Congratulation on choosing Digital Production Control for your estimating needs. We're sure you're going to love the program.
What is Digital Production Control?
Digital Production Control, gives an estimator/project manager total job visibility to recognize labor production problems instantly. By integrating the takeoff and estimating processes, this powerful program digitally tracks labor production and payroll directly from the field to the project manager's work station in the office. Color coded plans display work in progress and indicate exactly where labor-cost overruns are occurring. Now the foreman can know immediately what production was expected to be achieved on each cost code and phase of the job. This dynamic tool lets a user know if the project is winning or losing the budget war. If the last 5% of the job is draining 50% of profits, Digital Production Control is the answer!
This is only the beginning! With with Digital Production Control, you can:
- Instant color-coded visual feedback for job site and office management showing if the project is on, close or over projected cost budget
- Sends and receives project information via the internet via wireless technology
- Calculates the percent complete of a project based on the actual time card information
- Capture valuable labor information for each specific activity to manage labor and maximize profit
- Imports/Exports accounting information
- Track and report real costs in real-time
- Improve future Bidding methods
Why use Digital Production Control?
Digital Production Control allows a project manager to perform job costing with greater accuracy than ever before. In addition, the project manager has real-time information at his or her fingertips. This allows the project manager to recognize problems that may slow progress and cut into profit margin. In a nutshell Digital Production Control saves a company time and money by providing the project manager with the right information at the right time.
To use Digital Production Control, the On-Screen Takeoff Bid must be set up using Price Using Quick Bid - Interactive. Digital Production Control tracks labor activity by using the Labor Cost Codes included in Conditions when priced in Quick Bid. The Labor Quantities and Hours Shown in each Conditions' Labor tab are calculated based on the Labor Activity as set in the Condition Detail item in Quick Bid. Every contractor uses a list of payroll labor cost codes. These codes (LCCs) will determine how accurately labor is tracked on the job site. Well-defined labor codes allow more accurate tracking of job site progress against the budget. Contact your Account Manager or visit On Center Software's Web site for more information about Digital Production Control or a demonstration of this advanced labor tracking software.
This User Guide is available by clicking Training > User Guide when DPC Mode is enabled. This User Guide provides the end user with a detailed reference for Digital Production Control (DPC). Every effort has been made to include as much detail as possible. These tools are intended to complement not replace the Training provided by On Center Software. Although it is not necessary to read this entire User Manual (although the author sure wishes you would) - it is recommended that you review all sections to become more familiar with the program. Please pay particular attention to the sections on Sending and Receiving Project Information, Percenting, and Timekeeping. This User Guide does not explain On-Screen Takeoff
or Quick Bid functionality. If you have questions regarding those applications, please review the appropriate User Guide by clicking Training > Online User Guide from the application.
Digital Production Control (DPC) uses the On-Screen Takeoff application interface to provide most functionality. Installing Digital Production Control simply involves installing On-Screen Takeoff and then the appropriate DPC license.
This help system is designed to make it easy to find the information you want.
- Use the search bar in the Digital Production Control section to search just this section.
- Use the omni-search bar on the main landing page to search across all ConstructConnect products.
- Use the omni-search button at the top of articles (next to the notification icon) to search across all products.
- When viewing a Category, on the right is the Table of Contents where you can see all Sections and Categories in this knowledge base.
- When viewing an Article (aka Topic), you’ll see Tags and Related (Suggested by the system) on the right.
- At the bottom of every article, you'll find:
- Links to other, relevant articles or even external Websites. These links typically open in a new window - be sure your Internet browser allows Pop Ups from any site within constructconnect.com.
- When viewing User Guide articles, links to the next and previous articles so you can page-through the user guide, similar to a printed manual, these open in the same window, replacing the previous page.
- Within articles, you may find links to other articles in this knowledge base or even other websites, these generally open in a new window or browser tab, again, ensure Pop Ups are enabled.
Foremen (at the job site) - there is a fast-track for you to follow, see the Related article "DPC Quick Start" for details. You will also find links to our Quick Start Guides in that article - these are printable, checklists you can use to ensure your bid progresses from Takeoff to Estimating to Project Management correctly. We encourage all DPC users to take their time to get familiar with the product and how it is used so you get the most out it. Spending 15-20 minutes now will save you countless hours down the road.
Getting the Most Out of Your Software
This User Guide provides you, the end user, with a detailed reference for Digital Production Control. We've made every effort to include as much detail as possible. These tools are intended to complement, not replace, software Training provided by On Center Software. To get the most out of your software investment, get to know it!
- View the Release Notes.
- Check out the Digital Production Control Frequently Asked Questions.
To make full use of this program’s capabilities and find answers to basic questions, please:
- Read this Users' Guide
- To familiarize yourself with the basic features of Digital Production Control, spend about 30-60 minutes (depending on the level of detail desired) reviewing this User Guide. The steps in each Section should assist you with completing your first estimating project. Feel free to skip around to what interests you.
- Review the Online Training Videos
- On Center provides access to online training videos for Digital Production Control. These videos are a quick resource for Digital Production Control application questions.
- Many articles include an embedded video that helps explain a function. Usually, these will be at the top of an article and can be viewed from within the article itself.
- Schedule Training
- For advanced information on particular features or elements of use, please contact our Training Department to schedule one-on-one phone-based training, group training at your site or ours, or take advantage of the many free Webinars. Our Training Department is staffed with industry professionals who know how to get the most out of Digital Production Control. There may be additional costs associated with Training. Contact your Account Manager for details.
- Contact Support
- We have a team of highly-skilled professionals waiting to help you with setting up, configuring, and using Digital Production Control. See Related Articles and contact Support if you need help.
Typographic Conventions
- Terms of importance, titles to dialog boxes, button names, Tabs, and Main Menu items are bolded for easy recognition when skimming through pages.
- When instructed to select Menu choices in the application, each selection (click) is separated by the greater than (>) symbol and Italicized. For example, if instructed to select the Open command in the File menu, it appears as File > Open.
- Many topics contain links to other articles or hyperlinks to other Web sites, including Frequently Asked Questions. Anything formatted as blue underlined text is a link to additional information. Most links to external sites and articles not in the User Guide open in a New Window - be sure to disable any pop-up blockers if the User Guide is not working correctly and verify your Internet connection is active.
- Words or phrases referencing a common principle or important concept are Italicized for emphasis.
- When you are instructed to press a key on your keyboard, the name of the key will be bracketed, like this: <Shift> (means to press the Shift key on your keyboard) or <Enter> (means to press the Enter key on your keyboard), <Shift> + <S> means to press the Shift key, and while holding it down, press the "S" key at the same time.
Mouse Clicks
When looking at screenshots within the user guide, the color of the cursor indicates whether you:
Single-click (yellow)
Double-click (green)
Right-click (blue)
Click-n-drag (red).
The instructions always indicate the steps you are to perform so you do not need to rely on the color change.
Notes, Cautions, Warnings, etc.
Notes are often tips to help you complete a task more efficiently or save time. Sometimes a Note will just be an explanation of how the program does something.
Cautions typically warn you that your action could have effects beyond the obvious or could cause result in inconsistencies or undesirable application behavior (such as using special characters in certain fields - this can cause issues when exporting/importing bids).
Critical information regarding an action that cannot be reversed/undone and could cause issues with a bid, cause you hours of days of extra work, etc.
At the beginning of each Chapter, we give you an idea of what you should expect to learn/understand by the end of the chapter (no, there won't be a test!).
Links
Be sure your browser is set to allow "Pop-ups" from "*.oncenter.com".
Related Articles
In many articles, there are links to Related Articles toward the bottom of the page, these links open in the same window/browser tab.
In-Article Links and Links to External Content
In many articles, there may be links to other, relevant articles or even external Websites within the body of an article- these links open in a new window/browser tab.
Previous/Next Article Links
At the bottom of each User Guide article are links to the previous and next articles - this allows you to 'page' through the user guide, moving from one article to the next. Previous and Next article links open in the current window/tab (not a pop-up).
Speaking of Next Article Links...
What Have You Gotten Yourself Into? An Introduction to Digital Production Control  |
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End User License Agreement (EULA)
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Trademarks
On Center Software by ConstructConnect, the On Center Software by ConstructConnect logo, Contractor Suite, Digital Production Control, Digital Production Control, Digital Production Control, and Project Express along with ConstructConnect are registered trademarks, trademarks, or service marks of ConstructConnect.
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