Abstract:
A method for tracking progress of a construction project is described. The method includes storing a digital representation of a construction project; and monitoring progress of the project. The method also includes comparing the progress with the digital representation and generating a graphical representation of the progress as a function of the digital representation. The progress includes a physical completion of said project and labor and material costs incurred for said physical completion.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of prior U.S. Provisional Application 60/496,405 titled “Digital Percent Complete Process” filed Aug. 20 th , 2003, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     This invention relates to the field of construction and project management. In particular this invention relates to the management of materials, labor, scheduling and billing for construction projects.  
         [0003]     A construction professional must effectively manage construction projects and be able to control costs in order to return a profit for any given project. Therefore, it is important that a construction professional monitor closely things like labor costs, material costs etc. and it would be ideal if the construction professional could capture and analyze these costs at any given moment. Currently there is a considerable time delay between when a cost is occurred at the jobsite and the construction professionals realize a labor activity is not being produced at the estimated production rate. Often by the time the mistake is realized it is too late in the construction proves to correct the production mistake, because the labor budget is already expended for that activity. In other words, the earlier a process could indicate areas of cost concern, the more likely that a construction professional would be able to fix the problem and stay within the project budget.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     In one aspect, a method for tracking progress of a construction project is described. The method includes storing a digital representation of a construction project; and monitoring progress of the project. The method also includes comparing the progress with the digital representation and generating a graphical representation of the progress as a function of the digital representation. The progress includes a physical completion of said project and labor and material costs incurred for said physical completion. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description explain the invention.  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates labor cost codes, quantity, hours and production rates needed to construct a takeoff item;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a digital time card;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a labor cost code frame;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a percent complete scale;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a labor cost code selection list;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates a digital percent complete file showing finish cost code and associated takeoff objects that are viewable and selectable;  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates digital percent complete budget view showing overall job status; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  illustrates a budget view showing actual and projected job costs.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     The following description of the implementations consistent with the present invention refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.  
         [0015]     The digital percent complete process may provide construction professionals with instant feedback on the adherence of a construction project to its budget. Real time information may permit construction professionals to react quickly to rectify production problems at the jobsite.  
         [0016]     The digital percent complete process produces a highly accurate percentage value of materials or labor that have been used or installed on a project at any point in time. This information is cross-referenced with payroll information that is entered into a digital time card to produce instant job costing calculations.  
         [0017]     The digital percent complete process starts with a digital estimate for a project coloring or marking items that are to be counted in the field. An estimator performs quantity takeoff for a project using digital plans and on-screen takeoff software. This is achieved by using a digital image of the construction plans and computer software to trace over the plan image to quantify construction items. The estimator colors and counts by highlighting construction items with the on-screen takeoff software.  
         [0018]     Upon completion of the digital estimate, labor values associated with each takeoff condition counted during the estimating process may be added to the digital estimate file. At this point, the digital estimate may include labor codes associated with each takeoff object.  
         [0019]     For example, a linear object on the takeoff item may represent the counting of linear footage for a particular wall type. This wall may have multiple labor steps needed to construct the wall such as frame, insulate, hang and finish. (See  FIG. 1 )  
         [0020]     Each of these labor activities may have a unique labor code and the estimated hours and production rate needed to install and complete the particular wall type for example.  
         [0021]     The digital estimate file may then be used as a basis for producing a file that can be used on a job site where the takeoff items counted will be constructed. This digital file loaded with labor cost codes, quantities and hours may now be used with an electronic timesheet to perform the digital percent complete process at the jobsite.  
         [0022]     The digital percent complete process allows jobsite personnel, utilizing a tablet or other hand held PC, to count or mark off material or labor activities as they are built or installed at the jobsite.  
         [0023]     Once marked or counted, the digital percent complete process may provide a precise percentage of the original total quantity of labor or material that has been built or installed at the jobsite.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  illustrates a digital time card used with the digital percent complete process to allow the job site supervisor to quickly enter hours worked for each employee at his or her job location. The digital percent complete process may capture payroll information daily and posting the time card information to the creator or project manager of the digital percent complete process file. This process may consist of the job site supervisor entering detail and clicking on a submit time cards button to post the file. The updated file may then be transferred via a network or other transport layer to the digital percent complete process file running at the project manager&#39;s machine. The network may be the internet; it may also be a wireless connection.  
         [0025]     The digital percent complete process provides instant color-coded visual feedback for jobsite personnel; the feedback may indicate whether a particular project is on, close or over projected cost budget. Once items are marked or counted at the jobsite, the takeoff objects may change to specific colors and patterns that designate color-coded cues of how well the job is going from an on time/on budget or over time/over budget perspective. The digital percent complete file may simultaneously display this information at the jobsite and/or at the project supervisor&#39;s computer back at other locations such as the supervisor&#39;s office. Construction professionals at the jobsite and off-site may obtain instant color-coded visual feedback on the progress of the project.  
         [0026]     A specific color and pattern scheme may be used in the digital percent complete process. The three object types that may be used in a digital takeoff are linear, area and count. These takeoff objects may all utilize a unique color and pattern scheme during the digital percent complete process.  
         [0027]     Linear objects may be used to count items such as walls, heating piping etc. Area objects may be used to count the square footage for items such as roofs, concrete slabs, ceilings, etc. Count objects may be used to count single occurrences of items such as doors, windows, etc.  
         [0028]     The digital percent complete file may display a complete list of all labor codes that exist on the current plan image displayed. This file is may be used to select a digital image for the floor or area that is currently being worked on. This digital image may display a list of all labor activities that exist on the displayed digital image.  
         [0029]     The digital percent complete file allows the jobsite supervisor to select a labor cost code and all takeoff objects on the plan image that contain that labor cost code will display a blue color and become active or selectable. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the labor cost code frame U/G wall is highlighted; all partitions that contain this labor activity would be in blue. All labor code objects would begin with a blue color designating that they have not yet commenced.  
         [0030]     The process may be the same for linear, area and count objects. That is, all objects that contain the selected labor cost code may become active and selectable on an image view of the plans.  
         [0031]     Once the labor cost code has been selected, the takeoff objects that are associated with that labor cost code may appear on the digital plan image in their color and pattern state. Objects that are associated with the selected labor cost code may be displayed in an active state in the image view. All non-selected objects may appear in a grey non-active state.  
         [0032]     The percent complete value that is displayed for the given labor cost code may be based on the image view and all of the associated objects for that given labor cost code. As the objects changed in the digital percent complete process value the percent complete calculation should change accordingly in the labor dialog.  
         [0033]     When the jobsite supervisor selects a labor cost code and then selects takeoff objects that contain that code, a percent complete scale as illustrated in  FIG. 4  may be displayed at the lower portion of the plan image. Once a takeoff object is highlighted or selected, the jobsite supervisor may click on any numeric value on the percent complete scale that represents the percentage of completion for that takeoff object. The jobsite supervisor may select linear, area or count items daily as they are built and may enter the labor and cost code information for hours worked on their project.  
         [0034]     Takeoff objects that are marked between 5% and 95% complete may display a pattern rather than a solid color. Pattern colors may indicate that a particular takeoff object is in the process of being constructed. This designation may assist the jobsite supervisor to see which takeoff items are currently being constructed and counted.  
         [0035]     Once takeoff objects for a specific labor cost code is counted as 100 percent complete, the takeoff object may be displayed in a solid color. The display color for the takeoff object may be determined by the over/under budget calculation. This calculation may be applied continually and takeoff objects may change color depending on the total number of hours that are reported against it as compared to the original hours estimated to complete it.  
         [0036]     For example, takeoff objects that are 100 percent complete and accomplished under estimated hours may display a green color. Takeoff objects that are 100 percent complete and accomplished at no more than 5 percent over estimated hours may display an orange color. Takeoff objects 100 percent complete and accomplished at greater than 5 percent over the estimated hours may display a red color. As labor hours and takeoff objects are counted, the labor cost codes selection list may change colors to convey budget status.  
         [0037]      FIG. 5  illustrates a typical labor cost code selection list. The finish cost code includes objects counted and labor hours reported for it and displays an orange color signifying that it is over budget by no more than 5 percent. The frame wall cost code also includes objects counted and hours reported for it and displays a red color signifying that it is more than 5 percent over budget.  
         [0038]     Depending on the amount of production that is achieved in the future and hours reported, it is possible for a cost code to change from red (over budget) back to green (under budget).  
         [0039]      FIG. 6  illustrates a typical digital percent complete file showing finish cost codes. In this illustration, the plan image displays only takeoff objects that contain the finish labor cost code. The finish code is orange in this case because it is currently less than 5 percent over budget.  
         [0040]     Job site supervisors and office management can see visually color coded plan images showing items as they are being constructed. The jobsite supervisor&#39;s goal is to keep all labor activities under the estimated hours. This would result in a plan image with all takeoff objects displaying in a green color.  
         [0041]      FIG. 7  illustrates a typical budge sheet view of an entire construction project showing all cost codes and hours used and remaining for the project.  
         [0042]      FIG. 8  illustrates a budget spreadsheet divided into two distinct areas, the actual and the projected. The budget sheet may display the following information: 
    cost code column—the list of labor cost codes in alphabetical order for the entire project;     total qty column—the total quantity of the labor cost codes for the entire project;     installed qty column—the installed quantity for the given labor cost code for the entire project which calculates the digital percent complete value across all pages for a given labor cost code and calculates the amount of work installed;     % comp. column—the quantity installed/total quantity for the given labor cost code for the entire project;     estimated hours column—the total hours for the given labor cost code that is derived from the labor detail information from Quick Bid or the labor tab in the condition dialog from on-screen takeoff;     hours used column—the total hours entered per labor cost code on the time card tab for the entire project;     hours over/under column—the hours used—(estimated hrs multiplied by percent complete) for a given labor cost code for the entire project;     projected budget column—the (hours used divided by percent complete)/estimated hours for a given labor cost code for the entire project;     projected hours column—the estimated hours multiplied by projected budget;     projected hours over/under—the projected hours minus the estimated hours for a given labor cost code for the entire project.      
         [0053]     The methods described above may be implemented on a computer. The computer may be a general purpose computer that is stationary (i.e. desktop) or portable (such as a laptop or a tablet PC or a PDA). The method may also be implemented via software as a computer program encoded on a machine readable medium. The medium may be a floppy or a compact disc for example.  
         [0054]     While specific colors have been cited in the above described invention, it is understood that other color schemes, including shades of gray, black and white, may also be used to illustrate the project completion and costs.  
         [0055]     The foregoing description of exemplar embodiments of the present invention provides illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention.  
         [0056]     The following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.