Construction Projects in Microsoft 365 - Where to start part 3

Welcome to the third part of our blog on how to get started with managing construction projects in Microsoft 365. You can read the first and second parts here.

By now, you will have your new Microsoft 365 tenant all set up and the infrastructure in place: so what next?

While there are no construction-specific services in Microsoft 365, there are several that can be customized to meet your needs. But be aware that technology changes pretty fast with Microsoft; they enhance their 365 offerings and regularly add or remove services. It is always good to keep an eye on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap and their yearly tech conferences like Ignite.

As we mentioned previously, there is not a right or wrong answer here; the important thing is to fully understand your users' requirements and assess the options against these to determine what works for your organization.

So, let's get started with some of the Microsoft 365 services you can configure for a construction project.

Document Storage. The term documents include SOWs, drawings, specs, etc., in multiple formats like PDF, Word, Excel, etc. Documents can be uploaded into many different Microsoft 365 services. While services like OneDrive and Teams allow for document saving, they lack metadata functionality, so you will need to use a file folder structure for organizing files. Consider also that OneDrive is intended for personal storage.  With SharePoint, you can add metadata and folders, which improves your search and reporting capabilities. Whichever service you select, make sure to determine where the documents are stored and whether you can quickly get to that data for use in workflows and reporting. Also, make sure to plan your metadata structure well in advance of making your solution(s) available to the team.

Forms. Forms can be submittals, transmittals, permits, RFIs, invoices, inspection reports, etc. Forms are the primary input for any project management system. Microsoft 365 comes with various "form" services such as Power Apps, Forms, Lists (SharePoint), To-Do, Planner Tasks, Microsoft Project Activities, etc. All of which include some form of configuration capabilities. But if you are looking to build out an enterprise-level solution, you will most likely want to leverage Power Apps. Power Apps allows you to build forms and complete applications from scratch, store information into multiple database back-ends such as SharePoint lists and libraries and the Dataverse. 

Notifications. Alerting and notifying your users of events or action items is a core requirement for project management systems. With Microsoft 365, several apps (Planner, To-Do, etc.) include notifications as part of the app. SharePoint Lists and Libraries can be configured to send alerts, and Power Automate workflows can also do the same. And finally, there is Old Faithful; email. New technologies, like Adaptive Cards, can be used to meet your users where they work and allow them to interact with your project management system without even leaving an email inbox. Unless your organization is already using some of these services, we recommend building Power Automate workflows that send email notifications to your project team as a good starting point.

Scheduling. Depending on your project schedules' complexity, several services are available in Microsoft 365 that may work for you: 

• Microsoft Project. Microsoft Project provides integrated Gantt chart scheduling, cost tracking, and resource management. Project is the go-to for most construction companies and has become tightly integrated with SharePoint over the years. Gantt chart scheduling, in Microsoft Project, employs critical path analysis that can be manually or auto-updated depending on your need to analyze network logic. Project does require a separate license in Microsoft 365.
• Microsoft Planner. Planner approaches work from a task management perspective. Tasks are assigned to team members and then updated using List, Board, and Calendar views. There is no Gantt chart view or network logic, but for managing work on a task-by-task basis, you can manage progress with the Board view. Planner also integrates nicely into Teams and SharePoint.
• Microsoft Lists. The new Lists app is a modern SharePoint List that has become a stand-alone service in Microsoft 365. Lists are a great way to track anything from tasks and events to assets. Similar to Planner, there are multiple views available for creating and tracking progress. Lists are available in both Teams and SharePoint.
• Microsoft Power Platform. With the Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI), users can build out robust scheduling solutions that integrate with Teams and SharePoint. You should note that while the Power Platform offers no-code and low-code experiences for building solutions, they are generally more suited to more advanced users in your organization. There may also be times, depending on your requirements, where you will need help from IT resources. Be aware that there may be licensing requirements beyond your basic Microsoft 365 license level with the Power Platform.
• Third-party applications. If the standard Microsoft 365 services do not seem to fit the bill, third-party scheduling applications can plug into Microsoft 365/SharePoint, such as the Construction Viz Scheduler.

Cost Management. Construction cost management is often unique to each company. There are several services in Microsoft 365 that can be customized to meet your needs.

• Microsoft Project.  If you manage costs using resources, then Project might be a good solution.  You can assign units and costs to resources and then assign them to schedule activities. It's simple and easy to run cash flows based on your schedule. Project integrates into SharePoint and Teams. Project does require a separate license in Microsoft 365.
• Microsoft Lists. If you are looking to build an interactive web-based cost report solution, Lists is pretty flexible. You can create your own cost columns in a list and then use views to Group By, Filter, Sort, and Total each column.  You can then utilize Power Automate to update list columns from multiple data sources and use Power BI for reporting.  Lists are available in both Teams and SharePoint.
• Microsoft Power Platform. With the Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI) users can build a complete cost management solution and integrate with Teams and SharePoint. Depending on the complexity of your cost tracking and the need for stringent corporate controls, the Power Platform might be your best approach.
• Microsoft Dynamics. Dynamics is an enterprise-level CMS/ERP solution for managing many aspects of a company. Dynamics can be an expensive solution for cost tracking, but it is incredibly flexible and can be customized to your needs. Dynamics is an additional license to the standard Microsoft 365 plans.
• Third-party applications. If the Microsoft 365 services don't fit the bill, third-party cost tracking applications can plug into Microsoft 365/SharePoint, such as the Construction Viz Cost Report.

As you can see, there are many options for you to consider. We have only touched on some of the possibilities in this post. Hopefully, it will give you a place to start your journey towards construction project management in Microsoft 365.

A final piece of advice. If you find all this somewhat overwhelming, do not worry. There are many SharePoint consultants available to help you. But be sure to choose one that not only understands Microsoft 365 and all its associated technologies but, more importantly, has a deep understanding of the construction and can demonstrate a track record of delivering successful IT solutions across the industry.

If your construction organization needs help setting up your Microsoft 365 environment, you can request a free one-hour consultation by clicking here. If you are looking for a turnkey construction project management solution or a specific construction app for Microsoft 365/SharePoint, check out ConstructionViz.com.