PlanGrid Announces Addition of Advanced RFIs and Project Hub to More Easily Manage Projects | ConTech Junkie

Screenshot of PlanGrid’s Project Hub, via PlanGrid

Screenshot of PlanGrid’s Project Hub, via PlanGrid

At Autodesk University in London today, PlanGrid has announced the additions of two new features for the platform: Advanced RFIs and Project Hub. The company has promised better project visibility and a streamlined RFI process with the updates.

Advanced RFIs

The RFI process can be extremely tedious, as it can require the input of several different entities before it’s finally answered.  Studies have shown that it can take an average of 9.7 days to get a response to an RFI, that the cost per RFI averages over $1,000, and that an astonishing 21.9% of RFIs never even get a response.

With the release of Advanced RFIs, PlanGrid hopes to make the process more transparent, while also speeding up the response time.  With the updates, users will be able to quickly draft an RFI from a log or a sheet and attach photos and track the progress of the RFI through the platform.  Once a reviewer responds to the RFI, specified team members will automatically be notified and the RFI history within PlanGrid will be updated. This increased visibility should help with accountability and reduce time it takes to manually track down the status of each RFI.

Advanced RFI will be billed as an add-on service.

Project Hub

Project management software is an excellent way of making all pertinent construction documents accessible and up-to-date, but with all of the additional information we now have at our fingertips, it can be hard to focus on the areas that need our attention the most.  Project Hub will provide a centralized location for users can get valuable insights into how the project is performing overall.

Some of the key features that Project Hub includes are:

  • The Team Update Status, which calculates what percentage of team members are working from the latest construction documents in real-time.

  • A recent activity feed, which shows any major updates made to the project within PlanGrid, like who uploaded new pictures, comments, or tasks to which sheets.

  • Project work, which highlights areas of the job that need attention, such as overdue RFIs

Project Hub will be included at no additional cost for PlanGrid users.

Project Hub Screenshot via PlanGrid

Project Hub Screenshot via PlanGrid

“Construction is a massive logistical challenge involving hundreds of people, and the flow of information on a jobsite can sometimes be like a game of telephone. Crucial data can get lost as it travels, whether it’s between the field and the office or between team members, and decisions then get bottlenecked,” said Sameer Merchant, head of products, site construction, Autodesk Construction Solutions in a press release. “The innovations we’re introducing today, Advanced RFIs and Project Hub, provide greater visibility across a project, boost collaboration and help teams move forward faster. By automating and streamlining the flow of data, Autodesk Construction Solutions is empowering the construction industry to make decisions more effectively and keep projects on track.”

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