Structure Blue Reviews

“Structure Blue review from a user with a non-accounting background

Pros

What I appreciate most about Structure Blue is its simplicity. It makes learning the system really straightforward, even for those without an accounting background. I'm a designer by profession, but I've spent the last few years learning bookkeeping from our CFO to take over his role when he retires. I think this task could have been much more complex with more advanced software. Although it's simple, it's still highly customizable with support from the CF Data team.

Cons

My biggest con might also be what I like the most about the software, so this one's tricky. There are many tasks that involve multiple steps when I think they could be done much faster. However, the upside is that it's much harder to make mistakes.

“Structure Blue review from a user with a non-accounting background

Pros

I really appreciate how simple Structure Blue is. Its simplicity makes it easy for someone without an accounting background to learn the system. As a designer, I've been picking up bookkeeping skills from our CFO to prepare for his retirement. I think this task would have been a lot tougher with more complex software. Even though it's basic, it's still highly adaptable with the help of the CF Data team.

Cons

My main drawback might also be what I appreciate the most about the software, so this is tricky. Many tasks involve several steps to complete when I think they could be done much quicker. However, the upside is that making mistakes is considerably harder.

“Less paperwork and mails

Pros

It's very well organized in terms of getting everything in its right place. We've reduced mailing queues for sending POs to our vendors.

Cons

Sometimes things get tricky with too many buttons and steps.

“Less paperwork and mails

Pros

It's very well arranged for getting everything in order. We've managed to cut down on mailing queues for sending POs to our vendors.

Cons

Sometimes things get tricky with too many buttons and steps involved.

“Accounting meets Project Management

Pros

We use the project management features of the software to integrate AP, which helps our accounting team handle the billing process more efficiently.

Cons

We occasionally face issues with software updates, but the customer service team is excellent at fixing problems quickly. Since all software updates have bugs, I wouldn't fault the structure. It's something we encounter a few times a year and usually need to call customer service to get a fix within an hour.

“Accounting meets Project Management

Pros

We make use of the project management features in the software to integrate AP, which simplifies the billing process for the accounting team.

Cons

We occasionally face issues with software updates, but the support team is excellent at resolving problems quickly. All updates come with bugs, so I wouldn't fault the structure. We deal with this a few times a year and usually get fixes within an hour after contacting customer service.

“pretty easy

Pros

It's pretty simple and easy to grasp, and if you struggle, the customer service will assist you.

Cons

When there's a problem, it doesn't provide much information.

“Structure-Opinion

Pros

It's quite intuitive as long as you understand accounting principles.

Cons

It's not flexible enough when making corrections.

“CF Data Accounting software

Pros

The ease of use and the flexibility to modify modules and reports is incredibly helpful.

Cons

We use this software mainly for accounting and payroll. The only downside is that they're not a payroll-specialized company, so they can't meet all our needs in that area.

“pretty easy

Pros

Structure Blue is pretty simple and easy to grasp, and if you run into trouble, the customer service will assist you.

Cons

When a problem arises, it doesn't provide much information.

“ACF

Pros

The job cost module, inventory module, barcode module, IWR job paper, and mobile apps.

Cons

I'd like to see more components that resemble Windows-style features.

“Structure-Opinion

Pros

It's pretty self-explanatory as long as you have some knowledge of accounting.

Cons

It's not flexible enough when it comes to making corrections.

“CF Data Accounting software

Pros

The ease of use and the flexibility to modify modules and reports is really useful.

Cons

We mainly use this software for accounting and payroll. The only downside is that they are not a payroll-focused company, so they don't meet all our needs in that area.

“Very easy and I enjoy how secure this soft ware is.

Pros

I appreciate the security features of this software. It's reassuring to know that everyone has their own account, which lets me see who has edited a specific job. I also like that the software tracks login attempts.

Cons

What I like least about this software is that sometimes it freezes or exits out of my screen. It's not a frequent issue. There isn't really anything I dislike about the software.

“Very easy and I enjoy how secure this soft ware is.

Pros

I appreciate the security features of this software. It makes me feel confident knowing each person has their own account, so I can track who edited a job. I also like that it keeps track of login attempts.

Cons

What I like least is that sometimes it freezes or exits my screen. It doesn't happen all the time. I don't really dislike the software overall.

“All in all it is a good system.

Pros

It's accessible and simple to use. Creating invoices and AIA forms is very easy, and I enjoy the aging reports.

Cons

For AIA invoices, you can't make corrections after posting them; you have to void them, which is too time-consuming. Statements are hard for our customers to read.

“Great overall, user-friendly!

Pros

The customer service is fantastic. I love that they can log in to help solve issues that can't be fixed over the phone. I also appreciate their efforts to make our business more paperless every day.

Cons

It took a while to learn and get comfortable with the software, especially when self-teaching. However, the customer support team is great at responding to questions.

“There seems to be functionalities that do not sync together...example in the jmt/qmi.

Pros

The support team is prompt and very helpful. They're always willing to assist or investigate issues and are very knowledgeable.

Cons

The submittal module could use some improvement. It would help to add and edit multiple lines at a time on the document. This has improved over time, but there's still room for enhancement. The warehouse/stock/receiving material section can be confusing.

“It is a little outdated with software

Pros

It's a significant improvement over what we had. Previously, we did everything manually, so this software streamlined everything and sped up the process. It also lets us store all documents in one place and keeps a lot of information centralized.

Cons

You have to push too many buttons to get things done. It's also not as intuitive as it was described to us. When we started using it, there were many aspects that didn't flow well or weren't easy to use.

“Customer service is excellent, but there are some hiccups with flow

Pros

It keeps us more organized and is more streamlined compared to our previous system of each person using an Excel worksheet.

Cons

The warehouse inventory system is not very intuitive, especially since our warehouse employee struggles with computer skills.

“I find CF Data easy to use and learn.

Pros

I appreciate that it's simple and easy to navigate. Whenever I encounter an issue, I like that I can call the call center and use the online grab feature for assistance.

Cons

I wouldn't say I have many cons, but if I had to mention one, I'd wonder if CF Data could add some sort of "void" process for invoices.

“Easy to use great support

Pros

Bent Electrical has been using STRUCTURE for over 25 years, and I've been a user for 13 years. We use the AP, AR, GL, Purchase Orders, Payroll, Work Orders, and Project Management modules, and they all integrate seamlessly. Their support is outstanding, and they listen to their users. I highly recommend STRUCTURE to any construction company, regardless of size.

Cons

Like most software, it's not specifically designed for Bent Electrical. STRUCTURE helps by working with us to ensure we're getting the most out of their program.

“USING STRUCTURE MY SKIN IS CLEAR & MY CROPS ARE FLOURISHING. WELL NOT REALLY, BUT MY BUSINESS IS!

Pros

We are a commercial flooring dealer and use job costing for all our projects. We use Structure for sales, which then integrates into placing orders with vendors and receiving AP invoices. It's very efficient and reduces a lot of internal research on orders and amounts, as everything matches from bid to order to AP. On the AR side, there are multiple options for creating documentation based on project types and customers, which has been working well for us. Creating AIA application schedules directly from the bid process saves a lot of time!

Cons

My only con isn't really a con; it's just a heads-up that if you make a mistake, you have to follow all the steps to undo it. You need to void the item, re-enter it, and re-process it. There's no QuickBooks-style editing. It was tough for me to adjust at first, but it's helpful now as I can trace transactions and see what happened.

“Great for construction!

Pros

I like the program's simplicity; it's very intuitive. I don't have to read through a manual to figure out where things go. I can easily follow the flow from screen to screen. And CF Data's willingness to customize is the best!

Cons

To keep things simple, some features are missing, but the essentials are there, and with each update, we get more features.

“A great company who listens and responds to support questions.

Pros

The financial reporting feature is great for accurately tracking our jobs. Preparing proposals is simpler than with our previous system, and it's easier to catch any mistakes.

Cons

As with any software, there are things I'd like to customize more quickly. We'd appreciate more customization and editable fields in work orders.

“Very user friendly! They are always trying to improve their product!

Pros

I like the ability to scan vendor invoices so others can view them without digging through a filing cabinet. The dispatch board shows all techs, allows you to open work orders from it, and issue POs. This software is very easy to learn and use! The customer service is excellent, quick responses and constant improvements and updates!

Cons

Some reports are hard to read. Customer statements can be confusing to understand.

“we use structure blue for our daily work order entry, billing, accounts payable and dispatching.

Pros

Scanning invoices to Vouchers is a great feature. Being able to print service reports is fantastic. Tech link adds more flexibility and timely billing to our system. The online service report shows the work order number in the subject line. Multiple sessions can be used simultaneously, saving time and improving efficiency.

Cons

Being able to upload a picture to a work order would be a significant improvement. WOE history is limited. When suspending an order for parts, the client's signature gets erased. If an update goes wrong, it's challenging to continue with the day. The dispatch board cannot move an entire column to the next day.

“All in all it is a good system.

Pros

Structure Blue is intuitive and easy to navigate. Creating invoices and AIA forms is easy, and I enjoy the aging reports.

Cons

With AIA invoices, you can't make corrections after posting; you have to void them, which is too time-consuming. Statements are difficult for our customers to read.

“Great overall, user-friendly!

Pros

The customer service is fantastic. I love that they can log in and resolve issues that can't be handled over the phone. I also appreciate their efforts to help us transition to a more paperless operation.

Cons

It took a while to learn and get accustomed to, especially since I had to teach myself the software, but customer support is fantastic at responding when I have questions.

“There seems to be functionalities that do not sync together...example in the jmt/qmi.

Pros

The support team is quick and very helpful. They're always ready to assist or investigate issues and are very knowledgeable.

Cons

The submittal module could use some enhancements. It would be helpful to add and edit multiple lines in the document at once. It's improved over time, but there's still room for progress. The warehouse/stock/receiving material part is somewhat confusing.

“It is a little outdated with software

Pros

It's a significant improvement over what we had before. We used to do everything manually, so it's streamlined the process and sped things up. Plus, we can now keep all our documents and information in one place.

Cons

It takes too many steps to get things done. It's also not as intuitive as it was described to us. Once we started using it, we found many aspects that didn't flow well or were not easy to use.

“Customer service is excellent, but there are some hiccups with flow

Pros

It helps us stay more organized and is more streamlined compared to our previous system where each person had their own Excel worksheet.

Cons

The warehouse inventory system is not very intuitive, especially when our warehouse staff have limited computer skills.

“I find CF Data easy to use and learn.

Pros

I appreciate how accessible and easy to use it is. If I encounter any issues, I can call the support center and use their online feature to get help.

Cons

I don't have many complaints, but if I had to mention one, I'm curious if CF Data could introduce a "void" procedure for invoices.

“Easy to use great support

Pros

Bent Electrical has been using STRUCTURE for over 25 years, and I've been a user for 13 years. We use AP, AR, GL, Purchase Orders, Payroll, Work Orders, and Project Management modules, all of which integrate smoothly. Their support is excellent, and they listen to their users. I highly recommend STRUCTURE to any size construction company.

Cons

Like most software, it's not specifically tailored for Bent Electrical. STRUCTURE addresses this by working with you to ensure you're maximizing their program.

“USING STRUCTURE MY SKIN IS CLEAR & MY CROPS ARE FLOURISHING. WELL NOT REALLY, BUT MY BUSINESS IS!

Pros

As a commercial flooring dealer, we use job costing for all our projects. Structure helps us with sales, which then flows into placing orders with vendors and handling AP invoices. This integration cuts down on a lot of internal research, with everything matching from bid to order to AP. On the AR side, there are various options for creating documentation depending on the project and customer types. We use several formats, and it works well. The ability to generate schedules of value for AIA applications directly from the bid is a huge time saver!

Cons

My only drawback is not really a negative but a note that if you make a mistake, you have to follow all the steps to undo it, void the item, re-enter it, re-process it. There's no QuickBooks-style edit option where the mistake seems to disappear. It was challenging to get used to at first, but it's helpful for tracking changes and understanding discrepancies.

“Great for construction!

Pros

I like how simple the program is; it's very intuitive. I don't need to read a manual to understand where everything goes. The flow from screen to screen is easy to follow, and C/F Data's willingness to customize is fantastic!

Cons

To keep things simple, some features might be missing, but the essentials are present, and with each update, more features are added.

“A great company who listens and responds to support questions.

Pros

The financial reporting features are great for tracking our jobs accurately. Creating proposals is simpler than with our previous system, and it's easier to catch any omissions.

Cons

Like with any software, there are aspects where we'd like to customize things more quickly. We'd appreciate more customization and editable fields in work orders.

“Very user friendly! They are always trying to improve their product!

Pros

I like the ability to scan vendor invoices so that others can view them without digging through a filing cabinet. The dispatch board shows all techs, and you can open work orders and issue POs from there. The software is easy to learn and use, and the customer service is excellent with quick responses. They are continually improving and updating the system!

Cons

Some reports are hard to read, and customer statements can be tough to interpret.

“we use structure blue for our daily work order entry, billing, accounts payable and dispatching.

Pros

Scanning invoices to Vouchers is a great feature. Printing service reports is also very useful. Tech link adds flexibility and timely billing to our system. The online service report includes the work order number in the subject line. Multi-session capability saves time and boosts efficiency.

Cons

Adding a picture to a work order would be a significant improvement. WOE history is limited, and when suspending an order for parts, the client's signature is lost. If an update fails, it's hard to get out of it and continue working. The dispatch board also can't move an entire column to the next day.

“First two months on a new system

Pros

It provides thorough information through reports but is still a basic and intuitive product to use. Plus, the support staff is fantastic.

Cons

It's not as useful as I had hoped for our specific type of work. It's geared more toward general contractors rather than specialty contractors.

“First two months on a new system

Pros

It provides thorough information through reports while remaining a basic, intuitive product to use. Also, the support staff is exceptional.

Cons

It's not as useful as I hoped for our specific type of work. It seems better suited for general contractors rather than specialty contractors.

“REVIEW

Pros

I work for a flooring contractor and we switched to STRUCTURE on 1/1/12. We chose this software because none of our departments were integrated (estimating to ordering to accounts payable to the warehouse), which meant entering information multiple times and causing mistakes. Also, not everyone was updated on job status, and now everything is centralized! STRUCTURE was easy to learn, thanks to their excellent customer support. We used to call several times a day, but their effective teaching means we now call only about once a week.

Cons

The only downside I've noticed is that STRUCTURE feels a bit outdated, but it's definitely a step up from what we previously had.

“Usefull

Pros

I highly recommend Structure for its ease of use, excellent customer service, and cutting-edge technology, what more could you ask for?

Cons

We would like more customization and editable fields in work orders.

“Structure Blue

Pros

Having used STRUCTURE both as an employee (Controller) and as a consultant to the construction industry, including contractors who use STRUCTURE, I've seen it used by various contractors and personnel. STRUCTURE offers the most complete package, competitive price, high level of user-friendliness, and a support team ready to answer questions. My opinion comes from over 20 years of experience with C/F Data Systems. When evaluating job cost software, report writing capabilities are crucial, and STRUCTURE excels in this area compared to other products. It's the easiest to use and create reports across modules, providing contractors with necessary job costing information and the required modules for in-house processing, which is cost-effective and timely. The financial reporting features are robust and valuable for internal financials with banks and bonding companies. I'd be happy to discuss more features and benefits if needed.

Cons

If an update goes wrong, it's hard to escape it and continue with the day. The dispatch board cannot move an entire column to the next day.

“Great

Pros

When I started with New England Finish in 1997, the software we had was lacking. A general contractor suggested I check out C/F Data Systems. I've used many accounting packages over the years, and C/F Data Systems stands out as one of the best. Now, five of my companies (drywall, paint, demolition, ceilings, and doors/hardware) use the software. I've trained many people in my office to use it easily. I've always been impressed with the C/F Data staff, and the fact that I'm still working with the same people after all these years speaks volumes about the company's quality. The staff feels like one big family, treating their customers the same way. Support is always top-notch, and being able to request specific reports and procedures has been invaluable. I highly recommend this software to any subcontractor.

Cons

There is not really anything I dislike about the software.