What's Hot

    What Can You Trust?

    May 7, 2025

    Build a Safer Jobsite with AI and Cameras

    May 7, 2025

    Women in Construction: PPE

    May 6, 2025
    Get your Copy Today
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Connected WorldConnected World
    • SPM
    • Sustainability
    • Projects
    • Technology
    • Constructech
    • Awards
      • Top Products
      • Profiles
    • Living Lab
    Connected WorldConnected World
    Home»Thought Leadership»The Integration Dilemma
    Thought Leadership

    The Integration Dilemma

    No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Pinterest Email

    In the early days of desktop computing, businesses eagerly embraced this newly accessible technology to help run their companies, starting with tasks like accounting. As the construction industry adopted computers, they added estimating and project management to the mix. The result? Three distinct silos of data. This marked the beginning of a persistent challenge for contractors: data integrations.

    Data Integrations, initially bespoke endeavors, required the services of professional agencies. Maintenance was a constant concern, as software upgrades and version changes could disrupt workflows. In some cases, specialized apps were developed to run alongside existing software. Another hurdle was posed by software residing on individual computers rather than in the cloud. Some systems even lacked internet connectivity, leading to reliance on local area networks for integrations.

    The term ‘integrations’ encompassed a wide spectrum, from basic Microsoft Excel file transfers to live connections. As the integration landscape evolved, more companies sought to connect their software systems. However, with the proliferation of construction-specific applications, the problem began to outpace the solution.

    Peer-to-peer integrations presented their own set of challenges. Connecting an estimating system to an accounting system, for example, required a direct link. As more applications entered the ecosystem, the complexity increased exponentially—most construction projects employ as many as nine apps to manage from cradle to grave, meaning there are 81 potential integrations between all these systems.

    The concept of ‘hub and spoke’ emerged as a potential solution. Project management software often assumed the role of a hub, but this approach had limitations. Not all projects used the same project management software, and some projects lacked it altogether. Accounting systems typically closed out projects at their conclusion, rendering project data inaccessible.

    To illustrate the optimal solution, envision a cotton candy machine. On one side, pink sugar; on another, yellow; on yet another, blue. The machine’s sole purpose is to swirl the sugars together to create cotton candy. This analogy underscores the necessity of a purpose-built hub capable of managing information exchange across all applications—bringing the colors together is the hub’s only job, and ensuring each is distributed correctly and in the right mix to produce the final product.

    A dedicated hub and spoke approach offers two key advantages. Firstly, it requires only one integration per application and is highly scalable, with the number of integrations directly proportional to the number of apps. Secondly, it consolidates data, enabling comprehensive business overviews through analytics and forecasting.

    I always like to remind contractors that they should not have to be software engineers to run their construction company. Nobody should have to enter the same data more than once in this age of computers.

    The latest iteration of Contractor’s Command Post, version 4.0, addresses this integration issue head-on. By connecting existing technologies and empowering contractors to choose the right tools for their projects, this cloud-based solution revolutionizes business management for the industry. Now, contractors can focus on building their business, not their computer network, and enjoy the same sophisticated systems that large enterprises at one time had to build for themselves.

    In the end, it’s a pivotal moment for the construction industry. Software can finally be of service to construction business owners, adapting to their business operations rather than the other way around. With the integration dilemma solved, contractors can confidently navigate the digital landscape, streamlining their operations and propelling their businesses to new heights.

    About the Author

    Peter Lasensky, a pioneer in construction software, is CEO, Command Technologies Inc. He can be reached at peter@commandtech.io.

    Cloud-Based Systems Command Tech Construction Software Solutions Construction Technology Data Integrations Project Management Software Integration Thought Leadership
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email

    Related Posts

    Why Construction Forecasting Still Happens in Spreadsheets & What to Do about It

    May 1, 2025

    How Technology Solves Today’s Construction Conundrums

    October 31, 2024

    The Competitive Edge: Why Specialty Contractors Are Embracing ERP Software

    October 1, 2024

    The Next Frontier: How AI is Transforming Construction Accounting

    October 1, 2024

    Top Tips for Construction Project Management

    September 18, 2024

    Partnerships Power Construction

    September 3, 2024
    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    Get Your Copy Today
    2025 ASCE REPORT CARD FOR AMERICA’S INFRASTRUCTURE
    https://youtu.be/HyDCmQg6zPk
    ABOUT US

    Connected World works to expand quality of life and influence a sustainable future through digital transformation, innovation, and create opportunities all around.

    We’re accepting new partnerships and radio guests right now.

    Email Us: info@specialtypub.com

    4611 Hard Scrabble Road
    Suite 109-276
    Columbia, SC  29229

     

    Our Picks
    • What Can You Trust?
    • Build a Safer Jobsite with AI and Cameras
    • Women in Construction: PPE
    Specialty Publishing Media

    Questions? Please contact us at info@connectedworld.com

    Press Room

    Privacy Policy

    Media Kit – Connected World/Peggy Smedley Show

    Media Kit – Constructech

    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
    © 2025 Connected World.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.