Preconstruction is the foundation of any successful project—but managing its 30-40 workflows, dozens of stakeholders, and timelines stretching up to three years (or more) is no small feat. In today’s digital age, spreadsheets simply can’t keep up. Their inefficiencies and limitations can hinder collaboration, slow down decision-making, and ultimately jeopardize your project’s success.

What are the key limitations of traditional preconstruction workflow and data management methods, such as spreadsheets?

Traditional preconstruction data management methods, like spreadsheets, have several key limitations that often hinder efficiency and collaboration. 

Preconstruction is inherently a team sport that requires constant communication among various stakeholders. The problem is that spreadsheets make it difficult to share, update and manage document versions across a team, leading to regular inefficiencies and opportunities for error. The lack of structured data in spreadsheets does not add value to a company for usefulness in future projects without a tremendous amount of manual intervention. This lack of standardization and high risk of errors due to a high level of customization adds a whole other level of complexity to the process.

Additionally, while spreadsheets are great for calculations, they fall short when it comes to visually communicating issues and trends. The reliance on preconstruction teams to maintain and update spreadsheets results is a huge drain on resources, especially when you consider there are 30-40 different workflows involved in the preconstruction phase that are not all suited for spreadsheet management. These factors together expose companies to unnecessary risk and inefficiencies, making spreadsheets a less-than-ideal tool for comprehensive data management.

How does ConCntric’s platform address these limitations and improve the overall preconstruction process?

ConCntric’s platform significantly improves the preconstruction process by addressing the limitations of traditional data management solutions. Unlike spreadsheets, ConCntric’s sophisticated software structures and maintains your data, ensuring that all of your preconstruction information is organized, accessible and reliable across all preconstruction workflows. Structuring your data allows us to meet the unique needs of each workflow while allowing the platform to present data in a way that adds context so that teams can make more informed and timely decisions.

We allow teams to eliminate conflicts, misunderstandings and miscommunications by becoming the single source of truth for the entire project. ConCntric fosters transparency and trust by breaking down barriers to information sharing so that teams can be aligned and up-to-date on a project’s status and progress. Because our platform allows you to leverage data from project to project, we provide companies with long-term benefits such as identifying cost trends, implementing risk mitigation measures and improving overall business planning with real-time insights.

What role does automation play in ConCntric’s platform, and how does it benefit preconstruction workflows and data management?

Automation in ConCntric’s platform plays a critical role in streamlining preconstruction workflows and data management. By automating the curation of historical data from past projects, our platform enables teams to use knowledge from old projects to enhance current projects and make more informed decisions instantaneously. Additionally, ConCntric automates the organization and quality control of estimating data, ensuring accuracy and consistency while saving time. On top of organizing this important data through automation, ConCntric automatically and dynamically provides a graphical representation of preconstruction data, which allows customers to go beyond numbers and effectively communicate the story and trends of past, present and future projects. 

How does the platform improve collaboration among project stakeholders during the preconstruction phase?

ConCntric’s platform significantly enhances collaboration among project stakeholders during the preconstruction phase by providing a centralized and transparent communication hub. For Owners and Developers, ConCntric fosters open dialogue and fluid communication, essential for making big decisions that mold the project’s success. By stepping away from traditional spreadsheets and taking on a more structured platform, Owners can easily access accurate budgets, timelines, and analyses and make sure that details are regularly reviewed and risks are dealt with promptly.

For the Design Team, ConCntric allows for more efficient collaboration, allowing architects and engineers to stay on the same page as all of the other stakeholders involved in the project. General Contractors, who oversee the entire project, benefit from having that single source of truth that hosts all documents, estimates and design plans. Lastly, Trade Partners, who play a critical role in the execution of the project, can be invited into the platform in the preconstruction phase by the stakeholders to more directly provide valuable insights, mitigate risks and build on their relationships with other stakeholders involved. By bringing everyone together, ConCntric lays the foundation for a more successful and collaborative preconstruction process.

What types of data analytics and reporting capabilities does ConCntric’s platform offer that are not possible with traditional spreadsheets?

ConCntric’s platform offers advanced data analytics and reporting capabilities that go beyond traditional spreadsheets. At the end of the day, preconstruction involves more than numbers. ConCntric provides a comprehensive approach with built-in intelligence and dynamic graphical representations that update and maintain themselves automatically. This aspect of our platform allows users to visualize and analyze not just numerical data but also the broader planning efforts involved in preconstruction. Plus, ConCntric benchmarks against industry standards, offering insights and comparisons that traditional spreadsheets cannot provide.

Precision, collaboration, and efficiency are key in preconstruction. ConCntric is setting a new standard for preconstruction workflow and data management. By thinking outside the box and breaking out of the norm of traditional spreadsheets, ConCntric provides a solution that enhances data accuracy, fosters communication among stakeholders, and empowers teams to navigate complex projects with confidence and agility. If you are looking to transform how your projects are planned and executed for greater success, book a demo to learn more about ConCntric today.