Hard Dollar, a provider of integrated project lifecycle management solutions, introduced an end-to-end solution which streamlines field data collection and automatically keeps offsite and office personnel in synch. This new module supports automatic, wireless synchronization for both Windows and Windows-mobile devices.
Traditional means of collecting timesheet information by email, telephone or paper is labor intensive, difficult to audit, has potential for errors and is too slow to result in timely, meaningful information that field personnel can use to take immediate corrective actions on the job site. With this in mind, Hard Dollar has created a system that provides one-click synchronization to pass up-to-the-minute job information from the office to field personnel. At the same time, the synchronization process sends the latest timesheets and daily diary information back to the home office.
As part of Hard Dollar’s complete project execution system, the new field data collection system provides instantaneous actual versus plan comparisons and real-time visibility into the status of the project.
“As the construction industry continues to deal with an escalating labor shortage, contractors are looking for new ways technology can maximize the effectiveness of existing personnel and improve the efficiency of company resources,” said Brad Barth, senior vice president, product management. “Hard Dollar’s solution can have a dramatic impact on the productivity of both field and home office personnel by streamlining the entire field data collection process.”
With the use of Hard Dollar’s new field data collection system, everyone from foremen to project managers to CFOs will have more time to spend on strategic activities that improve the company’s performance, according to the company.
Field personnel will spend less time reporting on the day’s work and more time ensuring that the work is going along as planned. With immediate visibility into how actual performance compares to the plan when a timesheet is entered, foremen will be able to respond more effectively to correct potential problems and make informed decisions. The new functionality also allows for project managers, controllers and CFOs to have immediate visibility into cost and cash flow, rather than waiting until the end of the week or month.
Features:
• In addition to capturing traditional timesheet information such as employee and equipment hours and progress quantities, the system also can capture daily diary and safety information, plus expenses related to subcontractors or suppliers.
• Timesheets can be pre-populated with assigned resource information found in Hard Dollar’s Resource Coordination module, eliminating the need for the foreman to fill out 90 percent of the information required on a timesheet.
• The system supports a multi-level approval and revision process for timesheets that automatically maintains an audit trail of changes, making it useful for companies concerned about compliance with Sarbannes-Oxley.
• Information can be synchronized between the home office and field personnel using a LAN, WAN or Internet connection, including broadband, dial-up and wireless connections.
• Approved timesheets can be exported into a variety of formats that are acceptable to most major construction accounting systems, including Maxwell Cheetah, Sage Timberline, Dexter+Chaney, Viewpoint, Explorer, Computer Guidance Corp. and many others.
• Timesheets for all projects are recorded in a single repository, where they can be searched and filtered using various criteria — such as job, week number or date, tracking code, resource type, employee name and more — making it easy to resolve issues related to timesheets no matter when they come up.
Hard Dollar’s new field data collection system is available for immediate deployment and will be offered in both the Hard Dollar WorkGroups and Enterprise editions.
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