Have you checked out Maxwell Systems ProContractorMX Complete?  It can be purchased individually - accounting, estimating, or project management, or can be an all-in-one complete software system.  It reduces double data entry and time, improves efficiency, streamlines your construction management processes, and more.

If you'd like more information about the product, I can get you in touch with a sales rep.  Let me know!

-Jess

http://www.maxwellsystems.com/
products/complete_solution/procontractormx

Kimberely,

I apologize for the late response,but if you are still evaluating software, I would recommend you look at Maestro Software.  It is a fully integrated Project and accounting system.

If you are interested I can send you some information to review.

Beth Skerrett

Hi Dena,

My  company represents a software product called "MAESTRO" and we have a full suite of products for General Contractors, including Estimating, Document Management, Issue Management, Change Order management,  and all of the accounting modules that support that structure

I would be delighted to send you an overview brochure if you are interested.  Drop me an email at beth@teammsa.com

Dena,

Viewpoint is a very good software for GCs.  I am the controller for 2 offices of a $200MM GC, and I think very highly of it.  I implamented it across our company, and while there is a lot of learn, Project Managers and admin staff come to really appreciate all it can do.  Feel free to contact me at plowry@csigc.com if you would like to discuss further.

In this email string, I noticed some software I was not familiar with.  I searched the web for one of the names and happened accross this site.

I downloaded their kit, but havent' evaluated it; but it looks like it could be very helpful in a software search.

http://www.ctsguides.com/construction

I apologize for such a late response on this however, I see no one mentioned AccuBuild COnstruction software. I have been using for 13 years and is the most integrated system Ive seen on the market. From Payroll, Job Cost, Scheduling, Document Management, Purchase Orders, the list goes on. They have recently launched a mobile app were it allows employees to electronically submit payroll directly in to the system. It has cut our payroll process in half is not more. 

 Jenny

Dena,

We are a smaller ($10M) street & utility construction company.  We switched from Maxwell American Contractor to Viewpoint in June of 2007.  The implementation of Viewpoint brought in new processes and new management of our finance department, which has made our financial information very strong.  However, we are currently in the process of evaluating a different solution for equipment management as our users struggle with the Accounting system feel of the integrated system.  We also have been using a separate solution for job tracking/electronic timecards.  Sending the timecards to accounting is a 3 minute process when the setup is correct, but the usability for the field managers is excellent.  So, they actually use it, learn it, and enjoy it!  I think the 3-minute process on a weekly basis is well worth the benefits of the separate system.

We have determined that end user functionality and ease-of-use is more important than full integration.  How important is it that estimating and accounting are fully integrated?  In our opinion, it is a one-time import of the budget to accounting from estimating.  That takes all of about 5-10 minutes, so is it worth using a "half-way" estimating program to save the time of importing the estimate?  Every company has different processes and workflows, but don't over estimate the benefits of having all encompassing systems.  I think it's like telling all of the field guys to use a "Swiss Army Knife" or "Leatherman" rather than carrying a set of tools.  There are times that full integration is important, but most of the time the processes can be changed to allow different software packages to better meet the needs of different departments and have imports/exports designed to handle the integration that is required. 

All of that said, don't short yourself in implementation.  A fully-integrated system or manual integrated system need to be implemented to do any good.  Pay for the training & consulting and get it set up right in the first place.  I would say the most important factor in your consideration should be the software support and development history.  Good support makes a huge difference, ask for references and seek out your own on this forum.

Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss this more.

Kevin

The Timberline & Viewpoint products are good. However Viewpoint has no Take Off & Estimating in their package. They rely on 3rd party estimates.  Timberline has it all however their Office platform is outdated. You should check into Maxwell Systems, ProContractor. This is built on the latest SQL .Net environment it handles take off, estimating, project management, & financial management. It is the only solution of its kind on the market utilizing iPads for mobile project management. Maxwell has been offering construction software for 35 years, and has over 10,000 contractors using it.

www.maxwellsystems.com

We have been in the construction software arena for 30+ years and would like to share an observation that you may want to take to heart.  Construction companies have for the most part not taken seriously the desireability of a fully integrated enterprise wide system.  Common, even in the 21st century, is the situation where estimating is not integrated with accounting as if the estimating and bidding function is unrelated to the information once the job is won and underway.  We originally became involved with Timberline and later Sage Master Builder because the solutions were and still are the best uniquely integrated solutions available.  You should consider no other than Sage Timberline and Sage master Builder..

We've been using Timberline for quite some time and feel that it satisfies our needs very well.  While it is a bit of a legacy program, it's very stable and reliable.  

In your analysis, do not underestimate the amount of time and sweat requried for a conversion!  Don't let any software salesperson minimize either the cost, effort or time required for a conversion.  At our office, there was a need to convert to a new data folder and while it was fairly straight forward, it was a demanding procedure.  Not something I'd care to repeat anytime soon!

I'm sure that you realize that while a new program may address something lacking in your current setup, rest assured that you'll find something lacking with any new program.

So my suggestion is that while you might eventually go with a new program, include in your analysis if Timberline is able to perform as you would like it to.  This would probably involve bringing in a top-level consultant with plenty of experience in customization.

Best of luck in your software decision. 

Jack Hauck/Red Point Development

Dena -  We currently use Viewpoint Const for our Accounting & Project Management processes & have been very pleased with their product & the support provided.  Timberline was one of the products that we looked at when we previously did a conversion in 2005.   The only area we struggle slightly with Viewpoint in is with adapting it to our projection needs for contracts done on a cost + fee basis with a GMP.   My controller previously worked for another GC that utilized Timberline if you would be interested in a compare & contrast.

Todd

Ms. Randall, I am with an independant software and consulting company called Event 1 Software.  Prior to focusing on Excel-based productivity enhancing software, distributed cost forecast software and integration software (i.e. Integrator for Prolog Manager and Sage Timberline Office) our founders ran the largest independant consulting company specializing in Timberline Office implementations.

If your heart is set on searching for and selecting new software, there are many fine solutions out there.  When we consulted directly for businesses like yours we understood that the cost of evaluating, selecting and implementing a new solution is very high. 

Without more information we couldn't advise you whether your current system could be configured more effectively for your organization or if you are using all of the appropriate productivity enhancing technologies available for your current system.

For example, we created the only successfully implemented "best of breed" integration product for Meridian Prolog Manager and Sage Timberline Office.  We have over 80 companies using this soluiton, many of which are General Contractors.  We are unaware of any other technology that has this kind of integration.

In addition, we created a very popular and effective Excel-based distributed cost forecasting solution in 1996.  Perhaps the people who implemented your current system were unaware of these and other productivity enhancing technologies availble for Sage Timberline Office.  I'm sure other vendors have excellent solutions as well.

If you are interested in learning more about whether you using your current software as effectively as you could be, please feel free to contact us.  You can reach me by emailing me at heatherh@event1software.com

We wish you success regardless how you decide to proceed.

- Heather

Hello Dena,

Can you tell me if as a General Contractor does your company also do self perform work?  Also, can you share with me the approximate size (Gross Revenues) wise of the company. 

 I work for a Software Consulting firm related to the Oracle Family of products. We specialize in Construction Industry solutions.  One popular solution is the JD Edwards Application Product line.  However, there are many factors that would need to be identified in order to decide if this comprehensive system is appropriate for your company. I can help point you in the right direction other wise.

I would be happy to answer any questions you have. My office number is 303 942 0594. I office out of Golden Co. 

Thanks

Dave Koczera.