Pre-Con Builders Case Study | Transforming Data Management for Streamlined Projects

Challenge

Pre-Con is a second generation family company that had grown comfortable with the established ways of doing things.

The company was experiencing inefficiencies that revolved around the use of Box. While the application worked for connecting the field, for instance when superintendents in the field wanted to share documents, it wasn’t providing automatic updates. Dan said, “The onus was on us in the office to be able to place those documents into two locations.” He described the process as having “so many inconsistencies.” Not everyone was sharing the proper documents in the proper way. “People were doing it their own ways.”

The company had two areas of concern. There was a local drive and a Box server, and using them, Dan explained, had a margin for error that “just grows and grows and grows.” After the team switched from Box to using a OneDrive system, it had a similar problem of relying on individuals to update the data folders.

Goals

Dan wanted to find new ways to make things easier and improve processes, especially data handling, for the Pre-Con team.

One goal involved the company’s design-build file management: to fix the problem of having to rely on individuals to transfer files. He wanted to be able to take care of setting up all the transfers for everyone and have data transferred automatically.

Another goal was to get training for the team on Autodesk software. Dan was interested in strengthening the company’s expertise with Autodesk tools so collaboration, efficiency and digital project delivery could be improved.

Solutions

Dan discussed the company’s issues with Tommy Moussis, Solution Architect at Graitec. When Dan explained the problems and where he could see the team needed help, that’s when the opportunity emerged to use Graitec File Sync, the file migration and synchronization tool that provides seamless integration across platforms. He said,

It’s very simple. I take care of setting up all the transfers for everyone.”

Once the users put information into the folder where they want it, then it will automatically get transferred. File Sync helped the company automate file transfers and boost efficiency.

Unlike many firms who use File Sync only for migrations, Dan used it in a unique and flexible way by setting up syncs on the fly for meetings, reorganizations, and project needs, then disabling them when finished. This flexibility became a major part of his workflow and continues to be.

Pre-Con also chose Graitec training services. Dan explained that the experts at Graitec have helped him and his team from the time they started using Autodesk tools minimally to the point where many tools are being used: “Now I’m using everything,” he said. The Graitec team helped Pre-Con solidify its use of Autodesk products for efficiency and collaboration.

The Pre-Con partnership with Graitec was particularly helpful in using Autodesk Construction Cloud Cost, Graitec File Sync and Graitec AGAVE Sync. “There’s challenges every day, but if I need something, someone’s always a chat away.” He added, “I’ll give Tommy all the credit. The guy did move countries in the middle of our project, and he was still able to communicate with me and stay in touch.”