6 Essential Construction Software Solutions

Haider Ali

Construction software

The construction management platform market will explode to $10.76 billion USD by 2025 and nearly double to $21.04 billion USD by 2032.

Real data support this trend. Construction teams recover their investment within 13 months after implementing project management software. These quick returns have convinced 35% of contractors to invest in these tools this year, while 20% plan to switch platforms. 

Our team has tested dozens of solutions, and Premier Construction Software emerges as the best choice for most construction businesses. Successful projects need more than progress tracking – they need accurate estimates that are the foundations of project success.

This piece covers the 6 top construction program management software options that match your specific needs. You’ll find everything from cloud solutions available anywhere to specialized tools that handle estimating and resource management.

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Premier Construction Software

Premier Construction Software stands out as the top choice for construction management platforms. This platform gives expandable solutions to construction companies that want to optimize their operations.

Premier Construction Software Key Features

Premier Construction Software delivers an all-in-one cloud-based construction ERP solution. The platform combines financial management, accounting, job costing, reporting, forecasting, project management, and mobile field capabilities. AI-powered automation handles invoice processing, payment matching, and data entry. You retain control with complete audit trails.

The project dashboard shows KPIs, cost summaries, and approval tracking that help you make quick decisions. Teams track project progress through interactive dashboards. These dashboards let you drill down into detailed financial data.

As per this Procore alternatives from Premier Construction Software, you can manage multiple entities and projects from one dashboard. You can consolidate financial reports, approvals, track project performance, and handle intercompany transactions. The software optimizes approval workflows for AP invoicing, RFIs, variations, purchase orders, subcontracts, tasks, and submittals.

Field teams use mobile tools to update information, document with photos, and talk to office staff right away. Premier helps with financial control by automating WIP calculations and bank reconciliations. It creates conditional/unconditional lien waivers when invoices or checks are made.

Premier Construction Software Pros

Companies using Premier save 30-40 hours per job with real-time change order management. The automated monthly draw requests to lenders save much time. Teams report saving 40 hours monthly just on invoicing.

One customer explained why they picked Premier: “We chose Premier because it offered a single system instead of needing 13 different platforms”. This collaborative effort has helped some companies become 10 times more efficient.

Users love the job dashboard because it puts all project data in one place. Many never had this with QuickBooks or Procore. The software lines up invoices with estimates perfectly. Costs go to the right categories without accountants making judgment calls.

The expense app lets staff upload and allocate employee expenses right away. This saves accounting teams lots of time. The AI partnership for AP entry has cut down processing time for many organizations.

Premier Construction Software Best For

General Contractors, Owners, and Developers of all sizes use Premier to manage their construction projects. The platform works well for small initiatives and large, global multi-project operations. Premier helps companies that struggle with scattered data, too many software systems, manual workflows, poor financial visibility, and gaps between office and field teams.

Growing construction firms that need to scale operations smoothly benefit from Premier. The platform helps businesses optimize complex workflows, whether they manage single projects or multiple entities in different regions.

Construction businesses that want financial control at both company and project levels will love Premier’s detailed job costing, forecasting, and real-time collaboration tools. The system handles unlimited companies – including LLCs, LLPs, holding companies, and joint ventures. This makes it perfect for construction businesses with complex structures.

Premier Construction Software gives construction companies the right mix of simplicity and sophistication when they’re ready to move beyond spreadsheets and disconnected systems.

Aurigo Software

Aurigo Software delivers cloud-based solutions that help manage capital infrastructure projects. The platform now manages over USD 450 billion worth of capital programs and has become the preferred choice for construction teams handling complex infrastructure initiatives.

Aurigo Software Key Features

Aurigo Masterworks Cloud excels as a complete solution built specifically for construction project management and capital planning. The platform combines multiple products that cover every stage of the project lifecycle.

The Essentials suite brings capital planning and project execution together in one solution. Local and regional government agencies find this particularly useful. Teams can create multi-year Capital Improvement Plans (CIP) with cash flow analysis and set investment priorities through weighted scoring.

The platform offers powerful tools for estimation and bidding that optimize workflows from pre-bid to contract closeout. Project tracking becomes simpler with tools that monitor issues, reduce risks, and manage costs. Users get a complete view of potential cost effects through RFIs and change orders.

Aurigo’s AI capabilities include:

  • Lumina GPT for natural language conversations with project data
  • Lumina Analytics to improve budget accuracy through historical project insights
  • Lumina Risk Manager to evaluate project data using large language models

Field teams love the mobile apps that work without an internet connection. This makes them perfect for remote construction sites where teams need to access information and update data.

Aurigo Software Pros

Users can start using Aurigo’s commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software right away with minimal setup. The system takes care of tasks that previously needed days or weeks to complete.

The accessible interface makes learning the software a breeze. A user shared: “I like the Software As a Service subscription model, and the user environment is intuitive for users (as a result, the user training has been minimal)”.

The software’s ability to connect with other systems stands out as a major benefit. Aurigo works naturally with ESRI ArcGIS, Microsoft SharePoint, SAP, Laserfiche, Peoplesoft, Primavera, and AASHTOWARE. Data flows between systems with minimal manual entry, which leads to better accuracy.

Project managers can access live insights through easy-to-update reports and dashboards. This visual approach to data presentation makes it a standout feature.

Aurigo Software Best For

Public agencies and infrastructure owners find great value in Aurigo. More than 300 customers across North America use the platform, including cities, counties, states, agencies, and construction companies.

Organizations managing large-scale capital projects see excellent results with this software. Major government entities trust Aurigo, including the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Ontario Department of Transportation, and Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Public sector projects benefit from specialized features for:

  • Water authorities are upgrading treatment plants
  • DOTs managing large highway systems
  • Airports expanding capacity
  • Cities maintain their facilities

The software includes a dedicated portal that gathers community feedback and uses AI for sentiment analysis. This feature proves valuable for organizations wanting to boost public involvement.

Bentley Systems

Bentley Systems dominates the construction software arena with powerful infrastructure engineering solutions. Notwithstanding that, Bentley provides compelling alternatives that meet specific infrastructure needs.

Bentley Systems Build Key Features

The infrastructure software lineup from Bentley has MicroStation for CAD design and collaborative iTwin Design Review for 3D model sharing. Their platform makes shared project collaboration easier through web-based interfaces you can access from any browser.

The software shines at visualization by providing:

  • Measurement tools for distances, areas, angles, and radius calculations
  • Element query capabilities for physical information and construction materials
  • Analytical data on member fixities, applied loads, and reactions

The “Plus” generation applications use AI through Bentley Copilot, which understands natural language instructions and can make complex model changes. The system keeps track of changes and maintains records of all modifications for future reference.

Bentley Infrastructure Cloud connects design, construction, and operations data throughout asset lifecycles through user-friendly dashboards and geospatial views. Teams can utilize trusted data across project phases with this integration.

Bentley Systems Build Pros

Project information remains available to field teams on mobile devices, even without an internet connection, perfect for remote construction sites. On top of that, the platform supports conversations via chat directly within 3D models. Stakeholders can annotate objects and leave specific comments.

Reviews show excellent work-life balance with a 4.1 out of 5-star rating. Users love the company’s remote work options and hands-off management approach.

Projects can see substantial savings; one organization cut 10% in working time while reducing hard copy submissions by 90%. Another project saved about 117 million CNY by using Bentley’s OpenPlant design applications.

Bentley Systems Build Best For

Bentley serves over 42,000 accounts in 189 countries, making it ideal for global infrastructure projects. 

Their solutions cover multiple sectors, including:

  • Transportation (roads, bridges, rail, transit)
  • Water and wastewater management
  • Energy production and utilities
  • Building and campus development
  • Mining operations

Complex infrastructure challenges that need detailed visualization, like bridge inspection, work exceptionally well with this system.

Organizations looking to combine physical and virtual worlds for better urban infrastructure planning will find value in Bentley’s AI-powered digital twins.

B2W Software Software

B2W Software makes heavy construction operations more efficient with digital tools that focus on estimating and field operations. B2W provides specialized solutions for heavy civil contractors.

B2W Software Key Features

B2W delivers a unified platform that combines several applications:

  • ONE Platform connects estimating, operations, and maintenance modules through a common database
  • The estimate module creates bids with built-in cost databases
  • The schedule application manages resource allocation and field assignments
  • Track element captures field performance data live
  • Maintain component handles equipment maintenance scheduling

The platform shines with its mobile functionality. Field teams can access vital information and submit data from anywhere. Their strong cloud infrastructure removes the need for costly hardware investments and makes deployment easier across organizations.

B2W stands out because it focuses on heavy construction workflows instead of trying to serve every construction sector. The system’s estimation tools include specialized databases that cover different equipment types and materials common in civil construction projects.

B2W Software Pros

Contractors who use B2W see major efficiency improvements. Field teams save hours each day by ditching paper processes. Office staff spend less time combining data from multiple sources.

Users consistently praise the software’s mobile capabilities. They love knowing how to manage projects from any device. Field supervisors can document issues with photos, update schedules, and track equipment status instantly without going back to the office.

B2W’s resource scheduling tools prevent equipment conflicts and help get the most from each piece of equipment. Companies can view activities across multiple job sites on one screen and quickly find available resources.

The software works smoothly with accounting systems like Foundation and Vista. This creates an efficient flow of data between estimating, operations, and financial systems. Companies can avoid entering data twice and get more accurate job costs.

B2W Software Best For

Heavy civil contractors who handle infrastructure projects get the most value from B2W’s specialized tools. 

The platform works exceptionally well for:

  • Highway and road construction companies
  • Utility contractors managing underground infrastructure
  • Site development operations requiring significant earthwork
  • Organizations with large equipment fleets needing maintenance tracking

Medium to large contractors with multiple crews and substantial equipment assets benefit most from B2W’s detailed approach. The software helps these organizations coordinate resources across projects while keeping track of accurate costs.

BuildOps

Commercial contractors deal with unique project coordination challenges. BuildOps provides specialized solutions that target commercial contractors specifically.

BuildOps Key Features

BuildOps brings order to chaos by centralizing project information through automated scheduling and labor tracking. The system connects procurement to submittals, which prevents ordering mistakes that can get pricey before approval. This link helps projects stay on budget and stops reorders.

The platform’s cost and resource-loaded scheduling shows contractors exactly what they spend on labor and materials, helping them dodge budget overruns. Their labor forecasting tool breaks down costs by category and crew makeup, so managers can adjust teams without surprise expenses.

Multi-trade project management stands out as a key feature that solves internal subcontracting problems by tracking revenue and profitability across departments. Companies with lots of equipment can track each piece from check-in through job transfers.

BuildOps Pros

Users love the easy-to-use interface that makes field service management simple. The software turned one company “from a patchwork of disconnected systems to a unified, cloud-based powerhouse”.

The dispatch board earns praise for changing how scheduling works and stopping miscommunication. Teams value how the platform puts all project details in one place, from bids and contracts to daily logs and change orders.

Customer service shines in reviews, with users calling the support team “fantastic” and noting that BuildOps staff “have become part of our family”. New features keep rolling out, and customers stay excited about the platform’s growth.

BuildOps Best For

Commercial contractors who manage field operations get the most from BuildOps. Companies that need up-to-the-minute job tracking with detailed reporting find it most valuable. The platform fits businesses that must watch their vehicle fleets with GPS tracking and maintenance alerts.

BuildOps’ CRM+ tools help organizations streamline sales by improving reporting, proposal creation, and estimating. Companies looking for a user-friendly platform that makes daily operations easier after training will find this system ideal.

Field teams love the offline-capable mobile app. Technicians can log work without internet access, perfect for remote sites. But companies should know that BuildOps doesn’t offer a free trial and need a custom quote request.

NEWSTAR Enterprise

NEWSTAR Enterprise, a complete solution by Constellation HomeBuilder Systems, makes residential construction project management easier. NEWSTAR still provides excellent features specifically for home builders.

NEWSTAR Enterprise Key Features

NEWSTAR serves as a single integrated software built for residential construction. The platform supports projects ranging from single-family homes to high-rise buildings, condominiums, and land development. Teams can track customer data from the first contact through production and service because the platform connects front and back offices live.

The system excels with these notable features:

  • Automated financial calculations, contract creation, and sales reporting
  • Interactive sales centers let buyers select options and track home progress
  • Integrated CRM tracks and guides leads through the sales process
  • Construction scheduling shows visual production tasks and sends automated email notifications
  • Live communication links builders, field staff, and trades on each project

The platform manages warranties through construction schedules, completion dates, and upgrade information access. Customer satisfaction improves as service time decreases during warranty periods. The software includes development control that helps maximize profits through simple analysis and cost tracking for every job.

NEWSTAR Enterprise Pros

Builders report major efficiency improvements with NEWSTAR’s simplified processes. The system merges online sales offer management with upgrade libraries for smooth option selection. Purchase orders go to trades automatically after sales close, which eliminates duplicate data entry.

Live variance analysis catches potential margin problems early. Field teams value quick notifications about critical warranty dates and changes. They can view schedules from any location.

NEWSTAR Enterprise Best For

NEWSTAR fits medium to large residential home builders best. Companies managing multiple construction workflows benefit from its scheduling, estimating, and purchasing operations.

Organizations that need integrated accounting and business intelligence find great value in NEWSTAR’s centralized approach. The platform helps companies manage product and option libraries across multiple subdivisions with different pricing structures.

The system works best for companies looking to improve customer relationships throughout the building process. NEWSTAR’s end-to-end capabilities support everything from the first sale to warranty service.

Conclusion

The right construction software can make or break your project’s success. This piece examines 6 powerful solutions that handle different aspects of construction management. These options bring unique strengths to the table, from specialized tools for heavy civil contractors to platforms built specifically for residential builders.

Premier Construction Software emerges as the top choice for most construction businesses after analyzing dozens of options. Its all-in-one approach eliminates the need for multiple systems and delivers impressive time savings, 40 hours monthly on invoicing alone tells the story. Other solutions provide valuable features for specific needs, but Premier offers the best balance of usability and detailed functionality.

Construction businesses welcome digital transformation, and with good reason, too. These tools deliver quick returns on investment, often within just 13 months. The right software creates accurate estimates and connects every aspect of your operation instead of just tracking progress. Teams work faster, make fewer mistakes, and maintain better financial control as a result.

Your specific requirements should guide your platform choice. You might need specialized features for heavy civil work or focus on residential construction. Advanced financial controls across multiple entities could be another priority. Your unique needs will point toward the best decision.

Implementation matters just as much as selection. Even the best software won’t succeed if your team resists adoption or lacks proper training. A careful rollout plan, investment in training, and celebration of early wins help build momentum.

Construction technology keeps evolving. AI-powered features like those in Premier and Aurigo will advance further. A vendor with a strong innovation track record helps future-proof your investment.

My 15 years of watching construction technology evolve show that options have never been better. These platforms can change operations for contractors of all sizes. Your journey with Premier Construction Software can help your productivity soar.

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