Autodesk has announced the availability of PlanGrid Advanced RFIs and Project Hub, two additions in the PlanGrid platform that, the company said, would give construction teams greater visibility into a project’s progress and unforeseen challenges.
Advanced RFIs automate the Request for Information (RFI) workflow to speed up the process, and Project Hub provides an actionable picture of key project activity in one central location within PlanGrid’s software. Together, these new capabilities enable construction teams to identify and resolve issues faster and keep projects on track.
“Construction is a massive logistical challenge involving hundreds of people, and the flow of information on a job site can sometimes be like a game of telephone.
'Decisions can get bottlenecked'
"Crucial data can get lost as it travels, whether it’s between the field and the office or between team members, and decisions then get bottlenecked,” said Sameer Merchant, head of products, site construction, Autodesk Construction Solutions.
“The innovations we’re introducing today, Advanced RFIs and Project Hub, provide greater visibility across a project, boost collaboration and help teams move forward faster. By automating and streamlining the flow of data, Autodesk Construction Solutions is empowering the construction industry to make decisions more effectively and keep projects on track."
“On a typical project, we’re managing vast quantities of information, and we need a way to make this information manageable and easily accessible," aid Rob Winklepleck, general manager, West Brothers Construction.
"If my team doesn’t have the insights we need, work stalls out and it can cause a domino effect on interrelated resources across the project.
“The new features in PlanGrid not only help speed up the building process but also show me exactly what needs to happen to move the project forward. My team is able to get a quick response to pressing issues, and I spend less time calling or walking back and forth from the trailer to the field to verify work.”
Advanced RFIs help the field get answers faster The Request for Information (RFI) process resolves questions that come from drawings, specs, contracts and other construction documents that aren’t fully co-ordinated.
Ideally, an RFI moves from one person to the next: from the field to the office and then on to a design team reviewer, who provides insight and sends it back.
Often involves multiple conversations
While the flow of information should be straightforward, when the RFI process is not streamlined, it often involves multiple conversations and can take several weeks to get resolved. Information also can get lost along the way and schedules may be delayed.
PlanGrid’s Advanced RFIs automate the process and gives construction teams a visual and structured workflow to manage and distribute questions and answers efficiently and intuitively.
Any project member can quickly draft a question from a log or sheet and attach photos, and then track RFI progress all from within PlanGrid.
Reviewers are notified and can respond by email, and answers are immediately distributed to all critical team members. Responses are also automatically added to the RFI history within PlanGrid’s platform to decrease miscommunication.
PlanGrid features in the future will allow change orders to be efficiently managed from start to finish. Along with Advanced RFIs and PlanGrid Submittals, these features empower the field to get answers faster and provide the office with insights to make better decisions.
Real-time pulse of what’s happening in the field
With thousands of documents to track and large teams to co-ordinate, project managers and engineers can struggle to have a clear understanding of what is happening across a project.
Project Hub is a centralised place within PlanGrid’s platform where project engineers and managers can get a pulse of their project in real-time and take action on the most critical field operations, the company said.
The software delivers a holistic picture of all project activity, providing instant answers to questions such as, 'What has changed on the project? Does everyone have the most up-to-date information? What tasks need to be assigned or are still incomplete?'
Project Hub features
• Team update status: displays what percentage of the team is working from the latest plans and documents, to ensure all team members are on the most current set by tracking status in real time;
• Recent activity: shows a steady feed of major activities happening on the project;
• Project work: a list of tasks that helps guide users towards work that needs attention on the project.
With Project Hub, managers in the office and trailer can immediately understand risk factors in the field, such as what is at risk of complications or of not being built correctly, and act quickly to address the highest priorities, it added.
For more insights on Advanced RFIs and Project Hub, and to join a webinar for EMEA on July 9 - to register, please visit
here.