Construction manager’s choice of the best new offerings from IT suppliers
Asta la vista, JD
JD Edwards has linked up with Asta Development to create an integrated solution allowing finance departments and project-driven operations in large construction companies to share information and collaborate. The goal is to make the financial impact of project changes apparent immediately from JD Edwards 5 suite and Asta Powerproject software. Keeping procurement details up-to-date with changes in the planning schedule in this way will let contractors minimise levels of stock and resources.

Enquiry number 205

Buzzsaw action

Version 4 of Autodesk’s online project collaboration service Buzzsaw Professional comes with dashboards, displaying comprehensive up-to-the-minute status of all project elements and initiatives. The customisable project dashboards display document status (total, open and overdue RFIs, for example), project status and exceptions, filtered summaries and full project reports. Team members can drill down on action items to respond quickly to any potential problems. Enquiry number 206

Experience counts

Construction companies wanting to set up their own Learning from Experience knowledge capture and management methods now have a step-by-step guide. An online learning tool kit has gone live on industry websites. The guide features six high-profile case studies and methods tested include hindsight review and desk review of project records. Enquiry number 207

E-Safe and sure

Independent research revealed 80% of contractors who use pen and paper systems could benefit from Knowledge Online’s E-Safe100 service, an online tool for monitoring health and safety. Audit information can be entered via a PC or PDA, and is used to provide automatic reminders, alerts, real-time reports and analysis. Enquiry number 208

Tough? It’s hard as nails

Panasonic has launched two new Toughbooks, designed to withstand the good kicking a computer gets on a building site. The CF-P1 is a handheld PC encased in magnesium alloy to protect against shock, vibration and falls. It costs £1,099 (excluding VAT), supports wireless Lan networking and weighs less than 500g. Dustproof and waterproof, the CF-P1 has a 3.5in display and you can use the touchscreen stylus while wearing gloves. The CF-T1 is a notebook PC and isn’t quite so tough as the CF-P1. It does, however, have a magnesium alloy casing with reinforced edges, a 12.1in LCD screen, Lan access, 48MB of VRAM and a 40GB hard drive, and costs £1,499 including VAT. Enquiry number 209

Prima unveils P3 upgrade

Primavera has launched a new version of its P3 project management program. Features new to the P3e/c upgrade include improved analysis for identifying possible delays by comparing current plans with initial plan, signed-off plan and the previous period plan. Past projects can be used as a template for new projects with links to key documents such as specifications. P3e/c can track multiple rates for equipment, labour and materials costs. Free upgrades available. Enquiry number 210

DocsPro delivers for construction

Unlike many document management systems, DocsPro is specifically tailored for the construction industry. It boasts specific options for sending a subcontractor’s drawing to an architect including prelims, details of receipt, final approval, review, distribution, and so on – software doesn’t get much more construction-specific than this. You use DocsPro to record what happens to information and documentation on a day-to-day basis, although, as with all such systems, you have to be methodical about entering data – if you don’t, you hamstring your document tracking. The program date-stamps information to provide an independent record, and prints out transmittal reports to go to the subbies and the architect with the paper drawing itself. DocsPro tracks when a drawing gets approval and will flag up any delays. Enquiry number 211

Take TeckChek’s test

TeckChek has launched a new skills test program for project managers, encompassing software design, development and implementation of IT on construction projects. The test will let HR and IT departments assess the project management skills at their disposal so they can recruit the best qualified candidates for a project. The test is adaptive, with the multiple-choice questions getting harder or easier depending on the answers to previous questions. Enquiry number 212

Working permits

Permit to Work Manager is an off-the-shelf database that prompts users through the creation and issue of health and safety-compliant permits to work for contractors and employees. The system stores details of locations, including site-specific hazards, site workers and permits issued/required. Permits are tracked and the system alerts users to potential problems. Enquiry number 213

Custom collaboration from BIW

Web-based collaboration technology BIW Information Channel now allows teams to customise previously inflexible online processes. In the engineering and construction sector, many common processes such as data requests, technical queries, instructions and transmittals vary between companies and projects, with input required from an ever-changing network of contacts. BIW Information Channel 3.4 allows team members to manage core processes to suit their own style of working. Enquiry number 214

Train your chain with Be modules

Independent supply chain body Be has launched training modules on the principles and implementation of collaborative working set out in the Egan Report. The six modules were compiled by Be’s Collaborative Working Centre and cover principles, managing long-term suppliers, setting up and managing integrated design teams, measuring continuous design and performance, and developing trust. Enquiry number 215

Tidy up your tax payments

Version 5.5 of accounting and business management program Exchequer Enterprise includes an Inland Revenue-approved integrated Construction Industry Scheme module. Contractors have to account to the taxman for tax deductions from subbies at source. The CIS module reports on all payments to subbies, automatically withholds tax where appropriate, generates CIS certificates, reports on all tax withheld, and provides CIS reports for the Revenue. Enquiry number 216

Source

Construction Manager