How are contractors leveraging real-time data to improve decision-making and operational efficiency?
Steve Antill
Chief Revenue Officer
Foundation Software
The gap between successful contractors and those who are struggling is widening—and good data is a big reason why. The top construction companies aren’t just more efficient—they’re more informed.
And it’s all because these pros are taking advantage of the newest tools in tech. They’re connecting their systems and putting accurate information in front of owners who can make faster decisions to protect margins.
The Role of APIs
API integrations are one such tool that contractors are turning to. Rather than spending time on manual imports and exports, API calls allow software platforms to automatically request and exchange data in real-time—eliminating bottlenecks so costs and budgets reflect what’s happening on the job.
The result is a connected operation where nothing gets lost between field and office.
AI Adds to the Equation
Now, having this centralized data is only half the equation. Contractors are also engaging in AI to translate information into action—embracing generative AI to help analyze the data.
Additionally, in the future, you’ll see more contractors apply agentic AI agents in their business to autonomously handle work that once took hours to complete and adapt to changes at a speed the industry hasn’t seen before.
Profits Start With Proactivity
Successful contractors aren’t reacting anymore. They’ve built their operations on connected construction software that feeds LLMs with accurate information. They both trust and use their data to their benefit. The results show up in their margins, win rates and ability to scale.
Joel Hoffman
Director, Product Management – Construction
Acumatica
Contractors are leveraging real-time data with Acumatica by connecting field operations, financials, payroll, inventory and compliance workflows in a single system of record. Instead of waiting for end-of-week reports or reconciling spreadsheets after problems have already affected margins, teams can see labor costs, material usage, change orders, project budgets, schedules and KPIs as work happens. That visibility helps project managers identify cost overruns earlier, adjust staffing or purchasing decisions faster, and keep owners and executives aligned around the same information. Real-time data is especially valuable in construction because projects are decentralized: materials move across warehouses and jobsites, crews shift by project and location, and payroll, compliance and job cost requirements vary widely. With Acumatica, contractors can connect these inputs, reduce manual data entry, improve forecasting, automate reporting and make decisions based on current project conditions rather than outdated assumptions. The biggest advantage is not simply speed; it is confidence. By providing a shared, accurate view of the business, Acumatica helps contractors protect margins, improve cash flow, reduce delays, manage risk and deliver more predictable outcomes across every project.
Can technology help mid-sized and smaller firms to compete with larger competitors?
Nick Overmann
Product Marketing
GCPay
Technology is the easiest, fastest way for small or medium size construction firms to scale to compete with their larger peers. Whether it’s design, project management or financial/subcontractor software, contractors can increase their operational efficiency and begin to take on more projects and grow their business to compete with larger companies. Technology helps small construction firms compete with larger firms by reducing the traditional advantages that come from size alone—such as staffing, administrative capacity, access to data and operational scale. Modern tools allow smaller companies to work faster, appear more professional, control costs better and deliver higher-quality projects with fewer resources. Small firms often don’t realize they already have an inherent advantage: They can adopt new technologies faster than large companies because they have fewer layers of approval and less legacy infrastructure as obstacles. This agility can become a competitive advantage. Technology shifts competition away from sheer company size and toward:
• Efficiency
• Responsiveness
• Accuracy
• Client experience
• Operational intelligence
A well-run small construction firm using modern digital tools can often outperform larger competitors in speed, flexibility and customer service while maintaining lower overhead costs. The key for small firms is to be strategic in how they implement new technology. Simply purchasing software to automate every task could lead to a costly, messy software architecture that inhibits scale and growth as opposed to cultivating scale and growth. Choosing the proper software and having a holistic, companywide view of the firm’s software architecture is key to making the right technology decisions.
As use of digital tools increases, how can construction companies ensure that these systems communicate so that data is not siloed?
Kishan Patel
Chief Product Officer
HCSS
At this point, I think it’s safe to say that the construction industry has largely embraced digital transformation. The next big hurdle is digital connection. We are seeing that simply buying more apps isn’t a silver bullet. In fact, just throwing software at a problem usually creates inefficient digital silos. You can’t effectively run a project if your resources, costs, timelines and communications are all living in different ecosystems.
To actually get these systems talking, companies need to adopt a platform mindset. Before investing in any new software, the very first question should be: How does this connect to our core business systems, like accounting, ERP and payroll? Whether you’re relying on open APIs, tapping into a partner marketplace or using an integration platform, the goal is seamless data exchange between the office, the field and the shop, without requiring manual data entry or workarounds.
When you finally break down those silos, the impact is huge. You get everyone working from the exact same set of facts in real time. It gives leadership a clear picture of the business and empowers project teams to make faster, data-driven decisions without having to second-guess the numbers.
At the end of the day, connected tech creates true operational alignment. And as I always remind our partners, confidence comes from predictability, and alignment more than planning is where margins are won.
Jake Macholtz
CEO
InEight
In capital construction, there’s a case to be made that data is the most valuable asset organizations possess. It drives strategy, ensures business outcomes and powers successful project execution. InEight customers agree. For example, North American Construction Group treats data “as the force multiplier, how we’re going to meet our growth targets.”
But data can’t deliver decision-making value if it’s stuck in a silo. Turn to an integrated system to ensure that your data flows freely throughout the business. After evaluating seven software options, our customer Sundt said, “We picked InEight because it allowed for us to take the diversity of our business and put all of those folks under one roof, one tool.” An integrated system motivated Orion, too: “Getting a tool that we could be in together and analyze as an enterprise was critical for us.”
An integrated solution starts delivering value immediately. “We’re really leaning into that by bringing the two parts of our organization together under the InEight umbrella to align on processes,” MasTec told us. And Burns & McDonnell spoke with us about the value of “getting to that single source of truth and consolidating to get all of our data in one place where we can access it with our fingertips.”
It’s also your best bet for future success, not least because an integrated system delivers the integrated data effective AI solutions demand. I’ll give the last word about InEight to our customer Bird: “There’s a clear vision for the future. There’s really a focus on being precise and accurate to the level of detail that you need to get down to, that’s critical for enabling AI.”
What can construction firms do to address the dual challenges of training older workers on new tech and recruiting younger tech-savvy talent?
Shiva Dhawan
CEO and Co-founder
Attentive Inc.
Construction firms cannot treat workforce development and technology adoption as separate problems—they are deeply connected. The industry is facing two realities at once: experienced estimators and project leaders are retiring, while younger professionals expect digital-first workplaces. The answer is not replacing one generation with another, but creating workflows where both can succeed together.
This is where AI-based platforms like Beam AI become important. Technology adoption often fails when firms ask experienced professionals to abandon trusted workflows and become software specialists overnight. Beam AI was built with the opposite philosophy: AI should work like a junior estimator for you, handling repetitive takeoff work while allowing senior professionals to apply what matters most—judgment, constructability knowledge, pricing strategy and risk assessment.
For older workers, this lowers the barrier to adoption because technology removes the manual burden rather than replacing expertise. For younger talent, AI-based workflows create the modern, tech-enabled environment they expect while giving them exposure to real estimating logic and mentorship.
The most forward-looking contractors are already using this model. Instead of spending time on tracing, counting and rework, the AI-generated, QA-reviewed takeoffs help them focus on higher-value decisions such as pricing strategy, vendor coordination, value engineering and cross-collaboration. That creates stronger knowledge transfer, better productivity and a more attractive career path for the next generation.
Ultimately, AI is becoming a workforce multiplier—helping firms protect institutional knowledge while building the next generation of construction leaders.
What do you think will be the most disruptive innovations in the next three to five years?
Michael Bihlmeier
President
Computer Guidance Corporation
The construction industry stands on the brink of profound transformation, driven by the convergence of AI, robotics, IoT and advanced data platforms. For medium to large construction firms using cloud-based ERP systems, these innovations will fundamentally reshape project delivery, cost control, safety and profitability.
AI and predictive intelligence will lead the disruption. Generative AI will move beyond basic scheduling to autonomously generate optimized project plans, material takeoffs and risk forecasts using historical ERP data, weather patterns, supply-chain signals and labor availability. Predictive maintenance powered by machine learning will reduce equipment downtime, while AI-driven computer vision on jobsites will detect safety violations and quality issues in real time, feeding directly into ERP dashboards for instant corrective action. AI will also improve procurement, cash-flow forecasting, change-order management and resource allocation, enabling faster and more informed decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
Robotics and automation are accelerating rapidly. Autonomous heavy equipment, robotic bricklayers, 3D concrete printers and drone swarms for surveying and inspection will become mainstream. These systems will integrate seamlessly with cloud ERP platforms, automatically updating progress, material consumption and labor hours. This closes the loop between physical execution and financial and project controls, dramatically reducing rework and schedule overruns. Additional game-changers include digital twins of entire projects, IoT sensor networks for real-time resource tracking, and prefabrication and modular construction optimized by AI. 5G-enabled edge computing will allow instant data synchronization across distributed sites.
Forward-thinking ERP providers will create open, intelligent platforms that orchestrate these technologies. Companies that embed AI agents, robotics interfaces and predictive analytics nativel.
How are contractors using AI-powered image capture and analysis tech on the jobsite?
Michael Mazur
Co-founder, CEO
AI Clearing
Construction teams are drowning in data they can’t trust—and it gets expensive fast. Roughly a third of all work gets redone, not because crews lack skill, but because decisions get made on outdated reports and assumptions. That costs the industry $530 billion a year in avoidable rework.
AI-powered image analysis is changing this. By combining drone imagery with CAD/BIM data, AI can automatically map actual site conditions against the project plan and deliver inch-precise 3D progress reports within hours—no manual measurements, no delays. Every deviation, misalignment or off-spec pour gets flagged before it compounds into a costly problem. And it adds up: Projects complete faster, claims costs drop significantly and disputes disappear because every stakeholder works from the same verified, timestamped data.
Beyond project control, voice-enabled AI assistants now give any team member instant access to live project data directly from their phone, in plain language—no dashboards, no training required. As nearly half the experienced workforce heads toward retirement, this kind of accessibility isn’t optional. It’s how the industry keeps building without losing institutional knowledge.
The smarter jobsite is already here. At AI Clearing, we see this firsthand—the firms that move from reactive reporting to real-time, verified data aren’t just cutting costs. They’re changing how construction gets done.
What can construction leaders do to secure connected jobsites and prevent data breaches?
Woody Chamberlain
President
eMars
Radio frequency and encryption are two ways that construction managers can secure connected jobsites and prevent data breaches. Radio frequency is a great tool to help secure a jobsite. An employee badge is equipped with radio frequency Identification. The badge is held in close proximity to a reader and “approves” entrance to a site. The microchip holds a volume of information, determined by management of the construction company. Time in, time out and many other attributes are noted, so, “Hi, Bob, what time did you get in today?” is a thing of the past. Only people holding the card are given access to a site. Encryption of employee information is another way of keeping employee information safe from prying eyes. Think of encryption as scrambling employee information into an incoherent and unusable mess. Unless permission is granted to employee information, encryption is another line of strong defense. eMars encrypts its entire payroll system, keeping payroll information private and safe.
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