Top 8 Construction Software (2024)
A quick review of the best technology.
CrewTracks is time tracking software for construction crews. However, it covers much more than just payroll hours, it's a full field management solution.
CrewTracks can be run on Android and Apple devices, as well as desktop and online.
A-Systems software is built for construction companies. It has contractor-specific features like job costing, prevailing wage, subcontractor management, equipment tracking, purchase orders, AIA billing, retainage, and more.
A-Systems is a pioneer in construction software, having made accounting software for 46 years now. During the last four decades, the software has just gotten better and better, thanks to feedback from loyal users.
Many Quickbooks users have felt that they need a more construction-specific solution. After switching to A-Systems, one user said, "It's like they took away my shovel and gave me a backhoe."
A-Systems software is available as a desktop or cloud-hosted solution.
PlanSwift is a takeoff / estimating software that is both quick and easy to use. In three quick steps you can do takeoff, add materials and labor, and then export your estimate.
Planswift can be customized for your specific line of work, whether that's drywall, concrete, electrical, HVAC, landscape, flooring, or others.
Planswift is built for Windows OS.
The award-winning Construction Master Pro calculator is now available as an app. It has the same familiar layout as the physical calculator, but now it's always available on your phone. Construction math can be complex, and it's critical that it's done right. The Construction Master Pro app makes it easy to get accurate results.
Available on Android and Apple Products.
Unified Fleet is a telematics program for tracking your construction fleet. Hardware built into the equipment tracks location, operation time, mileage, and fuel levels. This data is then sent to the cloud for real-time updates.
VisionLink also offer UnifiedService, which tracks the health of your equipment. You can view fault codes, schedule maintenance, and more.
VisionLink specializes in telematics, which is telecommunication with vehicles. Using cell service and stallite radio, VisionLink collects data from your construction equipment. Most modern construction vehicles are equipped with various brands of telematics hardware, and VisionLink is able to collect information from each type.
BricsCAD is a comprehensive CAD program with both 2D and 3D. It's built for drafters, designers, architects, and engineers. It covers civil/structural engineering, HVAC, GIS, and electrical.
BricSys also offers BricsCad BIM, and BricsCAD Mechanical for mechanical assembly design.
BricsCad is available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
ProjectMates keeps your construction projects under control. It organizes all your important documents so nothing is lost. It facilitate communication so everyone stays up to date on the latest changes.
ProjectMates is cloud based, with an Apple app and Android App for mobile.
DroneDeploy adds a whole new level of insight for construction. DroneDeploy can automatically fly a drone over your construction sight to survey the area. It then uses the photos to make 2D and 3D maps of the site, create maps, and create reports.
DroneDeploy is compatible with a wide range of apps, including Google Drive, Google Maps, and DropBox.
You can save a ton of time by nailing down your "must-have" list of features. If you start here, it will help software providers cut to the chase and tell you if they really have what you're after. It will simplify the process of eliminating options that don't fit, and that's what finding the RIGHT software is all about.
When making your list, consult with everyone that will interact with the software. There might be someone in HR, for example, that needs a feature you wouldn't have considered. Check with all interested parties to be sure you have a good list of essentials. This is also an important step, because when it comes time to purchase the software, you can assure them it has the features they requested.
There is a lot of overlap in software features, which can make it difficult to compare. A time tracking app may also track equipment. An equipment tracking app may have some basic accounting features. Keep this in mind when you compare price.
After you've eliminated options that don't have your "must-have" features, take some time to look at live demos. You don't have to look at all of them–just the best prospects. If the best prospects leave you disappointed, you can always go back and look at your second-choice options. They may turn out better than you have anticipated. Seeing the software is the only real way to know.
If many people will be using the software, include them in the demos where possible.
We live in a wonderful age, where there are many suitable options at our disposal. You'll probably find that a few different software packages meet your needs, with only slight differences. If you're looking to break a tie between two front-runners, you'll probably look to price first. Here are a few other things you can also consider:
If you're not the decision maker, this may be your hardest step. You've looked through features, you've seen demos, and now you've come to a conclusion. Unfortunately, the bosses or owners may not be ready to make such a transition. It helps to communicate to the decision makers in terms that are important to them. If you will be saving time by switching software, let them know specifically how. If you'll save money over time, let them know how much. One very important point is reducing mistakes and miscommunications. Oftentimes new software can fix some of those problems and reduce costly errors. These are all things that would be important to owners and decision makers.
Remember how important training is. A new system, no matter how good it is, is only as good as the team that's using it. You want to make sure there's a way to get new employees up to speed so there's minimal downtime when you have a change in staffing.
It can be surprisingly fast to get into a new software. Other times, unexpected things like changes in management can throw that final decision off for years. Internal changes, like budgeting, and unforseen external factors like economic shifts, can throw a new element in too.
It always slows things down when we implement a new tool. Training and setup take time, but once it's all up and running, things go more quickly than they did before the new software. Worth it.
it's amazing how much better office communication is when everyone has the information available. Cloud hosting makes it easier to send and receive info from the field.
I find a great technique for choosing the right vendor is talking to tech support before you buy anything. They are the ones you'll be working with going forward, after you no longer correspond with the sales team. If you can get answers from them, you're in good hands. It doesn't matter what the sales teams say, because they don't always know everything the tech team knows.