AUTODESK AUTOCAD, CONSTRUCTWARE OVERVIEW
Founded in 1982 and based in San Rafael, California, Autodesk develops 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, construction, and media and entertainment markets. In the construction industry it is known primarily for two software solutions -- AutoCAD and Constructware.
AutoCAD is a drafting and design program. (CAD stands for computer-aided design.) The newest version of this software is AutoCAD 2009, which introduces features such as the following:
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The Ribbon Interface -- A customizable ribbon that facilitates working between different applications and provides a condensed visual format of command options |
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The ViewCube -- An interactive program that rotates solid or surface models in AutoCAD, providing a complete 3D view |
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The SteeringWheel -- A customizable tool that contains the orbit, pan, center and zoom commands |
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The Action Recorder -- A feature that automates tasks, by recording tasks, text messages, and RFIs |
In addition to these features, AutoCAD's new menu browser can review files and examine thumbnail sketches as well as provide file size and file creator. AutoCAD 2009 has the same DWG file format as previous versions and can open files from any software created by Autodesk, according to the vendor. AutoCAD is compatible with Windows Vista, multiple CPU systems, and third-party applications based on the Visual LISP, AutoLISP, VBA, ActiveX and ObjectARX programming languages, the vendor said.
Constructware, which Autodesk acquired in 2006, is a Web-based project management software tool aimed at correcting the inefficiencies caused by poor communication. With Constructware all project data, such as RFIs and transmittals, is stored on a centralized database and accessible through the Internet, providing real-time information and improving communication between project members.
Collaboration and construction administration are also facilitated by a file management program that provides electronic tracking, a secure client-defined structure and automatic reference, or xref, file detection. In addition, risk management is enabled through applications such as an executive dashboard, which analyzes projects at a summary level as well as detailed information and documents. Finally, the exchange of information with any other program is allowed by Autodesk Constructware's data exchange model, which uses the Internet and XML schema. Constructware has an outbox that stores sent data and an inbox to receive data, and the XML-driven middleware is customized to fit the needs of the client, according to the vendor.
Autodesk Constructware works with Microsoft Internet Explorer; it has not been tested on the Mac version of IE, the vendor said. For proper functioning, browsers must support HTML 3.2, tables, cookies, JavaScipt 1.1 and frames. Enabling cookies and ensuring that the browser is not caching pages is also necessary, the vendor said.
PRODUCT DETAILS |
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BASIC COMPANY INFORMATION
| Support Offered: | |
| On site | Yes |
| Web | Yes |
| Phone | Yes |
| Core Product Areas: | |
| Collaboration / workflow management | Yes |
| Project management | Yes |
| Scheduling and resourcing | Yes |
| Cost estimating | Yes |
| Document control / management | Yes |
| Job cost accounting | |
| Construction Types Supported: | |
| Commercial | Yes |
| General Contracting | Yes |
| Heavy and Highway | Yes |
| Industrial | Yes |
| Mixed Use | Yes |
| Residential | Yes |
| Specialty - MEP | Yes |
PROJECT MANAGEMENT DETAIL
| Document Management and Control: | |
| Log & track plan changes: | Yes |
| Log & track contracts and contract changes | Yes |
| Log & track correspondence, memos, etc. | Yes |
| Track submittals | Yes |
| Track submittal revisions | Yes |
| Submittal additions / changes trigger notifications | Yes |
| Scan images | Yes |
| Read CAD files | Yes |
| Capture / index image files | Yes |
| OCR text images | |
| Direct links to documents (plans, drawings, contracts, etc.) | Yes |
| Change Order Management: | |
| User-defined status codes | Yes |
| Ability to consolidate multple requests into single CO | Yes |
| Link plans, notes, etc. to change order | Yes |
| Historical tracking and commending | Yes |
| Change order triggers events such as cost revisions | Yes |
| Approval management and tracking | Yes |
| Calendar Management: | |
| Schedule integration with Microsoft Outlook | |
| Task notifications / updates | Yes |
| Scheduling: | |
| Critical path management | |
| Exceptions and alerts | |
| Cross-project roll-ups | |
| Cross-project resourcing | |
| Schedule variances | |
| Dependencies analysis & management | |
| Resource Management (subs and suppliers): | |
| Customize standard subcontractor forms | |
| Resource costing | |
| Resource leveling | |
| Time reporting and approval | |
| Contractor / vendor contact management | Yes |
| Vendor performance tracking | |
| Reporting and Analysis: | |
| Reports sent by email | |
| Key metrics reports | Yes |
| Cross-project reporting | Yes |
| CPM analysis | |
| Gantt charts | |
| PERT diagrams | |
| Budgeting and Forecasting: | |
| Earned value analysis | |
| Track actual costs / expenses to date | |
| What-if analysis | Yes |
| Forecast cost-to-complete | |
| Cash flow forecasting | Yes |
| Cost / budget variances | Yes |
ESTIMATING DETAIL
| Take-off: | |
| Takeoff using digitizer | |
| Onscreen takeoff | |
| Mouse takeoff | |
| Digitizer tablet support | |
| Graphics digitized | |
| Custom annotations and libraries supported | |
| Items & Assemblies: | |
| Item lists | Yes |
| Cost items | Yes |
| Markups per item | |
| Unit-price bidding | Yes |
| List / construction unit / composit assemblies | Yes |
| Visual assemblies | |
| User-defined forumlas | Yes |
| User-defined fields and headers | |
| Subcontractor / Vendor Management: | |
| Quote comparison | |
| Purchase order management | Yes |
| Change order costing | Yes |
| Bid tracking | Yes |
| Subcontractor management | Yes |
| Quotes, Bids & Proposal | |
| Proposal generation | |
| Purchase order generation and management | |
| Line item bids | Yes |
| Bid rounding | |
| Lump sum bids | Yes |
| "Ballpark" estimating | |
| Financial allocation / markup "spread" | |
| Change order processing | Yes |
JOB COST ACCOUNTING DETAIL
| Basic Acounting: | |
| Accounts payable | |
| Accounts receivable | |
| Billings | |
| General ledger | |
| Job costing | |
| Payroll | |
| Equipment: | |
| Equipment maintenance | |
| Equipment / asset management | |
| Fuel accounting | |
| Unit price billing | |
| Extended Accounting: | |
| Cash management | |
| Change order management | Yes |
| Fixed assets | |
| Proposal management | Yes |
| Human Resource and Safety: | |
| HR / staffing | |
| Integration: | |
| Estimating interface | Yes |
| Project management | Yes |
| Scheduling | Yes |
| Materials: | |
| Counter sales | |
| Materials management | |
| Purchasing | |
| Service Management: | |
| Dispatch | |
| Trucking / transport | |
| Work orders | |