On a large project, interface requests will always exist in the form of emails, verbal discussions and phone calls. If you leave these items to get closed out naturally, many items may that could have been resolved early on, may go unnoticed until much further down the line. Answering a simple question during design may cost far less than having to deal with the same item during construction. Therefore, you want to capture as many interface issues, and ensure they are resolved and closed out. The most basic form of interface management software would be a controlled register in the form of an spreadsheet. This is a good first step since you can now maintain due dates, responsible parties, and statuses. Your spreadsheet may looks something like this:

However, a spreadsheet interface register can suffer from some common problems when the project scope increases. Common problems include:

• Allowing multiple users to raise and respond to their requests within the register does not work well. Generating new corporate credentials to have access to a shared file may be involved. Simultaneous editing is out of the question. Checking in/out the shared register is not time effective.
• Spreadsheets usually will show you the a single snapshot of information. Cells are constantly overridden, eliminating historical data.
• Spreadsheets do not notify users of new requests, updates, or overdue items. Keeping everyone up to date is a manual process.

Using a dedicated interface management system can solve all of these problems, in addition to adding a large number of benefits that greatly simplify managing interfaces.

Our system allows any project team member to input and edit their own requests in a simple form:

This form captures the same info, with the added benefits of allowing document uploads, tracking history, triggering email notifications, and entering the request into a controlled workflow. Let's say this workflow follows this path:

In this case, the new request sends an email notification to the requesting party's team lead for approval. Once approved, the request goes to the responsible party for a response. The response goes back to the requester. When accepted, the item is closed and archived.

With our system, WIMS, this process is configurable to fit your project. The data inputs, labels, and approval loop can be modified. The software can, and should, supplement your existing process.

You can easily see everything happening with the project. Requests are presented in a register, similar to an excel spreadsheet:

This register can be searched, sorted, filtered, and exported to excel. The status light indicators gives a quick indication of the schedule, showing on-time, critical, and overdue items at a glance. This register is automatically filtered to only show people what they are allowed to see based on your choosing.

For summarized reporting, you can use the reporting features to get a comprehensive overview of your project:

Our solution has many more great features that we know will make it the right choice for you. Our staff is experienced in working with many different project scenarios, and we are happy to discuss your specific project needs with no up front commitment. Feel free to contact us for more information.

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