Seattle-based construction software developer Dexter + Chaney rolled out its new Spectrum Project Management system at the 2013 World of Concrete trade show this week in Las Vegas.

Spectrum Project Management is available as part of the suite of applications in Dexter + Chaney’s Spectrum Construction Software product line. The new software integrates its Plan Room and Spectrum Accounting software.

“One of the first questions our customers asked was, ‘How can we integrate Plan Room’ into project management?’” John Chaney, president of Dexter + Chaney said during our interview at World of Concrete 2013. This iteration of software provides this capability, Chaney said.

“This changes the way you do project management — end to end,” Chaney said. “Project management is not one task performed in one location. It involves a continuous flow of work, data and documents that move from place to place and person to person. We’ve designed a complete system to help project managers handle the work, the documents, the communication and the people that comprise complex construction projects.”

At last year’s World of Concrete, Dexter + Chaney introduced its Plan Room browser-based software, which starts with pre-construction — such as the invitation to bid. Once this segment of the construction process was complete, the project team would need to move into the project management process and everything would need to be set up again, Chaney explained. “Now we’ve connected that so there is no break. Everything is integrated.”

Spectrum Project Management is cloud-based, requiring no software downloads and is accessible from any device with a web browser. The Spectrum Project Management application covers numerous project management functions, including job cost and progress reporting, project logging, submittal and RFI tracking, and project document storage and sharing.

What makes Spectrum Project Management unique is how it combines the tools and information that project managers need into a single application, Chaney noted. The project management system essentially builds picture of project status by combining financial and field information, managing people and documents (the version control aspect is pretty neat) and tracking workflow from a single project log screen so there aren’t multiple logs.

Each user has a dashboard of apps unique to them. The user chooses whichever apps he or she wants, depending on their level of involvement with the project, and the dashboard is customized to that person’s needs.

For example, Chaney demonstrated one of the apps on his dashboard — a Proposed Change Request Aging Pie Chart. Users may also create their own apps. “It’s like writing a custom report,” Chaney said. The apps are treated like a data element, Chaney explained. This means when updates are made, users don’t lose their apps. “If you create 50 apps, you’ll still have them.”

The ability to create apps and logs to customize the dashboard is significant, Chaney says, because “we can’t anticipate every log a contractor will want. You can create your own categories and name it.”

Source:http://www.equipmentworld.com/dexter-chaney-spectrum-project-management-software-integrates-end-to-end-woc-2013/

The decision by Topdocs, one of Australia’s leading SMSF, company and trust document providers, to integrate its document automation system with the XPLAN wealth management software, will dramatically simplify the document ordering process and enhance document accuracy.

Developed by IRESS, XPLAN is Australia’s leading financial planning software for wealth management professionals.

Key benefits of the systems’ integration mean that financial planners will be able to purchase, access, complete and store electronic self-managed super fund, company trust and pension documents in the one system. Documents can be pre-populated with client information stored in XPLAN’s client management module, eliminating cumbersome data entry and enhancing compliance requirements.

The Lonsdale Financial Group will be thefirst dealer group in Australia to roll out the integrated Topdocs/XPLAN system to its network of over 300 advisers across Australia early in the New Year.

According to Topdocs’ managing director, Jake Spakman, the decision to integrate its document automation system with XPLAN was driven by the desire to help financial planners cut the administrative burden of ordering and completing documents.

“We’re always looking for new ways to improve the user experience. By integrating our system with XPLAN, financial planners can now order their documents from within XPLAN, saving up to 20 minutes each time by not having to rekey client data.”

IRESS Executive Product Manager for Wealth Management, Aaron Knowles, says the Topdocs/XPLAN integration is another way in which IRESS can help financial planners improve business efficiency.

“Our customers rely heavily on the accuracy of client data for reporting, data-mining, advice creation and practice management, so it makes sense that we leverage that data directly into the Topdocs’ documents, saving time and avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort.”

Progressive dealer group, Lonsdale Financial Group has been quick to recognize the value of the integrated system. Lonsdale CEO, Mark Stephen says, “We’re continuously searching for smart initiatives that benefit both our associates and their clients. The Topdocs/XPLAN systems’ integration is undoubtedly one of those and will result in significant benefits in terms of improved accuracy and less time spent on administration.”

The integration is available in Version 2.3 of XPLAN and above.

Source:http://www.4-traders.com/IRESS-LTD-6492710/news/Iress-Ltd-Financial-planners-key-beneficiaries-of-systems-integration-15586114/