Using Tasks to Manage Subcontractors in Construction

How to Make Construction Task Management Simple

Keeping up with every task that needs to be done on a construction jobsite on a daily basis is a headache in itself, especially when it involves sending text messages to that crew, calling this crew, emailing that subcontractor, and keeping it all together somehow. With the various ways that superintendents, subcontractors, and workers communicate, it can be easy to lose track of tasks. Sometimes tasks are documented and tracked and sometimes they aren't, which can leave room for error in the construction project process.

Rather than having to worry about remembering certain tasks, searching through your notebooks for notes about a current task, or scanning through emails, Raken's general contractors software has a better way to manage tasks on a construction site and it's all done right from one app in your phone or tablet. Follow these three steps to managing tasks on the jobsite much easier:

Task It and Track It

When it comes to managing construction projects, it's a game of efficiency. Making sure things go as smoothly as possible while also in a timely manner is crucial, but balancing those two factors is never easy. As a superintendent or project manager, it's your job to keep the project flowing on track. This means that you assign tasks to subcontractor crews as necessary and keep track of it, which is where our first point begins.

Task it and track it means that when something needs to get done on the jobsite, it is communicated and documented. A construction task management software like Raken can help with this. Tasks and assignments can get lost in the busyness of construction and consequently, important tasks can be forgotten, incomplete, and end up prolonging a project. Communication followed by immediate documentation is very important and as a construction project manager, provides for stress-relief and accountability. Prevent big issues by keeping track of the smaller tasks.

Go Mobile

Clipboards, text messages, miscellaneous documents, emails, voicemails... this chop suey of documentation is a recipe for failure in construction task management. Instead of trying to juggle all of these, use a mobile software solution like Raken that can be your hub for construction field management.

Inside of Raken, you can view your projects from a birds-eye view, looking at work logs, tasks, daily reports, photos, attachments, and all other kinds of important project data. In the task tab, you can view open, completed, and deleted tasks, or create a new task in a matter of seconds. Having a construction task management app with a digital dashboard is a huge advantage because it helps you stay focused and stay on track while having all the necessary task details right there in front of you.

Above, you can see the task management dashboard in Raken which provides a view of all open tasks, who they are assigned to, and when they are due. You can also sort tasks by due date, assignee, and subcontractor that the task is assigned to. Within each task, the assignee is able to add photos and videos as a visual representation of progress on the task, providing a great way for subcontractors to keep the project manager or superintendent up to date on the task's progress.

Creating a new task in Raken is easy. All you have to do is: 1. Choose the assignee.2. Select a due date.3. Add a description of the task through text or voice-to-text.

One of the best parts about using web-based construction management software like Raken is the ability to take it mobile and have real-time updates. It's no longer a game of calling back and forth all day to check up on progress. Simply set up tasks and have them in the palm of your hand, not across scattered clipboards and voicemails.

Hold Accurate Accountability

Construction is a team sport and unless subcontractors and superintendents work together, projects will go nowhere. At one time, there can be several subcontractor crews working on different parts of a project, meaning that there are too many tasks to afford to be messy with documenting project progress. An easy way to make sure everyone is doing their part on a day-to-day basis is with Raken's subcontractor project management software. Hold your subcontractors accountable by scheduling a task with a due date and description for them, so that they can update you with progress and eventually slide the button over to "completed" when the work is done.

"You can assign tasks to people on the team and give them due dates. And it stays open until that person says it is complete. This helps to keep people organized and you can hold people accountable. I can go on and on about Raken. They continue to adapt and make it easier to keep the entire team involved." - Bret G. - Sampson Construction

Raken will send you notifications when a task is opened, overdue, or completed so that communication is streamlined from the jobsite to the office. When a task is overdue, it's easy to look into the task on the Raken app and monitor progress. This way, the assignee can be held accountable for the work, making sure it gets done on time.

Wrapping It All Up

At the end of the day, construction task management can be a pain or a pleasure. Texting, calling, or emailing crews is inefficient and messy, allowing for costly errors to trickle into the process. Making sure tasks are communicated and immediately documented is crucial in keeping track of everything that needs to get done, no matter how big or small the task. Going mobile and being able to monitor, assign, and add to tasks in the palm of your hand is also highly important due to the sporadic nature of a construction project. Last but certainly not least, accountability. Holding your crews and subcontractors accountable for their portions of work will keep your project on time, on budget, and stress-free.