Modern Collaboration Platform for Construction Projects
WALO wanted to improve collaboration and efficiency in the digital processing of construction projects. The company needed a solution that would make all relevant project data easily available at any time, regardless of the device and location used. 1stQuad developed a platform for WALO that uses Microsoft Teams as a central application hub.
Walo Bertschinger AG
Walo Bertschinger AG (WALO) is a Swiss construction company based in Dietikon, which was founded in 1917 and operates internationally. The company has a workforce of over 2,500 employees and is involved in various divisions, including civil and structural engineering, ground and sports surfacing, dam and landfill construction, real estate development, water, track, and road construction.
Situation: Challenges in Digital Collaboration
The customer was looking for ways to optimize digital collaboration in construction projects and make it more efficient. The company utilized an on-premises platform for project management, while employing different cloud solutions for plan and model editing. Since there was no automatic data synchronization between the platforms, significant problems with data exchange and reconciliation between the project participants arose.
Project information had to be manually copied or converted between the different platforms, which was time-consuming and often prone to errors. Without automatic synchronization, data on different platforms could be inconsistent or outdated. This increased the risk of bad decisions and project delays.
Additionally, the on-premises installation made it difficult to access the platform from mobile devices, preventing employees from accessing project information while on the go. This resulted in situations where project communications were conducted on unofficial channels such as WhatsApp.
Developing custom interfaces between the on-premises system and cloud solutions was a potential solution to these challenges. However, it would have necessitated significant effort in making additional adjustments and conversions to ensure consistent and accurate data transfer and storage. Therefore, the customer decided to opt for a new, customized software solution.
Solution: Modern Collaboration Platform for Teamwork and Project Management
1stQuad has developed a solution that consolidates all project information in one place. The platform uses Microsoft Teams as a central hub to integrate various applications, enabling users to access all essential tools directly from Teams and facilitate collaboration.
As the solution utilizes Microsoft Teams, it is readily available on a wide range of devices, including smartphones and tablets. This feature allows employees to access project information and collaborate from anywhere, increasing their flexibility and productivity. Additionally, Microsoft Teams provides a user-friendly interface, which reduces training time and ensures ease of use.
Integration With the ERP System
The solution is integrated with ABACUS, the customer's ERP system. This allows the user to access all project information already recorded in ABACUS, including customer and supplier information, purchase orders, invoices and other relevant project data.
The integration with ABACUS increases the accuracy and consistency of the data as it is automatically synchronized. As a result, employees are able to work faster and more efficiently by accessing all relevant information in one central place.
Simple Provisioning
The provisioning process of teams (i.e. project or other workspaces) in the solution is straightforward. Users only need to select a template and create a team for a new project. Through the integration with ABACUS, project data that has already been captured is automatically included in the team. Subsequently, the system invites all employees involved in the project.
The templates define the structure of a team and already include apps, channels, folders in the file storage, and other specific settings.
Enterprise Search Function
Since the solution is integrated with ABACUS, teams are automatically populated with ABACUS master data during provisioning. This information is then pushed to all documents so they can be easily found using metadata. In this way, information such as project files or customer data can be found quickly and easily.
Outcome: Next-Level Collaboration
As a part of WALO's new solution and 1stQuad's Teams Application Hub, employees can now access all the relevant project information in one place, without having to toggle between different applications. They can access the latest data whether they are in the office or on the job site.
The solution is not only an answer to the customer's specific issues but also a flexible platform that can be easily adapted and expanded for future digital projects. For example, additional cloud solutions can be easily integrated to further improve data exchange between project participants. Moreover, additional modules for project management, resource planning, or collaboration functions can be added to enhance teamwork.
