Construction companies are quick to embrace new technologies, although the paper work order stuck around in the industry a lot longer than many anticipated.
Thankfully with the rise of work order software, firms of all sizes are embracing the digital revolution and enjoying improved efficiency, productivity and cost-effectiveness as a result.
If you are not familiar with work order software, this guide will bring you in on the ground floor and demonstrate why it has been so transformative in construction in particular.
What is work order software?
As the name suggests, platforms like Fiix work order software are designed to replace physical work order systems, providing the same basic functionality but making use of digital documents instead.
While work orders are more genetically intended to allow duties to be assigned in a range of commercial contexts, for construction companies this means that customers can clearly define the jobs they want done, and details of things like costs, materials required and timelines for completion can all be included.
Digitizing this process means that work orders can be issued with greater ease, stored and accessed in the cloud, reviewed in an instant from any location and tracked to keep up to date with project progress.
Similarly if work orders are issued for maintenance tasks, this allows managers to ensure that routines are adhered to and best practices for safety followed, all within the bounds of a predetermined schedule. So downtime due to equipment issues or construction machinery failures can be minimized with the help of work order software.
The advantages of automation
Aside from the aforementioned conveniences that software-based work order management brings to the table, the other key perk is afforded by automation.
Rather than having to manually issue work orders for a given project, or in line with the desired schedule for a specific day’s work, software can automatically send out work orders to the right people, apprising them of their responsibilities and synchronizing large teams so that they are pulling in the same direction.
For construction companies and their customers, this is a boon whether it applies internally within a single organization, or also includes third party contractors. The unifying power of the software, coupled with its automation potential, irons out all sorts of kinks that used to be an accepted part of the industry.
The implications of integration
Like all good software solutions, digital work order platforms do not operate in a vacuum, but can be integrated with other services to expand upon their basic functions.
For example, they might be needed to operate as part of a broader enterprise asset management package, or combine with project management software to allow top-level decision-makers to oversee vast, complex construction projects without being bogged down by paperwork.
At a time when material costs are high and set to remain so, these small but tangible efficiencies can have major implications for construction firms and their customers.
The wonders of the workflow
Another point to make about the revolutionary quality of work order software in construction is that it forms part of a wider workflow, and more importantly means that completed strands can be neatly concluded, rather than the results being open-ended and uncertainties plaguing a project.
Work orders that are issued digitally can also be closed digitally, so you can say with confidence that a task has been done on-site, and use this to dictate subsequent orders and planning.
In short, modern work order software is responsible for the ongoing digitization and streamlining of the construction industry, and this technology is available to small and large operators alike.
