Computer Guidance Goes SaaS with Construction Industry App

June 30, 2009 Alex Woodie

Companies in the construction industry can get started with Computer Guidance‘s Construction Management System (eCMS) without buying a new IBM i OS-based Power Systems server to run it on now that the software vendor has started selling access to eCMS via the software as a service (SaaS) delivery model. The Scottsdale, Arizona-based company also announced two new eCMS customers.

eCMS provides integrated financial accounting, project management, and bidding capabilities to mid- to large-size contractors and other companies in the construction industry. The application runs exclusively on the IBM i (OS/400) platform, which has worked well for Computer Guidance and its customers.

Under the new SaaS offering, Computer Guidance runs the eCMS application and manages the underlying System i server for its customers in a Level 4 datacenter. This eliminates the need for customers to provide the care and feeding for eCMS, as well as System i-related tasks, such as operating system updates, backups, and other routine maintenance. The use of logical partitioning (LPAR) keeps customer environments separate and secure.

The SaaS option lessens a customer’s exposure to upfront hardware and software expenditures. Signing up for a pay-as-you-go subscription turns fixed costs into variable expenses, which is preferred for small to mid size construction companies, Computer Guidance says.

The vendor also made two eCMS customer announcements. Installing eCMS for the first time is Comer Construction, a 125-employee general contractor in Maryland that provides commercial and residential site preparation services, including land clearing, demolition, site mass grading, sewer and water installation, storm drainage systems, and road construction in the states of Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey.

Upgrading to the latest eCMS release, version 3.7, is T.A. Loving Company, a 300-employee construction firm based in North Carolina. T.A. Loving has been an eCMS customer for many years, and will benefit from the improved GUI and better security in version 3.7.