Computer Software
Software is by far the most important part of your technology platform. Without software, your computer is just a hunk of iron. It might as well be an anvil. But with the proper software programs on your computer, you can start to harness computer technology to help make your company more efficient and grow faster.
Most contractors should consider Microsoft Office Pro as their basic program. Microsoft Office Pro contains a word processing program (Microsoft Word), a spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel), a calendar (Microsoft Outlook Express). There are other programs available such as Microsoft Publisher and Power Point but these three will be very useful.
The next program to consider is an accounting program. We recommend you get a program that has job cost capabilities. There are many accounting software programs to choose from; some were designed for the construction business. QuickBooks Pro for Contractors is one of the most popular. Peachtree Accounting Software and Concord CS2000 are others. Whichever program you choose, make sure it is compatible with the other programs you will eventually buy.
After the accounting program, it's time to get an estimating program. One of our favorites is called ProEst by CMS (Construction Management Systems). Construction Office is another and WinEst is a third. There are many such programs ranging in price from fifty dollars to thousands of dollars depending on the bells and whistles you want.
Project Management and Scheduling are next. The most basic of these programs is Microsoft Project. Primavera makes a program called SuerTrack. There is another called Timeline. These programs allow you to build construction progress schedules that can be used by your workers and managers. You can track your projected progress to your actual progress.
The programs discussed so far are stand alone programs that can be purchased individually but are compatible with and will integrate with other programs. There are also suites of programs that bundle accounting, estimating, and scheduling into one large program. Some companies sell the individual modules. Sage Timberline is one of the most popular with large contractors. American Contractor is another and Master Builder is a third. These programs are comprehensive, expensive, and take time to learn. Smaller contractors may not want to spend the money and time required to implement these programs.
|
© Copyright 2007-2008 Effetti, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Hosting by Barefoot Digital
Sitemap
|
