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All-in-One Solution

With budgets tight in the current economy, no company can afford to waste time and resources on redundant work. That's why Noel Ferrell, owner of Ferrell Concrete LLC, Hainesport, N.J., looked for a comprehensive construction-focused software solution that could manage her company's finances. 

After looking at the bottom line, Ferrell realized the company's use of QuickBooks was costing time and money, while lacking the much-needed details that could help them work more efficiently.
 
“We were making costly mistakes,” says Ferrell. “Using QuickBooks, we had no control of job costing, lacked detailed reporting capabilities, and couldn't track our wins or losses, labor, materials, change orders, or any other important business data. To keep at pace with the activity in the field and managing a busy office, we often overlooked issues or the problems were reported too late to do anything. We were underbidding or overbidding and had no real-time, accurate data to help us figure out why or how to fix it.”
 
Seeking a comprehensive solution, Ferrell turned to Maxwell Systems, King of Prussia, Pa. Its ProContractorMX software application allows Ferrell Concrete to manage takeoffs and estimating with job cost accounting and project management.
 
Before switching over, Ferrell Concrete ran into a number of errors and inaccuracies using a basic accounting program. Because the combination of software tools didn't allow the staff to catch errors, materials for a job were bid too low, even though the correct supply was ordered, resulting in loss of profit. Similarly, unidentified change orders caused the company to lose money on projects. Using the new software, project managers now can monitor project budgets, costs, billing, and accounting data simultaneously.
 
Handling payroll also was a daunting and time-consuming task due to the complex payroll scenarios common to the construction industry, such as Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations and workers' compensation. “Every week the program incorrectly calculated the residence wage tax for one of our employees. It was never accurate and created so much extra work. It took us hours to do certified payroll for just 25 to 30 guys,” says Ferrell. The new software suite reduces redundant data entry and improves accuracy by retaining the correct information for employees.
 
Before upgrading, Ferrell Concrete had to create manual reports, often going without key data. The new software solution eliminates this tedious task by providing powerful reports with real-time information. Ferrell believes this alone has improved their ability to make educated business decisions.
 
With a better understanding of finances, Ferrell Concrete has been able to identify new profit areas and ways to diversify, without needing additional software components. Equipment usage costs now are tracked, allowing the contractor to bill them directly to a project. When Ferrell opened an equipment rental company, the venture's management quickly integrated into the existing system.
 
Even though investing in administrative costs during a struggling economic climate, Ferrell found it to be a sound business investment. “We've had to downsize our staff and diligently watch our budgets,” she says. “I can't even imagine how much time we save with an all-in-one solution.”
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Sigfusson Northern LTD

Sigfusson Northern LTD uses Maxwell Systems StreetSmarts as its job cost accounting and project management software solution. With StreetSmarts, SNL manages all of the accounting practices and job costs for their seven entities across the U.S. and Canada; maintain information in one place, in one format; manage payroll in-house; track and bill equipment expenses; and streamline workflow between the office and job sites.

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Our Story of Complete Construction Software

Maxwell Systems provides construction software solutions that help contractors to streamline workflow, increase productivity, and improve profitability. Furthermore, we understand that today's contractors must optimize processes across all business areas to gain or maintain an increasingly important competitive edge and ensure a successful business. Critical, to that end, is timely and efficient communication and information access among estimating, job cost accounting, and project management teams.

By using a Maxwell Systems complete construction software solution, you'll be able to better operate your business with increased efficiency and streamlined operations, and confidently increase profitability on every project. You will have the tools you need to accomplish more in less time; taking the guesswork out of reaching true profit potential; and improving financial stability for long-term benefit.

Why Maxwell Systems?

Maxwell Systems is truly unique with its ability to offer contractors a complete, seamless software solution that allows:

  • A new level of continuity and productivity among estimating, job cost accounting, and project management
  • Better insight, analysis, and financial oversight for owners to make informed and timely decisions
  • Improved operational efficiencies, cost reductions, and increased profits

Contractors value having an end-to-end solution from one company:

  • All applications work together seamlessly
  • Efficient access to comprehensive support and services
  • A stable technology partner committed to customer success

How Your Business Benefits

A complete construction software solution from Maxwell Systems provides end-to-end control of your business so you can see a day's profit potential at a glance, identify and prevent potential financial losses, spot discrepancies and errors, and manage projects with accurate information in real-time.

With tailored features designed to fit each member on your team, construction company management software ultimately allows your business to:

  • Attain end-to-end control and increased visibility
  • Achieve easy and accurate reporting with real-time data
  • Optimize project execution for maximum profitability
  • Streamline operations with seamless workflow

The Bid-to-Cash Cycle Explained

Managing each of the key process areas of a construction business – Estimating, Construction Accounting, and Project Management – requires vastly different talents and areas of expertise. The reality is that each of these functional groups is related and dependent on one another.

For your organization to run in an optimal fashion, the groups much work together in an optimal fashion. Together, these functional areas compromise what we describe as the Bid-to-Cash Cycle. And our goal at Maxwell Systems is to provide software for construction so you can bridge the needs of the functional groups, better manage this cycle, and so maximize profitability.

When construction estimating software, construction accounting software, and construction project management software are working together in a seamless system as a complete construction business management software solution, then a contractor is truly poised for optimal profit and productivity.

How does a complete solution fit your part of the cycle? Here are a few examples:

  • Owner: It's all about reducing waste, uncovering lost opportunity, exposing shortcomings, and maximizing resources – all which impact profit and the bottom line. With end-to-end visibility of every project, executives can hone business strategy, improve control of cash flow, and keep financials in the black with accurate ROI.
  • Estimator: Beyond estimating projects, the estimator can access more accurate information in regards to how the project actually performs. This will allow the estimator to improve accuracy on future estimates with actual labor and production rates, updated material prices, and other resource related items.
  • Accounting: Not only a company's construction accounting system, a complete solution helps to streamline the procurement processes for optimal efficiencies and produces more accurate purchasing processes. Additionally, billing processes, inventory issuances, and many other processes are streamlined. Less data entry, better accuracy, and reliable audit trail allow convenience and peace of mind.
  • Project Manager: The seamless workflow from Estimating to Project Tracking allows for a streamlined method of creating the job and then tracking performance against the estimate. Within the complete solution, the construction project management programs also provide the detail required for the Project Manager to understand what the Estimator was thinking when the bid was put together. Plus, by accessing real-time information whether in the office or in the field, the project manager can track progress, be more agile, and better handle all aspects of jobs from beginning to end.

Bottom Line

To succeed in today's competitive marketplace, construction business owners must improve productivity and have end-to-end visibility to see how jobs perform (and turn profit) from start to finish. Maxwell Systems knows construction company software and can be your partner by offering truly unique products (as well as support and services) that address the entire construction project lifecycle – from digital takeoff through final cash payment. Our seamless system provides your company with all the capabilities you need for estimating, job cost accounting, and project management, and ultimately for superior insight and analysis of your business.

Imagine the flexibility and insight by having one solution for estimating projects, for construction accounting programs, and for construction project software! All that and more in one system will help your business be more competitive and profitable.

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