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Last updated: 21 March 2024
What is the best project management software for tradespeople?
Getting the right construction project management software can deliver multiple benefits for tradespeople. Especially those that work in the construction industry or related trades. Read on to see what to look for.
Choosing construction project management software that’s exactly right for your trade business requires a lot of research. Types of project management software vary. It’s got to fit your business needs - not only today but well into the future.
As your business grows, if you use project management software for your building or construction work, it has to flex with you. After all, you don’t want to have to spend repeatedly on your tools. Whether that be your actual tools, or software.
What is project management software?
For larger regional and national trade business, project management software really comes into its own. Specific project management software for building construction companies helps you organise and manage all your resources effectively.
There are plenty of benefits of construction project management software for medium and larger businesses. Create a checklist of your priorities before deciding on what's best for you.
Benefits of software project management
Types of project management software can deliver different benefits. Teamwork on any project is essential. So the right software for small teams is just one of the key benefits of your trade business going digital. You can:
Reduce risks such as financial, health and safety and compliance with industry standards
Save money by getting things right first time, reducing waste and maximising resources
Increase efficiency as you complete projects more quickly and easily
Improve budgeting and financial controls
Improve collaboration in real-time with colleagues, customers and suppliers
Improve decision-making and project reporting by giving you access to all the latest data you need
Improve and streamline document creation and storage
Enhance document access, security and control
Like project management software, document management systems are a great way to keep on top of work. Plus, there are lots more ways of using technology to run your business better.
What is the best document management system for small business?
What is a document management system for small business? Getting a document management system for your small business may not be a step you've considered. You probably already conduct much of your business digitally. That could be emailing customers and suppliers. Many tradespeople do their quoting
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Choosing the right types of software project management
You've understood the benefits, now decide on your priorities. These are what you want from your construction project management software:
Scalability to grow with your business
How much you want to pay
Compliance with your trade requirements
Level of support from the software provider
Length of initial trial period
Positive reviews from other tradespeople
Project management software for larger trades
The first thing that you notice about top-end products is that the price is rarely quoted.
Software suppliers to larger and enterprise trade business talk about 'benefit-based pricing'. They base the price on the benefits you get from the software.
These are some of the main options currently on the market:
Procore
Procore is designed for large-scale construction projects. It is used in over one million construction projects worldwide.
The heart of Procore is documents. As well as the usual architectural drawings or more detailed specifications, there is an area for meeting minutes. Similarly, there is support for the project budget, project change orders and much more.
Trade customers say they like its user-friendliness and ability to keep users connected. Typical customers are:
Business owners
Main contractors
Subcontractors
Looking to manage projects better and grow faster?
Our pay-per-lead model for larger businesses accelerates growth
Autodesk Construction Cloud
Autodesk Construction Cloud is one of Procore’s main competitors. It calls itself 'the single source of truth for every project'. In other words, all you need should be available all the time.
Its software enables you to 'seamlessly collaborate' and' connect critical workflows'. Typical customers are:
Owners
Architects
Engineers
Main contractors
Subcontractors
Software project management for medium-sized trades
Not all projects are multi-million-pound affairs with many different parties involved. Some can be quite significant but are for hundreds of thousands of pounds rather than millions. They might only involve only a few subcontractors.
If your business is doing lots of these types of projects, there's project management software for building construction that may be more useful for you.
Simpro
Simpro project management software covers a range of building construction requirements. These range from admin and team dispatching to communication and cash flow.
The software is aimed mainly at these trades:
Electricians
Plumbers
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
Security
Fire protection
RedSky
RedSky project management software focuses on enterprise resourcing planning (ERP), workflow management and supply chain management.
Its building construction customer base includes:
Architects
Demolition
Electricians
Engineering consultants
Housebuilders
Main contractors
Painters and decorators
Road maintenance
Subcontractors
Other types of project management software
You'll find plenty of more generalised project management tools. These are popular not just in building construction but are used by all types of businesses.
Monday.com
Unlike the high-end products, prices are fixed per user per month but vary according to the features available. The central plank of Monday.com is breaking each project into a list of tasks which can be grouped.
Airtable
Airtable provides a wide range of project management templates. These help you keep track of individual projects and the teams working on them,
Asana
Asana software project management is designed to improve efficiency. It helps teams collaborate better and creates processes that everyone can follow.
Looking to manage projects better and grow faster?
Our pay-per-lead model for larger businesses accelerates growth
Grow your business as you win more projects
Once you're up and running with project management software, you'll be looking for business wins. Checkatrade members receive our help with new enquiries.
There are lots of other benefits of Checkatrade membership too. They include:
Dedicated membership advice team
Work guarantee up to £1,000
Reduced cost of workwear and branding
Savings on other business essentials such as vans, fuel and materials
Is a Checkatrade membership worth it?
One way to figure out whether the cost of something is worth it is to look at ROI (Return on Investment). In its most basic sense, this is how much something costs compared with the income it generates. Working out the ROI of a Checkatrade membership is definitely a must-do for any trade business
Key takeaways
Project management software for building construction helps you organise and manage all your resources effectively
Construction project management software improves efficiency and results, reduces risks and streamlines admin
Project management software for small teams improves your communication, sharing and collaboration capabilities
Choose construction project management software that's right for your trade business now - and in the future
If you select project management software for building construction that's too powerful for your needs, it could cost you. If it's not big enough to handle your projects, you could end up paying again for one that is more suitable
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Content disclaimer: This content has been created for general information purposes and should not be taken as formal advice. Read our full disclaimer here.
