If you caught our last blog post, you read about the ways in which CTRL-F can fail us when we’re trying to locate the documents we need. It can be too linear, too specific, and when we lean heavily on this search method, we can miss critical documentation, leading to mistakes that cost us time and money. Electrical contractors know this problem all too well. In this DADO post, we make the correlation between the number of project documents and the probability of document search result error.

Have you considered the gargantuan amount of documents incurred on any one given project?

Between daily communications, in-office and jobsite project management activities, and stakeholder exchanges, the enormous amount of information is simply mind-boggling. If you’re an electrical contractor that also works in prefabrication, you have even more documents to track. Maybe what you’re doing now is working, but if you find yourself missing information, accessing the wrong file, or not being able to find the right one when you need it, this article is for you.

The more documents you work with on a project, the higher the probability you have to make errors. Thinking critically about construction document search is a risk mitigation strategy for not only the project you are engaged in but also the reputation of your firm.

The following is a close look at how a reliable, Construction-intelligent search can support you at every phase of the Construction project lifecycle.

Bidding and Preconstruction: At the Bidding and Preconstruction phase, time is of the essence. You want a competitive, accurate bid submitted to the GC before the other bidding contractors are able to submit their documentation. A big part of assembling a complete bid is making sure you can find the most current, precise information right when you need it. In today’s market, we can’t afford to be the seventh or eighth bidder, we need to find ways to get ahead during the bid process to win more work and boost profits for our company. Using a Construction-intelligent search means you’re not beholden to maintaining an EPIC (or complex) file structure for these documents, rather you just point DADO to where all your documents are located, across any folder or system and go. Bid accepted.

Some of the documents created at the bid or preconstruction phase include:

Construction: Once you’ve won your work, you need to ensure that you can deliver on the plans and estimates made during the Bidding and Precon phase, and one way to stay on or ahead of schedule is to eliminate document search errors. By giving your team easy access to the latest project information, that they can search in the field directly from their mobile device, you eliminate guesswork, unnecessary phone calls, and incorrect versioning that can lead to costly rework. DADO helps you deliver results in the field, and give your team the autonomy they need to focus on what they do best- bringing new structures to light.

Some of the documents created at the bid or preconstruction phase include:

Post-Occupancy: During the handover phase, one way to completely wow the GC and Owner is to deliver accurate, organized as-builts and maintenance documents- in a digital format. More and more Facilities Maintenance departments are recognizing the importance of storing their documentation digitally so it’s easy to update and retrieve. Find the information they need quickly, and deliver it in a timely manner, giving your company a higher likelihood of repeat business.

Some of the documents created at the bid or preconstruction phase include:

• As-Built Project Drawings
• Specifications
• Training Documentation
• Operations Manuals
• Maintenance Manuals

As you are well aware, there are several iterations of the documents listed above. When needing to reference the right document, relying on CTRL F increases the likelihood of a search result with either the wrong iteration or a whole other set of documents that have little to do with what you are searching for.

It is time to take control of your document search and engage DADO to get the job done. Say it, Find it, Build it!