Benefits of a construction document management system

Ensure stakeholders are using the latest and accurate specs during construction.

During the construction process, there are many circumstances that can cause changes to the designs and accompanying plans/ drawings. Examples: amendments resulting from clients’ change of mind or improvisions to be made due to unforeseen circumstances.

Having a central repository to hold the latest drawings ensures that everyone is referring to the correct copy. The construction management system can alert and push the latest copy to stakeholders immediately.

Delays and costs to rectify mistakes due to crews working off outdated drawings are minimised. The chance of accidents is also reduced as everyone is on the same page of what is going on.

Convenience and effectiveness on the field

With a digital construction document management software, personnel can access crucial information effortlessly via mobile phone and tablets. There is no need to haul scrolls and scrolls of possibly outdated drawings around the construction site. Via the apps or laptops, users can also make annotations, markings and comments on the plans that will be immediately visible to other stakeholders. This allows for clear and effective communication in the field.

Cost tracking

Organized and updated documentation helps to keep everyone on the same page. This works for cost tracking as well.

Project managers work to deliver every project on time and under budget. Stakeholders can be mandated to record all project expenses incurred in a centralised folder by pre-defined dates. It makes it easy to track and ensure that money outflows are according to plan.

Progress tracking

Organized and updated documentation on daily progress helps to keep everyone on the same page and coordinated. Organized documentation such as daily reportings filed in the ‘daily reports folder’, daily updated construction schedules, and other documents such as photo evidence allows users to easily grasp the status of the project. Are we on time or late? If actions need to be taken, we know that we are not late to know.

legal protection

Protect your company against unforeseen legal claims and conflicts. To effectively protect your company during legal tussles it is key that your documents are in place and key events are well recorded. Records that will help your case include:

  1. Daily reports for every day of the construction project
  2. All payment receipts
  3. Pre-construction agreements
  4. Planning applications
  5. All versions of the As-Build drawings
  6. All versions of the CAD drawings
  7. Notices to proceed
  8. Notices of substantial completion
  9. Operations manuals
  10. Vendor agreements
  11. RFI and RFA
  12. Email correspondences and more

Systemic RFI & RFA management

Some construction document management software comes with RFI and RFA modules.

  1. Clarity at a glance. All RFI and RFA raised are prefixed with a tag so we can know at a glance which stakeholder raised it. E.g. From the architects [ARC], from the Civil Engineers [CIV].
  2. Ensure no delays to the project timeline. At a glance overview of all RFI and RFA to ensure that they are attended to and not being ignored.
  3. Automated reminder emails will be sent by the software to alert stakeholders that there is a pending action needed on their part. If no actions are taken, reminder emails will be sent.
  4. Peace of mind with automatic documentation of RFI and RFA. From the moment the request is raised to the closing of the request, all inputs and responses are captured and automatically documented in the document management software. Peace of mind for Quantity Surveyors, Project Directors and managers.

Information security

Role-based security for folders with the construction document management software ensures that only authorized personnel can access the information within the folders based on his/her role in the construction project.

Efficient Quality Control & Inspections

Site inspections are essential to evaluate the actual status of a project and to reveal any red flags. It has to be done regularly. Orderly documentation is essential to track progress by comparing to earlier entries. Surveyors can swiftly grasp if the issues have been resolved.

Easy handover to facilities management and operations

With systematic data collected during the construction process, it becomes effortless to export the data holistically for facilities management and operations with. There is no need for recompilation.