5 Essential Software Tools for Construction Project Management

The construction industry is often in flux. While the need to build and modify structures has been around for thousands of years, the tools that exist to help with these projects are always improving. That is certainly the case in the modern era, when apps have become integral in so many fields and industries.

Whether you’re looking for PDF software for construction projects or an application that allows your crew to more easily communicate with each other off hours, it’s highly likely that you can find it these days. Let’s look at five of the most well-regarded software apps that currently exist pertaining to construction project management.

Fieldwire

Fieldwire is an app that has become increasingly popular in the construction industry since it first appeared. Created by Hilti, it claims to power over 2 million job sites worldwide at this point.

It is available for individuals with both iOS devices and ones running Android. You can use it to coordinate efficiently, assigning tasks and working from up-to-date drawings that you can easily feature on the app so that everyone who needs to see them can be looped in.

You can install it on any device, so a site manager might utilize it on a cell phone while someone else integral to the project might do so from a laptop or desktop hundreds of miles away.

You can also use it to track the performance of every member of your team who has access. You can create schedules for upcoming work as well.

Wrike

Wrike, Inc, is based out of San Jose. You can absolutely use it for construction projects, but it is by no means restricted to that. Other industries and niches use it too.

Building, connecting, automating, and scaling are all possible with Wrike. More than 20K entities worldwide now use it. The main idea behind Wrike is the streamlining of workflows. As you might imagine, this is something that is highly useful for construction projects.

If you’re running a construction company or project, and you sign on with Wrike, you might start by conveying the information that will form the core of the work that’s being done. You can use the app for visual collaboration, giving access to whoever needs it.

You will then move on to planning and resourcing. This is where you will talk about resource management with all the main project participants. You’ll then go on to work execution, reporting, and analysis.

This way, you can be sure you are holding everyone accountable. If any mistakes are made, you can easily figure out what went wrong so that you can avoid it next time.

Autodesk Construction Cloud

Autodesk Construction Cloud is mostly for individuals and construction companies that want to connect the app to an existing tech stack. When you do so, you can take advantage of the more than 400 integrations that come with it.

You can use these integrations with CRMs, ERPs, and much more. Essentially, what you’re allowing to happen when you implement this app is for all of your teams and crew members to collaborate in a more secure place.

The cloud presents safety and security in a way that non-cloud apps simply are not capable of. If you are working on a project that has an element of secrecy, such as if you are discussing or dealing with anything of a proprietary nature, keeping the project details encrypted in the cloud is certainly in your best interest.

This is especially the case with government building contracts or anything similar. Enhanced cloud security is invaluable, but this app’s ability to facilitate analytic reports you can analyze following each project is perhaps even better in the long run.   

Buildertrend

Buildertrend has a focus specifically on home building, remodeling, and specialty home contractor services. There are obviously some major differences between building commercially and what is called for if you are working on a private residence. This app was built with those key differences in mind.

Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the company introduced an app that allows users to connect subs, clients, and teams in real time. Many individuals who commissioned a company to build a house for them or work on their existing home might have become frustrated when they couldn’t get in touch with that entity off hours.

With Buildertrend, that shouldn’t ever happen. The app makes communication among all individuals connected to the project easier than ever before. It’s also useful for simplifying invoices and paying contractors using a variety of different methods.

With Buildertrend, you can also communicate with other team members without ever having to call or text them directly. You can have a private message thread using the app or make a conversation available to everyone involved.

Procore

Procore has existed since 2002. They are headquartered in Carpinteria, California. This is a global platform, with integrations useful for individuals from many countries and territories.

Procore is so popular not only because of the company’s international appeal, but also because of how incredibly detailed they make the construction journey. When you sign on with them, you can watch the real-time progress of a project starting with the bidding phase. You can monitor the prices proposed by different companies via the platform before choosing one.

You can then move on to the pre-construction phase. This is where you will coordinate with the individuals you have hired, sharing with them plans and directives as you move closer to breaking ground.

You can discuss the cost of the project in both a micro and macro sense, determining the suppliers who will be most affordable and whether any subcontractors will be required or whether any specialists will need to be brought in. You can keep any evidence of necessary building permits directly in the app.

When the project starts, you can access the details surrounding each day’s work. They will be presented using a method that is easy for you to understand.

Consider which of these will serve your construction-related needs best.