Planyard

Pros: We were looking a long time for a software that covers our complete workflow. With Planyard we found a good solution for making estimates, send bid requests, evaluate the prices, make orders and follow up progress reports. This makes our project financials easier and always up to date.

Cons: We needed a better tool for specification sheets, which they didn't initially have. They have now added this and most of our workflows are covered.

Overall: Automates much of our project financial management work. Couldn't imagine going back to a time with out it.

Pros: I finally don't have to work in Excel anymore or do duplicate data entry. The subcontractors do the work for me when they report progress through commitments or respond to RFQs. Fizure also does budget calculations for me. Everything is kept up to date and the forecasts work in real time. I don't have to stay up all night to do the calculations manually when the month's end approaches and everyone wants to get paid. Commitments and invoicing work great there. In addition I save around an hour per RFQ because Fizure automates this process and makes RFQs easily comparable. That adds up to several workdays per project.

Cons: There were no consolidated invoices in the beginning, but now they are available and I am happy!

Overall: Dealing with paper invoices and commitments seems like the stone age compared to Fizure. Previously, when an error slipped into the budget, it was hard work tracking it down. No matter how small the error, it meant going through a tall stack of printed invoices one by one. It also used to be hard to put together a budget review for the construction manager because the data was split between Excel and accounting software. Now the entire budget is in Fizure and it's always up to date. I don't have to use Excel anymore which means less things to do. I can work on everything related to the budget in one place. I have literally saved several days per month using Fizure. I didn't even need to look at the training videos, I pretty much got how the software works on my own. Even when I did have questions, the team at Fizure was quick to respond - no matter whether through in-app support chat or email. The subcontractors have come along with the new software nicely as well

Pros: Super helpful and responsive support staff who are the actual developers, not a call centre worker reading from a script. Planyard takes away a lot of the headaches from manual data entry and keeping spreadsheets up to date. Gives a clear and easy visual display of your construction budgets and links to Xero so your bookkeeping is in sync with your spending and your budget.

Cons: There have been a few niggles over time with functionality and usage, but the Planyard team have been quite remarkable at listening and improving the product almost in real-time in response to feedback from myself and others. As the product evolves it becomes better and better suited to the task in hand and is now an essential part of our workflow.

Overall: Planyard has become and invaluable tool to keep on top of budgets, book-keeping and accounting. It also has the capacity to grow with us, having plenty of features that we do not use at the moment, but will clearly be beneficial as we increase the size and scale of our operations.

Pros: Its automated so it significantly reduces data entry. It eliminates many potential errors, for example that you would get on Excel. The data is accessible real time to aid cost control and decision making. Expensive QS's/PM's can focus on value added activities rather than filling out spreadsheets. If a QS leaves, the data is there and it's easy for a new QS to take over. Eliminates estimating errors. Better & quicker cost control and sign off of variations from clients. It keeps being updated with new useful features.

Cons: I didn't find it sooner! Some of the terminology was confusing but this has been updated now. And there is a detailed explanation attached to every box within the software. The support team are also very willing to help if you have any queries.

Overall: When I came across Planyard, I knew that this was the piece of software that I had been looking for, for some time. I use cloud accounting software Xero and Quickbooks but they don't have specific construction-based costing tools. They have project management costing tools but they are quite basic and don't have the level of detail and functionality that construction companies need. Planyard solves this and its made a massive difference to the service I can provide for my clients. The great thing about Planyard is that it saves so much time through automation, it eliminates potential errors and it provides real time data, so no wasted time! Subcontract orders, purchase orders and other project documents are put through the system and emailed direct to the subcontractors and the suppliers. They then submit their applications and invoices via the portal so the data entry is already done for you! I'm all for an easy life :). There's so much functionality to the software and new bits are added all the time.

Pros: What I like most is the logical and easy structure of the software. It is frankly quite easy to use and helps me save time by doing the mathematics for me. It is well organized and helps everybody involved to be on the same page. In addition you can slightly customize it to make sure you see information that is important to you but still keep you updated on what your colleges are up to. Without reading the manual it is easy to grasp what is going on and once you have done some command or task it is like you have worked on it for years.

Cons: There really aren't any aspects of the software that I don't like. I really enjoy using it.

Overall: My experience with this software has been great. The customer service is quick to answer and helpful. It is easy to use and still lets me save time, so what's not to like about that. A software I would recommend and will continue to use. I Enjoy the fact that it saves me so much time by comparing the prices by itself because before it took up so much of my time.