The construction industry is notorious for producing mountains of paper. For each job, you need to track insurance, submit and approve purchase orders, submit invoices, and even correspond with your clients and suppliers.

All this paperwork bogs down regular business processes, slowing your team when they could be spending time on the job site. Digital automation saves you from wading through massive amounts of paperwork.

Learn how digitization can help you cut down on paper while making your team more efficient.

What is Digitization of Construction Paperwork? 

In construction, digitization and automation involves using an online platform to store and manage documentation, including:

• Bid documents
• Contracts
• Purchase orders
• Jobsite notes
• Policies and procedures
• Safety manuals

By digitizing your systems, you can more effectively support a variety of business functions, from process improvement to streamlining project feedback.

How Digitization Benefits Your Business

While other industries such as healthcare, financial services, and insurance have been quick to adopt document digitization, construction has been slower to follow suit. However, ditching the paper and storing documents digitally benefits you in multiple ways.

Improved Operational Efficiency

In construction, you need to do what you can to cut project budgets without sacrificing quality work, and digital automation is a great way to do it. Construction companies that adopt digital technology have boosted productivity by 15%.

With a digital solution, your project managers don’t have to waste time digging through past paperwork to find and submit purchase orders. Technology that allows you to store documents can also automate processes including submission and approval of purchase orders. This way, you can get supplies and other approvals faster to move jobs along.

Enhanced Safety

Safety is important to any construction company, and the digitization of construction documents makes it easier. Store tribal knowledge and other information that's passed on only by word of mouth in a single location that workers can access onsite through a mobile device.

Mobile document storage solutions also allow your project managers and construction team to take photos of job site hazards and pass them on to others. If you choose a solution that also handles scheduling, you can create checklists and add photos and notes to each team member’s schedule so they know to avoid onsite hazards.

Reduced Operational Costs

When you’re dealing with tons of paperwork, you need somewhere to store it. Like the medical industry, construction requires you to store documents after your project is complete. Depending on how many projects you do each year, you may have to rely on offsite storage, which can get expensive. The medical industry has increasingly turned to digital document storage to combat this problem, and construction should too.

Cloud-based systems are a great solution for storing project records and other documentation. These digital platforms are compliant with industry regulations and save each agency the added expense of storing physical documents in a warehouse or storage unit.

Easier Tracking

When you’re working with paper documents, you may have to make multiple copies of blueprints, plans, purchase orders, and others in case you lose one. Digital documentation takes away this need and makes all essential documents easily accessible with a simple click. Instead of waiting for multiple people to review and sign a paper permit, you can submit it instantly.

Enhanced Searchability 

An effective paper document management system thrives when everyone on your team understands how documents are filed. However, breakdowns in communication can lead to a disorganized filing system. The person who set up the filing and document storage standards may leave, or a new office manager might come in and choose to reorganize paper files.

In these instances, your team members have to search in multiple places to find the documents they need. Digital document management systems let you tag files and search for information using keywords. Instead of spending time digging through multiple filing cabinets, your project managers and other team members can find their documents quickly using searches.

How to Implement Digital Document Solutions

Stop working harder with paper documents and step into the future with a digital storage solution. 

Assess Your Needs

Start by assessing your current processes, taking note of how much paper you’re using. Make a list of every paper document you could replace using a digital platform.

Once you know what you need, you can start comparing platforms and looking for those that offer the features you need. Do you want to store vendor reviews and profiles along with your blueprints, purchase orders, and other documents? Do you need a platform offers analytical and reporting tools?

Map Out New Processes

Digital solutions will transform how your project team does business. Once you’ve identified which documents you plan on digitizing, figure out how your processes will change so you can start training.

You’ll need to get your team on board because they’ll have shifts in their daily responsibilities. Show your team how digitization benefits them to create buy-in and make them more receptive to new processes.

Choose Your Technology

After you’ve assessed your needs and your budget, compare technology. Look for a platform that streamlines your workflows and offers all the features you need to replace paper documents. Look for a solution that is flexible and can grow with you as your business needs change.

Join the Digital Revolution 

Making the shift from paper documents to digital helps you effectively manage each construction job. It saves your team members time they would spend digging through paperwork and filling out purchase orders and other documents.

Digitization of construction documents can save you time and money while helping you stay within your project schedule and budget — not to mention keeping up with the 21st century. If your construction team hasn't made the switch yet, consider this your sign to go digital.

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