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HCSS offers a suite of construction software products that cater to various departments and needs within a construction company. These …
Overview
What is HCSS?
HCSS is a construction software suite. It includes functionality for bidding, time card and project management, safety, planning, scheduling, equipment management, and data warehousing and reporting. Each module can be purchased separately. The suite can be hosted in the cloud.
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Popular Features
- Photo documentation (25)10.0100%
- Jobsite reports (30)8.080%
- Mobile app (28)6.161%
- Collaboration & approvals (19)4.040%
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What is HCSS?
HCSS is a construction software suite. It includes functionality for bidding, time card and project management, safety, planning, scheduling, equipment management, and data warehousing and reporting. Each module can be purchased separately. The suite can be hosted in the cloud.
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What is Procore?
Procore is a project management software designed specifically for the construction industry. Procore is cloud-based and allows unlimited users per instance, so that construction team members and stakeholders can all access project information and documents.
What is Wrike?
Wrike is a project management and collaboration software. This solution connects tasks, discussions, and emails to the user’s project plan. Wrike is optimized for agile workflows and aims to help resolve data silos, poor visibility into work status, and missed deadlines and project failures.
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- Competitors
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- FAQs
What is HCSS?
HCSS is a construction software suite for estimating, operations, project management, safety, and equipment management used by the top contractors in transportation, oil & gas, power, industrial, telecom, and water/wastewater. Contractors use the software suite to win profitable work, keep projects on track and on budget, manage key assets, and then they integrate that information directly into their accounting system.
Suite components include:
Suite components include:
- HeavyBid (estimating)
- HeavyJob (time cards, job costing, project management)
- HCSS Safety
- HCSS Plans
- Equipment360
- HCSS Telematics
- HCSS Dispatcher
- FuelerPlus
- HCSS eLogs
- HCSS Cloud
- HCSS Skills
- HCSS Forms
HCSS Features
Construction Project & Field Management Features
- Supported: Plan distribution & viewing
- Supported: Plan markups & sharing
- Supported: Document sharing
- Supported: Issue tracking & punchlists
- Supported: Photo documentation
- Supported: Jobsite reports
- Supported: Collaboration & approvals
- Supported: Mobile app
Additional Features
- Supported: Estimating and bidding
- Supported: Invitation to bid
- Supported: Quote management
- Supported: Timecards
- Supported: Daily diaries
- Supported: Production quantities
- Supported: T&M Reporting
- Supported: Equipment Maintenance
- Supported: Equipment Work Orders
- Supported: Alerts & Notifications
HCSS Screenshots
HCSS Video
Construction Software Development Company - Estimating, Bidding, & More | HCSS
HCSS Integrations
- Microsoft Project
- Viewpoint Vista
- Primavera P3
- P6 Project Management
- RSMeans
HCSS Competitors
- Viewpoint ProContractor
- InEight
- Microsoft Excel
- B2W Software
- Predictive Solutions
HCSS Technical Details
| Deployment Types | On-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems | Windows |
| Mobile Application | Apple iOS, Android |
| Supported Countries | United States, Canada |
Frequently Asked Questions
HCSS is a construction software suite. It includes functionality for bidding, time card and project management, safety, planning, scheduling, equipment management, and data warehousing and reporting. Each module can be purchased separately. The suite can be hosted in the cloud.
Reviewers rate Photo documentation highest, with a score of 10.
The most common users of HCSS are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
HCSS Customer Size Distribution
| Consumers | 0% |
|---|---|
| Small Businesses (1-50 employees) | 30% |
| Mid-Size Companies (51-500 employees) | 55% |
| Enterprises (more than 500 employees) | 15% |
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(112)
Community Insights
TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!
- Business Problems Solved
- Pros
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HCSS offers a suite of construction software products that cater to various departments and needs within a construction company. These products, including HeavyBid, HeavyJob, Dispatcher, Equipment 360, and more, have been widely utilized across different organizations to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. For example, the estimating department relies on HeavyBid to manage proposals and estimates, ensuring accurate cost projections and competitive bidding. By compiling historic data for current bids, estimators are able to price projects effectively and improve the chances of winning bids. Similarly, HeavyJob is an indispensable tool for field workers to track progress on projects, including labor and equipment hours as well as daily production. This real-time tracking capability enables project managers and foremen to monitor costs and make informed decisions based on up-to-date information.
Furthermore, HCSS software products facilitate seamless integration with accounting systems and other software applications used in the construction industry. HeavyBid's interface with accounting software allows for the conversion of codes to actual pay items, simplifying billing processes and ensuring accuracy. The coordination between HeavyBid and HeavyJob enables smooth transformation from estimates to production tracking, capturing work performed and hours for invoicing and payroll purposes. The use of HCSS products extends beyond project management tasks; they are also employed by safety departments for inspections and recording safety observations during work. In addition, equipment managers rely on Equipment 360 to efficiently manage the fleet of vehicles and equipment by tracking maintenance and repairs electronically.
Overall, HCSS products play a vital role in every facet of the construction business. From estimating to project management, payroll to safety tracking, these software solutions offer comprehensive functionalities that enhance productivity and collaboration among different departments. Users praise the consistency brought by HeavyBid in estimates and budgets while highlighting its efficiency when properly set up. Likewise, foremen in the field find HeavyJob empowering as it allows them to contribute valuable information for bids and future jobs, improving efficiency and quality control. Dispatchers value the visibility provided by Dispatcher, enabling them to have real-time knowledge of equipment location and resource availability. With its broad range of applications and extensive usage throughout the organization, HCSS software is an essential asset in the construction industry.
Availability of 24/7 technical help: Users appreciate the fact that HCSS provides round-the-clock technical support for any issues they encounter. Many reviewers have mentioned that this availability has been invaluable to them, allowing them to get immediate assistance whenever they need it.
Highly knowledgeable and prompt technical support staff: The technical support team at HCSS is highly regarded by users. They are praised for their expertise and ability to solve problems quickly over the phone. Several reviewers have mentioned that they were impressed with how knowledgeable and efficient the support staff was in resolving their issues.
Thorough training provided by HCSS: Users value the comprehensive training offered by HCSS, as it helps them maximize the benefits of using their products. Many reviewers have mentioned that the training sessions provided by HCSS have been instrumental in helping them understand and effectively use the software.
Less Performant: Users have consistently reported that ISQft is slower and less performant compared to other products they have used. Several reviewers mentioned difficulty exporting to Excel, attaching documents to bids, and experiencing slow performance on the iPad with Heavy Job manager. Some users also found uploading on the iPad to be slower than expected. These performance issues were a common complaint among reviewers.
Lack of Versatility in Dispatcher: Many users expressed dissatisfaction with the Dispatcher feature in ISQft, stating that it lacked versatility and desired features. Reviewers found it difficult to move crews around on a daily basis and felt that the planner view was not beneficial. They also mentioned that Dispatcher lacked proactive features, reminders, and real tracking of projects. Multiple reviewers believed that if HCSS focused more on improving Dispatcher, it could attract more subcontractor companies and larger contractors.
Difficulties in Integration: Integration with other programs was not seamless according to user feedback. Some reviewers had trouble integrating ISQft with their existing systems or found it challenging to import data from outside sources. There were also difficulties in pulling data into the management system used at corporate offices. Users expressed a need for easier integration with accounting programs and suggested that HCSS should focus on improving the integration of its products with each other.
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April 29, 2021
The only one for heavy civil construction
The company utilizes HCSS HeavyJob to track and analyze daily costs and production quantities. It is provided companywide; however, adoption and use of the product to full capacity is definitely not reflected in the data.
- Production costs
- Production tracking
- Equipment allocations
- Appears complicated at initial onset; messy interface
- Not very user friendly, even after training
- Cumbersome when used in conjunction with other platforms
March 18, 2020
A Leader in the Construction World
HCSS is used by various departments. Mostly in the field for timecards, cost controls, and engineering/bidding.
Timecards are kept in HeavyJob, which correlates and feeds info into JDE. The field uses these applications which are then analyzed and approved by cost controls.
HeavyBid is used by our engineering/bidding department. All major bids use this HeavyBid and we find it to be an extraordinary program. Allows us to compile a lot of historic data to be used in current bids. Truly a blessing.
Timecards are kept in HeavyJob, which correlates and feeds info into JDE. The field uses these applications which are then analyzed and approved by cost controls.
HeavyBid is used by our engineering/bidding department. All major bids use this HeavyBid and we find it to be an extraordinary program. Allows us to compile a lot of historic data to be used in current bids. Truly a blessing.
- HCSS works wonderfully as a timecard. Using the application is very easy and it speaks very well to our data systems.
- HCSS is the pinnacle of estimating tools. It allows multiple analytics and set-ups for estimators. In addition, conversions of your bid into budgets are extremely easy once exported.
- Within HeavyJob, once you enter in manhours and production data they run all the data analysis for you, providing graphs and figures from your inputs.
- The software itself seems to be a bit outdated as far as user interface
- I'm not sure if this is a result of too much data or what, but the programs tend to be on the slower side when importing and exporting data.
January 23, 2018
What's so HEAVY about HCSS
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
HCSS is primarily used at our organization by our Underground group. The primary product we use is HeavyBid for estimating new projects as well as large change orders on existing projects. While we have licensing for both HeavyJob and Dispatcher also we have not had much success utilizing them to their full potential due to internal company issues. Overall HCSS provides a robust project management solution allowing for the information to flow freely from the estimators to the project teams.
- HeavyBid integrates well with our accounting system and has reduced my budget development time significantly from our previous software.
- HeavyJob's ability to capture field information from a mobile device is key to future success in the industry. There are several other platforms which provide the ability to capture field data but to date I have yet to find one as robust and user friendly.
- HCCS's customer service is the cornerstone of my continued support of the software. I have contacted them several times after hours only to be greeted by a knowledgeable PERSON. The ability to converse with someone who knows the product and how to resolve issues without being on hold or speaking to a computer is invaluable.
- HeavyJob is not envisioned to be an accounting system by the developers. Eventually more auditing capabilities will be needed.
- Custom reports are expensive.
January 19, 2018
HCSS Feedback
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Our foremen currently use the Field System to create and send timecards. We will begin our testing phase to transition to mobile devices in the near future. Our Office Managers are the final approval level for timecards sent in by the foremen. They track attendance to manage paid and unpaid time off from work. Engineers and Superintendents use the Manager System to review and approve the first two approval levels. They review labor hours, cost codes, quantities and equipment codes and hours. They use the Production Analysis and Planner as well as other reports available in the Manager System.
We recently upgraded to 2016, and we have had a few kinks that we are working through, with HCSS. Overall, I feel the upgrade went well with a lot of work from HCSS and our team. Our company uses Specialty Jobs which is a complex element to manage.
- HCSS has established a team to assist our Company with any issue that arises. They respond timely and give us quality service.
- HCSS works to accommodate our need in using Specialty Jobs, which tend to complicate our use of the product.
- HCSS has created a very good process flow for Project Jobs with their product.
- Some of the reports contain just the Foremen employee number, it would be great if they also contain the name.
- Some of the reports are not compatible with running them in Excel, it would be great to be able to dump the data into an Excel spreadsheet.
- I would like to be able to run User Accounts into an Excel spreadsheet.
January 08, 2018
HCSS is great
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
HCSS programs are used across the board in our company. Our field guys use HCSS Mobile and Safety for their time cards. Our mechanics and drivers use Equipment 360 and eLogs. All our time cards are directly exported into a file for ease of import in accounting. We use Telematics and OEMLink to track equipment usage and location.
- export to accounting
- time card management, review, and consolidation of data for billing purposes
- equipment maintenance and records
- 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.
December 01, 2017
HCSS - Payroll Processing
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
HCSS is used across the company. We use it to track time cards, equipment usage, material quantities, subsistence, and per diem, at least to my knowledge.
- The program is designed to work well for our employees that travel, which is 80% of the company.
- The exports that HCSS can create for us work well with our accounting program. It's great how they can create their data to work with another program.
- We currently struggle with importing data from the outside. Our superintendents will send data to the cloud and we struggle at times to pull the data into our [management] system that we use at the corporate office. That could also be on our end.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We are using HCSS across multiple departments in our organization.
We initially purchased the HCSS software (HeavyJob, HeavyBid, and Dispatcher) to focus on resource management and project cost. The programs have their upsides and downsides. Basic functions of dispatched crews, field-generated time cards, to time card review/approval and minimized keystrokes for reduced errors in the payroll department are great. The hardest part, is getting full use of the program to be earning a ROI that the HCSS salespeople sell companies on.
As with most technology, the purchase is not the solution, and the new business problem created by purchasing HCSS, was that people were only using it for time cards (which makes for one expensive time card program). Prior to purchasing HCSS (or any technology for that matter), a company needs to take a long hard look at the company culture and establish a good implementation plan to ensure that your company utilizes HCSS to it's fullest potential. After all, you are paying for the fancy modules even if you are not using them. Commit to continual improvements and a training program.
HCSS is FANTASTIC at collecting and implementing customer feedback; they want to build a product that we heavy civil contractors want to use.
- Customer service. I call them at least a couple times per week when I run into an issue. They resolve the issue or kick it up to the next level, and treat each one of my calls with proper urgency and concern.
- Access to submit my recommendations for improvement. The HCSS Product Portal has really made it easy to enter my suggestions, review suggestions from others, and vote.
- The HCSS Help website; it is so easy to access past webinars, and procedures. This is usually my first stop (now) before calling the support line.
- The HeavyJob mobile has really been a great advancement for us. Our foremen are very happy after switching from the Field (laptop) version to Mobile (iPad) version of time cards. Some of them are even coming in and asking "what else can we do" with the program, to become more efficient in the field. It has been quite inspiring.
- In HeavyJob, the system needs improvement for Change Management. In construction, a change in condition on the jobsite happens often, and as a project manager, I need to be able to confidently track any and all issues (regardless of status). Currently, HCSS does not have a solution for this. I have been working with them to improve the functionality, but they are not there yet.
- In HeavyJob, the mobile features have improved functions in the field, but those mobile improvements have made for major drawbacks in the office. Specifically, the Multi Job time card function (MJ). Due to the outdated manager system, the approvers (PMs) are forced to log into HeavyJob Web, which is tremendously slow. Approving time cards has now become a big time consuming ordeal as we only have the ability to approve one time card at a time.
- The Dispatcher program is too slow. The amount of data being processed is not an acceptable excuse. HCSS needs to get better compression to resolve the major bog-down for changes/updates to be made on the dashboard, as well as when printing reports/
- The E360 program needs improvement on the purchase order process.
- In general, there need to be more compatibility and function between all of the HCSS products. I want the information tracked in one module to be automatically synced with the other; I want to easily navigate in and out of all modules as well. This all needs creation and improvement.
November 21, 2017
Great Estimating Software
HCSS HeavyBid is used across the estimating department.
- Mass changes and updates to the estimate.
- Retrieves data quickly.
- The system tends to run very slow on large jobs with multiple users, especially subsystems such as quote comparisons.
- The system loses margin with some combinations of spread over-rides.
- Common windows features like dragging, dropping, copy/paste are cumbersome.
November 13, 2017
HeavyBid for Industrial Estimating
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
HCSS Heavybid is being used as our estimating software. We use it to manage every proposal and estimate that is produced by Haskell. It is specifically used in our estimating department. The field uses HeavyJob to track and earn progress on projects as they work and progress through the jobs. HeavyBid interfaces with our accounting software, allowing us to dump a code of accounts to actual pay items and bill accordingly.
- Organized estimates. Especially sub and material management.
- Structured and consistent.
- Technical Help. They are available 24 hrs a day for technical issues
- No math errors. Using MS Excel to estimate always runs with the risk of formula errors.
- Complicated for new users. The software is so expansive, it is difficult to bring new users up to speed quickly.
- Expensive. Between the HCSS license and the Cloud service, it is very expensive.
- Server Based, without the cloud you cannot use it remotely.
November 08, 2017
HCSS Suite
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use HCSS across our organization for bidding with HeavyBid, collecting field data with HeavyJob manager and mobile (time, equipment, production quantities, change tracking), E360 for equipment maintenance, E360 Fueler for off-road fueling and Dispatcher for our heavy equipment hauls.
- The customer service at HCSS is outstanding. You can always get a person on the phone and the expertise provided with all products is above expectations.
- The HCSS user conferences are great for all skill levels and applications. There's something for everybody and the presenters have the knowledge and willingness to address your needs and concerns.
- Their implementation process is well organized and executed. Going to their office for implementation is highly recommended.
- Their mobile offerings vary too widely between iOS and Android where Android is available. We are a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) company and have many users split between iOS and Android products. This causes issues as HCSS is iOS only for E360, and on HeavyJob they are typically a year behind in parity between iOS and Android with the former the most up to date. Would like to see a cross platform app that mirrors where they are heading with their web app offerings.
- Their mobile applications do not always send data two ways. For example, jobs, cost codes, employees and equipment lists update to the HCSS field app but you can not see other time statistics from other foremen unless you are a manager on the iOS manager app, manager web app or desktop app. Only what is in the local tablet's database is what the foreman can see. This also causes issues when a tablet fails without a backup and restore made to the local database. In this instance, though all data sent in is stored in the main system, the foreman loses any history they may have had on the tablet.
- HeavyJob serves as our timekeeping system for our field crews. As such it would be nice to be able to apply time entry rules and workflow routing to ensure data is keyed in a timely fashion and routed to the correct individuals. All approvals work on a filter basis requiring each manager to seek and find unapproved time. It is nearly impossible to enforce time entry deadlines without custom built alerts and followup reporting for zero time and missing time cards.
November 03, 2017
For RR, Mostly a positive experience.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Rieth-Riley has standardized on HeavyBid for our Estimating Software. Likewise, we have chosen HeavyJob as our Job Cost application having all of our Indiana locations using the software.
- Excellent Job Site Tool for collecting time card data, production, equipment usage, as well as production analysis.
- HeavyBid is our de facto standard company wide.
- Recently experienced several months of issues in the field with my iPad users. Turns out there was an issue with the HCSS Cloud (i.e. Azure). Took forever to resolve, but all appears to be running as expected now.