The Core Application:
The core application, in addition to providing specific functionality, identifies the number of users for your system. Sage utilizes a concurrent user model. This means that if you have a 2 user system- you can have as many users on the system as you want but only 2 users can be in the system at the same time. We encourage you to begin your system with a reasonable, yet conservative, number of users. Additional users are easy to add and can be accomplished very quickly. Additional applications (like Estimating) extend the functionality of your solution but do not increase the number of concurrent users. This is done through the core application. The core application includes:
General Ledger- This is the backbone of the accounting system. Our full featured General Ledger allows for a multi company environment, departmental reporting, full accrual reporting, period control, reversing and special entries and one of the best audit trails in the business.
Accounts Payable- This application is construction specific. In addition to routine purchases, you can deal with Lien Waivers, Insurance tracking and other key vendor payment controls, partial and joint checks, retention control and on-demand checks. Designed to operate the way a contractor wants- tightly controlled, yet responsive to special needs.
Accounts Receivable/Billing- Use as a marketing, sales contact, and document management tool, as well as for managing receivable accounts
- Progress Billing- Calculate percentage-of-completion line item billing and print on the AIA G702 and G703 forms—or create your own customized billing.
- Time and Materials Billing- Use accrued job costs for a project as the basis for billing. Meet unique time and materials billing requirements with flexible markups. A must for contractors who perform time and materials work.
- Unit Price Billing- Predominately used in the heavy/highway area, our unit price billing gives your client the information they require- in the format they want it.
Payroll- If your company has field labor; you understand the importance of paying your people correctly- the first time. Our construction payroll application delivers- certified and prevailing wage reporting, workers compensation control, flexible tax calculations, includes complex city and other locality taxes. In addition, we can handle Unions and Cafeteria plans, salaried benefits (like vacation and sick accruals) and our reporting is very responsive. For those that need it, we can even calculate your labor cost daily.
Project Management- This is a comprehensive gathering of functionality for managing your work. Among the key components:
- Job Costing- The heart of good project control, job cost allows your people to quickly see where your jobs are and where they are headed. We furnish over 100 Job cost reports with the system but we can also tailor reports to meet your requirements. And the information we can keep on your jobs is pretty much limited only by your imagination!!
- Document Control- Don’t lose track of important documents. Gain easy access to correspondence and accurate project plans, hot lists, punch-list items, and daily field reports. We help you control 9 key areas.
- Change Orders- Update your contract, budget, and subcontracts in just one step. Because you can approve each part of the change independently, you can still negotiate subcontracts after approval of the prime contract.
- Subcontracts- We help you better control your subcontractors with complete information and tracking of your subcontractors and the work you have hired them to perform.
- Purchasing- Buying out your job up front can save time and money down the road and insure that materials are there when you need them. Our full featured Purchasing helps you control material costs-quickly and easily.
- Project Work Center- Our Project Work Center acts as THE key control center for your Project Managers and Superintendents. All key information and “to-dos” are in one spot, so your team knows exactly who needs to what. Make sure nothing slips through the cracks. This one feature could pay for the system!!
- Forecasting- It’s nice to know where we are on a job- it’s more important to know where we will end up. We give you tools to manage labor hours, units of production and budget vs. actual cost comparisons to drive cost at completion projections.
- Budgets and Proposals- We provide tools to enter and update your job budgets so you know exactly how you plan to execute your job, We also provide tools to help you prepare and present professional quality presentations to your clients.
Equipment Management- Allocate equipment costs to jobs, and track repair costs, earned income, and maintenance. Categorize equipment by type, and set hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly rates for time and materials billing.
Report & Forms Designer- We include a powerful report and forms design tool to help you tailor the information you receive to better meet your needs. We can help you in this process as much or as little as you need us. We want you in a position to respond to customer and key partners (like you bank or bonding company) to provide the information they need.
Utilities- Sage Master Builder has developed utilities to help you use your system more effectively. Everything from a report scheduler that e-mails your reports when you want them sent, to the ability to easily copy everything from job set-up to entire companies, we have included convenience features to make your job easier.
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Estimating/Scheduling
This is an additional application and is not included in the core application. This application allows you to better control the critical activities involved with acquiring and planning new work for your company. Best of all, all the information you create here feeds critical activities “downstream”- purchasing, subcontracts, budgets and proposals.
Estimating: Combining spreadsheet ease and the power of an intelligent database, the estimating application allows you to decrease the time it takes you to produce an estimate and increase the accuracy and confidence you have in your bid. Key elements in this application include:
- User defined input layouts- If you want to start with a “yellow pad” method of entry- just like you do now, we can accommodate it. Then add functionality as you learn the system and want to extend its power.
- Parts and Assemblies- Maintain your pricing- quickly and easily. Price out complicated assemblies using simple dimensional takeoffs and get detailed material lists to support your buy out function
- Identify your subs and material suppliers- To make it easy and quick to buy out your job
- Simple or advanced mark-ups and calculations- You price out the job the way you want to- including variable profit and overhead applications.
Scheduling: Utilizing task durations and resource requirements identified in the estimate, quickly generate working schedules. You can also manually enter schedule information but integration with estimating can make this process quick and simple. Some key features:
- Gantt Charts- Provide a “picture: of how the job will flow. Allows people to easily understand how your job will be staged. This is an effective tool for communicating with your customer, your subs or your own staff.
- Flexible changes- Based on the critical path you identify, you can easily change the duration or starting/ending points for activities and the schedule will automatically adjust itself, so you easily understand the impact of delays or accelerations on the job.
- Subcontractor notification- Keep you subs informed as to when you need them on the job. Subcontractor notifications can be generated and transmitted automatically- to insure that your job stays on track.
- Master schedules- See all of your jobs in one place to understand how your workload will ebb and flow. This will allow you to better identify and plan for peaks, valleys, and resource constraints.
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Inventory and Service Management
This application was originally developed for our specialty clients who perform a lot of service work. The program is also being used by people outside the traditional service arena- homebuilders and generals for warranty or punch list work, developers and owners for tenant services, and equipment intensive contractors for managing preventive and on gong maintenance work. Key features:
- Work Orders- Like “mini-jobs”, we utilize work orders to manage key aspects of the work that needs to be performed. Work orders can be generated directly from estimating. This means if you use a flat rate book, we can accommodate you and speed up your quote process, yet maintain the cost control you need to maximize profitability.
- Dispatching- Managing the volume of calls you experience is a challenge. Our graphical dispatch board allows you to quickly organize and manage your workload.
- Preventive maintenance- Identify critical equipment at your client sites and deliver on your commitment to provide regular maintenance. Everything is controlled easily and you can better organize your renewal efforts in a timely manner.
- Inventory Control- Making sure you have the “right part” on hand increase your efficiency and cuts down on your call backs. Our inventory application provides the tools you need to understand where your parts are, how to price them and when to re-order. We can even help you streamline your service truck re-stocks.
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