Keeping up with the scheduled timeline and budget on a large architecture project is a full-time job, and your time can certainly be invested into something better.

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We hear you!

The pressure of finishing everything right on time while staying profitable is constant. Yet, it’s not rare that unforeseen things happen and catch you off guard.

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This is the environment in which a combination of remote working tools like automatic time mapping (ATM) and BIM (Building Information Modeling) can thrive. Essentially, it helps you save time and money - finish projects more efficiently and increase revenue.

What is an ATM?

In our context, automated time mapping is a time tracking software for architects which gives you a detailed overview of every second your team has spent working on a project.

The bigger your team, and your company get the harder it will be to keep up with every step of the project. Without lifting a finger, your employees will track every second they spent designing, while you and the managers will receive regular reports to make project management easier.

Time management is essential when it comes to BIM projects, and once you start tracking your time automatically with remote working tools you’ll ask yourself how you ever worked without it.

Integrating BIM and ATM

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Digitalization didn’t go around the architecture industry. Architects today are highly dependent on different hardware and software, including BIM tools. Everything you’re doing takes time, projects are divided into tasks, and there are so many outputs coming from each project portion. It can be quite difficult managing all that, while still carrying on your usual duties.

The integration of BIM and ATM offers you a clear, bigger picture of everything your team is working on. It makes communication easier, helps with collaboration and adds transparency. Besides that, it helps you assess current and future projects more accurately.

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1. Budget Management

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In the architecture industry, it’s quite common to get paid by the hour. Besides, missing deadlines bring notable penalties. With automated AutoCAD time tracking, you’ll make sure every billable second is counted and paid for. Additionally, you can track project progress to make sure your team is sticking to the schedule so you can avoid missing a deadline.

These calculations are extremely accurate, which means you’ll be able to make more profitable decisions as well as plan project resources accordingly.

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2. Avoiding Conflicts

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Automatic time tracking tools for architects are a great safety net in case of contractual conflicts with clients. They provide you with the proof of work you need, in case clients try to pay for less hours than you put in.

Additionally, if there are errors on the project, you can always take a look into the history panel and check which one of your employees was working on that portion of the project.

At the same time, you can also avoid internal conflicts. Given that everyone’s task is clearly defined and outlined within the software.

3. Better Team Communication and Collaboration

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Collaboration and coordination are paramount to the success of any architecture project, especially when there are multiple stakeholders involved.

When you integrate an ATM with your BIM, you can improve the ways your team interacts and streamline communication, file sharing, and accountability across the board.

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• Communication - With an ATM you have a centralized source of data which all project stakeholders can access for real-time insights. That means anyone who needs a status update can get one without interrupting anyone in the team. Project managers can easily share productivity reports, task assignments, and any urgent news with the team so there’s very little risk of miscommunications.
• File sharing - File sharing is the foundation of many successful projects as while it may be a simple process, but one that’s easy to overcomplicate. With overlap between your BIM and ATM, you can make sure everyone has access to the documents they need as soon as they become available.
• Accountability - Most people work best when they feel accountable. It can be a sense of accountability to themselves, their team, or their boss. The strongest motivation though comes from within. With ATM, you can inspire that personal accountability by making team members aware of the time they’re spending on work and their overall performance levels.

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Plus, each time a task is completed managers with the manager login will be able to see it. The delegation will be seamless, and managers will be able to quickly notify the employees who are supposed to take on the next task.

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4. Increased Efficiency and Productivity

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This benefit separates into two sections. The first one is related to your employees - thanks to the automatic time tracking tool, they’ll know they’re being watched so they’ll change their behavior. This effect is commonly known as the Hawthorne effect, and it makes sense. Everyone wants to be their best self when the boss is watching.

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But it’s not only the Hawthorne effect which will make your employees’ productivity improve - by reading the regular reports you’ll see if anyone struggles with certain tasks or apps. Additionally, these actionable insights will allow you to track when their productivity peaks, so they can leave the most important tasks for that time.

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The other side of the efficiency coin lies in future project predictions. After you’ve tracked a few different kinds of projects, you’ll gather enough data about the budget and time needed to complete them. So, next time you’re bidding for a project you can say with certainty that it will take 4 months.

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5. Enhanced Project Planning and Scheduling

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Planning is a cornerstone of effective project management, and this naturally extends to the architectural field.

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Using BIM alone can only help you see so far, combining it with ATM allows you to plan out the fine details and make sure you assign tasks and resources efficiently from the outset.

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Here are 2 ways you can use ATM to improve your planning process:

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1.  Resource allocation - If you want your project to be a success, you need to make sure you allocate the right amount of resources from the start. Whether it’s personnel, equipment, or materials, it’s important to predict exactly what you’ll need to avoid problems down the line. 
2. Real-time scheduling - With real-time scheduling, you can not only plot out timelines for your team, but adjust them on the fly in line with project scope changes or updated priorities. You can identify bottlenecks early on and be proactive in your planning.

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6. Data-Driven Decision Making

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Data should play a huge role in your decision-making process, as it removes guesswork from the equation and helps you take an objective stance for your projects.

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Here are several ways you can use data to inform crucial decisions:

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Performance analysis - Using automatic time mapping you can set up performance metrics for upcoming projects and individual team members. You can then use this data to see who’s on track to hit their goals, and who’s falling short. This allows you to make improvements and play to each team member’s strengths. 

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Cost Estimation - Figuring out the costs of various tasks and projects can be an overwhelming challenge. Yet if you have access to historic data through ATM, you can make accurate estimates that can guide your budget allocation decisions.

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Risk Assessment - Planning for risks is a critical part of the architectural planning process. When you use automatic time tracking with your BIM, you can single out the biggest risk factors from past projects and use this as an early warning system to alert you to potential threats to project success.

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Link Your BIM and ATM Today

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You can’t go wrong when linking ATM with your BIM tools. 

If you want to build on a solid foundation of data, and optimize your plans in real time, you need automatic time tracking to adapt on the fly.

The benefits are undeniable, and the solution isn’t as nearly as costly as you would think.

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