As professionals in the industry, we all love Excel. It’s versatile and can handle a wide range of data management tasks. However, when it comes to using spreadsheets as databases, especially in our field, things can quickly become overwhelming and inefficient.
Adding columns for every piece of information can snowball, making it challenging to display necessary tasks or even print the data in a manageable format.
Thankfully, there is a solution that simplifies database management and makes it more tailored to our industry’s needs. Let’s explore how Scope, a dedicated AEC scoping tool, can simplify the way we handle projects.
🎥 Video Demo
Understanding Scope
Scope is designed with three main areas in mind: a list of items on the left, milestones across the top, and a grid for tasks.
The list on the left allows you to organize and track project requirements, from elements that need to be created to tasks that need completion. On the top of the grid, you can set milestones, representing key objectives such as deliverables, phases, stages, data-drops, or BIM uses. These milestones can be easily grouped into tabs – usually to represent the project phasing.
Efficient Project Requirement Management
The grid within Scope is where the magic happens. Each cell represents a task or a set of tasks that need to be completed. These cells are filled with detailed information, including requirements, descriptions, codes, responsible parties, accountable teams, checklists, specifications, attachments, and even activity threads with comments and @mentions. Additionally, the status and dates of each task can be conveniently tracked.
Customizable Standards (BIMForum, ISO 19650, and more)
One of the significant advantages of Scope is its flexibility to adapt to various project requirements. Plannerly allows you to select your standards in your project dashboard, ensuring uniformity and consistency throughout. These standards, which can be changed at any time, cover a wide range of industry-specific regulations and guidelines such as ISO 19650, Level of Information Need, US BIMForum, AIA, and more. After selecting the right project standards, Scope then automatically ensures that your project aligns with the necessary coding and naming conventions.
Moreover, Scope also integrates directly with the buildingSMART Data dictionary (bSDD), allowing you to select a specific standard that will drive the software’s naming conventions and codes. This functionality further streamlines and automates the processes involved in project management.
Seamless Data Expansion
As projects progress, the amount of data can increase significantly. However, with Scope, the addition of more data doesn’t complicate the software further. Unlike spreadsheets like Excel, which may require restructuring and resizing to accommodate additional information, Scope handles data expansion seamlessly. Its structure and interface are designed to handle complex and detailed requirements without compromising user-friendliness.
Ease of Use and Efficiency
Scope offers a plug-and-play framework that eliminates the need to create and manage databases manually, relying on Excel or other similar tools. The software’s intuitive interface and streamlined features ensure that even highly detailed requirements can be managed effortlessly. This not only helps save time but also reduces the chance of errors and misunderstandings during project execution.
Plan Early with Plannerly
Scope provides a dedicated database-driven solution specifically tailored to the needs of our AEC industry. By efficiently managing project requirements, providing customizable standards, accommodating data expansion, and offering a user-friendly interface, Scope simplifies database management and eliminates the need to rely on spreadsheet applications like Excel.
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3. Answers to some related questions 🤔
Why should I choose Plannerly’s Scope module over spreadsheets?
Spreadsheets can quickly become overwhelming and inefficient with added columns and information, whereas Scope streamlines database management, making it more tailored to the needs of the AEC industry.
Plannerly’s Scope module offers many advantages over spreadsheets:
1. Collaboration: Plannerly’s Scope module offers a centralized platform, enabling seamless collaboration among team members for defining project scopes. In contrast, spreadsheets are generally utilized individually rather than in a collaborative manner.
2. Streamlined process: The Scope module is specifically designed for managing AEC project scopes, offering dedicated features and functionalities to streamline the process. Spreadsheets, while versatile, may require additional customization and setup to meet the specific needs of scope management.
3. Automation and templates: Plannerly’s Scope module includes automation capabilities and provides pre-built templates that can save time and effort in creating and managing project scopes. Spreadsheets often require manual data entry and formatting.
4. Integration with other modules: Plannerly’s Scope module seamlessly integrates with other modules within the platform, such as the Timeline and Verify features, allowing for better coordination and alignment between different aspects of the project. Spreadsheets may require manual data transfer between different files or systems.
5. Data visualization and reporting: Plannerly’s Scope module offers intuitive data visualization and reporting features, making it easier to analyze, communicate project scope information and Smart Contracts with eSignature. Spreadsheets may require additional effort to create visual representations or generate comprehensive reports.
Can I customize Scope according to my project needs?
Yes, Scope allows customization by selecting project standards, such as ISO 19650, Level of Information Need, US BIMForum, AIA, and more, ensuring uniformity and consistency throughout.
Is Scope easy to use?
Yes! Scope offers an intuitive interface and streamlined features, eliminating the need to manually create and manage databases, thus saving time and reducing the chance of errors.
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