Construction Job Planning & Bid Estimation with Microsoft Power Apps
Client
Smartbridge’s client is becoming one of America’s fastest growing EPC contractors. Based in Texas, they are a private company offering oil field support services with an unwavering commitment to safety.
CHALLENGES
Managing Construction Projects on Legacy Systems
This construction company in the oil and gas industry faced challenges in maintaining visibility across all aspects of their construction projects due to a multitude of disparate and legacy systems. These systems, though functional, operated in a cumbersome manner, prompting the client to seek improvements.
Previously, they made an unsuccessful attempt to build a canvas app for job planning and bid estimation. Consequently, Smartbridge was entrusted with the task of to redevelop a successful construction planning Power App.
OBJECTIVES
Address the needs for Labor, Materials, Equipment and Subcontractors
The client required an application to streamline employee interaction with project estimates and “confirmed jobs”, which are project estimates that have been finalized and approved.
This application needed to manage five distinct cost centers: Labor, Materials, Equipment, Subcontractors, and Miscellaneous.
It had to present data in easily understandable grids, allow for effortless modifications, and grant users control over their permitted actions while restricting access to unauthorized areas. Input validation was essential to ensure only high-quality data was accepted. Additionally, the application needed to maintain a comprehensive log of all changes and related information. Integration with ViewPoint, their ERP system, was also necessary for seamless operations.
Power Apps Resources
THE SMARTBRIDGE SOLUTION
Significantly better in performance and design
We wanted to ensure that we fully grasped the reasons behind its shortcomings and made informed decisions from the outset. To achieve this, we conducted a series of introductory-level meetings to validate the viability of the end-to-end solution.
Initially, we designed a robust underlying data model of the application. Subsequently, we closely collaborated with the client to thoroughly review the Power App user interface, identifying areas in need of improvement.
Maintaining daily meetings with the client allowed us to stay agile and promptly address any evolving project requirements. As a result of these efforts, the final product delivered was significantly more intuitive, performed exceptionally well, and boasted an aesthetically pleasing design tailored to the needs of the client team.
We integrated the Power App with Viewpoint, a leading construction accounting platform.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Opening the door for broader innovation
Smartbridge’s solution received praise from the client project managers for its notably intuitive user interface, a significant improvement over the previous iteration.
Additionally, the new Power App enabled faster data display and modification, enhancing user efficiency. While the initial deployment of the Power App encompassed all functionalities requested by the client for phase 1, its development facilitated deeper conversations between the client and Smartbridge regarding the company’s broader business objectives. This collaborative dialogue has since fostered an expanding relationship, presenting further opportunities for modernization initiatives with the client.
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