Have you ever witnessed projects running without schedules? It’s like a nightmare for construction executives. Unplanned projects get messy and cause wastage of resources, resulting in budget overruns. These problems are like the villains trying to ruin your beloved site. Construction scheduling software can be your superhero. It can fight those problems valiantly. But what’s that essential thing you need to do before investing in a product? You should prepare a list of construction scheduling requirements! That will help you understand the features required for your project needs.

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This article covers the following topics:

• Meaning of Construction Schedules
• Benefits of Scheduling
• Key Requirements
• Scheduling Methods
• Implementation Challenges
• How to Create an Effective Schedule

What is Construction Scheduling?

A construction schedule is a fundamental part of the project planning stage. It outlines each and every process in detail, from start to finish. It usually includes project deliverables, asset allocations, deadlines, dependencies and budget information. You should create a schedule to avoid missing deadlines. It also helps you keep projects on budget. As a construction executive, you need to monitor schedules frequently to complete jobs on time.

Creating schedules is a time-consuming task. But it’s advantageous. It gives you a sense of direction and helps you resolve conflicts quickly. A construction scheduling tool can help you achieve this goal. As Stephen Covey said, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.”

Primary Benefits of Construction Scheduling Software

How can we decide whether to invest in a product without understanding its benefits? Below we have outlined some of the reasons why you should use construction scheduling software.

Streamline Work Processes

According to an article published in the Journal of Facilities Management, poor communication leads to performance deficiency. An accurately planned schedule delivers efficiency as well as increases productivity. You can use project management modules to track projects’ progress and assign tasks to workers.

Simplify Resource Allocation

To make projects a success, it’s pivotal that you have the stock of required equipment. You cannot start a project without enough resources. Construction scheduling software assists you in managing inventory effectively. You can assign items to jobs and check the status of ordered equipment.

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Centralized Document Storage

Gone are the days when you had to go through piles of files to locate documents. The construction scheduling app provides a centralized storage system that helps you and your team access documents and files quickly. You can also grant permissions to authorized employees to protect confidential data.

Make Data-Driven Decisions

The value of big data is estimated to grow by $30 billion in 2021 and 2022. Companies that used analytics observed an 8% increase in revenue. Invest in software that offers data analysis tools such as reporting modules, dashboard functionality, artificial intelligence and BIM technology. It helps you plan strategically, increasing efficiency and productivity.

Boost Team Productivity

As Phil Jackson rightly said, “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” Construction scheduling platforms can help you drive team collaboration through a centralized communication system. Allow workers to receive alerts about project modifications. Crews can communicate and disseminate information effectively, enhancing productivity.

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Key Requirements

Our analysts have gathered a comprehensive construction scheduling requirements checklist that you can refer to while comparing vendors.

1. Communication Management

Communication in any relationship is like the sun is to Earth. Without it, darkness takes over. The same applies to your construction site that’s always filled with hard-working teams. Imagine them not having the means to communicate project statuses or address their doubts? The chaos that would emerge! That’s why managing communication effectively should be one of your top priorities.

You can add comments or attach notes to digital blueprints. This makes the teams aware of expected outcomes and helps them to work accordingly. It also clears out any confusion they had in mind about scopes of work. Along with that, you can customize notifications and alerts for each construction department. We don’t want to miss deadlines, do we? Construction scheduling applications send reminders about upcoming deadlines. Your reputation remains intact!

You cannot stay on-site the whole time. You have a lot of administrative tasks to complete. Workers can share project updates using a real-time messaging app to stay in the loop with site actions.

• Add Comments or Notes
• Customizable Notifications and Alerts
• Real-Time Messaging
• Reminders for Upcoming Deadlines
• Sharing Project Updates

2. Construction Documents and Templates Management

Would you prefer storing documents in physical files over accessing them through a cloud server? We bet not! Construction projects require a lot of data collection, such as RFI forms, blueprints and activity schedules. And these physical documents might get lost. A good construction scheduling software helps you keep data in a centralized location, making it easy to retrieve information whenever you need to.

What would be a perfect combination if not pre-built, customizable templates? You can save hours by accessing estimating, scheduling and workflow templates. Tweak it to your needs. It helps you and your team to share and view the information in real time. One of the features you should consider is that the app should allow you to link documents to items, ensuring quick access.

• Construction Estimator Template
• Digitized Forms
• Document Storage
• Linking Documents To Related Items
• Pre-Built and Customizable Construction Management Templates
• Pre-Built and Customizable Scheduling Templates
• Project Milestone Template
• Project Workflow Templates
• Sharing and Viewing Documents

3. Construction Schedule Management

Non-creation of schedules can cause havoc on construction sites. Workers might be unaware of their teams. Crews could arrive late. No track of equipment. Just imagining this can cause you a headache. Your construction site should always be smooth running. A construction scheduling app without scheduling modules is like a pen without ink. Not really useful! That’s why you need to check if the vendor provides scheduling functionalities. It helps you to create, manage and edit bids, proposals, project baselines and schedules. You can simply switch to a calendar view to get a detailed overview of current and upcoming projects.

Furthermore, it assists you in organizing your projects through Kanban boards. One of the vital things you should look for is the Gantt chart and critical path scheduling features.

• Produce and Manage Bids and Proposals
• Generate and Manage Estimates
• Create, Edit and Share Schedules
• Form Project Baselines
• Critical Path Scheduling
• Customizable Calendar View
• Digital Schedule Lookaheads
• Drag-and-Drop Scheduling Interface
• Duration and Dependencies of Tasks
• Event Management
• Filtered Views for Project Documents, Schedules and More
• Gantt Chart
• Kanban Board
• Predecessor Information
• Project Calendars
• Rescheduling of Tasks
• Resource Allocation
• Resource Planning
• Tracking and Managing Deadlines
• Workload Balancing

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4. Field Management

Conflicts can arise at any moment. It’s how you deal with them that matters. Construction scheduling apps provide tools to help you handle field disputes. Thinking about possible outcomes becomes simple too. So, don’t forget to look out for field conflict management functionalities. It will aid you in maintaining peace among workers. Remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi — “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

Can crews work in extreme weather conditions? Not at all! It not only causes project delays but also damages equipment. Forecasting weather conditions in real time is a vital feature you should always look for in a digital solution. Never underestimate the weather. Always be prepared. You can also perform inspections by creating punch lists to never miss out on important safety procedures.

• Field Conflict Management
• Field Productivity Management
• Getting Data From Field Workers
• Punchlists
• Real-Time Weather Conditions

5. Mobile Capabilities

Do you want to talk to someone? Set alarms or reminders? Locate a construction site? You can do all these things using a single mobile device. According to the Construction Technology Report of 2021, 90.9% of construction professionals use smartphones and 65.5% use tablets on job sites. It simplifies work processes.

You need to look out for software that offers mobile applications to help better manage your projects. This way, you can monitor jobs on the go. Allow your employees to track their working hours so that you can bill them accurately. The product should also enable you to accept or deny manual time entries.

• Mobile Optimized or Responsive Web Design
• Mobile Scheduling
• Mobile Time Tracking
• Native Mobile Application
• Offline Mode

6. Project Management

As a construction executive, it’s impossible to be on-site 24/7. But you can’t miss out on updates either. That’s why a construction scheduling app should come with project management modules. This helps streamline your operations right from inception to completion. You can track project statuses from timelines. Trace financial transactions by creating audit trails. Allow clients to make digital payments. This way, accounting becomes like child’s play.

Budget overshoots are common in construction projects. This happens primarily because of change requests. That’s why you need to look out for change order management modules. It assists you in avoiding added costs and project delays. Finances are a sensitive matter. Improperly allocated budgets affect other projects too. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine!

Collaboration divides the task and multiplies success. Conduct centralized meetings to allow workers to voice their opinions. You can also allocate tasks to concerned departments, simplifying project workflows. Assign color codes to jobs to prioritize them. Resolve issues using risk management modules.

• Audit Trail
• Budgeting
• Change Order Management
• Contacts Management
• Inspections Management
• Payments Management
• Pre-Built Formulas
• Project Financials
• Project Meetings’ Agenda and Minutes Distribution
• Project Planning
• Project Prioritization
• Project Task Management
• Quality Control Management
• Risk Management
• Submittal Management
• Timeline Tracking
• Timesheets
• Tracking and Managing Project Stages
• Workflow Management

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7. Reports and Dashboards

You need to analyze data to make strategic decisions. Insights help you recognize areas that need attention. What could be the best method to collect data, if not through reports? For that purpose, it’s essential to make sure that the app offers reporting functionality. You can generate project risk, work-in-progress, financial and cost reports. Additionally, you can export and share data with other departments to help boost productivity and promote transparency.

Don’t have enough time to go through files? A customized dashboard can be the perfect solution. It assists you in viewing project details at a glance. You can identify key performance indicators and work towards resolving issues. Access daily logs to monitor workers’ actions.

• Custom Dashboards and Visualizations
• Customizable Views
• Custom Reports
• Daily Logs
• Export Reports Data
• Progress Dashboards and Visualizations
• Project Risk Report
• Report Scheduling
• Report Sharing
• Work-in-Progress Report (WIP Report)

Technical Requirements

While functions can drive your organization on the path to success, you should also assess your technical needs. For instance, if the product is incompatible with your current devices, you might suffer from budget overshoots.

Integrations and Extensibility

You should always ask the vendor about the product’s integrative functionalities. You can manage a project’s finances effectively using accounting integration. You don’t have to transfer data back and forth, helping you speed up financial processes. Integrate with HeavyBid to take care of your estimating and bidding needs. You can also integrate your calendar to keep projects on schedule. MS Outlook integration assists you in streamlining communication between employees and clients.

• Accounting Software Integration
• Calendar Software Integration
• Cloud Document Storage Software Integration
• CRM Software Integration
• Google Suite Integration
• MS Outlook Integration
• Project Management Software Integration

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Construction Scheduling Methods

Different companies use different scheduling processes. It’s good to know about them so that you can decide which practice will best suit your needs. It will for sure make a difference in teams’ productivity levels. Why not move beyond good and reach for great? Let’s get started!

Critical Path Scheduling

Large construction projects use the critical path method (CPM). Project Management Body of Knowledge defines CPM as the sequence of scheduled activities that determines the project’s duration. In simple terms, you need to differentiate between critical and non-critical tasks. You need to input the task’s start and finish dates. And the algorithm will determine critical tasks accordingly.

Imagine that you are making a sandwich. You have all the ingredients except bread. You can’t make a sandwich without bread, can you? In this case, bread becomes the constraint and the most crucial element of the task. Therefore, CPM helps to learn about constraints and keep projects on schedule.

Gantt Chart

Gantt Charts present data in the form of bar charts that showcase dependencies between tasks. It assists you in estimating the project duration as well as identifying critical paths. It doesn’t offer you a detailed overview like CPM. You cannot enter resource allocation information either. It normally includes project deadlines and a summary of tasks performed. You can determine the hierarchy of projects in order to understand what requires immediate attention.

Program Evaluation and Review Technique

PERT charts are network diagrams that depict project activities and their timelines. They help you make realistic time estimations. You can also link and add resources to dependent tasks. PERT allows you to add milestones to projects so that you can monitor project statuses quickly. You can also conduct what-if analyses to predict potential risks. In his book “Project Management: A Sytems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling,” Harold Kerzner says, “PERT charts are often constructed from back to front because the end date is usually fixed and the contractor has front-end flexibility.”

Q Scheduling

Also known as quantitative scheduling, queue scheduling indicates locations of material quantities using a bar chart format. It helps you get a clearer view of the types of resources needed at different times and places, ensuring efficient resource allocation.

Line of Balance

The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company developed the line of balance method in the early 1940s. This technique is often used in projects that contain repetitive activities such as roads, pipelines, railways, tunnels and high-rise buildings. It collects, measures and presents facts related to cost, time and accomplishment against a specific time. Additionally, it helps you pinpoint the exact moment when projects go off-track as well as understand the effects that accrue due to them.

Implementation Challenges

Implementation processes are not all rainbows and unicorns. It can be confusing, lengthy and tiring. Inadequate planning can cause delays and skyrocketing costs. Knowing these challenges will help you prepare a plan of action and avoid project failures.

Data Migration

Transferring files into a new system is a daunting task. It’s time-consuming and risky too. Imagine losing a file or two. Not a pretty scenario, right? Even technology can make mistakes. That’s why you and your team need to concentrate on avoiding missing documents. You can also ask your vendor for data migration assistance or select a platform that offers integration with your existing systems.

Lack of Support

It’s really irritating if the provider has a slow response time. Waiting around for them to reply can put operations at a halt. That’s why you should ask vendors about the communication channels they offer. Gather reviews about customer support from industry professionals.

Inadequate Training Materials

It takes time to adapt to a new solution. For that purpose, the vendor should provide training resources such as video tutorials, guides and documentation. Some providers also offer tailored courses. So, keep in mind to look out for these resources or ask vendors if you can’t find them.

Length of Process

Implementation processes can take time. And you cannot shut your business down; it should run as usual. You need to conduct what-if analyses and plan accordingly to ensure a smooth-running construction site.

After all, planning is the key to success. You can also refer to our construction scheduling buyer’s guide to kick start your software selection journey.

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How to Create a Construction Schedule

We now know how important it is to create schedules. Without them, your projects might go haywire. Below we have provided a step-by-step process that you can follow to create an effective schedule.

• Data Collection: The first step is to gather information about resources and stakeholders. You also need to contact subcontractors to get an idea about the duration they will take to procure materials for the job. You cannot take a project forward without compliance documentation. That’s why you need to prepare a list of legal files required to start a project.
• Prioritize Tasks: A construction schedule will be incomplete if it doesn’t include a listing of tasks that should take place from inception to completion. You can use WBS structures to divide jobs into subcategories. Remember to link dependent tasks with each other. You can also add milestones to help your team stay on the right path.
• Estimate Duration: After assigning tasks, the next step is to set a deadline. We all know it’s the deadlines that keep us going. But don’t set unrealistic determinations. Consider sick days, vacations and extreme weather conditions. Don’t forget to include other activities such as procurement and delivery.
• Allocate Tasks: Tasks won’t get completed by themselves. It would be fantastic if they could, right? You need to assign tasks to teams. You can also color-code items and direct them to the concerned jobs for quick access. Use workload calendars to balance resources. Send alerts to crews about new tasks or if projects are nearing deadlines.
• Review: It’s of utmost importance that you review schedules. This helps to overcome delays and minimize risks. You can also mitigate issues before they cause problems. Keep track of project processes and update plans frequently.

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Conclusion

A perfectly designed schedule can take your projects to new heights. If you follow the scheduling steps thoroughly, you can meet deadlines efficiently. It takes time to assess your business needs. For that reason, you can use our pre-built construction scheduling requirements template. It will help you save time and money. Did we miss on any construction scheduling requirements? Let us know in the comment section below!