Our current culture is defined by technology. We live our lives between live Twitter updates and decisions are made instantly via email and text messages. A technologically savvy culture means we live in a world that is constantly updating. To compete in this world it’s critical that the right technology tools are used to ensure you’re not missing critical information.
The world of construction management has been altered by the incorporation of technology into our daily culture. What used to look like Excel spreadsheets and notebooks full of illegible scribbles is now an easy to use software application. What used to take days and sometimes weeks to process is now accomplished at the click of a few buttons. Payments are made instantly and emails are received in moments. Construction management software has redefined the jobs of contractors, construction managers and owners enabling the whole project team to react faster to changing project conditions.
In a constantly updating world of choices, though, how do you select the best construction management software? While each software is unique, offering numerous perks and benefits, one initial decision should be deciding between a Locally Install Software or Software as a Service (SaaS).
Locally installed software was made popular by IBM in the 1980’s as a program that was installed on a computer within the office. As the software was updated frequently each quarter an update was available for purchase. Questions or support for the software were also available for an additional charge. Once installed the purchasing company would build an IT team to manage the software, support the users and install the regular updates. Today locally installed software works the same and comes with an even higher price tag due to the cost of software, hardware and personnel; not to mention management’s time to direct and monitor this department. Locally Installed software these days is primarily used by companies who have not updated their software in years, unaware of the newer deployment methods like SaaS.
SaaS is a cloud based method of deploying software. Unlike downloadable software (locally installed current deployment option) SaaS allows users to leave the world of long downloads and finicky installations behind. With cloud based software, users log on to the software website using the computers they already have. No new hardware purchases required. Once logged into the software they instantly have access to all their information. SaaS is sold as a subscription model so users only pay for the time period they need the software for resulting in no large upfront costs and, as the software is constantly being updated, all new features are provided for free. This ensures that SaaS teams are always using the best software available. SaaS also comes with support relieving many firms already overloaded IT teams of additional burden. Finally, SaaS is fully customizable and accessible across all devices. SaaS teams can access their information anytime and anywhere, 24/7.
When comparing SaaS vs. Local Install many firms choose to select the method that provides the highest benefits at the lowest cost – SaaS. With full support, no large hardware costs and free updates SaaS ensures your software is working as hard as you are. To learn more about SaaS Construction Management software please check out www.facsware.com.