by gfcpartners | Dec 8, 2022 | Business, Construction, Project Accounting
Now more than ever, technology advancements in the construction management software area have given us lots of choices for systems. But that makes it even more difficult to choose which one is best for your business. If you’re in the market for a new construction ERP solution, you need to be strategic and pick a solution that provides you the greatest return on investment (ROI).
Here are 5 key features to look for when evaluating different systems.
1. Productivity. You want the new system to be easy to learn and use, with the ability to work from anywhere and anytime. Make sure your construction ERP solution has an easy to use, intuitive interface. Solutions requiring extensive training to learn how to use them cause frustration, even for high-end users. Your teams will be relying on this software, often on the go, so accessing important information must be simple and fast. Look for software that makes it easy for data entry, updates, and exchange of project-critical information.
Modern construction solutions should also provide a platform for collaboration regardless of physical proximity, which is why most are now cloud-based systems with centralized data. Firms that have adopted cloud-based construction software reap the benefits of streamlined workflows, greater productivity, and higher visibility into their projects.
Why do construction businesses choose cloud-based solutions? Cloud-based software works from anywhere, reflecting the way people work today. Teams can work collaboratively in real time, or even offline when in remote locations. Using cloud services isn’t only about data storage; it’s about embracing a new way of working—one where accessibility, automation, and collaboration come first.
Additionally, automation has become more advanced, freeing up resources, reducing errors, and making sure your processes are not being forgotten.
Success relies on not only getting the right data into the system, but the ability to report and interpret the data you gathered. Reporting and other visual tools like dashboards give you a competitive advantage in your business. Because construction is primarily project based, make sure solutions offer enhanced financial reporting including the following elements:
- Maximized resource utilization analysis
- Multi-company
- Multi-location
- Profit & Loss management by unit, location, product mix or project manager
- Granular asset tracking
- Liability and equity management by project/corporate entity
- Balance sheet management by project/corporate entity
2. Specialized Functionality. There are numerous things to evaluate in terms of software functionality. Compliance management, multi-entity, integrated business intelligence, field service, CRM, sales order, and purchase order management, to name a few. The biggest area to evaluate is the financial management features. Aside from typical GL, AR, AP, and Inventory functions, construction ERP also requires more sophisticated tools to include the following:
- Contracts management
- Contractor indexing
- Materials management
- Equipment management
- Time and billing
- Taxes and state/federal policy management
- Vendor indexing
- Purchase and change order management
- Operational inventory management
3. Future-proof Technology. The technology platform of your ERP solution should embrace your growth needs and give you full access to everything you need. Besides remote access, there are numerous other benefits of a true cloud solution, like Acumatica. Acumatica offers flexible licensing and hosting options, upgrades on your schedule, and a full relational database with access and export options for reporting, backups, and transferring of data. Additionally, being built on a true cloud platform, Acumatica has a highly responsive design, meaning you can view and interact with every page of the application on any device with a minimum of resizing, panning, or scrolling.
Acumatica has also been ranked as one of the most user-friendly ERP solutions on the market. Its user interface is modern and intuitive, allowing users to access tasks with minimal clicks.
4. Value. This is a no-brainer. We all want to get the highest value from our investment possible. Make sure the solutions you are considering maximize features and functions for your business and weigh those against the cost for the usable lifetime of the product. Look at your total cost of ownership (TCO) for the new system. It the TCO reduced over the lifespan of the product? Most people look 3-5 years ahead and factor in things such as hosting, licensing, support, upgrades, hardware, and other add-ons if needed.
5. Risk. Security is at the forefront in every business. It’s a big factor to consider when choosing a new system to house all your critical data. Your first question should be, how does the ERP system minimize risk for your business while facilitating network and financial security. Ask for customer references, is there a solid backup and disaster recovery plan, how often are updates and upgrades…it’s these and more that will make you feel confident the solution you choose is securing your business.
A Solid Partnership is Key
You need more than ‘just a software solution’ to stay competitive and get the most value out of your data. You need to partner with a team who is invested in your long-term success. GFC has the experts for you. We are here as a guide and educator, to get you where you need to be, quickly and competently. Not sure where to start? Download our free ERP Construction Checklist and then contact us to discuss your business needs.
Free Download: ERP Construction Checklist
by gfcpartners | Nov 14, 2022 | Business, Construction, Project Accounting
Acumatica, the cloud ERP solution helps to keep projects on track and drive business growth. Not only is Acumatica a powerful business platform but they are committed to consistent user enhancements and improvements with each version. The two releases in 2022 did not disappoint. We’ve gathered our favorites all in one place below.
“Acumatica Construction Edition had everything we were looking for. We are different from a regular construction contractor and liked that we could add our own specialty fields and customize it to the way we do business.”
Sean Barnett, Chief Financial Officer, Spohn Associates
Acumatica 2022 R1
Support of Multiple Base Currencies in Projects – Acumatica’s powerful multiple base currencies feature is now compatible with projects. Businesses with different base currencies can be configured withing the same tenant and the system verifies that the base currency specified in the project documents corresponds to the base currency of the branch.
Enhancements in Tracking Changes to Commitments – now users can track changes to project commitments that have been created based on purchase orders for the project drop-ship orders.
Project Quote Improvements – enhancements have been made to the quoting process making it faster and easier for users to create project quotes for multiple customers related to the same opportunity. You can now change the business account, location, and contact in any project quote in draft status.
Additionally, you can link the project quotes to the same opportunity as shown here.
Progress Billing Based on Quantity – Acumatica added in some needed billing flexibility for projects. In Acumatica 2022 R1, invoices can now be prepared based on pending quantities from budget lines rather than only the billed amount.
Project-Specific Taxes – calculating taxes for project sites just became a lot easier. Many times, the tax zone of the vendor or customer differs from the project site location. Now, Acumatica can be configured to use project-specific tax zones for calculating taxes and defining the ship-to addresses for projects.
Acumatica 2022 R2
Tracking Project Progress by Unit – Acumatica 2022 R2 now includes a new form, Progress Worksheet, for employees on a site to capture project activities by units and track the installation or project progress. Additionally, if specified, users can add cost budget lines. This information satisfies needed quantity billing and carries over into recalculations of the project budgets and shows on the daily field reports.
Enhancements in Change Management – Acumatica has simplified the workflow when change requests are rejected or need to be revised and resubmitted by adding the ability to cancel a change order but keeping the full history. For example, if we did not get paid for something, we can go in and cancel the change order and any change requests tide to it will get updated and removed from that change order when we release it. We keep the history of the change request but can now revise and resubmit the change order and can always go back and look at the full audit trail of a change order.
Mobile App Improvements – much needed project features are now accessible via the mobile app giving project managers and field workers the information and flexibility they need. Now included, users can view, create, and update drawing logs and submittals on their mobile device. Additionally, in a managed release version, you can also annotate blueprints.
Integrations for Construction Financial Management Association – Acumatica 2022 R2 now includes automation for submitting information to the CFMA bench marker. Not only can you easily submit data, but Acumatica has a pre-built dashboard with the results of the annual surveys so you can compare how you are doing to your peers.
If you’re a construction or project-related business and need a full-feature ERP solution, or you’re thinking about upgrading your Acumatica ERP solution, now is the time. Talk to our experts about your options. Let’s grow your business!
by gfcpartners | Nov 10, 2022 | Business, Software Customization
We’re Expanding Our Portfolio of Services to Include Greentree ERP Software
GaleForce Consulting Partners (GFC) is excited to bring Greentree ERP Software and support services to their portfolio of offerings. Greentree is a powerful, fully integrated business solution for small and mid-sized firms (SMBs) who need a system to grow with them, but who have limited budgets. This product enhances GaleForce’s commitment to their clients and future customers.
“GFC’s mission – “to make many work as one” – conforms to what our mid-market clients demand, which requires GFC to offer our clients truly innovative software systems that actually mitigate non-value added tasks,” states Eric Emerson, Managing Partner at GaleForce Consulting. “After a wide and long search in the market we were excited to discover and embrace the Greentree system and community. We are thrilled to offer their systems and our support to existing and new clients who crave innovation and make a difference.”
Greentree ERP Software is designed to make businesses more effective and more profitable. Since 1984, Greentree has committed to continually improving their product, delivering more value to businesses everywhere. It is a completely integrated, unified solution. Simply turn on what you need knowing that the modules work cohesively because they are all on one complete business management platform.
“We quickly realized Greentree would be a great fit,” Emerson stated. “Both Greentree and GFC have common core values based around listening and working side-by-side with clients to deliver a product to fit their business needs. For more than 16 years, GFC has assisted clients with a personalized, old-school approach of listening and creating an actual dialogue with our clients. We collaborate with many other firms to find those systems and services that compliment what our clients require. We believe it’s about our clients’ growth; not ours. Our growth will be at the pace our clients’ take us,” said Emerson.
Harry Mowat, Greentree Managing Director, agrees with the aligned core business values. “We are extremely excited to be entering into partnership with GFC as our master reseller for America. Greentree has been building innovative ERP software for more than 30 years, and in that time, we have established a solid customer base in the region. GFC has a long history of success in the business software space, and we believe that Greentree is a perfect solution to add to their portfolio, to continue their growth. With mutual high aspirations, Greentree and GFC will work in unison to continue to build and maintain a happy, vibrant Greentree customer community.”
GFC has recently brought on some experienced Greentree resources, who are at the ready to service and support a robust community of clients.
For More Information, Contact: Donna Krizik, GaleForce Consulting, dkrizik@gfcpartners.com.
Download Press Release
by gfcpartners | Oct 28, 2022 | Business, Manufacturing & Distribution
For manufacturers to succeed in today’s digital economy, a modern factory is essential using innovative technologies to transform their businesses. These tools will automate processes, improve quality, increase throughput, lower costs, bolster sales, and bring you higher profits.
Unfortunately, entry-level applications and legacy ERP solutions are hindering your growth with having to invest in costly customizations or complex, expensive, and disconnected hardware, system, and processes. Replacing those systems with new, innovative cloud ERP solutions can modernize your factory and business operations.
There’s a better way, and it just takes a little planning.
Steps to a Digital Transformation
Without a complete plan, it’s challenging to modernize your manufacturing operations. How do you know that you have the right technologies in place to take your business to the next level? Are you confident your ERP system has the features you need, and they are set up correctly for your business?
The strategies you implement to automate your factory depends on how far you are in your digital transformation journey. Manufacturers who are just starting will have few automated processes using basic technologies. Manufacturers further along will have more automated processes using progressively more advanced technologies. The first step is to understand where you currently are before developing a digital transformation plan. Use the diagram below to chart your journey.
Once you have an understanding of where you are, and where you want to be, you need to research options, prioritize activities, and develop a detailed plan.
- Foundation: Technology has evolved quickly. Does your current business system easily integrate with other applications or have an open architecture? Are there modules available to purchase to improve factory operations? Do you get instant, real-time data in reports and dashboards to help you make business decisions or are you waiting for days for reports to be pulled together?
- Research: Review your current system features and find where there are functional gaps. Not only now, but for future needs. Then conduct a thorough business process review to identify areas that can be improved with automation.
- Prioritize: Reviewing the list of functional gaps, decide which ones are most important based on costs and benefits.
- Develop a Plan: Your plan should define your desired goal, supporting technologies, and a timeline and process for conducting the implementation from start to finish.
Turn your business into the factory of the future. It’s not just faster; it allows you to extend the abilities of your entire team, enabling them to do things they never imagined possible. Learn more about Acumatica, the cloud ERP and how you can modernize your operations.
“Acumatica provides the best business and industry management solution for transforming your business to thrive in the new digital economy. Built on a future-proof platform with an open architecture for modern technologies, rapid integrations, scalability, and ease of use, Acumatica delivers an unparalleled experience for users and customers alike.”
Ready to get started?
GaleForce Consulting Partners has the experience and expertise to help turn your business into a factory of the future. We have helped businesses just like yours, pulled in multiple directions, leveraging a mess of disparate applications, and unable to get accurate information. It doesn’t matter what system you’re using, how old it is, how bad your data is. We’re experts at taking what you have and determining what you ultimately want to do with it all. Then we dig in and figure out how to make it happen.
Give us a call and let’s talk growth. 1-833-432-7278.
In the meantime, download this free playbook and learn more: Download PDF – Prepare for the factory of the future with Acumatica Manufacturing Edition Playbook
- Which eight feature categories to look for in your next manufacturing ERP.
- How a modern ERP can support your use of 14 emerging technologies.
- Four simple steps to digital transformation.
- The four phases of creating a modern factory.
- Why Acumatica Manufacturing Edition is ideal for transforming your manufacturing business.
- You’ll also get a handy checklist that will help you assess your organization’s progress in building the factory of the future. Download the playbook now.
Read some of our successes and see how we’ve helped other manufacturers like you:
Dukathole Group boosted growth to meet the needs of the housing crisis.
Erickson International replaced Sage 100 with Acumatica and connected 7 locations and numerous disparate systems.
FSC Lighting improved processes and scaled rapidly with Acumatica, a modern ERP solution.
by gfcpartners | Sep 27, 2022 | Business, Construction
Selecting a Construction ERP solution to run your business is not a quick decision. The platform you choose will power your business for years to come. Many ERP solutions offer the same or similar accounting type features, but it’s the other features you need to look at closely. For example, are project accounting features fully integrated into the accounting area? It can be confusing to sort out what’s important to your construction business and what’s not.
Comparing features and benefits is one thing to consider, but also aligning your growth strategies for the future. Many ERP publishers offer construction systems, and you might even find smaller, specialized vendors focus their systems on niche industries and respective functionalities. When you’re looking at options, don’t limit yourself to the specialized systems. General ERP systems, like Acumatica Construction Edition, provide full cross-functional processes that integrate financials seamlessly with project management, billing, job costing and more.
With Acumatica, I’m giving employees an ultra-effective tool they need to do their jobs correctly and allowing them to do things easier. I’m handing them a smartphone versus a rotary phone. They are more well-equipped to do their jobs, which produces good outcomes for customers and helps us build the business. ~Matthew Shamp, Executive Director, Carlson-LaVine, Inc.
Let’s look at some of the top ERP features construction firms need. Download this checklist to make sure you’ve compared specific features and benefits across your critical categories.
Top Construction ERP Features You Need
Having all these pieces and parts of a business together in one, single-source of truth system gives you a complete view of your business. You eliminate data silos and disparate systems and start a culture of transparency. Team members have visibility into the actions of everyone that touches the customer, at any point in their journey.
Here are the top features to look for:
CAD interface - Accounting
- Service fleet asset management
- Financial management
- Payroll
- Management of contractors
- Sub-contractor management
- Logistics and transport
- Scheduling
- Complex workforce management
- Inventory
- Workflow processes
Next, you need to think beyond specific functionality. For example, are there features and benefits beyond construction? Does the system include things to make your office staff as well as job site staff more productive? How about technology? Does the ERP solution use modern technology and have high ratings for usability, customizability, and maintainability? Is it a true cloud-based solution, giving your staff, contractors, and vendors access no matter when, where, or which device?
How much are you going to pay for everything you need? Will you have to purchase third-party add-on products to get the functionality you need? How long will you be able to use this solution and/or will you outgrow it quickly? What about the licensing and hosting fees? Do you need additional hardware and IT staff? All these questions, and more, come into play when comparing and choosing a new ERP solution for your construction business. Talk to a partner about your options; technology is changing at a rapid pace.
With more than 500 successful system implementations and dozens of clients working with us for more than two decades, we’re proud to be one of the most trusted names in construction business technology. Give us a call at (833) 432-7278 and let’s talk construction management ERP.
by gfcpartners | Sep 7, 2022 | Business, Construction, Project Accounting
The landscape for construction businesses has drastically changed over the past couple years. It has become increasingly competitive with rising costs, labor shortages, stricter regulations, and the need for innovative ideas. Construction firms can no longer stay competitive by relying on paper-based processes, manual workflows, and an endless barrage of emails.
Smart, forward-thinking firms are moving their businesses to the cloud. With cloud-based solutions, they’re finding the powerful communication tools and automated workflows they need to maximize the profitability of every project. No matter your size or space in the industry, you need a system to help you win projects, control costs, and increase your profit margins.
Many firms are choosing a new ERP system in the cloud. These systems easily handle GAAP-based accounting, field service and asset management, job costing, and project management. Most importantly, cloud ERP solutions, like the Acumatica, Construction Edition, give you modern tools like mobile access to give you a competitive advantage at a price point you’ll love.
5 Cloud ERP Benefits for Your Construction Business
Learn more about what features you need in an ERP solution. Download our free eBook “5 Undeniable Benefits of Cloud Construction Management Software“
- Real-time project tracking
Acumatica gives you an all-in-one system to handle everything from accounting, to payroll, to inventory and project management. Connecting accounting and project management teams in the cloud gives you huge benefits.
- Eliminate delays, head off issues
Immediately accessible data helps eliminate costly delays. All team members, whether in the office or in the field, can access the same information and provide updates, so that issues can be addressed immediately before causing costly delays. Imagine what your business can do with a “single-source of truth”.
Automation to increase efficiency and collaboration
With the use of workflows, you can replace multiple steps and duplicate data entry ensuring action items will be addressed quickly and that your project data remains current. With everyone using the same system, there’s no room for errors. - Better & easier communication
Reduce emails and wasted time answering the same questions over and over. With a smart, cloud ERP solution like Acumatica, you gain project control and eliminate downtime. Learn how you can have a system that acts as your communication vehicle, with everything for everyone in one, central location. Even create a Wiki for “FAQs from the field”!
- Anywhere, anytime, from any device accessibility
Get the same, current, accurate information whether you are in the office, at home, or in the field. SPend less time chasing down information and more time keeping your projects moving forward.
“I am really glad we made the decision to go to Acumatica’s cloud-based construction and accounting software because our teams are doing purchase orders, change orders, and everything remotely. Project Managers can get into the system to see what is going on with their projects. Cloud software is the way to go because it is so easy. You just log in and it’s nothing different than if you were just sitting in your office.”
John Dawne Meijer, Controller, Pin Oak Corpus Christi
Why Choose Acumatica Construction Edition
Acumatica cloud construction and accounting software empowers contractors to keep projects running smoothly and profitably by helping them connect their teams, manage cash more carefully, and keep their customers and employees happy.
It is a complete, native, and cloud-based construction and accounting software solution, including powerful financials, job cost accounting, project management, payroll, inventory, order management, service management, CRM, and mobile tools for your business.
Built on the world’s best cloud and mobile technology with a unique all-inclusive user licensing model, it enables a complete, real-time view of your business anytime, anywhere. You’ll increase collaboration, streamline time- intensive processes, and increase project visibility and profitability.
Don’t get left behind! For construction businesses that use the latest technology, communication has never been easier. Just as your field teams need the right tools to complete their construction projects, you need the right software for managing your projects effectively.
Download our free eBook “5 Undeniable Benefits of Cloud Construction Management Software“
Our team at Galeforce Consulting Partners will help you create the perfect process for your people and support it with modern tech and toolsets. Contact us today at 1-833-432-7278 and let’s talk construction.
