B2W Software Blog
Switching from paper and spreadsheets to specialized software brings proven advantages to the equipment maintenance workflow. The benefits increase when that fleet management software is connected in real time with the construction scheduling and the field tracking software. Read More
Training might be the first thing that comes to mind when contractors think about a user conference for construction estimating or construction operations software, but classes presented by the supplier are not the only opportunity to get more proficient and get more out of the technology. Read More
Any construction management software company can claim a ‘client-driven’ approach to developing new features. The real trick is getting beyond the marketing cliché and backing up that claim. B2W does this with a structured process for encouraging input from users, prioritizing it and taking action. The online B2W Community Portal is a valuable part of this process. Read More
“When the yellow iron runs, we make money” is a known adage in heavy civil construction, but complex equipment maintenance, uptime and utilization challenges are a constant threat to profitability. Three leading contractors will share strategies and technologies they have adopted to tackle these challenges in an upcoming webinar sponsored by B2W and ENR magazine on Tuesday, October 22 from 2:00-3:00 PM EST. Read More
Best-in-class heavy civil construction contractors not only excel at estimating, project management and field supervision. They also learn from experience and apply the gained knowledge to future projects. Post-project review meetings are important to accomplishing this, and using an e-forms and reporting tool, like B2W Inform, to document the results of these meetings in a structured manner and make that information easily searchable is a smart move. Read More
Accurate job cost reporting is essential for successful financial management but, in my experience, many companies not using electronic field logs in construction are plagued by their inability to capture two essential data points from the field. Labor hours and equipment hours, key building block of what are typically the two highest job cost items, are frequently inaccurate. This is because many contractors still rely on paper for construction time tracking and to record equipment hours. Read More
Anytime, anywhere connectivity for mobile devices may seem like a given in modern society, but contractors know the reality. Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity is not always available where heavy civil construction takes place. Even when it is, it may not be the most efficient way for some companies to use essential construction management software in the field. Read More
Credentials are critical in managing construction projects, but keeping track of who is licensed, certified or trained for which activities is a management headache. Many contractors, like RJV Construction in Massachusetts, rely on the ONE Platform to minimize this challenge. Read More
There is no dispute about the importance of tracking actual performance in the field against the estimate and budget for effective construction cost management. Contractors, however, often debate whether to rely on an accounting system or a specialized construction field tracking software option like B2W Track to do it. Read More
After a contractor purchases B2W construction software, there are a series of steps before they are ready to start using it. The software is implemented, training sessions are completed, and the users are ready to hit the ground running - right? Yes, but as the B2W support team can verify, questions are bound to come up after initial training. Maybe an employee was out that day, or a new employee was hired who didn’t attend training. Even users with years of experience can use a refresher. B2W also adds new features and updates constantly, so there’s always more to learn. Read More
The profit killer lurking for many contractors is unplanned downtime. This is the time, outside of scheduled maintenance, when breakdowns or emergency repairs knock a machine out of service. However, contractors with best-in-class maintenance processes supported by software like B2W Maintain can change the equation by taking unplanned downtime rates to five percent or lower. Read More
Once the estimating and bidding are completed, the daily logs for construction projects become cornerstones to effective management. Foremen and supervisors know timely, accurate data is vital, but let’s face it. There are more productive things they would rather do than record labor, productivity, materials and equipment utilization. Read More
When good software is hard to use, it’s bad software. As a user experience designer, Jen Musil plays a key role in the “look and feel” of the B2W elements. That involves a lot of listening to what users need, along with the software expertise to make powerful features easy and intuitive to use. Read More
Best-in-class heavy construction contractors accurately cost their equipment. Doing this requires two things: an efficient method for tracking equipment utilization time on the job and an accurate calculation of what it costs to operate that equipment. The B2W Software ONE Platform can help with both. Read More
The exceptional ROI value achieved by adopting B2W Software in support of visionary thinking was clearly evident, as three contractors claimed the 2019 Client Innovation Awards at the B2W User Conference in early March. Read More
The team creating and standing behind the B2W Platform is as impressive and important as the software itself. In this article, we profile Jennifer Angrisano, who has extensive experience working directly for heavy construction companies and as an industry consultant. Jennifer is putting that background to work at B2W, helping contractors optimize equipment maintenance with B2W Maintain. Read More
Users can create and manage form templates, fill out forms, and view data anytime, anywhere and on any-device. Features include built-in approval workflows, data binding of form fields to a central database, and the ability to capture rich data on forms, such as e-signatures, images, videos, time stamps and GPS locations. Read More
On behalf of the growing team at B2W, I would like to thank you for your business and continuous input on ways we can best serve you. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with and learn from so many dynamic contractors on a day to day basis in pursuit of technology that allows you to win more bids and operate more profitably. Read More
Recent comments from equipment experts using B2W Maintain sum up a simple truth about fleet maintenance and management. Preventive maintenance is essential to keeping maintenance costs low and uptime high, and heavy construction contractors will struggle to sustain a strong PM program without specialized software like B2W Maintain. Read More
B2W Software and its flagship estimating solution are celebrating 25th anniversaries in 2018. To mark the milestone, the company completed a proactive enhancement that gives B2W Estimate a head start towards remaining the industry leader for the next quarter century. Read More
Think about heavy construction estimating, and putting together winning bids is probably the first thing that comes to mind. For companies that serve frequently as subcontractors, however, the ability to evaluate and present multiple alternative scenarios for general contractors can be equally important. Adapting bids to changes in the job scope is also an everyday requirement. Read More
The EquipmentSHIFT conferences promise insightful information on innovative technology and how it will impact the construction sector, and this year’s event did not disappoint. A wide range of suppliers, contractors and other industry experts made presentations on an equally broad range of equipment related topics. Read More
It’s that time of year. Kids have gone back to school, the leaves are changing color, the air is getting crisp and… Year-end tax planning strategies are front of mind! But seriously, folks, with the fall season upon us, it’s time to revisit or start tax planning for the coming year-end, and year-end purchase of capital equipment – including software Read More Read More
The ONE Platform is well known in heavy construction, and now it’s getting some heavy recognition in technology circles in its home state. The New Hampshire High Tech Council named the ONE Platform as a finalist for its annual High Tech Product of the Year Award. The winner will be chosen at the group’s Product of the Year dinner on Read More Read More
A new video series from B2W takes a lighthearted look at one of heavy construction’s most important workflow challenges. Read More
Timely, data-driven decision making is a key to successful heavy construction operations, and contractors can’t make good decisions without gauging actual performance in the field against the expectations established in the estimate. That comparison on a daily basis provides supervisors with the means to address job issues and make corrections days or even weeks before reports can be generated through their company’s accounting/job cost systems. Read More
Getting crews, equipment and materials to the right place at the right time isn’t easy in the ever-changing construction environment. Doing it effectively goes a long way towards keeping projects on schedule and under budget. Read More
Each of the three versions of B2W Estimate provides unparalleled performance and reliability. So why would you take the leap from the Professional edition to the Enterprise edition? If any of these situations apply to you, it might be time to upgrade. Read More
Heavy construction companies know there’s a lot to gain when their office, field and maintenance operations run efficiently and communicate with each other in real time. Most recognize that they need software and mobile capabilities to make this happen. Still, many stop short of investing and continue to miss out on opportunities technology could provide. Read More
As technological innovation continues at a breakneck pace, many heavy civil construction companies remain reluctant to move into the era of software-driven business processes. Some fear the unknown. Others have been bitten by experiences with inferior applications, ill-conceived implementations or poor support. Read More
Former CFMA (Construction Financial Management Association) national chairman Herb Brownett led an interactive presentation exploring how the industry’s best CFO’s are transcending the accounting function to help build the value and future of their companies when the newly formed NH CFMA chapter met in May. Read More
Get to know Greg, one of our client services team members who works closely with customers to integrate B2W products with their existing accounting systems. Read More
Cost estimation is a make-or-break phase for construction projects. The right estimates will help your business win more jobs and help your clients better understand what’s in store for them. Here, we’ll discuss 7 of the most important traits shared by highly effective construction cost estimators. Capturing a Repeatable Cost Structure Skilled estimators understand that they don’t have to spend Read More Read More
When heavy construction contractors that rely on spreadsheets to manage estimating begin to look at an enterprise-class solution like B2W Estimate, one obvious question comes up early in the conversation. “How much does the software cost?” I sometimes answer, jokingly, that it’s free. Before they get their hopes up too much, I feel compelled to clarify. What I mean is, Read More Read More
Heavy construction employees tend to be competitive by nature, and a growing number of managers are using performance data to turn that trait into performance improvements. Relying on tools like B2W Track and B2W Inform, allows them to capture data electronically and use it to populate timely reports and dashboards, which are easy to produce and extremely valuable as motivators Read More Read More
Whether it’s called “time and materials”, “cost plus”, or “force account”, the work done outside of a fixed price contract presents challenges on most heavy construction projects. B2W Track provides a more effective, automated way to track this work and ensure that it is accounted for and billed correctly. Read More Read More
M&M Excavating used to refer to it as a “dreaded, day-long Monday ritual”, and the experience is all too familiar at heavy civil construction operations of all sizes and specialties. Two or three employees at that company used to spend most of the day pouring over job reports and time cards for work performed at each job sit the previous week. Read More Read More
The 2018 B2W Client Awards were presented at the annual User Conference in Boca Raton, Florida from March 25-27, and American Asphalt Company and Alvin J. Coleman & Son walked away with the trophies. American Asphalt of New Jersey was cited for Best Use of the B2W ONE Platform. The award for Best ROI with a single B2W Element went Read More Read More
Can top-tier software help construction companies attract and retain top-notch talent? Brandie Meisner says yes. “We need technology to attract the younger, tech-savvy employees to grow the workforce industry-wide,” the CFO at M&M Excavating in northern Michigan says. “Young people don’t want to work in the dark ages,” she elaborates. “They’ve lived with technology all of their lives; it’s an Read More Read More
Are you considering new software solutions at your heavy civil construction company? Here are some straightforward definitions for the most important software and technology terms contractors need to know. Chances are, these terms aren’t completely foreign. Still, many people have a vague or partial understanding of exactly what they mean. Brushing up will help you sound like a pro, cut Read More Read More
In addition to personnel, equipment is essential to heavy civil construction operations. Keeping a fleet on the job and in safe, working order is a challenge with considerable financial risks and rewards. Add maintenance and repair costs to the impact that out-of-commission equipment has on productivity, and the bottom line can suffer significantly. The logical solution is to put systems Read More Read More
Not much happens in heavy civil construction without equipment, and those responsible for scheduling and dispatching face four critical challenges: Identifying what needs to be moved Tracking information related to equipment movement Efficiently assigning moves to drivers Communicating with the drivers Let’s take a look at each of these requirements and how a comprehensive software solution like B2W Schedule offers Read More Read More
Stereotypical “old-school” construction workers resisting software at all costs are like flip phones. You come across them now and then, but the sightings are increasingly rare. As construction applications evolve, along with market pressures and employee expectations, the old excuses that “software isn’t for us”, “our existing systems work just fine” or “we’re not ready for software” are dissolving fast. Read More Read More
Every construction company collects a high volume of safety information, but Minger Construction is using B2W Inform to do something not many others do particularly well. “Instead of just collecting the information, we can actually use it to identify trends and improve our performance,” explains Mike Nelson, safety director for the Minnesota based company. Minger creates Daily Crew Safety Briefing Read More Read More
This article originally appeared in Grading & Excavating Contractor magazine Switching from a fragmented mix of spreadsheets and paper-based processes to specialized software to manage equipment maintenance and repairs can have a big impact on profitability for heavy civil construction companies. The most effective companies leverage software sometimes referred to as a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to hold maintenance Read More Read More
Estimators are the cornerstone of any successful heavy civil construction company. Without a talented estimator, the possibility of creating and maintaining a feasible project budget goes out the window. Good estimators are self-starters who are capable of making important decisions surrounding budget costs with limited information. They need to work well individually as well as on a team, and communicate Read More Read More
Paper forms have consistently been the most common method of data capture within the construction industry for decades. However, as technology plays a bigger and bigger role within companies, and business processes become more complex, paper forms are a growing threat to efficiency and profitability. Most companies cannot rely on these slow and inefficient data processes. The following facts will Read More Read More
Preventive Maintenance is the backbone of a productive, profitable heavy civil construction company. As a matter of fact, keeping assets in the field running and maximizing utilization is, in large part, the Shop Manager’s main focus and a large piece of the profitability puzzle. The modern Shop Manager must analyze the fleet and the capabilities of Mechanics and put the Read More Read More
Paper forms and the headaches that accompany them are all too familiar in the construction industry. For many years, paper forms were the most effective solution for capturing data in the field, as digital, mobile solutions were unavailable, not user friendly, or cost prohibitive. However, this has changed significantly in the last ten years with the increased availability of tablets Read More Read More
September is Suicide Awareness Month, and with more focus being given to mental health across the board, it is important to understand its role and impact within the construction industry. Unfortunately, construction has the highest total number of suicides, and is ranked second highest for suicide rate in comparison to other industries. The overall U.S. suicide rate is 13.26 per Read More Read More
Any computer user who has ever placed a call to a support hotline knows the difference between a quality support experience and, well, the opposite. But what does quality support really mean? Let’s start by talking about what it isn’t. How many of us have… called a support line, only to be greeted by an automated attendant which forces us Read More Read More
Heavy civil construction projects need to carefully manage logistics in order to ensure success. Project complexities are driven by large amounts of resources over huge geographic regions, with three key resources needing optimization so projects are efficient and successful: People Equipment Materials The rise of mobile technology is well aligned to address the field operations requirements associated with optimizing people, Read More Read More
Heavy Civil Infrastructure projects are getting larger and more complex, and as a result, over 50% of projects fail to meet budget and schedule. This increasing complexity is driven by many factors including… No two projects are the same. Each project has its own unique set of existing circumstances. Conditions on the job are always in flux, and often the Read More Read More
Working in the construction industry comes with its fair share of risks: roughly 20% of all worker deaths occur at construction jobsites, with the top four causes of these fatalities including falling, being struck by an object, electrocution, and getting caught/compressed between two objects. In order to help keep workers risk-free and jobsites compliant, a holistic safety program needs to Read More Read More
Heavy construction costs occur in the field, and that’s where collaboration and insight can give contractors better cost tracking and cost control. The problem is, many contractors continue to rely primarily on financial or ERP systems to tell them how they are performing versus plan. Now, operational software and mobile capabilities are paving the way for a more effective field-centric Read More Read More
Equipment inspections, repair requests and maintenance work orders are essential, every-day processes within heavy construction operations. Let’s take a look at: How contractors typically complete these process and the challenges they face with current workflows. How they could complete them more effectively with connected workflows and a unified construction software platform. Problems with Paper and Disconnected Processes For inspections, contractors Read More Read More
Going “paperless” in the construction industry is an increasingly popular goal, as contractors look to escape the inefficiencies, lag time and errors that paper forms bring, while better leveraging the data those forms contain. At Barriere Construction in Louisiana, safety meetings and equipment inspections are two processes where dramatic improvements have been achieved via the B2W Inform solution for data Read More Read More
We’re all pressed for time and trying to “do more with less”. This blog post highlights little-known and underutilized features in B2W Track to help recoup some time each day. Over the years, B2W Software continuously adds great features, and more than a few go unnoticed – including these overlooked gems. Exclude Zero Cost Labor Types Auto-Add Foreman Auto Add Read More Read More
Contractors maintaining a few dozen or a few hundred pieces of equipment know that keeping track of warranties and optimizing coverage are real challenges. Tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars can be lost by not knowing which repairs and replacements could be covered and when. Read More
For heavy construction cost estimators juggling multiple bids on a tight deadline, every second counts and – if they aren’t careful – so can every error. That’s one reason why the B2W Estimate software application includes a unique and powerful tool: the Estimate Error-check Wizard. Read More
For those that follow the construction software and technology market, there is a noticeable uptake in technology among construction firms. VDC, BIM, mobile project management apps and the Internet of Things (IoT), top the list. This has not gone unnoticed by software firms and venture capital. Both have been investing heavily over the last few years. Most of this investment, Read More Read More