ConstructEx Reviews

Pros

What I value most is how it keeps projects on track and moving forward efficiently. It's been instrumental in helping us deliver better results, more consistently.

Cons

There's a slight learning curve at the beginning before you can start using it comfortably.

Pros

I'd say the biggest advantage is that it costs less than many competing options.

Cons

Pages take too long to load and getting around the system feels sluggish. It also requires too many repetitive, unsimple steps to complete basic tasks. Report customization is very limited and crashes are pretty much expected when using the markup tools.

Pros

Sending large batches of drawings or other project issuances to team members through transmittals works really well.

Cons

Getting around the system takes a bit of learning at first but it doesn't take long to figure out.

Pros

Our team relies a lot on Newforma's file management tools and the file sharing features are something we use all the time as well.

Cons

The interface could definitely use some work. Even after all these years, it still feels a little clunky.

Pros

Right from the start Newforma has been most valuable to us for email filing and it handles that extremely well. It integrates smoothly with Outlook and is very simple to work with. Tracking down older project information is quick and convenient especially when the people who originally worked on it are no longer with the company. We also used InfoExchange transfers and file sharing quite heavily in the past with very good results although those functions have mostly been replaced in our organization by newer platforms like OneDrive and SharePoint.

Cons

One area that never really lived up to expectations was the Newforma viewer. Staff regularly got frustrated with the markup sessions and the PDF editing features. Because of that, it has become something we barely use now and we've since moved to other viewing and markup tools such as Bluebeam.

Pros

The platform is set up around the things architects actually need to handle during construction, like RFIs, submittals, field reports, change orders and similar tasks. One feature that really helps is letting the contractor assign submittals directly to consultants which cuts down review time and removes a lot of the tedious digital back-and-forth that's so common in other online systems.

Cons

That said the software still falls short when it comes to creating internal field reports and tracking construction deficiencies. I still rely on other applications to manage those parts of the job.

Pros

Managing everything in this software is really fast and it's simple enough for anyone to use. It's definitely worth trying.

Cons

I haven't run into any issues so far. I used the free trial and I'm considering buying it. The important thing is being able to find information about it online.

Pros

Having unlimited users under a single project account is a big plus. It also helps a lot that submittals and RFIs can be routed to the right CA contact across different disciplines.

Cons

ConstructEx still has a few limitations. It can't send or receive content through email, there's no thumbnail preview for drawings and sharing drawing markups isn't as workable as it is on other platforms. It's also not very convenient for handling punch lists. The tracking of open aging issues in the field report module could be better and when field reports are printed, the inserted images only show up as small thumbnails instead of the larger versions you can see online.

Pros

Honestly the biggest relief was finishing the project because it meant I no longer had to deal with this software.

Cons

Uploading was a problem, downloading was a problem, notifications were unreliable and even figuring out the workflow and understanding the process was difficult.

Pros

Handling a $12 million project was much more manageable with this software because it kept the architects, subcontractors, project team and owners aligned in one place. Sharing information is much simpler since there's no need to attach a bunch of files to emails and send them around. It also makes submittals and RFIs very simple to handle.

Cons

The only real drawback is that it can be a bit confusing at first if you're not very comfortable with technology. It took me a few days before I could fully find my way around the website.

Pros

Working with multiple users in ConstructEx has been very practical. The app was simple to use and it handled a $1B project without any performance issues. Sharing documents with a large group of consultants was also very convenient.

Cons

One downside was that it worked as a standalone tool and wasn't connected to the project management apps we were using on the job. It would also help to have a document preview window so it's easier to confirm you're opening the right file.

Pros

One feature I really appreciate is getting confirmation when a document, like a submittal, has been uploaded. It gives you confidence that the process is actually working. With regular email, there's always some uncertainty about whether the information was received so this is a nice advantage.

Cons

Accessing documents can feel a bit difficult since you have to click a link each time to open one. That extra step can be inconvenient especially for field staff.

Pros

An area where it really delivers is email management and we also rely on it quite a bit for RFIs and submittals. If the meeting minutes, PCO and pay app modules were more developed, we could probably stop using Prolog altogether. As it stands, we still have to keep both systems in place until Newforma catches up in the construction administration areas that matter to us.

Cons

The weak spots are still the meeting minutes, PCO and pay app modules. If those parts were more capable, we would be able to move away from Prolog but right now we are stuck using both until Newforma improves the construction administration modules we need. The mobile apps also felt pretty underwhelming the last time I used them.