This online construction project management software provides a way for the construction team to get answers to time-critical questions. Construction Communicator enables architects and contractors to post and answer questions and other information, and allows the construction manager to easily view, coordinate and help resolve outstanding items.

Specifically, this online construction project management software enables contractors, architects, consultants and constructon managers to input and track RFIs, submittals, CORs, CCOs, CCDs, ASIs, RFPs, notices to owners and contractors, and contractor payment applications.

What are the main benefits of this online construction project management software?

This online construction project management software helps the construction team get timely responses to routine questions, saving time, saving money, and reducing risks.

Specifically, with Construction Communicator:

Information is always up to date.

Document logs are created automatically, saving time.

Communication bottlenecks are reduced.

Late or missing responses to questions or requests are quickly identified.

Training time and face-to-face contact is greatly reduced.

What does this building construction management application track?

Construction Communicator focuses on information that contractors, architects and construction managers access often: RFIs, submittals, CORs, CCOs, CCDs, ASIs, RFPs, notices to owners and contractors, and contractor payment applications.

How does Construction Communicator work?

Construction Communicator automates the AIA contract administration process that construction professionals have refined over many years.

Using intuitive online forms, the general contractor can submit questions to the architect who can either answer them directly or forward them to design consultants, using Construction Communicator. Similarly, submittals, change orders and proposal requests can also be tracked online.

The architect posts the responses on the Web, where they are available for all team members to see. Other types of information (such as CCDs, submittals and change-order actions) can also be posted and tracked online. The entire cycle is documented. Documents are automatically date stamped whenever they are sent and the logs are automatically updated in real time.

The construction management software automatically alerts architects and others that new RFIs and change order requests have been posted online.

Contractor payment applications can be tracked online. Construction Communicator automatically logs submittal information when users enter and print shipping details on a transmittal. The system can automatically log a change order request while entering a field order.

Additionally, users can attach details and estimates to RFIs, ASIs and change orders, and can view those details with the main document online. Cost estimates can also be viewed online.

How does it differ from other construction management software?

This online construction project management software differs from its competition in its:

Ease of use

Focus on time-critical information

Affordability, and

Quick learning curve.

Ease of Use – Construction Communicator is the easiest-to-use construction project management service available today. The software automates the familiar contract administration process that professionals have been using for years. Users see familiar industry formats for entering and tracking information. Pre-set navigation paths automatically route construction documents to architects and consultants without requiring names and contact information.

Focus on Time-critical Information – The online construction management software helps users get the information needed to keep projects on track and moving forward on a day-to-day basis. This includes construction documents such as RFIs, submittals, change orders and notices to owners.

Affordability – This construction management service is cost-effective with a low setup fee. The reasonable subscription fees are billed monthly.

Quick Learning Curve – No classroom training or instruction is needed. Users typically begin using the Web-based construction management service with minimal instruction or support. A new user can get right to work managing construction documents, e.g., entering ASIs or RFIs, and tracking contractor submittals and change orders.

How easy is it to learn?

Construction Communicator is the easiest-to-learn construction project managment software available today.

This application automates the contract administration process that professionals have refined over many years. New users see familiar industry formats for entering and tracking information. Pre-set navigation paths automatically route RFIs and other questions to architects and consultants without requiring names and contact information.

Also, several new features bring the Web-based construction management experience much closer to a new user’s offline experience with spreadsheets, word processors and email, speeding up adoption and reducing the need for training.

If it is so easy, why wouldn’t I just create my own software for construction management?

Construction Communicator is the result of several hundred hours of development over more than eight years. It takes a great deal of time to make interactive construction management software look easy and work well.

How quickly can I be up and running?

Very quickly. The integrated forms and logs require no setup or any information about the project, costs or schedule. A new user can get right to work entering ASIs or RFIs, and tracking contractor submittals and change requests.

How much does Construction Communicator cost?

This online construction project management system is the most cost-effective service of its kind.

Pricing for the Construction Communicator subscription service is on a per-user basis. Three pricing levels are offered to suit smaller (maximum of 15 users), mid-sized (maximum of 49 users) and larger (maximum of 100 users) organizations. Charges cover licensing, maintenance, technical support and Internet hosting.

How much could this building construction management software save me?

Construction Communicator can improve the bottom line in three ways: reducing salary costs, reducing change orders and improving competitiveness.

Reduced Employee Costs
Because this online construction management software speeds up routine activities, a construction project manager, architect or design consultant can easily save 4 hours out of a typical 40-hour week. This is a conservative estimate. These savings can result from having fewer on-site coordination visits, spending less time searching for documents, eliminating the need to reinput information provided by others, and the like.

That 4-hour saving can easily save a company $500 a month, based on the conservative estimate of a combined salary and benefit cost of as little as $30/hr. ($30 x 4 hrs x 4.3 weeks/month).

This saving, by itself, could pay for the online construction management service.

And each additional person using Construction Communicator could save a similar amount. An architectural firm that employs a project manager and three design consultants for a project would "bank" 100% of the time saved by the other three professionals.

A project owner who pays the combined cost of the four individuals working on the project, plus an added markup of up to 2x salary costs, could save as much as 5x the cost of the online service.

Reduced Cost of Change Orders
The Web-based building project management software can reduce the cost of change orders by providing rapid responses to time-critical questions. The cost of a change order is often higher than first estimated because the needed information arrives late and the change becomes more complex and costly. These increased costs could be eliminated or drastically reduced because this online construction project management software facilitates prompt responses to questions and faster decision-making.

Increased Competitiveness
Finally, Construction Communicator can improve a company’s marketing and sales performance. This effective, professional approach to managing construction documents and expediting contract administration enhances a company’s image during sales presentations. And, in today's competitive environment, the "right" tools can make the difference between winning and loosing a new project.

What kinds of projects does this online construction management service handle?

Construction Communicator accommodates projects using "hard money" design-bid-build, design-build and multiple prime delivery methods.

How would I know that something new had been posted online?

With its automated email notification capability, this online construction management software alerts architects and others that new RFIs and change order requests have been posted online.

Can I “drill down” for more information?

Yes, you can toggle between the summary information in the logs and the individual screens for particular questions and responses.

All I want to do is track RFIs. Do I need to track the other items as well?

No. This online construction project management application allows you to start small with just one activity if desired. You can access and use all or any combination of the operations from the same screen after gaining familiarity with a single operation.

Can Construction Communicator track contractor payment applications?

Yes. Contractors can prepare and edit payment applications using an online interface that retains the familiar look and feel of a spreadsheet, allowing them to update amounts line-by-line. As new information is entered, the updated line item scrolls upward, giving the user a view of each completed entry.

Amounts for “Completed and Stored,” “Percentage Complete” and “Balance to Finish” are automatically calculated. Amounts from previous applications are brought forward with each new application, and approved change orders are automatically added to the Schedule of Values for billing purposes.

The AIA G702 certificate and G703 continuation tables can be printed. The forms are automatically populated with the names and addresses stored online, ready for signature.

Does this construction project management software track budgets, schedules and other documents?

A graphical, online calendar displays due dates, meetings and the like for any month between 2000 and 2025. Each due date or event is linked to a detailed schedule for the specific day. Items can be added to the daily schedule, and existing items edited to revise the time, duration or location of an event.

However, documents can be easily uploaded for use in the system, providing a single interface for distributing drawings, schedules, meeting agenda and the like.

Users can attach details and estimates to RFIs, ASIs and change orders, and can view those details with the main document online. This makes it easier for architects and contractors to share detailed drawing information to clarify RFI questions.

Contractors and owners can also view cost estimates online. An online calculator estimates and adjusts change order pricing, speeding up negotiations.

Additionally, this online construction management software can easily link to other Web services, such as CAD drawing management services.

Can Construction Communicator automatically log submittal information?

Yes. This online construction management software automatically logs submittal information when users enter and print shipping details on a transmittal. Additionally, Construction Communicator can automatically log a change order request while entering a field order.

I need to prepare and print transmittals. Can Construction Communicator do that online?

Yes. Users can prepare and print shipping documents by entering and tracking transmittal information online. The interface mimics the familiar look of a desktop word processor. The online transmittal, which provides a lookup for all users’ names, company affiliations and addresses, allows the user to log each enclosed document as a separate submittal.

Can I search the RFIs using key words?

Yes. With its electronic search capabilities, this online construction project management application can find previous RFIs that included a particular word or words. This significantly reduces the time needed to look for previous inquiries on the same subject.

Why not just keep using email or faxes?

Email or faxes are insufficient for construction management for several reasons.

Emailed information can be out of date by the time it is received and cannot be updated in real time.

A spreadsheet log that is attached to an email typically will not show the details and history of an item. Additional files that record details must be attached to the email or sent separately.

Email can be slow. Corporate firewalls and higher priority email can significantly delay or stop transmissions.

A secure Web system is immune from the typical problems with faxes and emails such as viruses.

Why can’t I have the software on my computer?

An online construction management service provides many benefits over computer software.

Users have 24/7 access to real-time information, regardless of location. Contractors and architects can resolve problems even when they are away from their office computers.

The construction project management software is easily deployed and requires minimal technical support. Additionally, any software running on a PC needs frequent updates. Web-based software requires no updates by the user.

PC software does not generally share information and data over the Internet except by email, which is definitely not foolproof.

New information is added to the construction management system online, and the corresponding logs are automatically updated, making all the information available to users in real time.

Everyone sees identical information.

Detailed information is readily available. Users can easily toggle between an entry in the log and the detailed RFI, submittal, etc.

Graphics and other supporting documentation are also easily available.

The responsibility for the information shifts from the sender to the receiver. An online construction management system eliminates the excuse that “I didn’t receive the email.” It is up to the receiver to visit the Web site and see the information.

I understand the advantages of an online service, but isn't the data safer on my computer?

You can download the data every day if you want. The data is backed up frequently and is copied to a CD for archival purposes at the end of the project

What about confidentiality?

Construction Communicator assures that communication between parties with a contractual arrangement (e.g., the contractor and subcontractors, the architect and consultants) remains private, minimizing cross communication and unauthorized approvals. Additionally, the system administrator can control different levels of access through passwords, helping assure only authorized people see particular information.

What about security?

Password protection allows the project manager and other team members appropriate access within a secure extranet environment.

The project websites are certified to the HACKER SAFE standard. HACKER SAFE, the world’s Internet security benchmark, is used by more than 75,000 organizations

Also, unlike many other online construction project management systems, Construction Communicator preserves the private exchanges of information between subcontractors and the general contractor before a RFI is released, and between the architect and the design consultants before a RFI response is released to the project team. This minimizes cross communication and unauthorized approvals.

Can I try out Construction Communicator free of charge?

Yes. You can use Construction Communicator for 30 days at no charge.

What about training?

Training is available. However, the product is extremely intuitive, so extensive training probably won’t needed. The product’s easy-to-use graphical interface enables the project team to get up and running quickly.

What about technical support?

We provide technical support to questions about the use of forms and controls, and coordinate Web-hosting support with the ISP.

Can the software be customized?

Yes. We provide customization services. For example, we can change labels and add logos to reflect the name of project, team members and the like. Additionally, we can add input forms and reports if required.

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