When to Implement or Upgrade Project Management Software - Risk Management Software: Contracts, Claims, Insurance, Incidents, Litigation, Safety, OSHA, Warranty

How do project managers know when it’s time to implement or upgrade online project management software?

Even when using project software over time, project staff can sometimes become set in certain patterns when managing a project that are don’t quite maximize the possible efficiencies that may be utilized with project software. Problems often lay lurking within basic project software and management processes that go unnoticed, as they are not obvious. Depending on the size of the project, different levels of project controls should be implemented to ensure that basic project management practices remain smooth and cost efficient. One project management method
that worked well for a small scale project may be inefficient and costly when used for a project twice the size. That is why A1Enterprise designed online project management software to service companies and projects of various sizes. Before implementing our strong>online project management software, we like to understand the nature and scope of the project tracking as well as the project management staff the customer has available for tracking project data. These types of conditions should also be considered when determining whether or not certain project process should be changed to better suit project management needs.

How Does Staffing for Project Management Impact Using Online Project Management Software?

Project management software, no matter what type, has requirements for project data input. The level of details and accuracy a project manager requires will determine how accurate and how well a project manager can report on project costs and resource costs. The more details a project manager requires to be tracked on a project, the more flexibility a project manager has when using project management software to view project cost data to resolve problematic tasks, costs, or project activities. For example, if a task is over budget, the project manager may not
understand why when all the project manager has to work with is a budget and actual cost. When compared to so many online project management software systems, ours give project managers necessary information to reveal specific events, people, or activities that occurred on the project that created problems of higher than expected project costs, project change orders, or project schedule delays. If a project manager is unable to staff to track the amount of information required to understand project problem areas, A1 Enterprise supports project managers with project analysts. A1 Enterprise project analysts report to our customers and ensure data in the A1 Tracker is managed in such a way that accommodates a project budget as well as project tracking requirements. If a project manager prefers not staff for managing project information, and yet such project information must be tracked, A1 Enterprise supports the customer when processing project costs, invoices, project change orders, budget requests, and budget approvals.

What are the Symptoms that Indicate it’s Time to Implement or Upgrade Project Management Software?

As the volume of project data increases, so does the number of emails, documents, and phone calls a project manager, or project manager assistant must manage. At some point, a project manager must step back from the daily process and ask two questions:

“Is there anything I did today on my computer that could be done automatically”?
“Is there anyone I emailed information to or gave information to over the phone that could potentially get such information without going through me”?

In many cases, the answer is Yes to both questions,however when a project manager continues to operate in the same manner without asking such questions, when project volume increases the project manager starts feeling overwhelmed thinking that’s simply a byproduct of the increase in volume. As project volume increases, when a project manager asks such questions, and then adjusts the project management process accordingly, not only does the project manager increase the potential of project management, but the project manager has less catch-up work to do down the line because the project management process is maintained. The problem A1 Enterprise often observes is in the mind set that a project management process is static, once defined, and is then left to operate while the business requirements and project management requirements continue to evolve. A1 Enterprise designed the A1 Tracker to give project managers tools to maintain project management processes as it evolves over time. This supports project growth and expansion thereby keeping projects under control at all times without having to play catchup on project management process maintenance. Project management processes are as dynamic as the company using it. A1 Enterprise is here to provide more than just project management software, but to provide a business with a dynamically evolving project management process that with matching project management software needs.

What are the Activities that Indicate it’s Time to Implement or Upgrade Project Management Software?

If you are a project manager and are wondering if it’s time for you to contact A1 Enterprise for a project software consultation we recommend observing the following questions and see what below situations apply to your current project management processes:

How much time do you spend tracking multiple project spreadsheets, sending and relaying emails, and word documents to communicate task specifications and requirements? How much more efficient will projects and tasks
be to manage with one software that shares such documents and send emails to all of those involved on the project?
How much time do your staff members spend tracking manually hand written employee time cards to track employee time? If so, how much more efficient would your time card process be with online time cards?
How much time is spent tracking invoices from vendors and suppliers sent via fax or email and in different formats? If so, how much more would your
project management process be with an online software for vendors and contractors to input costs upload invoices in one consistent format and
location so invoices and cost data is not scattered across faxes emails?
How much time is spent reporting to customers your task progress, due dates,
budgets, or costs? If so, how much more efficient would it be for you to let project customers access their project data?
How much time is spent on project reporting to ensure which contractors or employees are on budget?
How much time is spent reviewing historical project budgets in a different work sheet? If so, how much more efficient would it be to put all project budgets into one project software to report on a total budget for all
projects company wide?
Do you know how much profit you make on an employee or contractor and how much overhead you spend on project administrative tasks? If not, how much could you reduce project costs by taking corrective action once understanding your detailed sources of project costs?