ProContractor is a Cloud-Based Solution for Estimating, Project Management, and Accounting. Designed to improve visibility and profitability across construction businesses, ProContractor™ by Viewpoint is a cloud-based software solution for estimating, project management, and accounting. The user can manage the entire project lifecycle from bid to cash in a single solution. Built to be flexible and scalable, ProContractor allows users to go all-in-one, or build a complete solution…
It is appropriate for the size and scale of my company - 150 projects a year that has a lot going on a multiple lines with each project. However there are many features and things that go unused with the software, because of how tinkery it can be. For example - our company needs a positive pay file, however we had to employ an outside service provide to create the file within the system. Same with a Backlog - the system kind of has a report but then again it has to be manipulated in order for it be of use. It gets the job done and has the reports needed to submit for certified payroll to the state, which was why we purchased Viewpoint ProContractor, however its ease of use is one of its biggest downfalls.
Their spell checker creates a squiggly line to tell you that you have a misspelled word, but, doesn't allow you to correct it.
The spell checker lets you add custom words to a dictionary, but, it can only use one dictionary at a time to check spelling. So the default dictionary gets used, and your custom words still show up as being spelled wrong!
You can't select-copy addresses, in order to paste them somewhere else.
Using duplexing on my printer doesn't work right. It works for every other software I own, but not in UDA.
There is a bug in the WIP date range that doesn't pull accurate data.
"Options" in the estimate show only cost, not margin. So if you show your customer that report, you are revealing cost info, not selling price!!
You can't import a PDF into bid notes, even though the premise of UDA is to try to make it a single repository for all your information.
You can't use the arrow key to browse photos in UDA. You need to close, and click into the next one. No inuitive functionality.
The estimating module separates material and labor, in ways that create a very confusing Scope of Work. You need to select the labor item from your database, then separately select the material from your database. You end up with two line items in your Scope of Work for the same thing. Instead of writing, "Supply and Install a new window" you have "Supply a new window" and then "Install a new window." It's hard for my estimator, and confusing for my client.
UDA will WREAK HAVOC on your contacts in Outlook.
It does a terrible job of managing husband/wife or partner/partner situations. You can't mail merge them properly, or, you get forced into combining their contact into into a single contact-- and then how do you know whether the cell phone is his or hers???
There is no good way to credit design fees against the construction contract, if you happen to use that paradigm for your contracts.
There is no way to filter contracts by their date created. So, how do you find your newest contacts for entering them into something such as Constant Contact?
If you try to use integration of QuickBooks(QB) and UDA, your ITEMS list in QB will either get expanded to hundreds or even THOUSANDS of items... or, your POs in QB will get created in a summary form such that they are virtually meaningless.
The "lead funnel" graphic may look cool, but there is not a good way to actually report on the lead status, track the activities and calls that you make, note significant emails that you write, or keep track of when you send out thank-you cards or spiffs/gifts!
They might tell you that these things work, but, after spending MONTHS with UDA, I found out that these problems are deal breakers.
Within their customer service department, the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. They do not use a structure such as Zendesk that so many other great companies use. Even though I was paying for priority support, there were often days going by where I could not get a call or email back to assist me with a support request or provide a tutorial on how to do something. Had I not paid extra for support, this would be acceptable. But when paying for "TotalCare" priority support, there are times when the software had me stuck, and I was stuck for a day at a time waiting for an answer. Sometimes no answer ever arrived.
I give Viewpoint ProContractor a 10 out of 10. This system is user friendly to help keep me organized on a daily basis. I can find everything I need daily with this system. I am able to look up our subcontactors, vendors and clients I need to find quickly. I am able to see bills that I need to pay as well as invoices that I need to send out.
When something isn't working, you can contact support who will gladly remote into your system and try and work out a solution. Though several of the issues we encountered, they were not able to fix and had to submit for further review. While some were eventually rectified in updates, it takes time for these to be addressed and implemented.
QuickBooks has great quality assurance and while they don't provide support, their software is nearly flawless. Co-construct provides great support and solves problems. In comparison, UDA Construction Suite is full of flaws, and their customer service department is disorganized and overworked.
Procore beats Viewpoint hands down but can integrate well with Viewpoint Vista accounting software. I think that if the Viewpoint software was more flexible if they were more interested in patches, updates, and hearing customer feedback in the way the Procore does, that they would actually have the opportunity to corner the market.
Overall it allowed us to go electronic for certified payroll allowing us to be more accurate in reporting which was a giant win for the company
It's viewable pay estimates with dates and records of payment are crucial to a company like ours that relies on a general contractor and the state for payment of EADA quantites
Negatively training is not the easiest for the company and therefore onboarding new employees with no experience with the software is time consuming and difficult.
