Getting Results with Archibus

Projects

The Archibus Projects application focuses on the details of planning and executing the individual capital projects (which can be defined with the Capital Budgeting application).

The prioritization of improvements such as roof repairs, land purchases, elevator replacements, hazardous material removal, and HVAC upgrades must be carefully analyzed, and once approved, these projects need to be quickly and efficiently executed to minimize disruption to the working environment and to support scheduled business initiatives.

With the Projects application, all parties involved in a capital project—from the requestor, to the approving managers, to the vendors bidding on the work, to the craftspersons executing the work, to the project managers tracking cost variances—can work collaboratively over the Web to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.

The application covers the entire project management process, including:

Projects

Location

Archibus non-SaaS

  • Capital Projects / Projects

Archibus SaaS

  • Capital Projects / Projects processes

Business Result

Capital projects that are completed on-time and within budget using a collaborative working method.

Overall improved efficiency, cost control, communication, and execution of capital projects.

Used By

Project Requestors

Facility Managers

Project Managers

Executives

Craftspersons

Vendors

Architects

Engineers

Reasons for Automating

Provide a collaborative working method for all users (including internal staff and external vendors and craftspersons) to work with all phases of capital projects.

Provide a central repository and tracking system for project documentation which key stakeholders can access over the Web or a corporate Intranet.

Manage change orders to the initial project and assess impact on schedule and budget.

Use the system's automatic workflow to ensure that the team members and vendors receive email notifications so that the project can progress efficiently towards completion.

Prerequisite Applications

The Capital Budgeting application can identify the necessary capital improvements that need to be managed with projects.

You can create projects in several applications, such as Hazard Abatement and Space Planning, and then use Projects to manage these projects through the various stages.

Results/Reports

Several management consoles are available. Important reports include:

Commitment Status Progress Report

Work-In-Place Projections

Project Scorecard

Project Status

Projects Behind Schedule/Over Budget

Project Milestone Statuses

Project Analysis

Project Metrics

Costs by Project

Vendor Performance History

Invoices and Payments

Schedule Variances

Change Orders

Work Packages out for Bid

Approved Project Funding by Year

Estimated Baseline Costs

The following are typical users:

User

Tasks

Requestors

Anyone can request a capital project by completing the Request Project form.

Facility Managers

Work with a project from its requested to approved state. They typically:

  • request capital projects
  • review requested capital projects
  • estimate baseline costs and schedules for capital projects
  • prioritize the need for capital projects
  • route capital projects for approval
  • adjust rejected capital projects so that they can be resubmitted for approval

Project Managers

Detail the project and monitors the day-to-day details of the project execution. The project manager is the major user of the Projects application and performs such tasks as:

  • assigning a project team, which can include outside contractors
  • further detailing the initial baseline cost estimates and schedule estimates that were generated by the facilities manager by working with architects and designers to determine the design cost estimate and schedule of the project
  • defining the exact work to be done (actions) and then grouping them together into work packages so that they can be bid on by vendors
  • obtaining bids from outside vendors, reviewing them, and awarding the contract
  • overseeing the execution of the project
  • managing changes to the project (change orders) including their effect on costs and schedules
  • reviewing vendor invoices and recording payments

Architects and Engineers

Provide their expertise to the planning and execution of the capital project and any changes that arise. Typically use tasks in the Plan, Execute, and Monitor processes to address the architectural and engineering needs of the project.

Architects and engineers may be responsible for developing CAD drawings of new space and detailed design plans. In the execution phase of the project, they may assist in resolving unforeseen problems, such as a measurement being off, or they may revise architectural plans if the exposure of a wall reveals pipes or other infrastructure that they did not expect.

Vendors

Log on to the Web and have direct access to the current status of the capital project so that they can check the work available for bid and submit a bid over the Web.

Craftspersons

Can directly enter their notes into the project system by logging on to the Web and accessing tasks specific to their needs and assigned project. For example, they may need to do the following:

  • As they complete a job, they can run the “Update Actions” task to enter the number of hours required to complete the task, the cost, and a description of their work.
  • If while working on a job, they note need for additional work, such as removal of hazardous material that they uncovered during demolition, they can request new work (change orders) for the project.
  • They can enter details notes about their work in communication logs.
  • If the site has access to the Archibus work request features from other Archibus products, the project manager may have generated work requests for each project action item; in these cases, craftspersons will enter their updates using the system’s work request features.

Executives

Access several oversight and management reports that present summary data and provide drill-down tools to specific details. Use the many tasks of the Monitor process to access project scorecards, project metrics, and project analysis reports.

See Also

Projects application overview