In the previous blog Project Controls: Challenges & Solutions, we looked at some challenges in project controls with regards to productivity loss, manual estimation errors, optimism bias etc. In this post, let’s talk about how the preparation and maintenance of construction documents impact the working of a project controls team.

The preparation and maintenance of project data from the initiation phase of the project (and making it available to the concerned team members) is very important. Sometimes, all the documents are prepared and stored during the initial phase of the project, however as the project progresses and the responsibilities of the team member increases, the chances of ignoring documentation also increases, which is not healthy for the project. One cannot be sure about the team members involved in the project as they may get transferred to another project or even leave the organization. Therefore it becomes necessary to store all project-related documents and data in a centralized location, from where it is available to all the team members, both old and new. Also, the lack of availability of historical data for a project with a longer duration can lead to issues arising as the project progresses.

Now let us see the types of documents involved, how these documents are maintained in projects in general practice, the kind of problems faced due to this, and how they can be overcome.

Project Documents – Maintenance and Challenges

The various documents maintained in a project are Drawings, Contract Agreement, Time and Progress Charts or CPM Charts, Work Orders Book, Works Diary, Works Passing Records, Tests Results Record, Cement Register, Register for Approval of Samples, Records of Changes, Deviation Orders and Amendments, Measurement books, Labor Attendance Record and Daily Wages Sheet, Periodic Bills Record, etc. These documents are maintained at the site in files. For eg: drawings are marked master copy, site copy, and office copy and stored in 3 separate files by discipline. The older versions of drawings are given a strikethrough so that they don’t get referred to by any stakeholder. Similarly, the contract documents of all contractors are stored in files and the approved samples, method statements, technical submittals etc. are filed. Day to day activities like the daily progress report, the work permits, inspection checklists, and reports are stored in files by package. The same applies to change orders and the bills of each contractor.

So as you can see record-keeping in construction projects is vital because it gives visibility into what is has happened or is happening on the construction site. If you keep daily records of work progress you can get clearer insight on the ongoing works which will help you organize them better and plan for the future. But what if these are not filed and stored properly at the site? In that case the result can turn out to be disastrous, like in situations when an audit happens or you need to check old documents for some reason (a design issue, additional work done by a contractor etc.)

When you manually file paper documents there is always a chance of human error creeping into the process – like a document being filed under the wrong name or being lost altogether. This can lead to further waste of time, money and labour as you go about locating the document or re-creating it entirely. Also, a lot of business documents contain sensitive information that needs to be held securely. However, manual processes have virtually no security cover. It is very easy to break into such systems and retrieve proprietary information that can, in some cases, prove harmful to a business’ functioning.

Making changes to hard copies of drawings and documents at the site is another challenge. Documenting the changes generally ends up as an MoM (if at all it get discussed during meetings) so there are again high chances of missing such changes, which may lead to impact on time and cost.

Digital Solutions for better Management of Documents

Most of the challenges mentioned above are caused due to manual methods of managing the documentation, in fact, managing construction documents is one of the most time-consuming parts of the construction process. In order for the right document to be accessed by the right person at the right time, it is crucial that project managers use an effective document management system. Then all the challenges mentioned above can be overcome.

By using electronic systems for document management, the project controls team is aided in maintaining various documents related to the project including drawings, BOQ, contract documents, inspection reports, RA bills, close out documents, etc.

Points to remember:

• You need to centralize your plans, BoQs, CAs and other important documents and establish one place, typically electronic folders, where these documents and other important information will be stored.
• Use an integrated software solution to get access to only the updated versions of your project documents.
• Cloud-based document management takes way less space than storing everything in a physical location.
• Using electronic systems for document management helps in defining the access and security at document-to-folder level, thereby restricting access to project members or stakeholders, and this would solve the issue of confidentiality.
• Boost communication with construction software as this will let the project participants collaborate over project documents and synchronize any modifications done on the field.
• A proper document management system will prevent delays and make it easier for your team to stay within the allocated budget.