Benchmark Estimating Software vs. Simpro

I have used it for bulk earthworks, for roadworks, stormwater drainage, sewer reticulation, water reticulation, and associated works. It's easy to use a process called subcontractor manager to get multiple sub-contractor prices into your estimate for quick comparison, then pick the one that you really want to use in the estimate. It also has a process called auto allocation which can almost fully automate your estimating process, bringing in Items from the library that match the items in your bid. Haven't found a scenario that it's less appropriate, it all comes down to how detailed you set up your initial item library and resource library.

Incentivized

Simpro is well suited for job and team management, tracking inventory and the workflow is very logical. The mobile app for our field technicians works very well to clock on and off and then being in a position to report to a customer based on factual information has made invoicing a breeze! Reporting can be a bit frustrating especially on materials used on different cost centre numbers as you can only specify a job number, but not a cost centre number.

Incentivized

• Progress Claims
• Standard quotes

Incentivized

• Billing: straight from a closed, complete job. Carries overall equipment, hours, takes one click to bill.
• simPRO retains notes on all emails; notes can be entered by anyone to track communication with clients.

Incentivized

• I haven't found anything yet. Benchmark is constantly evolving and adding new processes, I believe it keeps up to date with what it's users want.

Incentivized

• Ability to create leave forms for the employees (to my best knowledge, this doesn't exist).
• Ability to color code jobs, quotes by criticality.
• Assign status to equipment (e.g. "ordered"; "arrived").

Incentivized

As mentioned before, materials reporting could use some work as one cannot report by cost centre number, only by job number. It makes it difficult with large jobs with multiple cost centre numbers to easily extract information for reporting. Other than that the system is user friendly and easy to understand.

Incentivized

The support guys were always helping and sorted out issues we had very quickly.

Incentivized

It is a great option for solar project management. It needs some improvements for real-time one-page reports, inventory management, scheduling and custom views. I believe these will come because they listen to their customers. I would also like to see some better training and not be expected to pay out of pocket for it.

Incentivized

I have always found that Benchmark allows for a more rapid compilation of the estimate through the library system. It can also allow for easy duplication of an estimate for a second stage etc, using the original rates in the resources, or at a click of a button, reverting to updated resources from the library. I have found that other systems rely on a great number of spreadsheet type operations that can easily be changed in the estimate and can lead to errors if copied to another estimate.

Incentivized

monday.com was easier to set up and you can create boards with loads of subtasks which helps manage a project. Also, the ability to integrate with google was much better as we could link it to the calendar and also store documents that the engineers could see easier onsite. Overall we could make monday.com work better for our business based on how we are set up but simPRO will be great for other businesses with more specific needs.

Incentivized

• Benchmark has created standardisation in quotes and tenders.
• Created standard progress claims.

Incentivized

• Increased team collaboration.
• Increased inventory awareness.
• Decreased down time between jobs.

Incentivized