Technology is revolutionizing the construction industry. While estimators are reaping the benefits of estimating software, project managers have greeted the industry shift with more reluctance than acceptance. All the while, architects, engineers, and general contractors are demanding more and more from project managers in all of their construction endeavors, and adopting speedier, more accurate practices is no longer a matter of choice, but rather, a necessity for staying competitive and squeezing the ever-fading profits out of a cash-strapped market. Aside from the demands of colleagues, project managers are facing the challenges of completing profitable projects. Winning a job in this economy means taking out a sizeable portion of profits even before the actual work begins. It is no wonder that project managers are worried about cost overruns on these budget-breaking projects that are, unfortunately, becoming the norm. With no dependable way to red flag overruns and properly monitor a project’s completion percentage, companies are losing money in even the most practiced types of construction ventures.

Yet, even with a mounting list of construction woes that are forcing project managers to adapt, many are still one step behind the technology train, due to the sparse landscape of available project management software. But On Center Software has recognized the need for this construction sector, and has delivered a product that minimizes human error, flags cost overruns, and saves project managers from potential profit losses. Altogether, this software allows project managers to better meet the increasing demands of project architects, engineers, and general contractors by saving them time and legwork.

On Center Software’s Digital Production Control™ acts as a second set of eyes for the project manager, foreman, or architect. By comparing a project’s estimated labor budget with the actual work-in-place data, Digital Production Control is a virtually fail-proof detector of cost overruns. The software’s display screens show exactly what, where, and how fast materials are being installed or at what rate a project is being completed. It basically acts as a virtual assistant for everyone involved in a project’s budget and production tracking—both in the field and in the office. Instant communication between job sites and desktops via Project Express makes for less pavement pounding and more time for new bids and projects.

Digital Production Control allows owners, project managers, architects, etc., to see real-time production as it happens. The software’s easy-to-read, color-coded system instantly displays actual production rates as either achieving, outperforming, or falling behind the estimated rates of production. This feature enables project managers to see exactly what is happening in the field, immediately identify production snags, and quickly adjust any problem areas or potential problem areas to prevent cost overruns.

Estimators alike reap the benefits of accurate project tracking information. By having Digital Production Control’s side-by-side comparison between bids and the actual, real-time project costs, estimators gain the knowledge necessary to bid more accurately on future projects.

And the best part? Digital Production Control integrates exclusively with On Center Software’s On-Screen Takeoff® and Quick Bid programs. These software programs all work together to digitally track estimating (Quick Bid) and takeoff (On-Screen Takeoff) information and compare it to the real-time results of a project (Digital Production Control). This groundbreaking integration not only saves project managers from hours of data entry and all the headaches that entails, it also leads to a drastic decrease in manual errors.

In the end, profitable outcomes are always more easily achieved when problems are righted sooner rather than later. With Digital Production Control, cost overruns—the leading challenge to profits in any project—are fixed during a job, as opposed to after the serious time lag from action to reaction. Waiting days, or even weeks, for an accurate job cost report is too costly to the overall project budget, and frankly, too much of a hindrance to the livelihood of all construction industry professionals. Digital Production Control puts an end to all of those agonizing waits; information, including actual labor hours, available materials, and completion rates are all readily available for review, so cost overruns are quickly and easily spotted. Estimated costs will more often prove accurate, meaning the estimated profits will closer match the actual profits of every project. The bottom line is this: Greater accuracy leads to greater profits. Digital Production Control protects against data mistakes and is the alarm that alerts the project manager when costs are over budget. It’s a digital safety net for construction-industry professionals, from project win to project completion.

On Center Software is a Texas-based construction-industry software developer specializing in bidding, takeoff, and project management programs. For more information visit www.oncenter.com.

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