Software products continue to improve in terms of helping firms manage critical information, projects, and people in addition to streamlining the design process. Keep abreast of the latest offerings to help make your firm more competitive in the marketplace.

In response to an open invitation from Structural Engineering & Design, a number of companies provided the following information about their products. Company web addresses are provided for immediate access to additional information. To participate in Structural Engineering & Design Specifiers Guides, visit www.gostructural.com/specguide

Autodesk’s (www.autodesk.com) Buzzsaw collaboration software as a service helps architecture, engineering, and construction firms centralize and coordinate project-related documents and data at the outset of the building information modeling (BIM) process. This service allows firms to make more timely decisions and exchange more up-to-date information among project members, promoting the successful execution of building and infrastructure projects.

When connected with ProjectWise, project teams are better equipped to manage, publish, and review project information, according to it’s maker, Bentley Systems, Inc. (www.bentley.com). Teams optimize information access and automate manual processes to streamline collaboration. The company says teams gain greater insight into change and the history of change, and they remove the friction of information reuse with seamless application integration.

BillQuick efficiently manages employee, client, and project information — including document management, budgets, Gantt charts, work-in-process, and accounts receivable, BQE Software Inc.’s (www.bqe.com) product documentation states. BillQuick allows unlimited billing rates for employees, tasks, and projects. Invoice-based for time-and-materials, fixed fee, percent complete, and recurring, BillQuick accommodates phasing and billing against retainers. BillQuick also integrates with QuickBooks.

Paperless document management for construction and engineering firms is made simple using ColumbiaSoft’s (www.documentlocator.com) Document Locator software, the company states. The system includes file versioning, workflow, remote access, real-time searching, security with logging, and more. Integration with Microsoft Windows, Office, SharePoint, AutoCAD, and other applications makes the system easy to use.

Construction Communicator (www.constructioncommunicator.com) is web-based software that enables structural engineers to track contract administration documentation for submittals, requests for information, responses, etc. The status of each document is easily accessible, speeding communication. E-mails alert the engineer each time the architect forwards a submittal online. The engineer can enter and forward the comments online.

The DYOB — Design Your Own Bridge — program from CONTECH Construction Products Inc. (www.contech-cpi.com) now has the ability to provide drawings for structural plate and truss shapes, in addition to CON/SPAN and BEBO precast arch structures. DYOB is the exclusive online design tool that allows users to input parameters and receive a schematic bridge drawing via e-mail within minutes.

CyberMatrix’ (www.cybermatrix.com) Timesheets is a Windows-based, multi-user timesheet entry application that allows employees to quickly enter their time spent on various projects and tasks. Timesheets is ideal for engineering offices and other project-driven businesses wishing to replace paper-based timesheet entry. The timesheet entry screen looks like a standard timesheet entry form.

KinnosaONE by First Trace (www.firsttrace.com) is a family of engineering document management software products built on industry standards and a service-oriented architecture that streamlines design activities by removing common documentation breakdowns and automating repetitive manual processes. The inclusion of Kinnosa Workflow allows engineers to manage business processes along with critical documentation.

Hyland Software (www.hyland.com) develops OnBase, an enterprise content management software suite. First used in 1991, OnBase is known for solving problems related to time-consuming, costly, and manual tasks. Today, people at more than 9,000 organizations in 60 countries use the software.

Meridian Systems (www.meridiansystems.com) says its Prolog is an industry-standard software solution for construction project control and transparency. Prolog provides robust construction project management by automating aspects of the construction lifecycle, from project design to close out.

Newforma (www.newforma.com) serves architects and engineers with software to streamline project information management without changing the information technology infrastructure or the ways in which people work. Its flagship product, Newforma Project Center, is the industry’s only single-source means to organize and share all project information across all projects for all team members, the company claims.

Oracle (www.oracle.com) provides a complete, integrated set of solutions to meet the complex needs of the engineering and construction industry. Oracle’s solutions for engineering and construction include Oracle CRM On Demand, the Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle’s JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, Oracle’s JD Edwards World, Oracle’s Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management, Oracle’s AutoVue Enterprise Visualization, Oracle Universal Content Management, and Project and Financial Management Dashboards.

Tekla Structures (www.tekla.com) for construction management is a BIM-based project management solution. It supports contractors, sub-contractors, and project and construction management professionals, helping them centralize, visualize, and manage project information. The solution enables streamlined communication and decision-making throughout various phases of the construction process from design, detailing, and construction, to project handover.