5 Ways to Speed Up Your Field Management

Let me run a scenario by you and let me know if it sounds familiar.  

Say you’re managing a construction project and running a site inspection, when something catches your eye: the contractors built a doorway, but you worry it might be in the wrong spot. You ask the foreman, and they show you the sheet off which they based their work. But the way it was authored includes some ambiguity, and the door’s exact positioning could be interpreted in two different ways. 

So, to confirm whether a mistake was made and if rework is warranted, you’ll need to write up an RFI, which is par for the course when it comes to field management. 

In days past, you’d have to take a note before moving on to the next part of your inspection. Then – perhaps hours later – you’d return to your office and write up an RFI based on your memory, your notes, and your ability to describe the exact problem you saw. Finally, the architect who authored the sheet would be able to process your request and return a definitive answer. But we’re living in the age of smart phones and project information apps like Newforma Konekt Mobile, which provide an easier, less time-intensive way to resolve these sorts of contract administration workflows and reduce the risk of human error!  

With PIM platforms like Newforma Konekt taking their contract administration, email management and issue tracking on the go with you through the implementation of a mobile companion access to their complete project data where they may be app, they’ve given AECO project teams all over the world. 

As the companion app to Newforma Konekt  Newforma Konekt Mobile gives AECO project teams all over the world access to their complete project data whenever and wherever they may be. Newforma Konekt unifies conversations, project files, action items, and contractual workflows into a single cloud-hosted platform, while at the same time providing a history of the project from conception to completion. The mobile app connects to your Newforma Konekt account and provides full visibility on the status of issues and action items, RFIs, and submittals to help you make informed decisions in record time wherever you may be. 

On top of managing specific issue and construction administration workflows, Newforma Konekt’s mobile app also empowers users by rendering all their project communications instantly available at a moments’ notice. 

One of the Newforma Konekt mobile app’s most important features has to be the ability for users in the field and other team members to create, add issues or log RFIs and submittals right from their mobile device.  

Say you spot an issue on the field during a review or have a question regarding a particular material needed to complete the project, you can easily set that up with your mobile phone in a few moments. There’s no need to take notes and transcribe them back at the office: you can log your inquiries on the spot during your inspection. You can even snap a few pictures within your phone’s camera and instantly attach it to the RFI, submittal or issue and send it off to the relevant stakeholders. Within a few moments you’ve just won back up to 10 minutes of your time that is otherwise lost hours travelling between the job site and the office; reincorporating it all into your workflow, while ensuring the information is fresh and accurate. 

Being able to quickly file and track and RFI, submittal or issue could be the difference between keeping a project running smoothly, or a lengthy delay in a vital part of the project. But being able to respond while on the go provides that extra layer of flexibility that can help keep projects on schedule and avoid those needless delays. 

Rather than having to wait to get back to your desk, or go pop open your laptop to go over all the project details, you can consult all your project emails and respond to the RFI or submittal on the spot. With just a few clicks, you can include all the necessary information, visuals and contacts necessary and send off your official response within seconds. The response is logged within the project record and redirected to the relevant stakeholders, ensuring seamless collaboration and avoiding costly human errors. 

Nothing is more stressful than being in a crisis and having to comb over thousands of emails to find one crucial piece of information, while the clock ticks away.  

With the Email Activity Center inside Newforma Konekt’s mobile app, project emails can be available and can be accessed within seconds. Users can view the emails filed for a given project directly from the mobile app. You can also count on robust search & filter options to quickly find the email that you’re looking for, looking through project email chains or stakeholder exchanges to uncover that minute information you were looking for. Don’t remember the name of the email or who was part of it? No problem. With Newforma Konekt, you can search through project email chains by keyword; getting you to the information you need. 

Having a full view and quick access to your project communications helps put you and your team in the driver’s seat; allowing you to get the information you need precisely when you need it. 

Because Newforma Konekt Mobile is built for more than just field management, it also comes with offline functionality for when job-site access to the Internet is spotty or non-existent.  

In practice, this means that even in areas without internet connection, you can keep track of action items and issue updates from your phone, and they will update and sync with your project as soon as you reconnect to a Wi-Fi or cell network covered areas. Also, when sending or receiving pictures, each one can be up to 15 MB, and the app will issue a warning before letting you download or upload them if you are on a cell network, so that you don’t end up using more cellular data by mistake. 

In short, anyone on your team can use Newforma Konekt Mobile with a minimal learning curve, while speeding up their usual RFI or submittal workflow.  

Learn more about how Newforma Konekt’s mobile features can revolutionize your field management process today.