analysis across projects and programs in a web-based and easy-to-use UI.
  4. Finally, the Cost Report app leverages Power BI to access the SharePoint List data, enabling robust dashboard views and reporting as needed.

The Construction Viz Cost Report app gives each team member what they want. Cost engineers get to keep working in Excel with their familiar spreadsheet tools. Management gets real-time access to cost data for reporting.

Introducing the Construction Viz Cost Report app

Advantages of the Construction Viz Cost Report App

The Construction Viz Cost Report app provides the following advantages over a traditional enterprise cost management system:

  • Excel as the foundation. Cost engineers can keep using their own Excel cost report as the data source.
  • Automated workflow. The workflow launches with a click and runs automatically.
  • Support for multiple spreadsheets. The app can pull data from multiple spreadsheets.
  • Efficiency and accuracy. No more redundant and error-prone manual data entry into two systems.
  • Real-time reporting and dashboards. The Cost Report app provides management with up-to-date cost information for easy analysis and reporting across projects and programs.
  • SharePoint & Microsoft 365 under the hood. Because Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft 365 power the Cost Report and other Construction Viz apps we offer, your organizations can be confident that you are using best-in-class technologies built on industry-leading enterprise software platforms.

Read more about the robust capabilities of our Cost Report app.

Learn More About Construction Viz

Contact us for a free consultation about how Construction Viz, integrated with Microsoft 365, can help you manage your construction projects.

Need help with Microsoft 365? Learn about Lydon Solution's full lineup of Microsoft 365 Managed Services.

Construction Viz – Application for Payment

Forms |

The Application for Payment is a formal document that details a contractor’s request for payment and should identify the work completed and materials received or installed during a specified time period. The entire process can be rather complex since it must consider the original commitment and approved change order values, work completed, and overall approval process, all the while lineup with, and output to, the standard AIA G702/G703 reports that support the final invoice to the client.

Throughout my years in Project Controls, I’ve seen many different approaches for processing payment applications. Most of these solutions were entered into a Project Management Information System (PMIS), rather than in Microsoft Excel. In my experience, the pay app processes and tools were extremely cumbersome because some, if not all, of the steps were done manually via hard copy or through email, links to the project or payment schedule were not included with the application, and there was a lack of details in the tracking templates to know where the pay application was in the process at any given point in time.

When we decided to build-out Application for Payment functionality in Construction Viz, we wanted to address some of the shortfalls identified with other software products, as well as enhance the overall usability for project team members.

As a result, we built four separate forms—Commitment, Change Order Request, Change Order, and Pay Application—that integrate with one another for a comprehensive approach from committing scope to making a progress payment.

Key features include:

  • All forms and functionality can be accessed on any device with a modern browser; and since Construction Viz is a Progressive Web App, it can be made available offline without having to install an app on your device.
  • All four forms can be customized to your processes and deployed into your on-premise SharePoint or Microsoft 365.
  • In addition to the 4 forms being integrated with one another, they can also be integrated with our other applications such as the Scheduler and Project Tracker.
  • Each form is tracked at a line item level of detail, in a Schedule of Value (SOV) format by WBS, Cost Code, Work Order, Account and/or Line Item.
  • Each form can be independently routed for review and approval.
  • Only approved forms impact the overall summary rollup which provides a status of all payments.
  • Since a Change Order Request is purely a field request and does not commit costs, contractors can leverage current commitment information to quickly add change request line details, or can create new change request line details, without impacting the PO.
  • Retention can be identified on the Commitment level and automatically withheld on each Pay Application.
  • Both the standard AIA G702 and G703 reports can be generated from any Pay App form.

Find out more about all of our tools to help you manage your projects in SharePoint and Microsoft 365, or visit LydonSolutions.com to submit a free consultation for services to get you on the right track with your PMIS.

Project Portals for Remote Collaboration

Collaboration |

Remote project management can be challenging when trying to bring together many different disciplines on a construction project. Let’s face it, every stakeholder has their own responsibilities and focus areas that don’t fit neatly into the traditional off the shelf Project Management Information System (PMIS).

This is why we built Construction Viz Portals.

Portals are discipline-focused information windows into the project health. They display easily digestible snippets of information such as KPIs, dashboards, web pages, and maps. Best of all these can be built in any Microsoft 365 application and then surfaced in Construction Viz Portals. Have a Power BI Report or a SharePoint web page that you want to build and share with team members, simply grab the URL and paste into the builder. Select from a pre-set list of portals or build your own and connect them yourself.

Portals allow you to share information the way you want, using the applications you use everyday. Get a free demo to learn more about Construction Viz Portals and how we can deliver a tailored solution to manage your projects. If you need help optimizing Microsoft 365 for managing your projects, check out our managed services at LydonSolutions.com.

project-portals1
project-portals2

Manage Work Orders for Projects of Any Size with Construction Viz

Work Orders |

Whether you are managing a project or program, Construction Viz gives you everything you need to manage work orders with complete visibility into each step and robust reporting. Our Work Order app also integrates with our other construction project management apps, including Construction Viz Scheduler, Planner, Project Tracker, and our full lineup of Form apps. 

Projects come in all shapes and sizes. Some can cost thousands and be completed in hours while others could cost millions and take years to complete. How organizations label projects can vary as well. Some organizations call everything with a clearly defined scope, schedule, and budget a project. Others call projects consisting of multiple work orders, each with scope, schedule, and budget, a program.

While the labels can vary, as a project manager, you don’t want to use two completely different systems and sets of processes, one for projects and one for programs, when all you are trying to do is create a simple RFI. You and your team need visibility to your entire project portfolio in an easy-to-use system, whether it falls within construction or even facilities management.

Construction Viz Helps You Manage Projects of Any Size

 

 

With  Construction Viz, not only did we address the standard construction project requirements needed to manage a project successfully, but we also included the ability to manage programs using our integrated Work Order app.

Using the Construction Viz Work Order app, you can manage the entire process from a client service request through work order completion.  If you are taking a comprehensive approach to work order management, the process starts within the Construction Viz Service Request app to capture high-level details for the required service, including an anticipated scope and the target completion date.  Once a service request is approved, Construction Viz makes it easy for you to create one or more work orders directly from the request form, keeping all of your program and project information linked for easy review and reporting.

The Work Order app captures definitive scope, estimated cost, and forecasted schedule completion.  The app enables you to manage every step as well as each party with robust reporting and interactive ball-in-court dashboards.

Take Charge of Your Projects with Construction Viz

Construction Viz goes way beyond work order management. All of the Construction Viz apps integrate with one another. Our Scheduler, Planner,  Project Tracker, and our full lineup of Form apps, including Requests for Information (RFI), Submittal, Transmittal, and more, can be linked to a single work order, providing you and your team visibility to your entire portfolio.

Stop using multiple systems to manage your projects. No matter what size project you are managing, we've got you covered. To find out more, request a free consultation.

Construction Viz Service Request App Makes Requesting Services a Snap

Service Request |

Our Construction Viz Service Request app, for SharePoint and Office 365, streamlines the owner-driven service request process, making it simple to create, manage, and report on the entire service workflow.

As an owner, how do you go about requesting services from your facilities department or external contractors?  Do you create a service ticket in your asset management system? Maybe send emails with reference documentation attached? Perhaps you make multiple phone calls to the many contacts that could potentially fulfill your request? Pretty soon, you have information scattered across your asset management system, your inbox, and the notepad on your desk.

You aren’t alone. The reality is most companies use multiple methods and technologies to initiate and process service requests. Without a centralized process, there is a high probability of overlooked, conflicting, or duplicate service requests. This lack of visibility prevents accountability for the entire process, from initiation of the request, work order creation, and project completion.

Streamline Your Workflow with the Construction Viz Service Request App

The Construction Viz Service Request app makes it easy to effectively and efficiently manage all stages of your service requests, bridging the gap between project management, construction, and maintenance.

Our Construction Viz Service Request app provides the following capabilities:

  • Standardized and centralized service request management process – The app captures all the information related to your service request workflow from end to end. Now all parties involved have visibility to the status of each service request with accountability for who is responsible for follow-up.
  • Better scheduling – You can link your service requests within the Construction Viz Scheduler and Planner apps, giving you the option to manage the requested need and completion dates in a project Gantt chart or calendar view.
  • Detailed scope and change management – The Construction Viz Service Request app captures all crucial scope information associated with your service requests within the form, including documents, images, and videos. It even captures changes with a built-in revision control process.
  • Integrated work order creation – Create, monitor, and track associated work orders directly within the service request form itself.
  • Dynamic reporting – Immediately identify issues with robust progress reporting, querying functionality, simple status indicators, and ball-in-court dashboards.
  • Geospatial mapping – Display your service requests with their attached images and videos in a geospatial map view so you can see where work needs to be performed and plan accordingly.
  • Review and approval workflow – You can assign actions related to the service request to one or multiple people. Once assigned, each assignee will be notified and can quickly access and address their items from their dashboard, ensuring efficient communication and full accountability for the project.
blog_service-request_img

Learn More with a Free Consultation

Construction Viz is a one-stop-shop for managing your construction projects in SharePoint or Office 365. The platform includes everything you need to manage your construction projects, including document management, dashboards, reports, forms, workflows, and more. Best of all, our Construction Viz Apps let you select just the features you need to create a completely custom solution for your organization.

Schedule a free consultation today to learn more.

Construction Viz Profile Builder

Video |

Customize your Construction Viz profile and interface with the Profile Builder. Profile Builder is included in the settings portion of Construction Viz and allows you to personalize the look and feel of the user interface. Adjust theme colors, company and project names, active forms, and the company logo. Change the look and feel of the navigation in just a few clicks.

See how easy it is to customize your profile and projects using the Construction Viz Profile Builder in the video below:

Use Construction Viz Profile Builder to:

• Create and save multiple project and program profiles
• Change the look and feel of your UI in real time with two clicks
• Activate or deactivate apps to change user navigation
• Switch configuration profiles depending on the project
• Configure each project in your program and updating your project's profile

Contact us today for a no-obligation demo and find out how you can get the project management features you need right in your SharePoint & Office 365 environments.