How to optimize your construction project management with Microsoft and proMX

Whenever a new house is built, a school renovated or a rail network expanded, construction project management comes into play. But what exactly does project management in construction mean and how can it be optimized with specialized software? We will introduce you to a tailored solution.

What does project management in construction mean?

In general, project management in the construction industry describes the organizational and work processes involved in creating or modifying a construction object. This covers the entire work on buildings, land, facilities and construction infrastructure, including all tasks relating to planning, coordination, processes and controls.

Construction project management includes:

• Project organization
• Appointment management
• Cost management
• Contract management
• Construction cybernetics
• Quality management
• Security management
• Project controlling
• Approval management

Challenges in construction project management

Even projects in construction cannot avoid digitization and its requirements, as the technical possibilities get increasingly diverse. For goal-oriented construction project management, there are three challenges in particular:

• Construction process: fulfilling technical requirements in planning and implementation
• Construction object: expertise of technical innovations for buildings
• Sustainability: Conserving resources, designing sustainable construction processes, and creating long-lasting buildings

What are the benefits of software dedicated to construction project management?

Software specifically designed for project management in construction is an end-to-end solution for engineers and architects. This provides a digital toolset, helps streamline construction work processes and makes them more effective.

Benefits at a glance:

Less waste of paper, more transparency
Construction diaries, meeting notes, approval protocols and lists of defects no longer must be printed on paper, but are digitally stored in an app. This contributes to increased transparency because all information can be accessed in one place.

Significant time saving
Automated features and smart workflows ensure that no time is wasted and there is more time available for essential tasks.

All costs at a glance
The fact that all cost documents are managed transparently, clearly and in detail is the condition for completing a construction project in a cost-efficient manner.

Clear task management
Collaboration is digital with all project stakeholders. Tasks can be assigned via app so that you know what is happening on the construction site even when you are in the office.

Enhanced communication
All project stakeholders have the chance to collaborate in one place and digitally exchange information about individual processes. This also leads to accelerated communication, as email and telephone traffic is reduced.

What requirements does a tailored software need to meet?

To provide the above benefits, construction project management software must meet certain requirements. The following points are particularly important:

• Contract management
  It must be possible to plan, control, monitor and document all legally binding agreements between the parties involved.
• Costs and financing
  Since construction projects are very cost-intensive, an error in cost and financial planning can have severe consequences. It is therefore important to ensure the availability of financial resources and to define their framework conditions.
• Dates and capacities
  Detailed planning and continuous monitoring via app enable deviations to be detected at an early stage and appropriate countermeasures to be initiated.
• Documentation
  Through complete project documentation, all relevant information is collected to simplify the subsequent implementation of comparable construction projects.

We recommend: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations and proMX 365 for Construction

proMX 365 for Construction is an end-to-end solution specifically designed for the construction industry. It is based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations and helps engineers and architects manage their projects efficiently.

For every project phase, comprehensive functions are available:

Initiation:

• construction specific categories for Opportunities
• assign specific objects to specify the type of building
• extended functionality to assign an account an additional industry

Delivery:

• multi project Gantt view to structure and edit construction projects
• start and end time editing of time entries
• enhanced time tracking reporting on the project level
• holiday and travel management for building companies
• booking restrictions per time entry and project

Controlling:

• customized business process flows to maintain projects with different stages
• approval of larger budget plannings in construction projects
• project specific bill and cost rates

Are you still searching for the right solution to keep track of your construction projects and execute them efficiently? We will be happy to support you!