Established on the South Coast of New South Wales in 1980, Edmiston Jones (EJ) is an architectural firm based in Nowra, Wollongong and Batemans Bay. The practice has grown to a solid architectural team consisting of qualified architects supported by technicians and clerical assistants. Their prime objective is to provide highly creative and innovative design solutions delivered with a clear management process that keeps clients involved and informed. Environmentally sensitive buildings that maximize site opportunities, while responding to climate and context, are the outcome of their design process.
Challenges
Edmiston Jones was in need of a simple and efficient billing process. Employees used to manually enter their time into Excel and then produce invoices on a separate system based on the spreadsheet calculations. “Using one system to enter data and then transferring this data to different software to create invoices and reports was very time consuming and open to errors”, said Lesley Drysdale, Accounting Manager of EJ. She wanted a software product that would streamline the entire process and automate time and expense tracking, billing, invoicing and reporting for her firm.
Solution
Since EJ employees primarily use Apple computers, they needed a solution that was compatible with Macs. The Executive Assistant at EJ was in charge of the product evaluation process and she found that there were not many Mac-based solutions available that were easy to use and had the functionality that they were looking for. After researching online, she stumbled upon ArchiOffice and was immediately attracted to the product’s intuitive and streamlined design, robust features and high level of value for a reasonable price. She requested a live demo to see the software in action and was not disappointed by the presentation.
Benefits & Results
Smart Project Management
Since installing ArchiOffice, employees at EJ have had great experiences working with the software. Lesley mentions that the firm heavily uses the project management and reporting features: “Project leaders use the tasks and time sheet reports in ArchiOffice to manage their time and percentages on a weekly basis. Also, phases and job codes work well - we have a few projects that use consultants as part of our fee, so sub-phases are a great way to manage this as well as producing reports. The Budget vs. Actual Report gives us the necessary information for our monthly billing cycle and the best part is we can invoice from the same software that we use to track time.”
Robust Reporting
“I use the Report section quite a lot to produce information relevant for our quarterly review meetings where we document staff percentages, non-chargeable time, write ups and downs per project and per project type, fee proposal success, professional development accrual, etc.”, Lesley continued.
Efficient Billing
When asked about how ArchiOffice has increased her firm’s efficiency, Lesley said, “Invoicing has become more streamlined and easier to manage, especially on large projects with consultants. Productivity has increased dramatically as we spend less time on managing projects since all relevant information is in one place.”
About BQE ArchiOffice:
ArchiOffice is a simple-to-use project management and time tracking software created by architects, for architects. It offers mobility that meets your needs in an intuitive and streamlined design that works across all major platforms.
To learn more about ArchiOffice or schedule a free demo today, visit here.
Related Stories
Student Housing | Jun 20, 2024
How student housing developments are evolving to meet new expectations
The days of uninspired dorm rooms with little more than a bed and a communal bathroom down the hall are long gone. Students increasingly seek inclusive design, communities to enhance learning and living, and a focus on wellness that encompasses everything from meditation spaces to mental health resources.
Museums | Jun 20, 2024
Connecticut’s Bruce Museum more than doubles its size with a 42,000-sf, three-floor addition
In Greenwich, Conn., the Bruce Museum, a multidisciplinary institution highlighting art, science, and history, has undergone a campus revitalization and expansion that more than doubles the museum’s size. Designed by EskewDumezRipple and built by Turner Construction, the project includes a 42,000-sf, three-floor addition as well as a comprehensive renovation of the 32,500-sf museum, which was originally built as a private home in the mid-19th century and expanded in the early 1990s.
Building Technology | Jun 18, 2024
Could ‘smart’ building facades heat and cool buildings?
A promising research project looks at the possibilities for thermoelectric systems to thermally condition buildings, writes Mahsa Farid Mohajer, Sustainable Building Analyst with Stantec.
University Buildings | Jun 18, 2024
UC Riverside’s new School of Medicine building supports team-based learning, showcases passive design strategies
The University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine has opened the 94,576-sf, five-floor Education Building II (EDII). Created by the design-build team of CO Architects and Hensel Phelps, the medical school’s new home supports team-based student learning, offers social spaces, and provides departmental offices for faculty and staff.
Healthcare Facilities | Jun 18, 2024
A healthcare simulation technology consultant can save time, money, and headaches
As the demand for skilled healthcare professionals continues to rise, healthcare simulation is playing an increasingly vital role in the skill development, compliance, and continuing education of the clinical workforce.
Mass Timber | Jun 17, 2024
British Columbia hospital features mass timber community hall
The Cowichan District Hospital Replacement Project in Duncan, British Columbia, features an expansive community hall featuring mass timber construction. The hall, designed to promote social interaction and connection to give patients, families, and staff a warm and welcoming environment, connects a Diagnostic and Treatment (“D&T”) Block and Inpatient Tower.
Concrete Technology | Jun 17, 2024
MIT researchers are working on a way to use concrete as an electric battery
Researchers at MIT have developed a concrete mixture that can store electrical energy. The researchers say the mixture of water, cement, and carbon black could be used for building foundations and street paving.
Codes and Standards | Jun 17, 2024
Federal government releases national definition of a zero emissions building
The U.S. Department of Energy has released a new national definition of a zero emissions building. The definition is intended to provide industry guidance to support new and existing commercial and residential buildings to move towards zero emissions across the entire building sector, DOE says.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 14, 2024
AEC inspections are the key to financially viable office to residential adaptive reuse projects
About a year ago our industry was abuzz with an idea that seemed like a one-shot miracle cure for both the shockingly high rate of office vacancies and the worsening housing shortage. The seemingly simple idea of converting empty office buildings to multifamily residential seemed like an easy and elegant solution. However, in the intervening months we’ve seen only a handful of these conversions, despite near universal enthusiasm for the concept.
Healthcare Facilities | Jun 13, 2024
Top 10 trends in the hospital facilities market
BD+C evaluated more than a dozen of the nation's most prominent hospital construction projects to identify trends that are driving hospital design and construction in the $67 billion healthcare sector. Here’s what we found.
