Project Management Software Suggestions

[Karen Margrave]

Does anyone use project management software (Builder Trend, Sage, etc.) If so, how do you like it. Pros and Cons?

[Chris Clothier]

Karen M. - We used the Salesforce.com platform to custom build a form for our project managers to use. It is cloud based and integrates into a management system where we can track a project and attach it to a client or buyer as we manage the sales piece of the transaction as well. The nice thing about it is that our managers open up Sf.com on their I-pad and answer custom questions about each room and very detailed questions about the project. With the new I-pad they are able to take pics and video as well as use talk to text features for notations. There are roughly 300 questions for each house and local costs for materials are already entered, so when our guys hit enter, SF.com spits out a cost analysis, a contractor materials sheet, a pre-project Scope of Work and any internal docs we need. Then the guys just open SF.com each time they visit the house to update the project with pictures and notes and instantaneously everyone is up to date with what is going on in the project. It also allows us to upload and store any permits that contractors have to pull and attach them to final SOW.

It is probably more robust than what most need, but for a small amount of money each year, the SF.com program proves to be much more than just CRM. It is a platform to build your own custom stuff and if you can dream it for your business, you can build it and tie it all together. It has literally reduced the amount of time we spend on a project by 75% simply by making us more efficient.

Chris