Construction Project Management Software

Construction project management software is purpose built software with functionality to provide the Project Management Processes to cover the needs of builders and construction companies who are managing long term, high value projects.

The software typically has an estimating module to assist in the bid management phase and a contracts management facility to produce head contracts for clients and subcontracts for the required trades. This would also manage the changes in scope and their corresponding variations and amendments.

Because construction projects typically extend beyond a single financial year, it is common to see firms adopt the earned value project management approach in their general ledgers. This ensures that they report profit correctly and do not pay unnecessary taxation, so the solution will incorporate  an Earned Value General Ledger.

Risk management would also be integrated into fully featured construction project management software as companies would want to recognise items throughout the life of the project that can cause an increase in costs or a delay in completion.

The software should include its own payroll with a timesheet system tailored to the construction industry. This would include calendars for each region with public holidays, work and non-work weekends and Rostered Days Off (RDOs) all clearly identified to assist employees to accurately complete their timesheet taking into account their respective project roles and responsibilities. The payroll is also vital as if supplies the data required to calculate the fully loaded on-costs (superannuation, leave etc) of employees so that these can be apportioned to the respective projects to ensure accurate profit reporting.

The software would need some flexibility in how it costed and billed projects. This is required as there are different ways that firms can choose to contract so that they can change who takes a larger portion of the risk, the client or the construction firm. This means that any construction project management software needs to be able to accommodate both “Lump Sum” and “Cost Plus” contracts.