Prior to implementing SiteSense® Software, construction material planners and coordinators typically found themselves managing updates from many sources via multiple spreadsheets with complex links between each spreadsheet. Material availability can change throughout the project due to re-prioritized construction sequences, new vendor delivery dates and modifications to the installation work packages, to name just a few of the sources of change.  Without the use of automated materials management software, the task to keep everything updated becomes overwhelming and in turn, forecasting if the materials are on-hand to issue for construction becomes next to impossible without a lot of staff and coordination.  These manual methods usually result in over-ordering and re-ordering materials, reducing the project margin for the contractor and most likely adding time to the project schedule.  Even if the material can be allocated to a work package or a field material request, finding the current location of the material is another topic to be covered in a future article.

From a forecasting perspective, SiteSense® Materials Management Software can determine priorities for materials required by different contractors or construction areas that have similar installation deadlines. SiteSense® determines the optimal material selection with an advanced and automated trial allocation system. This allows material coordinators to predict material shortfalls and the impact on your current construction plans.  For materials that are available for field issue, they can be quickly located with map-based pick tickets automatically generated from SiteSense®, whether it be an outdoor storage location or a room in a sky-rise building.

SiteSense® Materials Management Software can easily handle scenarios that range from highly complex (multiple contractors, construction areas and hundreds of thousands of materials) to the more basic project where just getting a handle on storage material locations (even for bulk materials such as drywall or pipe) would make a large cost reduction by not having to over-order or re-order materials, resulting in a lower cost to the contractor and client.  SiteSense® removes the need for paper-based construction data recording and adds tried and true processes to materials management with the addition of Web and mobile technologies.  The Web and mobile tools allow for real-time data entry via Android and Apple devices helping to keep contractor costs low, productivity high and the project on schedule.  With SiteSense® ERP adapters, material receipts can flow directly into ERP systems for payment to vendors, whether it be SAP, Oracle, Sage or any other purchasing system.  When material forecasting is required, SiteSense allocates materials based on planned installation date, priority and availability by using real-time data management techniques.

For more information on how SiteSense® software can help make your project more successful, contact Intelliwave at inquiries@intelliwavetechnologies.com for a demo and pricing.