PlanGrid Build from AutoDesk is construction management software and a blueprint app that gives workers on the job site information about the project in real time. PlanGrid Build allows you to add notes and photographs to your plans, track issues that need to be handled, connect into contract papers like RFIs or specifications, and pass over goods with a single click. PlanGrid Build is a cloud-based construction document collaboration tool that lets everyone on a construction project exchange plans and markups instantly, no matter where they are. It allows contractors and architects to collaborate on all of their project plans, specs, pictures, RFIs, and punch lists from their desktop or mobile devices.
It can also save older versions of the same design and let you know if you are looking at an old drawing. This construction tool allows you to upload, view, and manage your online drawings securely. PlanGrid Build is a solid software choice for individuals wishing to more easily save, distribute, and update blueprints and drawings. It isn’t a full construction management platform, instead focusing on the document management element of things. The software is simple to use and has excellent customer service. You couldn’t get much better than PlanGrid Build if you require a platform that can handle a mountain of papers.
PlanGrid Build Construction Management Software in 2022
Just be ready to add more software that can handle other parts of construction management to make it better. If you asked a bunch of construction managers, they’d probably all agree that paperwork is one of the most frustrating aspects of their jobs. It’s not only because it’s time-consuming. Everything gets mixed up quickly, and when old plans and drawings are lying around, frustration and mistakes are sure to happen. PlanGrid Build is a construction document management programme that seeks to tackle this problem. Here’s all you need to know about the platform’s capabilities and if it’s suited for your company.
PlanGrid Build is designed for construction managers that need a more efficient approach to organising drawings and blueprints. The software automatically uploads drawings and lets the user add notes and share them with other people. It will save a lot of time for construction managers who have a lot of paperwork to juggle and pass around documentation.
It doesn’t include everything you’d find in a more full construction management platform, such as construction marketing, worker management, budgeting, and so on, and businesses with modest budgets and a large number of users may be priced out. However, PlanGrid Build excels in one aspect of construction project management: blueprints and papers.
What exactly is PlanGrid?
PlanGrid Build is a mobile-friendly management solution that lets users save designs and documents while on the go. Its architecture makes it easier for field teams to work together, and its simple interface makes it easy for users to control a wide range of useful features. It offers a single source of truth for all key project-wide papers, pictures, and drawings, ensuring that everyone is always on the same page. It is a fantastic addition for anybody trying to increase efficiency and improve communication on the job site. It is designed for projects of all sizes.
PlanGrid Build Benefits
What is PlanGrid’s purpose?
- PlanGrid’s key differentiators and benefits
- Collaboration has improved: Teamwork is what makes or breaks a job site, and this system gives users a set of powerful tools for working together that make communication and document access easier. Key project documents that are automatically linked and in version order should be sent to the right people.
- Ease of Use: This system makes it easy for users to access all project information, no matter where they are. With mobile-enabled search tools, you may find punch lists, documents, images, and drawings.
- Users can easily hand over digital as-built documentation for their projects with tools that collect data in the right way over the course of the project’s life.
- Basecamp, Amazon Redshift, eSUB Construction, Dropbox, and others are among the many connectors available.
Industry knowledge
PlanGrid is a commonly used technology that may be used in a variety of businesses. Commercial, industrial, healthcare, education, and major civil projects are among them.
Key Features
- Accessibility on mobile devices: With strong mobile capabilities, they keep teams on track no matter where they are.
- You can annotate papers, compare sheets, examine punch lists, and sync teams from internet-connected smart devices.
- Use pre-loaded reports with regularly used forms that may be uploaded to PDFs as needed to submit and complete forms from the field.
- Attach important resources like images, tasks, and documents to reports in less time, and make all the necessary reports as they are sent in.
- As drawings are updated in real time, revisions are automatically incorporated into the correct sequence, ensuring that teams are constantly working on the most up-to-date information without losing previous changes. 2D and 3D models may be accessed and modified from any location.
- Data may be pushed from Revit to PlanGrid without having to enter it again. Important information like measurements, material type, and manufacturer may be viewed immediately on their sheets. Toggle between 2D and 3D project views in real time. Resolve and track punch lists with real-time tracking of flaws, inspection remarks, and design modifications. You can filter sheets in seconds to quickly find and assign items on the punch list to the right teams.
- Workflows: Reduce the complexity of all your daily submittals. A submittal log can be used to track submissions by category and progress. RFIs can be addressed more quickly, allowing you to focus on other essential duties.
PlanGrid’s ease of use
PlanGrid excels in making it simple to upload and markup drawings and plans.
It takes care of a lot of tasks automatically and gets rid of a lot of the problems construction managers have when they have to deal with a lot of papers that are hard to organise because some of them are out of date and new versions must be shared with the team. Creating a new project is as simple as clicking the “new project” button in the upper right corner of the project dashboard. Drawings from your computer or cloud storage will be able to be imported.
Before the drawings are published in the software, you can check them with the software. The software will also make very detailed designs that you can zoom in on to see even the smallest details. Filter sheets, select several sheets at once, add and change tags, and perform other tasks. You won’t need to distribute them by email or a cloud storage drive because they’ll be accessible to all project contributors. The mobile version of PlanGrid is a document app with two sections: projects on your device and projects in the cloud.
Everything will sync, and projects on the device will transfer to the cloud whenever you acquire a Wi-Fi signal. You may download the project you generated to your mobile device via the app, giving you access to all the critical documentation while out in the field.
PlanGrid Build pricing
A PlanGrid membership comes in three categories, with the major difference being the number of “sheets” (blueprints or drawings) you have access to (not all types of documents). The “Nailgun” level of service starts at $39 a month and offers you access to 550 sheets. Dozer ($59 per month) has a limit of 5,000 sheets, whereas Crane ($119 per month) has no restriction. All options include an infinite number of projects, photographs, and documents (other than blueprints). Those that sign up for a yearly membership, however, will be charged the aforementioned PlanGrid fee.
The fees are $49, $69, and $139 each month, respectively, if you wish to go month-to-month. It’s also worth noting that this price is considered “individual.” If you want to add numerous users, talk to PlanGrid about setting up a pricing plan. So, if you have more than a few employees who need to use it, what started out as cheap software will quickly become too expensive to use. Keep in mind that you may need to invest in updates. Training, for example, is considered a premium service that must be paid for individually.
So, if you want software for several individuals with all the bells and whistles, you’ll have to spend considerably more than the baseline pricing listed above. If you need a free blueprint creator, the good news is that you can sign up for a free 21-day trial with no credit card or consultation necessary.
PlanGrid’s assistance
As previously indicated, training your employees to use this software is an extra cost. However, the benefit is that virtual or on-site PlanGrid assistance is available, which is far greater than merely having a tech support number to contact when things go wrong. PlanGrid has a phone number for customer service right at the top of their website, which makes it easy to call if you have any problems. It offers a weekly demo on Wednesdays that gives you a brief overview of the software and allows you to see how it works.
There are several lesson videos on the site to help you learn the software. The self-help article archive is full of information on how to utilise the program’s different functions. If you truly want to dive into the details, it even has PlanGrid tutorials and booklets.