CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT & SCHEDULING BUYERS GUIDE


CONTENTS

I. Intro to Project Management Software 
II. Software Advantages
III. Upgrading your Toolbox
IV. Evaluating Software
  a. Getting started
  b. Document Control
  c. Change Order Management
  d. Project Calendar Management
  e. Budget Management
  f. Subcontractor/Vendor Management
  g. Resource Management
  h. Reporting and Analysis
  i. Vendor Selection
VII. Implementing Software

Evaluating Software: Purchasing Construction Project Management Software


Change order management

Change order management is a big headache for many companies. "At the most basic level, the software should let me track revenue and budget, keep a basic log and track the status of change orders," said Brown. "One level up from that, I can link electronic documents to the change order. A still more advanced system lets me attach images and design proposals directly to the change order, make comments and track the history."

Even more advanced systems will send change orders to appropriate subcontractors, trigger alerts or changes to budget forecasts and purchase orders, or send changes up the workflow chain for approval. At the highest level, the software will also trigger revised cost estimates, taking labor rates and markups into account, and reschedule key tasks on the critical path.

Ask vendors how they handle change order management, and don't settle for a simple "yes, we do." The more automated your change handling, the more efficient (and cost-effective) your project managers can become.

Next: Project Calendar Management