There's also no universally accepted framework or particular best practice, so if you get started with the wrong template from the outset, you could find that your estimates were destined to fail from the outset. One of the major issues associated with using excel templates for construction estimating is that it introduces a lot of margin for error and doesn't enable a strong framework for estimating.įunctions and calculations can be inputted wrong and mistakes in basic formulas can result in huge discrepancies. And estimating is one of excels more natural fits.įor smaller companies, excel has most of the features and functionality required to crunch the numbers, and it's pretty easy for anyone in the office or any project manager to pick it up.Įxcels versatility also comes in handy here, as you can manipulate the estimating numbers quickly and easily using excel, and look at other spreadsheets to get a better idea of how you performed previously. There are thousands of excel construction estimating templates out there online and in construction offices around the world.īecause estimating is so numbers focused, excel is an obvious choice for the tool to use. So what are a couple of the major use cases associated with excel templates for construction? And how does excel enable these? Improvements in integrations and construction interoperability can reduce some of the work associated with spreadsheets, but most of it remains. Unfortunately, the nature of excel templates in construction means that these things will never change. Using excel for databases means that you constantly need to manually update the database - and that people can be working off of different databases. ![]() Excel cells still don't allow for photos and videos, which are very often linked and critical to construction forms and templates.Excel doesn't work well or at all on mobile and tablet devices, making it difficult or impossible for site-based workers to capture information in a digital format.It's extremely difficult to maintain version control, audit trails and project governance when using excel.The limitations of excel for word processing means companies often use word or PDF for completing forms and documents, and then transfer all of that data into excel.People spend copious amounts of time formatting spreadsheets and manually entering data into spreadsheets.While a flat head screw driver can sometimes grab and turn a phillips head screw, it requires more work and ends up damaging the screw in the long run.īecause of this, excel templates have a number of negative side-effects for construction companies: No matter how flexible excel and spreadsheets are, you simply can't get past the flaws and issues which stem from something not being designed for the task you are trying to do. The main thing which is wrong with excel templates for construction is that excel was not designed for construction. While a few people may be saddened by the fact that excel templates for construction may not always be the backbone of work, most people will be rather happy when they realise that they don't have to spend their time and energy in a spreadsheet - and can instead focus on doing value-added work. ![]() But even I now do less and less tasks and jobs in excel as other purpose built tools remove the admin and work which is inherent in building and maintaining a spreadsheet. In fact, I use excel for a number of my daily tasks and activities. Excel and the spreadsheet got a good head start on many other smarter templates, starting all the way back in 1982 - but a lot has changed in almost 40 years (and not enough has changed for excel templates). The days of excel templates for construction are numbered, and this article will help to explain why. Unfortunately for construction companies (and their administrators, project managers, supervisors and engineers), a lack of options and a comfortability with excel has meant that they have relied upon excel - and slowly moved and migrated more and more of their work towards it.īut times and tools are changing. This results in massive amounts of wasted time formatting excel spreadsheets, manually entering data and transitioning between excel and other tools like word and PDF. While excel is an incredibly powerful and useful tool for some tasks, construction companies manage too many of their standard operating procedures and forms using excel. ![]() So if excel templates are used for all of these things - surely excel is the right tool for the job, right? Construction companies use excel and excel templates for estimating, timesheets, diaries, log books, inspections, reports and many more use cases and activities. ![]() Excel templates for construction are extremely common.
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