Excel is an excellent software for many different applications, but Excel has limitations, especially when it comes to estimating.
Beck Technology spends a lot of time talking to estimators around the country on how they can improve their process, streamline their workflows, utilize their data in the best ways, save them time, and grow their business. We know that the most common tool used for construction estimating is Excel.
We recognize that Excel is a great tool, but we also understand its limitations. The flexibility of Excel is a selling point, yes, but that flexibility leads to significant issues in consistency in your preconstruction teams with having to start every project from scratch and manipulating different formats and data.
Beck Technology’s innovative construction estimating software, DESTINI Estimator has not only taken the best of what Excel does but also provides estimators a fully robust preconstruction software made specifically for estimating developed by those experienced in the construction industry.
DESTINI Estimator automates gathering and storing all your data in one standardized and central location which your team has access to and can work together on one estimate in real time—connected to the internet or not.
DESTINI Estimator, not Excel, eliminates the errors that occur when you must copy and paste information from one platform to the next. With Estimator, there is no toggling between multiple platforms due to its built-in 2D and 3D takeoff and BIM 360 and Procore integrations.
When owner demands are historically high, you cannot afford to lose the time it takes to rebuild or restructure an estimate in Excel when thrown changes in the middle of a project. We hear horror stories from estimators who work in Excel about taking over a week to respond to owners’ requests and worse.
DESTINI Estimator eliminates these significant mistakes and risks.
Where in lies Estimator’s biggest strength is your ability to analyze cost history to make better project decisions. Excel makes it challenging, if even possible, to grasp a baseline for conceptual estimating and benchmarking. DESTINI Estimator automatically captures all changes, project metrics, takeoff, and versions, making comparisons between estimates easy.
Further, with DESTINI Estimator’s integration with Microsoft PowerBI, you can create customizable dashboards for owners to quickly see and understand where the numbers are coming from, establishing trust and collaboration between preconstruction teams, contractors, and owners on projects.
We understand legacy software and the challenges presented when switching platforms, so DESTINI Estimator includes an Excel simulator for a more seamless switch.
The bottom line, estimators using Excel are not able to capture and leverage data. So, stop estimating with Excel and switch to software made to specifically meet the needs of precon teams and solve your pain points for better project outcomes.
DETINI Estimator is the single solution that gives you more time to do high-level tasks like working with subs, value engineering, pursuing new projects, attracting new owners, meeting owners' demands, and most importantly winning more projects.
For the ultimate Excel vs. Estimator showdown, click here.
