Why You Should Use Sage 200 for Construction
Construction sites are a highly physical, hands-on form of workplace, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need strong digital infrastructure to work smoothly. In fact, with margins tighter than ever across most sectors amidst the cost of living crisis and a plethora of other factors, there’s never been a better time to have a clear view of your operation. Sage 200 can be a super handy tool for construction companies.
Sage 200 construction add-ons and bespoke deliveries specialise the integration of Sage 200 Professional to the construction industry. Even though it’s not a purpose-made Sage construction software, the overall enterprise planning system (ERP) can be enhanced with Sicon, to increase the smoothness of any construction project.
This article will explain the benefits of Sage for construction companies, so you can better approach the digital side of this rugged-handed business.
Improved inventory management
Material shortages are the bane of the construction industry, delaying completion dates and costing everyone involved time and money. That’s why it’s important to have a good inventory management system in place, which Sage 200 can provide.
Relevant features for construction sites include:
- Automated purchase orders based on sales orders, demand and stock minimums.
- Allocating committed stock by project and job.
- Processing live stock transactions, linked to the back office on portable wireless devices.
Project costing & management tools
Many businesses use Sage for construction because it has impressive project management modules. It meshes well with the broader order processing and inventory management tools in the system to allow for maximum budget efficiency. The tools can be applied to everything from materials to labour resources, allowing for real-time management of costs versus budgets.
Automated CIS & CITB processing & deductions
The HMRC Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) has strict parameters for deductions to subcontractor payments. Similarly, it’s also important for companies to remain compliant with the Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) deductions. Sage 200 construction management adaptations are designed to automate all of these deductions for maximum accuracy and minimal time-consuming number crunching.
Health & safety as a standard
Compliance can’t be limited to tax deductions and payment processing. It’s also essential to keep health and safety standards in mind, especially as mobile devices are increasingly used in construction settings.
Sage 200 can support site health and safety through:
- Hardware selection for the sites and offices alike
- Policy implementation systems
- Monitoring tools
- Specialist safety apps
Applications, valuations & retentions
Construction sites are powered by cross-business collaborations. They’re generally inundated with subcontractor, supplier and customer applications, which can get overwhelming if they’re not managed properly.
Using Sage software for construction holds collaborative applications together in a dedicated register, with payment applications regularly updated for accuracy. Customer applications are automatically raised from sales orders, being updated throughout every project, ensuring payments match valuations.
All of these details are saved in a retention ledger, so you can keep track of customers and suppliers that you maintain in the long term, with proper release dates.
CRM for customers & suppliers
As touched on above, relationships are an important aspect of the construction industry. Sage 200 offers great CRM tools, ensuring that you can keep track of things like:
- Project delivery times
- Budget accuracy
- Specification matching
- Customer satisfaction
- Supplier information (shared with suppliers)
All of these features can be centralised to allow for the most satisfying long-term relationships.
Connecting your site overall
On-site connectivity is essential for all sectors. Sage 200’s cloud-based capabilities are great for linking a construction site to the back office, ensuring that information is readily available to relevant parties throughout the day. You can give everyone necessary access to systems on mobile devices, ensuring that everything from material and labour resources are kept in order by all trusted staff members all day long.
So employing Sage 200 for construction can be wise if you want a more connected, compliant and efficient site that comes in under budget and on time! Make sure to work with a reliable provider/installer who understands your industry inside out.
