What software do you use for workflow, selection, and invoice mangement?

[DesignGallery]

Hello!

 

We're a three person kitchen, bath, and interior design firm using Chief Architect for our designs. We currently save all our Chief Architect files in iCloud, and manage workflow, selection, invoicing, etc in Apple Numbers, Pages, etc which is getting nutty. I'm curious what other firms using Chief Architect do for workflow, selection, invoice to stay organized. Dropbox for Chief Architect file storage and a separate software for the rest? What do you like and don't like about your workflow system? Thank you in advance!

[Renerabbitt]

1 hour ago, DesignGallery said:

Hello!

 

We're a three person kitchen, bath, and interior design firm using Chief Architect for our designs. We currently save all our Chief Architect files in iCloud, and manage workflow, selection, invoicing, etc in Apple Numbers, Pages, etc which is getting nutty. I'm curious what other firms using Chief Architect do for workflow, selection, invoice to stay organized. Dropbox for Chief Architect file storage and a separate software for the rest? What do you like and don't like about your workflow system? Thank you in advance!

You can reach out to Melissa nunes on my discord server, I believe she uses airtable and asana. Pretty sure she has tried them all, buildertrend, canva, designfiles, slack, co-construct, plangrid and more.

her handle is MKB there

https://discord.gg/tWxurVzw5t

[DesignGallery]

Thank you! Would love to find out what worked and didn’t. 

[RobDesLLC]

I use SharePoint as my primary repository for company files, with all design working files and assets (Chief Architect, Lumion, Adobe Creative apps, etc) on a local drive. I manage financials with Quickbooks Online. I use Microsoft Office 365 Business apps, including the use of Teams for project management and collaborating with clients. I sync SharePoint with OneDrive, and keep copies of all company files on a local drive synced to OneDrive. I also back up the company files to a NAS, and I back up the entirety of my Office 365 data (including all SharePoint files) to a cloud backup service. Design working files are backed up to a second local drive and another NAS. I also use Dialpad through my T-Mobile business account, allowing Ai to identify action items in my calls and messaging for adding to my task lists.

 

I have a folder for each project in my working files, and another in my company files. As I generate product to share with clients and trade partners, I save a copy from the working files project folder to the company files project folder, and the project folder is accessible through a tab in Teams for the project team. 

 

I use Adobe Sign for distributing and tracking contracts for e-signing. I both collect and make payments by ACH, with a handful of recurring expenses paid by debit card. I use a sweep account at my bank to receive payments (for more account security). 

 

It may sound like a lot, but it's actually very easy to use my system. I have redundant and accessible data storage, effective and easily searchable communications, efficient and easily auditable legal and financial transactions, and the ability to manage my business entirely from a Surface Pro tablet when I'm in the field or traveling - without any loss of functionality. I also use almost no paper, other than printing hard copies of layouts. 

[Renerabbitt]

14 hours ago, RobDesLLC said:

I use SharePoint as my primary repository for company files, with all design working files and assets (Chief Architect, Lumion, Adobe Creative apps, etc) on a local drive. I manage financials with Quickbooks Online. I use Microsoft Office 365 Business apps, including the use of Teams for project management and collaborating with clients. I sync SharePoint with OneDrive, and keep copies of all company files on a local drive synced to OneDrive. I also back up the company files to a NAS, and I back up the entirety of my Office 365 data (including all SharePoint files) to a cloud backup service. Design working files are backed up to a second local drive and another NAS. I also use Dialpad through my T-Mobile business account, allowing Ai to identify action items in my calls and messaging for adding to my task lists.

 

I have a folder for each project in my working files, and another in my company files. As I generate product to share with clients and trade partners, I save a copy from the working files project folder to the company files project folder, and the project folder is accessible through a tab in Teams for the project team. 

 

I use Adobe Sign for distributing and tracking contracts for e-signing. I both collect and make payments by ACH, with a handful of recurring expenses paid by debit card. I use a sweep account at my bank to receive payments (for more account security). 

 

It may sound like a lot, but it's actually very easy to use my system. I have redundant and accessible data storage, effective and easily searchable communications, efficient and easily auditable legal and financial transactions, and the ability to manage my business entirely from a Surface Pro tablet when I'm in the field or traveling - without any loss of functionality. I also use almost no paper, other than printing hard copies of layouts. 

This is an eloborate setup, why are you backing up files to a NAS and to a cloud service and then to a cloud backup service? Why not just the cloud? then periodic system backups to the NAS? Do you use symbolic links? Onedrive saves a version history if you ever need to revert to a previous version...are you versioning your project process as you go?
Cool tip about dialpad.
I use dropbox for my project files, it doesnt have the same sync issues that onedrive has, (i use onedrive for other things) I recomend it.
An old vid of mine- iterative versioning, can always revert back to a previous design iteration, or a previous version of a current design, all through dropbox. Could take any of these folders and share to your sharepoint as well or symbolic link to a NAS or 2nd drive. Sounds like you have your system and it works so Im just sharing info

 

[RobDesLLC]

10 minutes ago, Renerabbitt said:

This is an eloborate setup, why are you backing up files to a NAS and to a cloud service and then to a cloud backup service? Why not just the cloud? then periodic system backups to the NAS? Do you use symbolic links? Onedrive saves a version history if you ever need to revert to a previous version...are you versioning your project process as you go?
Cool tip about dialpad.
I use dropbox for my project files, it doesnt have the same sync issues that onedrive has, (i use onedrive for other things) I recomend it.
An old vid of mine- iterative versioning, can always revert back to a previous design iteration, or a previous version of a current design, all through dropbox. Could take any of these folders and share to your sharepoint as well or symbolic link to a NAS or 2nd drive. Sounds like you have your system and it works so Im just sharing info

 

 

About 10 years ago I had a hard drive failure that cost me 3 weeks of productivity. By maintaining redundant storage across multiple platforms, I can mitigate the shortcomings of each and ensure the preservation of my data. It's a bit of work to set up initially, but it runs smooth and requires little maintenance to keep going. I have had no issues with OneDrive. I only access my folders through File Explorer on my desktop, or in Teams when using my Surface Pro tablet. All else just operates in the background.

 

This approach is only for business documents. All of my working files for design are kept on a local drive, and then backed up to a second storage drive on my computer and a separate NAS. I only use SSD's for reliability and read/write speed.

 

I appreciate the video. It's interesting to see how others approach the same problem and come up with different solutions, as I never stop learning. Thanks Rene.

[DesignGallery]

Wow! The video is super helpful! Sounds like Dropbox and OneDrive are common and possibly other NAS.

 

What do you all do for workflow? Generating and approving designs, selections, invoices, handing off project phases between team members?

[RobDesLLC]

On 11/18/2023 at 7:25 PM, DesignGallery said:

Wow! The video is super helpful! Sounds like Dropbox and OneDrive are common and possibly other NAS.

 

What do you all do for workflow? Generating and approving designs, selections, invoices, handing off project phases between team members?

 

I start my Pre-Design phase by looking up tax records and zoning information for the property before I meet the client. Once we have established a scope of work, I request from them any original construction documents for further review. I then determine a range of hours estimated to complete the design, and expected subconsultant fees. I verbally inform them of the total fee range to anticipate, and, if they wish to move forward, I draft a design retainer agreement and send it out for e-signing via Adobe Sign. 

 

Upon execution of the retainer agreement, I send an invoice for the retainer through Quickbooks, which includes a payment link. The client makes an ACH payment that is deposited into a sweep account, which then automatically transfers to the operating account. 

 

I then create 2 project folders - one in my company files, which goes into Sharepoint and contains all legal, financial, permitting documents, and work product, and a second in my working files, which is stored locally and not shared. I create a team in MS Teams, which includes the project folder in my company files. This allows my clients full access to all documents for total transparency. We also use the chat, task, and whiteboard apps, and the video conferencing capability built into Teams. If they have a contractor, I invite them to the Team, but I don’t give them access to the legal and financial documents folders.

 

I typically order a survey, and if it’s a renovation/addition, I usually request a flood certificate, and schedule a time to take as-built photos and do a Lidar scan using Canvas app. I then send the scan out for processing, and receive an as-built model as a Chief Architect plan. 

 

I start the Conceptual  Design phase with a survey in PDF and DWG, and (for renovations) a flood certificate, and an as-built model. I clean up the as-built model, convert the DWG into a terrain model, and generate an as-built layout. I save a copy of this plan and layout, rename it, and revise it into a conceptual model. For new construction, I obviously just start drawing a new plan. 

 

When I have a conceptual design ready to present, I schedule a Teams meeting and share my screen to show it in plan view and 3D. I mark it up with notes for changes (if necessary), and put that into a list that I email to the clients. We do another meeting to review the design, and if they approve, I generate a layout for them to approve. With their approval, I submit to the ARB for conceptual review. Based on that review, we either make further revisions and resubmit, or continue into Design Development.

 

The Design Development phase is similar, adding more details and exterior selections as required for preliminary approval by the ARB. Selections are specified on the plans and ARB application. With this phase complete, we move into the Final Design phase.

 

At the beginning of the Final Design phase, I send a PDF and DWG’s of the plans to the civil engineer, landscape designer, and structural engineer. The civil engineer sends back a grading & drainage plan, and I give that to the landscape designer, who sends back a landscape plan and irrigation plan. Both of those are required for final approval by the ARB.  The structural engineering is required for a municipal building permit, so I start now to save time. I finish the various details required. I then prepare a physical sample board, and with the clients approval, send the submittal to the ARB for final approval. 

 

With final approval, I create the Construction Documents. I combine the final plans with the engineering sheets, generate a ResCheck report, and share the complete package with the clients for permitting. 

 

I get client approvals documented by either Teams chat or email. I am going to switch to the Approvals app within Teams to better document approvals. 

 

Throughout this process, I log my billable hours and mileage in Quickbooks Time, and I send monthly statements to the clients. When the retainer dwindles down to a minimum threshold specified in the design retainer agreement, I invoice the clients again. I pay all of my project expenses by ACH through Quickbooks, eliminating the burden of handling checks and the security issues related to them. All vendors and subconsultants are instructed to submit their invoices by email to a dedicated ar-ap email account, which is scanned by automation to retrieve PDF’s and copy them to a Sharepoint folder for review and approval for payment. I make a lien waiver for each vendor payment and send it for e-signing prior to payment. The invoice is dragged and dropped into Quickbooks to be paid upon receipt of the e-signed lien waiver. 

 

I keep the Team active throughout construction so that file access is maintained and communication continues in the chat app. I deactivate the Team upon final inspection or CO. 

 

This system works for me because it documents everything well, it minimizes time to complete financial transactions, it nearly eliminates the use of paper, it can be accessed and managed through desktop pc’s, tablets, or smart phones, and it fosters effective communication and collaboration between myself, my clients, and their contractors. 

[DesignGallery]

Again, super helpful! Thank you! Is it correct to assume that you're mainly an individual operation?

[RobDesLLC]

11 hours ago, DesignGallery said:

Again, super helpful! Thank you! Is it correct to assume that you're mainly an individual operation?

 

You're welcome! Yes, I'm a one man show.

[jkrysak]

I have used Construction suite and Construction online for 15 years.  Great Construction business management system.   Everything in one place.  It helps our team with access to all the project data anywhere.  I'd be lost without it

[ObviousAlias]

As a builder, we use Buildertrend for everything: file storage, selections, change orders, invoicing, POs, billing, budget tracking, schedule, bids/estimates, and as a communication platform to both clients and vendors/trade partners.  We use the To-Dos, Daily Logs religiously.  

 

But the plans and specs come from outside tools; Buildertrend is just the repository.  Buildertrend feeds info to Quickbooks for issuing payments to vendors or tracking payments from clients, and our back office bookkeeping.

 

This system has worked well for us, our clients, and our vendors, across our whole portfolio of work from our smallest renovation project up to our largest (so far) $20mm build.

 

This may not be as helpful to a designer/architect, but considering design work feeds construction work, there isn't a downside to using a similar format to what the client is likely to see once they start construction.