8 Questions to Ask Before Committing to Construction Software

The best construction management software will have the complex functionality you need to run both your projects and your company well. It’ll give you tools to manage and track what happens in the office and the field. Plus, it’ll enable integrations that unify your workflows to reduce the need for double data entry and other manual processes that cost your construction company money. Here are 8 questions to ask before committing to a construction management software—so you’ll know it can handle your company’s complex needs.

1. Project management – Can it schedule, assign and track tasks?

When selecting construction management software, check that it can schedule, assign and track tasks in real-time. This functionality helps you ensure accountability among stakeholders and maintain project timelines. Look for software that provides task management features that integrate with overall project schedules. This ensures that every team member knows their responsibilities and deadlines.

How RedTeam’s construction management software stacks up

RedTeam’s solutions offer comprehensive project management tools like detailed Gantt charts, guided workflows, task dependencies and real-time schedule updates. So you can keep your teams informed, aligned and on track. 

2. Document control – Does it manage plans, revisions and other key documents efficiently?

In construction, plans and specs change often. So, efficient document control is vital to the success of your projects. Choose software that allows easy uploads, tracks revisions and lets you share documents securely with stakeholders. This ensures all team members have the latest versions, keeps everyone on the same page and reduces the likelihood of mistakes that lead to rework.

Document control with RedTeam 

RedTeam’s solutions offer extensive document management features. They allow your team to easily upload drawings and plans and see changes in real time. Moreover, they include permissions and access controls. This means vendors and owners can see necessary information without viewing internal documents and communications that aren’t intended for them.

3. Budgeting and cost control – Can it help project managers monitor and manage project financials effectively?

Monitoring and managing project financials in real-time reduces risks and keeps your projects profitable. This ensures the financial health of your projects and your company. These functionalities are key for any construction management software you choose. Visibility into real-time project financials helps you catch issues early.Once identified, you can take quick action to maintain financial control. 

Tracking construction financials with RedTeam

RedTeam’s construction management software solutions offer detailed, real-time budgets, including adjustments and forecast capabilities. They provide an overview of the financial health of multiple projects to identify any that are at financial risk. Plus, they let you compare actual costs to budgeted amounts to gauge the success of current and past projects.Ultimately, this allows you to improve the outcomes of future projects. 

4. Reporting – Does it offer customizable reports for tracking progress and finances?

The ability to generate progress and financial reports keeps key stakeholders informed and provides invaluable insights for decision-making. With these construction-specific reports, you can highlight important performance indicators, financial metrics or specific progress updates that matter most to your company. You can also leverage these reports to keep everyone informed and help build trust and transparency with lenders, owners and vendors.

How RedTeam’s reporting features stack up

RedTeam Flex and RedTeam Go offer a full suite of finance and progress reporting tools. These tools provide clear visibility into both company-‌ and project-level milestones and financial health. You’re able to easily pull financial reports or project progress and performance reports. Moreover, you can generate stakeholder reports to share as necessary.

5. Collaboration tools – Does it support real-time communication among team members?

Real-time collaboration ensures that any issues, changes or updates are communicated immediately. This helps prevent delays and keeps projects on schedule. Efficient communication also streamlines workflows by reducing the time spent on back-and-forth emails and waiting for responses. Additionally, if a hazard or safety issue arises, you can instantly communicate it to all relevant parties to prevent accidents.

Effective communication with RedTeam

RedTeam offers real-time notifications, shared workspaces and communication logs. These tools help keep operations smooth, improve safety and increase project efficiency. Here are more tips on how to use construction management software to streamline communications.

6. Bid management – Can it handle bid invitations, comparisons and tracking?

Construction management software should make it easy to solicit bids, compare bids received and track the status of each bid. Detailed bid packages streamline the process of soliciting quotes from vendors, which reduces the time needed to manage bids. Bid leveling functionality helps you see any exclusions in bids, so you can select the best-value vendors for your projects. Bid tracking creates a record of all bids received, their status and any communications with vendors. These features help you manage the entire bidding process more efficiently. 

Managing bids is easier with RedTeam

RedTeam Flex and RedTeam Go allow you to create detailed bid packages. These can include multiple cost codes and allow vendors to submit bids for all costs at once. You can level quotes so you can compare them side-by-side and select the best value for your projects. Finally, you can track the status of vendor quotes, RFQ dates and more in one central location.

7. Cloud-based solution – Does it offer a cloud solution, or do you need to host it on your servers?

Cloud-based construction software solutions allow team members to access information and collaborate from anywhere. This flexibility is crucial in construction, where teams are spread across different locations. It ensures that everyone has access to the most current data, which improves productivity. Also, with cloud-based solutions there’s no need for extensive on-premise IT infrastructure and maintenance. This reduces costs and frees up resources that can be better used elsewhere. 

Manage your projects in the cloud with RedTeam

All of RedTeam’s solutions are cloud-based. This allows you to store and manage your project- and company-level data in one centralized location.  

8. Testimonials – What do other construction companies say about the software?

Learning about other companies’ experiences with construction management software helps you make an informed decision. Testimonials show you how the software meets specific needs for companies like yours. You can find out if others think it’s user-friendly and learn how it performs in real-world scenarios. You can also measure the quality of the customer service provided by the software vendor. Finally, reviews and testimonials are a clear sign that a software solution is working well for others in your industry.

How RedTeam stacks up

RedTeam has a dedicated website page for Client Success Stories. Take a look and read testimonials from clients around the globe who’ve experienced real-world results with our construction management solutions. 

See what others are saying about RedTeam.