Technology in Architectural Practice

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The AIA Technology in Architectural Practice Knowledge Community (TAP) serves as a resource for AIA members, the profession, and the public in the deployment of computer technology in the practice of architecture. TAP leaders monitor the development of computer technology and its impact on architecture practice and the entire building life cycle, including design, construction, facility management, and retirement or reuse.

    

  • 1.  Time tracking and reporting

    Posted 08-13-2014 03:31 PM
    This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Practice Management Member Conversations and Technology in Architectural Practice .
    -------------------------------------------
    Hello All,

    We are a firm of approximately fifteen people.  Currently we track our time and report on projects through various excel spreadsheets.  As we have grown this has become more and more cumbersome.  We are currently looking for a software package that we can use for:

    1.  Employee timesheet entry for projects.
    2.  Expense tracking.
    3.  Project reporting including profit/loss by phase, or even to the task level.
    4.  Forecasting of effort to help understand our staffing needs.
    5.  Consultant tracking.

    We do not need an accounting program, and will still generate custom invoices.  We have seen demos for a few programs, and like a package called Mavenlink.  Does anyone have experience with this software, or suggestions of another.  Any help is appreciated.


    Mark
    -------------------------------------------
    Mark Shannon AIA
    The Hayes Design Group - Architects
    Pittsburgh PA
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  • 2.  RE: Time tracking and reporting

    Posted 08-14-2014 05:49 PM
    My firm of 6 has been using ArchiOffice for several years now. It does all of the tasks you require and is easy to use. It can integrate with Quickbooks if you want that, but it is not a requirement. It has lots of great features. I am not sure what your budget is for such things, but this is a "per seat" software. Yet depending on how you want to use the features, it also does not really require one seat per user. So there is some economy there. Although it is not perfect, it has a lot to offer in the realm of total project management. Like I stated, my office has been using since about 2009-10, but we still do not utilize all the features. It is also fairly customizable, to the point that you could (if so desired) incorporate your custom invoices. 

    Just another point of view on a separate program. I have no experience with the software you mentioned.  Hope that was helpful/useful.

    -------------------------------------------
    Andrew Hawkins AIA, LEED BD+C
    President, Principal Architect
    Hawkins Architecture, Inc.
    College Station TX
    -------------------------------------------


    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Time tracking and reporting

    Posted 08-14-2014 05:51 PM

    Mark,

    We are a small practice as well and have been using ArchiOffice for about 7 years now and have been very pleased with its ability to:

    1.  Track Employee time
    2.  Track Expenses
    3.  Reporting on Project profit/loss by phase,even to the task level
    4.  Reporting on employee productivity levels across Projects
    5.  Project Budgeting and Budget tracking.
    6.  Consultant tracking
    7.  Invoicing Projects, tracking payments, and project balances

    ArchiOffice has many features which we have not fully implemented:
     - Submittal Logs and Tracking
     - Outlook Integration to Track Project communication
     - Calendar

    We run Exchange Server in-house and chose to maintain our own Project communications and Calendars in Outlook / Exchange. The reporting features are far more robust that we require on a daily basis. But the time tracking and invoicing is very clean and professional. The product was designed by architects, so it's reporting and invoicing formats are built around the our projects are organized, yet is very flexible. It does interface with QuickBooks as well and does not pretend to be a bookkeeping system. The system runs on a Windows Server box in IIS. Best of luck in your pursuit!

    Regards,

    -------------------------------------------
    Gordon Bingaman AIA
    Antenora Architects LLP
    Austin TX
    -------------------------------------------


    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Time tracking and reporting

    Posted 08-14-2014 06:22 PM
    My 10 person firm has used GetHarvest.com for time and expense tracking for four+ years. It does more than that as well and has a modest per-user price, plus works on your desktop or mobile device. It's not perfect, but it's very user friendly and generates decent reports. It can do all but item 3 on your list, including a new option for forecasting (which we have not yet used).

    -------------------------------------------
    David Whitney AIA
    Whitney Polcyn Architects
    San Jose CA
    -------------------------------------------


    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Time tracking and reporting

    Posted 08-15-2014 05:59 PM
    We started off using Quickbooks, but that got way to cumbersome. We tried Freshbooks, but it was too limited and expensive. We have been using OfficeTime for seven years now, but our office has grown so we are now exploring Studiometry. It has very customizable features, which are highly compatible with Excel, for old on-going projects and clients that started that way and with OfficeTime, which it may soon supplant. There is a learning curve, but in our pilot run, its been very useful. ------------------------------------------- Ricardo Ramos Assoc. AIA, LEED® AP Arcadia CA -------------------------------------------
    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Time tracking and reporting

    Posted 08-14-2014 06:23 PM
    Mark,

    We are a firm of 10 and have been using a program called BillQuick for about 6 years. I am not familiar with Mavenlink, but BillQuick is capable of dong what you want and more. I would recommend that your give it some consideration. www.BQE.com

    As an aside, I'm not sure why you would continue to do your invoices manually? Whatever software you chose should be able to handle invoicing as well. 

    Bob 

    -------------------------------------------
    Robert Longo AIA
    Partner
    Cornerstone Architectural Group
    South Plainfield NJ
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Time tracking and reporting

    Posted 08-15-2014 09:33 AM
    Dear Mark,

    We are a small firm with a staff that varies from 3-6 persons, and we have used QuickBooks for all of the functions that you mention.  We still do custom invoicing, and prefer to do forecasting with excel.  We like QuickBooks because it is a user friendly platform with plenty of useful features, and is relatively inexpensive.

    Out of curiosity, I am going to check into Mavenlink.

    Best,

    -------------------------------------------
    Vincent Pieri AIA
    Director
    Pieri + Associates, PSC
    San Juan
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Time tracking and reporting

    Posted 08-18-2014 07:03 PM
    We are a small firm with 4 people and 2 part-time interns and we use Praesto A/E.  There have been some posts about Archioffice and for us it was a choice between ArchiOffice and Praesto.  Either one will do fine, we chose Praesto based on technical assistance.  This software tracks projects, hours, proposals, consultants, expsenses, reimbursables, project profit, generates invoices and links to QB.  These types of software are definately a must for any sized firm...

    -------------------------------------------
    Cesar Santoy AIA
    Principal
    Studio ARQ, LLC
    Chicago IL
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    Original Message