HCSS vs. Procore

Our operation uses several pieces of what we call specialty equipment (not used every day on every job). The foreman when finished will give a location of where this equipment is left, this many times can be very vague and lead to a lowboy driver trying to block around to find the piece or driving down a street he cannot get turned around in. With the GPS devices, the driver can pinpoint exactly where the unit is and if he has room to turn around at that location.

Incentivized

I would recommend Procore to other GC's to improve their ability to document their projects in an organized and orderly way. The app is easy to use for on-site Superintendents and others to document daily logs, start RFI's, and review submittals from Subcontractors. The plan viewer is also an amazing tool for on-site workers to utilize.

Incentivized

• #1 is support! HCSS is by far the best software support of any product we have ever used. Unlike most software companies HCSS utilizes their support calls to help upgrade their software. When you here them tell you that they will write down a particular issue you come across during a support call if they can't help you then and there they will research and get an answer to you extremely fast. If the software will not do it, you can bet there is a good chance it will be on the list of enhancements you will see come out in the near future.
• Estimating software is very extensive. Their software is capable of handling the smallest estimate all the way to the largest joint venture estimate. It has advanced features that make it extremely useful for analyzing job materials, subcontractors etc.
• HeavyJob is an extremely useful tool for the field to keep the office up to date with job costs. Everything is at the Foreman's fingertips on Tablets to allow the information from the field to get uploaded to HeavyJob manager which then can export to accounting. We are also able to give our Foreman the ability to deal with the Daily and weekly safety needs (Tailgate Meetings, incident Investigation, observations etc.) right on the Tablets thru HeavyJob.

• Submittals, Easily able to track and keep a running record of documentation.
• RFI's ability to track costs and impacts to the project in one useful tool.
• Keeping all items for a job in one location. I love that Procore is my one-stop shopping for all items related to my project.

Incentivized

• All their apps are on mobile devices. Although there is not a clear company policy on Android versus iPhone. Updates for features lag behind on Android. Some apps are exclusive to one platform making it hard to fully interconnect all programs.

• Downloading drawing sets sometimes involves an extra step that holds up the process
• The dashboard is simplistic to the point that I don't feel like I am getting enough information about a specific project from the get-go
• Granting access to a project on Procore is not very straightforward as a consultant- restrictions sometimes cause hold-ups

Incentivized

We will undoubtedly renew Procore as it has proven itself to be a means to better track and improve upon our efficiency and communications between job sites and their project managers as well as all other departments. Procore has made an incredible impact on how we, as a company, do our job on all levels; it is one of our most powerful and effective resources.

Incentivized

As mentioned, user interface appears messy and complicated at initial onset. Training is necessary but becomes easy to maneuver through after solid daily use.

Incentivized

90% of Procore is very intuitive and any user can pick it up and go. There are a few elements, more so on the Financials side that need some prior knowledge of systems in order to understand how and why it functions as it does. Once this is understood, it flows effortlessly

Incentivized

If you are working in an area with little to no signal, Procore will still allow you to get in the system and use it fully and will then update once you are at a place with a strong enough signal. Whether it be with wifi or LTE cell phone reception.

Incentivized

For the most part Procore is very responsive. However there are times when it's a little slow but it's minimal.

Incentivized

I have never had a bad experience or heard of one in 4 years of doing business with HCSS. That is unheard of even with the hurricanes and flooding in Houston area it feels like HCSS was always there and willing to help in every way.

General Support for Project Management and Financials is consistent. The ERP support is never consistent and I do end up at times in a black hole. I have to continually reach out to get the issue resolved or get an update. The ERP support needs more of Procore's attention

Incentivized

Procore's Implementation Team does a great job of ensuring users are confident in using the system. They run through a process of training sessions based on the tools you have purchased, and lay ou ta plan to help the power users configure the tool to suit the company's needs. They provide useful resources for certifications, support and ongoing training as well.

Incentivized

Procore's certification program and focused how-to training videos allowed for easy training that did not feel overwhelming. The way the certification programs were broken up into small parts made it seem much less daunting to complete. The training feels focused and does not overload users with too much information all at once.

Incentivized

I was not employed with PPI upon implementation. I would prefer to reference my previous statement, that each company needs to evaluate its culture and address your implementation accordingly. The purchasing company should assign an employee as point person and really take charge of not just the technical side of the implementation (HCSS pretty much handles that), but focus on company culture and training.

Iron out your cost code list in your accounting software before you link with Procore. Once the link is established that list is more or less permanent. Review the permission matrix carefully. It controls so much. You want to ensure the information provided to your users adequate but you also want to protect your sensitive data. Procore Financials are organized in a total contract value style. Any markup or Profit will need to be sent somewhere on your budget. This may be significantly different than the Cost budgeting that many contractors do

Incentivized

Other estimating products I have used consist of ICE/MC2 and MS Excel. ICE was not a good fit for our company, as they have awful technical support and offer very poor training. MS Excel is great for simple estimates where there is not a lot of data being compiled. However neither hold a candle to the power of HCSS Heavybid

Procore has a clearer user interface and a wider variety of tools than any program I've used. Procore also lives up to their name in terms of helpful and fast customer service. There is always a Procore rep. that is available to contact, making any problems just a mini hurdle.

once in awhile Procore is down for a period of time, its frustrating when it happens but doesn't tend to last long.

Incentivized

• The biggest ROI for us was the ease of adoption by field personnel.

Incentivized

• The Procore service impacts on construction projects are effective and reliable on production acceleration.
• The collaboration is stable and easy files access and uploading of engineering drawings and plans is excellent.
• New project planning and project financial data management on Procore functions are excellent.

Incentivized