Transforming Construction: How Sage Intacct & Sage Construction Management Connect Teams for Success

Introduction

• In addition to managing costs, optimizing resources, and meeting tight deadlines, construction companies must manage large volumes of communications with customers, subcontractors, suppliers, and between employees in the field and in the back office.
• Construction technology has evolved to meet these challenges with unified or integrated software solutions.
• Enter Sage Intacct and Sage Construction Management—a powerful duo forming the backbone of a "connected" construction systems that transform how construction firms operate.

The Challenges

Construction contractors face unique communication challenges that impact their ability to meet tight deadlines during pre-construction and then deliver construction projects that are on time and on budget. The sheer number of internal and external stakeholders involved in delivering a single project would shock those unfamiliar with the construction industry. External parties commonly include project owners, prime contractors, architects, materials suppliers, subcontractors, and even surety companies.

Within a contractor's organization, individuals and teams share information to complete their project tasks. The flow of information to and from employees can be extensive and has a wide range of types and formats. The importance of these communications is clear. Failure to deliver the right information on a timely basis usually results in lost opportunities, production delays and unhappy customers.

Construction firms have historically used a variety of tools to send, receive and share these communications, most of which were disconnected from their management systems. Information in stored phone calls, text messages, emails with and without attachments, shared Excel files and other stored documents were usually left to stand alone outside systems of record. Disconnected silos of information naturally form simply due to the immense effort required to re-enter information into construction management software systems. As a result, decision-makers did not have easy visibility into communications, nor did they have a complete picture of project status and activities.

The Conceptual Solution

Like all technologies, construction technology evolved during the age of digital transformation. The relatively new concept of "connected construction" imagined real-time information sharing between all parties internal and external, and the promise of higher productivity, improved visibility, a safer work environment, and more accurate budgets and timelines. The key characteristics of connected construction include

1. Integration of data between systems
2. A Common Data Environment (CDE)
3. Real-time collaboration and communication
4. Data-driven insights and decision making

In practical terms, a connected construction organization's field employees are connected to the back office using mobile devices integrated with construction management systems. Employees involved in operations have access to specifications and drawings no matter whether they are, and can share log entries, photos, and safety incidents in real time. Management has greater visibility even while delegating more decision-making to the field.  Additionally, pre-construction activities become more efficient as relevant information such as project documents, specifications, drawings, RFPs, and submittals are exchanged with external parties digitally, which are then stored in a shared data repository.

Sage Construction Management and Sage Intacct Construction are the Backbone of Sage's Connected Construction Vision

Sage Software's approach to connecting project-related stakeholders utilizes two bi-directionally integrated construction solutions:

• ‍Sage Construction Management, which plays a crucial role in integrating workflows, centralizing data, and providing tools for various project stages. These tools enable project teams to manage contracts, procurement, change events, correspondence, documentation, quality control, safety, and scheduling in one platform.
• ‍Sage Intacct Construction, a construction finance solution with a best-in-class application programming interface(API) and modern, a multi-dimensional general ledger, that provides an excellent platform for job costing and delivering real-time project financials.

These two applications form a unified solution connecting construction operations to finance. Some of the major benefits to the organization of Sage's solution duo area:

1. ‍Breaking Down Silos with Integrated Workflows: The software offers modules for pre-construction estimating and bidding, planning, and scheduling, managing project costs and revenue, procurement, change management, labor and equipment tracking, and reporting. This integrated approach connects separate phases of a project, from initial budgeting and planning to execution and final billing.‍
2. Fostering Collaboration through Centralized Data Access: By providing a single source of truth for project information, the software can facilitate communication and data sharing among employees and project stakeholders. This aligns with the idea of a Common Data Environment (CDE) as a foundational element of connected construction.‍
3. Connecting with External Parties through Sage's Team Link Portal: Team Link Portal is a free, browser-accessible platform that enables Sage Construction Management users to collaborate with external parties like customers, architects, and vendors. The portal reduces reliance on phone calls and emails by providing a central location for sharing project details and documents that are integrated within the application’s workflows.  Examples of shared documents include drawings and specifications, RFIs and submittals, procurement documents like subcontracts and bills, correspondences, and documentation records.‍
4. Enabling Data-Driven Decision-Making through Robust Reporting: Sage Construction Management offers a range of reports and dashboard analytics that provide insights into project costs vs. forecasts and progress. This data empowers users to make informed decisions, anticipate potential issues, and adjust strategies as needed.

Conclusion

Construction firms that wish to remain competitive must be willing to embrace changes that will make them more agile as well as efficient. The connected construction firms that benefited from digital transformation are likely to be among the most competitive.

Sage Construction Management and Sage Intacct Construction together form a unified solution enabling organizations to become connected construction firms. Collaborative software systems are but one element in the journey. Ledgerable's consulting team can help organizations become more connected and improve their projects' performance and profitability.