case study

MU
F
LTI
AM
Alliance Residential Company
CLIENT: ALLIANCE RESIDENTIAL CO.
CHALLENGE: Project managers had to follow several timeconsuming steps to manage documentation and track
costs. They input information from various PDFs and Word
documents into spreadsheets, creating dual work and a
potential for human error. When numbers didn’t match up,
tracking the error was a time-consuming task.
SOLUTION: Procore cloud-based project management
software allows Alliance team members to upload project
budgets and create change orders and other documentation
in the system. The information is automatically logged so
there is no need for double entry and less room for human
error. The budget can then be analyzed directly within the
software, saving them countless hours.
ILY
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY ALLIANCE RESIDENTIAL CO.
Alliance Residential Company is one of the largest private multi-family construction
and building management companies in the United States, with offices throughout
the West, Southwest, South-Central, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast.
Headquartered in Phoenix, the company has invested in more than $10 billion worth
of real estate and manages a $14 billion portfolio with a focus toward superior local
leadership and a comprehensive national support structure.
THE QUEST TO ELIMINATE SPREADSHEETS
When Jesse Blake, Alliance Residential Project Manager, began working for the
company, he found that the company was using Microsoft Excel to manage projects.
One of his first tasks was to convince upper management to invest in project
management software. “The spreadsheets just didn’t integrate well with documents
like RFIs so, the less I had to deal with spreadsheets, the better. I knew there had to
be a better way,” Jesse says.
Seven months later, Jesse received the green light to pilot Procore’s cloud-based
project management software on a 360-unit multifamily construction project. Since
then, he has been leveraging Procore’s collaborative platform to simplify the process
by which team members—including accounting staff—track and share project data
and costs.
“The accountants no longer have to report all change order activity in an Excel
spreadsheet. Procore has cut their administrative time in half,” says Jesse. “That was a
big win for our company in terms of time savings.”
2
CASE STUDY ALLIANCE RESIDENTIAL CO.
ALLIANCE SHOWS EXCEL THE DOOR
Although Jesse is quick to point out the value of Microsoft products, he does not
believe Excel is the best tool for scheduling or logs. “An Excel log is OK as a standalone tool, but it does not integrate well with Word or PDF documents,” he explains.
The lack of communication between formats results in double entry and constant
monitoring. Team members first have to create the RFI or change order document
then they must re-input the information into an Excel log. Lastly, they must ensure
that all information stays synced through manual updates.
“I’d rather create a document and have that information logged automatically—which
is what Procore does,” says Jessie. Change orders, RFIs, and other documents are
created within the software through templates formatted to ensure users include all
information in a uniform manner. That information is automatically logged and stored
on one platform to eliminate any need for dual entry into spreadsheets.
3
CASE STUDY ALLIANCE RESIDENTIAL CO.
Spreadsheets can also become extremely complex as links and formulas are added.
“Inevitably, human error creeps in—especially with users who are not fully versed in
Excel,” Jesse says. “Links and formulas break and you could end up with information
that’s inaccurate and what’s worse is you would never know it.”
BUDGETING WITH PROCORE
Procore’s Budget Tool provides much less room for error. Cost data from submitted
documents are automatically fed into the tool, there are no embedded formulas to
break, and updates are easily tracked by date, time, and user. Jesse also worked with
Procore to add a custom feature: If a team member forgets to enter a cost code in
a change order, he is notified via an error message displayed across the top of the
budget page.
4
CASE STUDY ALLIANCE RESIDENTIAL CO.
The Budget Tool was also customized to provide exactly what Jesse needed to
manage budgets–hyperlinks to the activities and data behind the numbers. He can
click on any number in any column or cell to view the accounting data that led to that
number. “That’s huge for me,” Jesse says. “It’s a major time-saver to get that info so
quickly.” And, of course, Jesse likes that budgets can be uploaded or exported with
the click of a button.
CHANGING THE CHANGE ORDER PROCESS; FINALLY!
Procore has transformed the way Alliance Residential’s project teams handle change
orders. “We’ve left behind the email process,” Jesse explains. Instead of attaching
multiple documents to emails and relying on the email chain to deliver information,
team members—including subcontractors—can now submit change orders via
Procore. Jesse can then track all change order activity, in real time, through the
software.
“If I think there’s a potential issue, I can create a ‘change event’ to start forecasting its
impacts on the budget,” Jesse says. “As we gain information and the process moves
forward to either approving or denying the change order, we just follow the workflow
process [in Procore]. Basically, I attach the documents to the change order, and our
account manager is notified through Procore and takes it from there.” Subcontractors
can also see their change orders with attachments in Procore; and because the
software is cloud-based, it’s easy to access the information from the project site—or
anywhere, for that matter.
“It saves time, it’s organized and standardized to reduce human error, and it provides
better value when sharing across the company as opposed to other file-sharing
mechanisms,” says Jesse.
5
CASE STUDY ALLIANCE RESIDENTIAL CO.
ACHIEVING A BETTER WAY TO MANAGE PROJECTS.
Jesse took on the pilot project in September 2013. It was so successful that both the
company’s Denver and Arizona offices began using Procore within a year. Jesse’s own
San Diego office began using Procore for all their projects in 2015.
“We’re now experimenting with setting up bid packages in Procore, and using the
software to distribute them to subcontractors,” says Jesse. By moving the bid process
to Procore, contractors no longer have to email bid quotes and Jesse no longer has
to download and file those documents to later analyze bids in a spreadsheet. The
information is automatically logged, saving countless hours for Jesse and the rest of
the Alliance team.
Expanding Alliance Residential’s use of Procore’s comprehensive platform will
build upon the company’s success in implementing a beginning-to-end project
management solution. By using a collaborative platform, the company is well on its
way to eliminating troublesome spreadsheets, and all the associated hassle, thereby
achieving the “better way” Jesse was searching for.
6
CASE STUDY ALLIANCE RESIDENTIAL CO.
“
Procore saves time,
it’s organized and
standardized to
”
reduce human error.
Jesse Blake
Project Manager
7
Everything on One Powerful Platform.
Procore offers the most comprehensive construction platform, combining drawing, financial and quality
management into one application. We’ve put the power of complete construction management into your
hands with a mobile solution that keeps everyone in sync. Build collaboration from bidding to closeout with
unlimited users, implementation assistance, online training, and unmatched customer support.
Let your drawings take the lead, while efficiency, productivity, and faster building times follow.
Procore Technologies, Inc.
6309 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria, CA 93013
866-477-6267 // www.procore.com