Learn the ins and outs of construction management software with data and insights from experts.
If you’re the owner of a small to midsize construction firm looking to purchase your first construction management software system, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Doing things manually isn’t sustainable if you’re growing, and you might often find yourself working into the evening which is cutting into your free time or time with your family.
That’s why it’s so important to understand construction management software and how it can help your business. If you approach the software selection process with the correct attitude and information, you are more likely to make the right choice the first time, avoiding buyer’s regret and costly implementation mistakes.
Below, we’ll cover the basics of construction management software so you can begin your search with a better understanding and come prepared when going into vendor conversations. Along the way, we’ll provide insights from one of our advisors, Matthew “Cliff” Clifford, to give you a firsthand account of what it’s like to use construction management software. [1]
What is construction management software and why is it important?
Construction management software, also known as construction project management software, is a tool that can help streamline and organize various aspects of construction projects, from the initial planning and design stages all the way to project completion.
Construction management systems support professionals with operational coordination and help organizations improve efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver successful project lifecycle outcomes. The benefits of construction management systems are numerous, including creating project timelines, scheduling tasks, and allocating materials and resources. The systems also track and manage costs, including budget creation, expense tracking, and financial management.
A dashboard showing all ongoing projects from AccuLynx
Clifford often hears from construction business owners that they’re constantly buried in paperwork and emails, and that construction management software gives them the ability to scale their business while also minimizing the amount of time they’re having to spend working on administrative items.
Construction management software, as opposed to project management software, helps with construction-specific tasks, such as job costing from first contact to submittal as well as the ability to give detailed reports that can help business owners understand trends in their work.
Who uses construction management software?
Construction project stakeholders who use construction management software include project managers, design teams, architects, and engineers, as well as subcontractors and business owners.
Project managers can use the software to communicate with stakeholders, automate time-consuming manual tasks, and schedule assigned tasks to teams. Subcontractors can use the platform to review project documents and plan sheets, upload submittal packages and RFIs (or requests for information), and view job site conditions in real time.
While many of the construction project stakeholders mentioned above likely use a construction management system, notes from our advisor calls reveal some of the other common industries where the platform is used include residential remodeling (20%), general contractors (17%), and the electrical and teledata industry (11%). [2]
The majority of buyers who contacted us for construction management software within the last year are business owners with less than $1 million in annual revenue and five or fewer employees.
Key features of construction management software
All construction management tools include document management, project management, and scheduling features, and most share a variety of common features such as budget tracking, inventory management, and reporting and statistics. For the three most critical construction management software features according to Capterra software reviews, see the table below: [3]
Feature | Description | % of reviewers who rate it as critical or highly important |
|---|---|---|
Project management | Plan and coordinate all the resources, costs, and time needed to execute assignments. | 91 |
Document management | Store, manage, and track all electronic documents in a centralized location. | 81 |
Mobile access | Access project information, plans, schedules, and updates instantly from anywhere to ensure everyone is working with the most current data. | 80 |
Scheduling view shown in construction management platform Buildertrend
Beyond these, Clifford adds that another feature that construction business owners talk about being critical for their business is the ability to generate fluid Gantt charts. A Gantt chart is a bar chart that illustrates a project schedule, and some construction management systems provide ones that automatically schedule, reschedule, and notify any affected members of the team.
For example, let’s say construction materials are still being shipped and don’t get to the job site on time—you have to make a call to your drywall guys and tell them that they need to wait a day. And then you’ll have to call your painters the next day to push them back.
You end up playing phone tag for 20 to 30 minutes, if you’re lucky. With an automatically updating schedule like this, all relevant and important members of the team will be automatically notified of any changes to their schedule without you having to contact them directly.
Benefits of construction management software
Aaron Dumas, a construction professional with over 20 years of experience, found that, along with all of the core features of construction management software, having a digital punch list was critical. [4] By having an accurate, up-to-date list of work discrepancies for your construction team to keep track of, you are able to more effectively make sure that each project is completed to the client’s satisfaction, which can lead to more referrals down the line.
Construction management software can assign punch list items to the people on your construction team who are responsible for them, provide details for what needs to be fixed, important due dates, and track the project to ensure it stays on schedule.
The table below lists a few more benefits of construction management software as well as excerpts from construction management software reviews on Capterra.
Benefit | Description | Review excerpt |
|---|---|---|
Supports team collaboration | Users say construction management systems support collaboration between team members and enable project document sharing, including drawings, specifications, and contracts. The software allows project managers to assign tasks to the team and track progress in real time. | "The modules submittals, RFI, issues, and drawings are helping us improve our collaboration with our field forces and trade partners." –Jerome S., senior project manager, construction |
Improves customer experience by providing a client portal | Client portals serve as a centralized communication hub where project stakeholders—including clients—can collaborate, share updates, and discuss project-related matters. Clients feel more engaged and involved in the project as they have visibility into its lifecycle. | "One of the most important things we were looking for was a portal for our clients so we could have a single space for our notes and theirs. Our product exceeded my expectations in this area - my clients LOVE it." –Shell R., designer and office manager, construction |
Aids customer service | Users can often access support resources, assistance, and guidance regarding any issues or questions they may encounter when using the software. Such features typically facilitate timely support to users with technical issues or questions about software functionality. | "The best thing about our product is its ability to track orders and customer service always answers and is willing to make adjustments to work with our needs." –Sandra T., office manager, mining and metals |
Click here for even more construction management software benefits.
Considerations when looking for construction management software
Budget
Many construction management systems are priced on a per month subscription basis and can range from $223 per month for a basic system, all the way up to $1,963 per month for a customized or advanced suite. Typically, as the price goes up, you get more functionality and users.
Forty-two percent of the construction management buyers that our advisors spoke to within the last year are budgeting between $175 to $350 per user per month for their software. [5]
Clifford mentions that some systems price based on construction volume or revenue which can scare some business owners away. Others can include extensive and costly one-time setup fees, so be on the lookout for that when you’re talking to vendors.
Many construction project management systems offer free versions and trials to give buyers an initial feel for their features. Potential software buyers may want to explore the user interface and functionalities to better understand how the platform works in their own real-world context.
Challenges business owners face with construction management software
According to our 2024 Capterra Tech Trends Survey, 38% of business software buyers we surveyed reported challenges addressing security concerns when purchasing software. Another 37% reported challenges with the compatibility between existing systems (37%).*
When talking to business owners, Clifford often hears similar pain points. A project manager or owner might spend a lot of time, effort, and money on a new system only to receive a lot of pushback from their employees who don’t want to use it.
His recommendation: Get each of your workers to use it the way it’s meant to be used for an entire job, start to finish.
“If you can get them to use it for one job, they’ll use it forever. You need to get your whole crew on board to take their time with the process through one job, and after that, they’ll fall in love with how easy it makes things. Instead of having to go home and go through submittal emails at the EOD, they can go home and enjoy time with family or have the time to do more estimates on more projects.”
Matthew "Cliff" Clifford
Construction advisor
Additionally, if there’s any difficulty implementing, it can cause project delays. When researching construction project management tools, consider the availability of training resources and customer support during the adoption phase and beyond. Ideally, vendor representatives should be responsive to such issues.
Ready to start your search for construction management software?
Clifford had one last bit of advice for construction owners: “Don’t choose something because [your] friend uses it and said that it’s the best software. Do your own research and find which software works best for you. If you need a piece of software more geared for job costing, look for ones specializing in that. Whatever your main need is should be the focus of your software search.”
Capterra Shortlist identifies the top construction management software based on user ratings and popularity to help small businesses find the best construction management system for their needs. You can even compare tools side-by-side so you can see how your favorites stack up against each other.
Additionally, you can speak to our Capterra advisors who can help you find the right software for your needs and budget in 15 minutes or less for free.
Note: Questions and responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Note: The screenshots of applications included in this article are examples to show a feature in context and are not intended as endorsements or recommendations.
