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Construction Software Features - Collaboration


Solutions built especially to connect businesses to customers, partners and employees ensure business success!

In today’s competitive market, businesses lose revenue and opportunities when their employees are out of the office and cannot respond immediately to customer demands. This is especially true for Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) firms that have a very mobile work force. Corecon’s scalable and secure web-based solution will provide management and employees the ability to collaborate more effectively regardless of work location (i.e. multiple offices, jobsite trailers, and home offices). Combined with features to work with outside Project Team members as well, Corecon’s solution will revolutionize an AEC firm’s operations in connecting employees and business partners and be a key factor in improving their project delivery performance.


Swapping Emails is Yesterday’s Answer to Collaboration

If you ask the typical AEC firm what applications they use to run their projects, it would most likely be Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook. Although these applications are very beneficial, they can also lead to a scattered collection of files and information. Take for instance emailing. Since the project team may be in different locations, people will often cc other project team members on issues and project tasks. This leads to duplication of information in their inboxes, especially when files are attached. On the other hand, if other project team members are not included on critical issues, this can lead to problems when the originator of the email or person responsible for follow-up is out of the office or on vacation. How would other project team members know what was discussed and what action needs to be taken?

So, how does Corecon improve performance by providing better collaboration tools internally and externally? First, Corecon is an enterprise solution that stores project information in a central database. Given the proper security level, project team members will be alerted to critical items regardless of the originator. Corecon even offers weekly and monthly calendar views to get a glance at items coming up that require follow-up. The items shown in these views are marked open and not closed and appear based on the reminder date or due date. Second, Corecon has built-in collaboration capabilities on certain features that allow outside team members to directly respond to a document (see example below). With their response being stored in the same database, internal project team members can view correspondence that has been addressed. This alone will eliminate the constant swapping of emails and carbon copying (cc) everyone on the team.


Example when Collaborating with Outside Project Team Members on RFIs

The example provided below is from a general contractor perpective using the Request for Information (RFI) feature and how Corecon's free built-in collaboration capabilities in conjunction with the new Online File Management can be an effective tool for communication and ultimately reduce the resolution time on issues.

1. GC creates an RFI within Corecon and uploads additional files (i.e. drawings, photographs) that pertain to the record. The uploaded files will be automatically linked to the Project and RFI.
2. The Architect is marked as the respondent for the RFI.
3. An email from within Corecon is sent to the respondent (i.e. Architect).
4. Using Corecon’s built-in collaboration capabilities, the Architect clicks on the auto-generated hyperlink within the email and enters the security code to see the details of the RFI and the uploaded files from step 1.
5. The Architect then comments on the RFI within Corecon’s Team Collaboration form and also uploads any additional files (i.e. marked up sketches) that pertain to his response. These additional files are now stored in Corecon and are also linked to the Project and RFI like the original files.
6. The GC then reviews the RFI response including all uploaded files.

Features that have Free Built-in Collaboration

The features listed below all have free built-in collaboration capabilities as illustrated above. There is no additional charge for subs/suppliers to provide pricing on Estimate Items or Change Proposal Requests (CPR) or to get responses from architects on Journals, RFIs, Submittals, or Work Orders.


Collaborating on files with Customers and Business Partners

With Corecon 2007’s Fall Release, External or Portal Logins for customers and subs can be created to grant access to specified files in Corecon’s Online File Management system. The Login consists of an email address and password and can be used to grant access to uploaded files for a single project or multiple. In addition, Portal Login users can have the option to upload files to the company’s Online File Management system depending on the permission setting. Either scenario, the External Login feature does require a subscription to Corecon’s Online File Storage service.

Typical Scenarios Using External Logins

  • Homebuilder sharing progress photographs and specification/option documents with customers.
  • GC sharing contract drawings with subs and suppliers.
  • Company sharing files with employees that don't have a standard Corecon login.