Construction companies often face specific challenges in document management due to the nature of their projects, which typically involve multiple stakeholders, extensive documentation, and strict compliance requirements. It’s not always easy to find the right application that can effectively help them manage projects, collaborate, and automate processes without resorting to siloed systems, which makes it even more difficult for employees to be productive and efficient.
Proven platforms like Microsoft SharePoint, with its exceptional capabilities, have made it much easier for construction companies to achieve this and more. As a leading content management and collaboration platform, it meets the document management needs of modern construction companies. And if your organisation has Microsoft 365, chances are you already have SharePoint. Therefore, exploring it for your construction document management might make sense to save on costs and provide a better user experience.
Is your construction company experiencing some of the document management challenges below?
Learn how SharePoint addresses them in this article.
Difficulty tracking changes
Construction projects generate massive amounts of documents, including blueprints, contracts, RFIs, and change orders. Managing and retrieving these documents efficiently can be challenging, especially when multiple versions exist and employees store files across different locations, such as local drives, emails, or third-party platforms. This leads to inconsistent document access and duplication, resulting in design and construction errors, project delays, cost overruns, safety risks, and legal disputes.
SharePoint Solution
SharePoint addresses this issue by providing a single platform for teams to store and retrieve all project documents. Its built-in version control allows users to track changes, access previous versions, and prevent duplication or data loss.
Case in point
Mainbrace Constructions manages project risks by ensuring their teams work with the latest versions of documents with SharePoint.
Inefficient collaboration
Construction teams work from different locations, on-site and in offices, leading to communication gaps and delays in sharing critical updates. On-site staff often need immediate access to documents but are constrained by limited access to legacy company systems while in the field.
SharePoint Solution
SharePoint’s co-authoring capability allows teams to update documents in real-time, ensuring everyone is working on the latest information. Its advanced search capabilities, metadata tagging, and filters make document location quick and efficient.
Because SharePoint is mobile-friendly, team members can view and edit documents from their phones or tablets, ensuring on-site staff have the information they need wherever they are. It is natively integrated with Microsoft Teams and Office productivity apps, enabling seamless communication and secure document sharing.
Case in point
Red Eye Constructions and Interiors improves field productivity and collaboration with SharePoint.
Poor compliance management
Information mismanagement in construction companies can lead to missed deadlines, legal penalties, reputational damage, and financial losses, so strictly adhering to industry regulations, building codes, or environmental regulations is critical. However, managing compliance documents across disparate systems makes maintaining an accurate and centralised record challenging.
SharePoint Solution
SharePoint supports automated retention policies to archive or delete documents as required. Integrated with iWorkplace for Microsoft 365 or Purview, it enables construction companies to better manage, govern, and protect sensitive information. SharePoint’s metadata tagging makes it easy to categorise and retrieve documents, speeding up the process of finding compliance-related information during audits or inspections.
Case in point
ADCO Constructions enabled ISO 9001 certification compliance and consolidated real-time field safety data to empower actionable insights with SharePoint.
Information security concerns
Information security is a significant concern for construction companies due to the sensitive and high-value nature of the data they handle. Issues include intellectual property protection, safeguarding financial information, and preventing unauthorised access to project details or client data. Poor information security can lead to data breaches, project delays, and reputational damage.
SharePoint Solution
SharePoint addresses information security concerns in a number of ways:
- It enables granular permission settings to restrict access to sensitive documents based on user roles.
- All SharePoint data is encrypted in transit and at rest.
- Integrated with Microsoft 365, construction companies can use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of unauthorised access due to stolen credentials and Intune to protect project data and remote wipe devices when stolen or misplaced.
Case in point
Rycon Electrical and Automation ensures that only people with the right permissions can access sensitive information with SharePoint.
SharePoint is a powerful document management system for construction companies that can help streamline document handling processes, improve collaboration, and maintain high levels of security and compliance.
If you are exploring SharePoint for your construction document management, contact us to learn how we can help you successfully adopt it. We have been implementing SharePoint for over 20 years, working with numerous construction and engineering organisations in Australia and implementing document management, policy management, Intranet, compliance solutions, and more.
