ADDITIONAL RESOURCES


Field Management Software Opportunities: Vela Systems

by Josh Kanner, Vela Systems


Vela Systems' mobile field software replaces the tube of drawings and notebooks used by architects, general contractors, engineers and owners when they walk through a construction site. As a result, individuals save five to ten hours per week, project delivery is accelerated by two days per month, and organizations can finally fully account for all the outstanding issues and substandard work that need to be addressed on a work site.

Vela's software works on any standard PC, but is usually installed on a rugged, long battery life Tablet PC so that those on a work site can make notes using a specialized pen right on the screen just as they would on a paper document. While on site, people can also update punch lists and insert virtual pushpins onto maps to mark issues that need to be resolved.

Unlike many competing solutions, Vela's software does not require a constant Internet connection to work in the field because it operates in an "occasionally connected" mode. When users get back to their trailer or to the office, they can synch all the new information up with the central database that Vela maintains for them, which ensures all parties get updated quickly and can get to work on tasks immediately. And because data is gathered on-site, and not entered manually into a system "back at the office," transposition errors are eliminated.

In most cases, deploying Vela requires no involvement from IT at all. Through Vela's partners at Motion Computing and Allegiance Technology, customers can buy Tablet PCs that are already fully outfitted with Vela's software, and Vela hosts a secure server where data can be centrally stored so that every participant on a team can have access to up-to-date field information.

Vela Systems offers a wide range of modules, each of which facilitates and accelerates a specific field administration process of the AECO (Architecture-Engineering-Construction-Owner) industry professional. Analogous to the way that field personnel used separate, pre-printed paper forms to accomplish each distinct task, project teams use a similar targeted Vela module. Each module is focused on specific field administration work. Vela offers more than a dozen modules, including safety inspection, work-in-progress and work-to-complete, punch-list and closeout, owner walkthrough, and customer service.  

Vela Systems' software is a stand-alone solution, but it does integrate out of the box with construction management software solutions from both Meridian Systems and Primavera Systems. Vela Systems can automatically integrate with these solutions for field data collection and management. As a result, all information on schedules, punch lists, companies and contracts can be automatically synchronized and updated on both the Vela-enabled Tablet PCs and in the construction management software systems. This capability can enable powerful and timely oversight of subcontractors as well as up-to-the-minute tracking of costs and schedules.

For example, Charleville Development, a Miami-based owner and developer, wanted to integrate Vela Systems with the Primavera software that it was using so that changes made in the field would be reflected in its construction management systems. Setting up that integration could not have been easier, according to Justin Murphy, senior project manager at Charleville.

"The total time required to get it running was less than an hour," Murphy said. "The integration automatically moves information on projects and contacts from Primavera Contract Manager into Vela and transfers information like field reports and punch list items from Vela into Primavera. It's very powerful."

Likewise, Tocci Building Corporation used the Vela Systems Integration Adaptor to integrate Vela with Meridian's Prolog software, and had similar results:

"It literally took me 20 minutes to set it up," said Brian Bouchard, Tocci's IT Director. "Synchronizing data between Prolog and Vela is even faster: thousands of inputs can transfer in as little as 10 minutes. This has been an easy tool to use compared to other solutions that I've integrated with Prolog."

Today, Tocci's field staff uses Tablet PC's to record punch list items. Projects in Prolog, including contact information, populate Vela for automated setup. Then, punch list items, details and cost data entered into Vela populate corresponding fields in Prolog. This information automatically synchronizes with Vela's hosted Web server, which seamlessly sends the data to Prolog. The workflow continues back and forth as punch list items are continually entered and resolved.

"We now have an automated punch list tracking mechanism that provides a strong system of accountability and is auditable," states Bouchard.

John Tocci, the company's CEO concurs. "Vela Systems, in sync with Prolog Software, will have huge monetary ramifications at Tocci: savings in the millions."