The construction business is a mature business with complex needs and challenges of its own. You might be working on large-scale projects or on custom homes. Workflows vary significantly between companies, teams, and contractors. However, what is common to all is the need to maintain accuracy in managing workflows, materials, and time. That is where a flexible ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system comes handy.
Construction firms have grappled for decades with rigid ERP systems that do not meet their specific needs. Even though solutions like Procore and Autodesk Construction Cloud offer limited capabilities, they are limiting to most of their clients. It is because of this that flexible ERP solutions like Archdesk, fueled by a no-code engine and tailor the process and adjust to unique processes, are becoming more popular.
The Rigidity of ERP Systems in Construction
1. Difficulty in Adjusting to Specialized Workflows
Construction firms aren't a single-fits-all scenario. General contractors, specialty contractors, and construction project owners generally have methods that rigid ERP systems cannot adapt to. For example:
One-off projects are dealt with by a specialist contractor, and they don’t have the same process as a general contractor dealing with big infrastructure projects.
Most companies have a specific way of processing projects through various stages, i.e., Tender to Handover. Most strict platforms do not provide the ability to include custom workflows.
2. Limited Aid to Local Governments
One of the pitfalls common to all is managing local taxation in the forms of VAT and CIS. For instance, Procore is not VAT- or CIS-taxable currently. Companies that deal with projects involving those taxing regimes will be required to utilize manual workarounds, which bring about errors, inefficiency, and auditor issues.
3. Working With Currencies
Global projects are more prevalent than ever before, yet rigid ERP systems do not usually provide for multi-currency processes. Construction professionals who handle projects that cross geographic boundaries are hampered from being able to manage money in different currencies.
4. Limited Configured Interfaces
Rigid systems, while suitable for generic use, have a propensity to lock users into predefined workflows and dashboards. This rigidity fails to enable teams to tailor systems to their specific KPIs and project demands.
These limitations strangle productivity and force teams to be customized to tools rather than tools being customized to business needs.
Why Flexibility in Construction ERP Systems Matters
Flexibility is not a luxury but a necessity to the construction industry. Here's why:
- Each project is distinct
Construction projects vary when it comes to size, location, stakeholders, and scope. An elastic ERP like Archdesk ensures that companies are well positioned to customize workflows and dashboards to meet specific project needs.
- Specialist Contractors still work differently
A general contractor, who oversees a wide range of activities on a project, does so differently than a specialty contractor, who oversees just one area, be it HVAC or electric. Configurable ERP systems help provide solutions to these varying processes.
- International Operations Demand Flexibility
If your ERP is not multi-currency enabled or is not compliant with your nation's local tax laws, you’re positioning yourself for operational inefficiencies. Using flexibility, companies have the ability to adapt to theses requirements easily.
How ArchDesk overcomes Such Challenges
Unlike rigid solutions such as Procore and Autodesk Construction Cloud, Archdesk provides a highly flexible and customized solution specifically designed with the construction sector in mind. Its most commonly used functionalities are:
1. No-Code Engine-Based Business Process Automation
Archdesk's no-code solution lets you customize your workflows. Whether you're working with tendering workflows or handovers, you can set up custom workflows that match your own business processes without having to write any code.
2. Flexile Data Models
Archdesk's flexible data structure ensures customers have the ability to set project-specific KPIs and dashboards. With the power to track what matters, construction companies perform smarter and better.
3. Special Calculations
One of the most unique features of Archdesk is that it can be configured to calculate how particular inputs need to be calculated. This is particularly useful for custom estimation systems, making project cost estimation accurate.
4. Geo-Flex and Tax Regime Flexibility
Archdesk is also supported with VAT and CIS taxation, ideal for companies that handle regions where both systems are common. It is also supported in several currencies, ideal when conducting business internationally.
5. Wealthier User Experience
Unlike solutions like Procore and Autodesk Construction Cloud with fixed pre-configured workflows, Archdesk allows users to set up custom dashboards. Whether you're a construction leader overseeing allocation of materials or a purchasing professional working with vendors, Archdesk adapts to the way you work.
Real-World Application
One of our expert contractors recently shared with us how it affected them. They perform very bespoke projects with custom workflows. Pre-designed processes in off-the-shelf ERP solutions forced them to adjust to the predefined workflows at the expense of efficiency. After implementing Archdesk, the contractor implemented business-specific workflows that recovered time and improved project accuracy.
Similarly, companies dealing with CIS taxation have also come to find Archdesk to be the perfect solution as it integrates well with said programs, as compared to Procore.
Adopting an agile ERP solution
Changing to a flexible ERP from an inflexible one is intimidating but worth the effort. Here is why Archdesk makes it easy:
- Risk-Free Onboarding: Archdesk delivers consultative onboarding, where the team works alongside your business to drive existing workflows onto the platform.
- User-friendly interface: Archdesk's user-friendliness guarantees that teams require less training before actually working on the platform.
- Scalable Solutions: From a one-contractor business to a big project, networked operation, Archdesk grows with your company.
Taking the Next Step
The construction industry is big and varied. No two companies or contractors do business the same, and that's why adaptability in tools and systems is the key to long-term success. Stiff tools such as Procore and Autodesk Construction Cloud have their uses, but progressive companies need solutions that evolve and develop as the manner in which they operate does.
Archdesk redefines the place of ERP in the professional's working life by offering the flexibility and customizability required to facilitate teams, automate processes, and ultimately deliver better project outcomes. Ready to bring your building business into the future? Find out how Archdesk is going to change the way you work.
