For architecture and engineering firms, time is money. Between a day juggling site visits, creating reports, fielding clients and managing a team, it can be hard to make the most of both. That’s why we’ve scoured the industry to find the best productivity tools and tips to help architecture and engineering firms work smarter on the go.
TextExpander is a cross-platform productivity app that can save your firm hours of time creating communication. The app allows you to create a catalog of snippets with assigned keyboard shortcuts you can use to insert them. If you find yourself typing the same information over and over (as most architects and engineers do), TextExpander can shave seconds off every note you type.
Snippets can be anything from email or physical addresses, commonly used terms, signatures and more. It can also be used across devices on Windows, Mac or IOS platforms. This not only saves you time, but it also allows you to keep your communication consistent across your team.
Pricing: A monthly subscription runs at $3.33 for a single user or $7.96 for a team.
Have you ever needed to pull up a website or whitepaper on the job site, but the internet was spotty? Instapaper fixes that problem by allowing you to save articles, videos, website pages and more to your offline memory so you can access them later. You can even highlight and comment on specific parts of the text so you can store, save, and share them. Instapaper transfers across all your devices, so you can move from your desktop to your iPhone with ease.
Pricing: Try out the limited free version or upgrade to premium for added features at $2.99 per month.
ArchiSnapper makes site visits a breeze by saving you time on field reports, inspections, punch lists, and more. You can take photos, draw, sketch, comment, and annotate from the app and turn it into a detailed report in just one click. ArchiSnapper will organize and classify your report and sync it to the cloud, allowing you to share and collaborate with anyone. Now you can have a finished site report before you even get back to the office!
Pricing: $24 to $249 per month depending on your plan.
One of the most popular productivity tools for architects and engineers, MagicPlan makes it easy to draw complete floorplans without the need for measuring tape or paper. Just scan the room from your smartphone or tablet and the app will use augmented technology and artificial intelligence to create an accurate 2D or 3D floorplan in seconds. You can then export your plan to different file forms and even create an accurate estimate out of custom price-lists.
Pricing: Plans start at $9.99 per month.
This popular app will keep you organized on the go by storing all of your important information in one place. Take notes, build checklists, scan and save documents, and even track and manage your projects all from your Evernote app. All of your notebooks are saved to the cloud and Evernote works on just about any device, making it easy to collaborate with clients and your team while on the go.
Pricing: Plans range from free to $14.99 per month for businesses
A document management system is essential for architecture and engineering firms to stay productive on the go. But common systems like DropBox or GoogleDrive open your network to security issues that can damage and disrupt your business operations.
BIS CloudSync allows you to sync and access your business documents across devices while offering robust security features that keep your information safe from hackers. You and your team can now feel safe to share, collaborate and upload files from wherever you are!
Pricing: Varies.
Using these productivity tools can help you work smarter and be more productive when working in the field, from your home, or in the office. If you need help streamlining your firm’s IT to stay productive and secure, we can help! Contact us today!
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About BIS Technology Group
BIS Technology Group is the technology leader on the Gulf Coast and is comprised of four divisions: Information Technology, Web Design & Digital Marketing, Office Equipment and Business Consulting. Together these divisions help local businesses exceed expectations and allow them to group to their full potential while minimizing risks. To learn more about BIS Technology Group, visit bistechnologygroup.com.
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