Integrating construction cost estimating software with construction scheduling software

Abstract

The o b j e c t i f of t h i s r e p o r t was t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e i n t e g r a t i o n of c o n s t r u c t i o n c o s t e s t i m a t i n g software w i t h c o n s t r u c t i o n s c h e d u l i ng s o f t w a r e. The l i t e r a t u r e search performed provided l i t t l e i n f o r m a t i o n on t h i s type of i n t e g r a t i o n . There i s abundant i n f o r m a t i o n on o t h er t y p e s of s o f t w a r e i n t e g r a t i o n and on s o f t w a r e i n t e g r a t i o n i n g e n e r a l (see b i b l i o g r a p h y ) but none on t h i s type of i n t e g r a t i o n. An a c t u a l i n t e g r a t i o n was evaluated using T i m b e r l i n e Software C o r p o r a t i o n p r o d u c t s . The i n t e g r a t i o n proved t o be f a s t e r and e a s i e r than the c u r r e n t method of t r a n s f e r i n g i n f o r m a t i o n by r e p o r t s between e s t i m a t i n g s o f t w a r e programs and s c h e d u l i ng s o f t w a r e programs. A telephone survey of c o n t r a c t o r s members of t h e New Brunswick C o n s t r u c t i o n A s s o c i a t i o n on the use of t h i s type of s o f t w a r e was p e r f o r m e d . The survey r e s u l t s show t h a t 29% c o m p u t e r i z e t h e ir e s t i m a t i n g and 15% computerize t h e i r s c h e d u l i n g . F o r t y - n i ne p e r c e n t f e e l t h a t t h i s type of i n t e g r a t i o n would be u s e f u l f or t h e i r company. T h i s t y p e of i n t e g r a t i o n i s needed i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n i n d u s t r y b u t do t o a number o f f a c t o r s i t won't be used by most c o n t r a c t o rs i n the near f u t u r e.