The e-Builder Processes module (also referred to as Structured Workflow) is a collaborative system that automates business process according to a set of business rules.
Collaboration
A core capability of the e-Builder system is its ability to facilitate collaboration. Effective collaboration and communication among the project teams is an essential ingredient for success on each construction project. The e-Builder Processes module facilitates collaboration by providing a mechanism to route information based on defined business rules, track communications and ensure accountability for all parties along the process work path.
The system will empower an organization to store, retrieve, change and use the business rules that affect its operations in a simulated and repeatable environment. Consistent and standardized processes within an organization that would normally require human knowledge to carry out can now be taken care of by the system. In other words, the system allows all project team members to access and update a process with little to no knowledge of the entire process, because the process is automated.
Automated steps help do away with many of the project participant mundane tasks, leaving them time to focus their energy on their jobs. A business process is structured so each instance is managed according to the same business rules, every time. This consistency provides stability in the business and predictability for the resources.
For example, if a subcontractor had to fill out an RFI in the real world via a paper process the subcontractor has to know who to send it to for a particular project. Let's say procedurally it is defined that the subcontractor must send the RFI to the general contractor project manager before routing it to the owner project manager and the A/E. Traditionally, outside of a system like e-Builder, the subcontractor would have to know to do that based on their contractual agreement. In the structured workflow enhanced feature set the subcontractor could submit the RFI and the system would know to route it to the general contractor project manager automatically. There is no thought required other than filling out the question in the RFI. And when the general contractor project manager received the RFI and reviewed it, they could determine there was a cost and/or a schedule impact. If there was such an impact, then when the general contractor project manager submitted, the system could automatically route to the owner project manager first to give them visibility to manage the exposure, and if not it could route directly to the A/E project manager to answer. It all depends on the way the structured workflow is configured. The e-Builder Processes module makes the process efficient and less prone to error because the system is routing the process for you based on a set of predefined business rules.
Benefits of a Structured Workflow
Well-defined processes that can be enforced in a system eliminate the chance of mistakes. An audit trail assists in identifying any mistakes in the process. A standard process also will drive standard reporting, which results in clear visibility into the projects. This enables the project team to act on information early in the process before they become too costly or time consuming to address.
Automated workflow allows for continuous process improvement. The module allows for the collection of detailed information on work processes over time. As business environments change the organization can modify its processes based on lessons learned and data collected to further improve project execution.
Faster On-Boarding of Employees
Faster "on-boarding" of employees enables the organization to scale. The process is consistent and easy to follow based on user roles and permissions. It does not require in depth knowledge of the process rules or policies and procedures. These variables are all addressed in the system so the new user simply follows the steps in the process. Additionally, employee turnover does not result in loss of quality or a break in the process.
Improved Employee Productivity
Improved employee productivity eliminates dead time between steps. Reportable statistics are automatically generated as a measure to continuously improve the process over time. Processes are transparent and result in increased accountability, which in turn results in improved productivity. Repetitive tasks are automated freeing resources to focus on tasks that add more value to the organization. Business rules are placed throughout each step in the process to ensure that the data is entered correctly and escalation occurs automatically if any of the steps are delayed unnecessarily. And, using defined workflow to automate these types of processes streamlines the organization by reducing data entry to key people, thereby reducing errors and improving productivity.
In e-Builder many of the work processes result in action taken in the cost or document management modules. Therefore, the enhanced workflow features provide the capability to integrate cost and document functions into one process. A typical example of this would be a change order approval process that results in a change to the committed costs and backup or supporting documentation in the central file library for the project. In this example the commitment change can be created and the status of it (via routing for approval) can update and reflect automatically in the cost module for exposure. And the supporting documentation can automatically be configured to be placed in a predefined folder. No extra work required. It is completely managed in the process definition.
Tighter Compliance with Regulatory Organizations
The system provides an automatic audit trail for compliance reporting. Automatic routing of information through a process ensures that no steps are forgotten or missed resulting in improved compliance. In addition, a structured process in e-Builder can be demonstrated to auditors and regulators and information can easily be reported.
Typical Job Functions Using this Module
e-Builder supports the different team members that are involved in the project. Based on their job function, users may be able to configure, initiate, view, update or close processes. Processes are project and role permission based. If required, a work flow (routing of process steps) can be defined to point to a set of projects or even a specific data field in a process layout can be set up to only be visible to a set of key roles. Any user who is involved in communication of a project can be involved with processes. Which users, process types, data fields, layouts, and work flows are utilized are specific to the process requirements.
Each role or job function will have access to create or respond to specific processes defined by your managers and administrators. Listed below are a subset of users that have responsibilities and influence in defining, configuring and maintaining a set of processes in e-Builder.
Project or Executive Assistant
User Role: Account Administrator
Background
The project or executive assistant for an owner company is responsible for coordinating, organizing, and handling the day-to-day activities or tasks required to support the executive or project manager, which includes managing project files, distributing all correspondence as directed by the executive or project manager, maintaining logs, and coordinating meetings. The project assistant needs to communicate to other departments and update the executive or project manager on messages and the status of delegated work. In addition, the assistant will ensure the adequacy of supporting documents (contracts, change orders, legal documents, invoices, etc.)
Role
During an e-Builder implementation, the project assistant will be working closely with the e-Builder implementation team to set up the work flows. This means the assistant will be providing feedback and designing the work flow processes using the front end designer. Once the implementation team rolls off of the project, the assistant will be responsible for creating new work flows or modifying existing ones. Basically the assistant will manage the work flow environment. In addition, the assistant will override specific instances of a work flow should the need arise due to a user leaving the company (for example) to address the processes in their court.
Project Manager
User Role: Work flow Initiator
Background
The project manager is intimately familiar with each of the key processes required to successfully deliver capital projects within budget and on time. The primary responsibility is to project manage the project. Specifically, the manager will provide advice and consultation with respect to design, scope of work, and cost estimating. The manager will also assist and manage the pre-qualification and selection of the architect/ engineer and general contractor and negotiate on unforeseen conditions or oversights from the designer or general contractor. The project manager will use a schedule as a tool to assist in controlling the timing and performance of building the project and a cost management system to ensure the project remains within budget.
Role
The project manager is involved with the business process. The project manager will go to the work flow area to initiate a process or go to the specific module and start the process there. Two options exist for each process initiation. The manager may not initiate a process every day. Once the manager starts a process the system will support the manager to do what is required. It will not let the project manager do something he should not do. The project manager will also be able to delegate work to his team members easily when needed.
Financial Director
User Role: Work flow Responder
Background
The financial director is responsible for enhancing financial controls, delivering strategic financial assistance to the board and continuing the development of external relationships to ensure future finance and investment opportunities are recognized. The director will assist in earned value analysis, projecting cash flow management, and reporting on overall profitability performance.
Role
As the work flow responder, the financial director will be able to act on work flow items sent in an easy way. The director will be instantly notified via email so that the item can responded to in a timely manner requiring little to no thought on what needs to happen next. Once in the system the steps will be clearly outlined on what the director needs to do within each process. The director may need to approve a funding request or a budget, for example, within e-Builder and the process will be intuitive to ensure the process is completed in a timely manner.
Executive
User Role: Work flow Responder and Reporter
Background
The executive is primarily responsible for ensuring the company meets specific goals and objectives. The executive devises strategies and formulates policies to ensure that these types of objectives are met. The executive meets with the subordinate executives regularly to ensure that operations are conducted in accordance with the company's goals. The executive also meets with the board regularly and is required to report to them the overall health of the project portfolios. The executive is held accountable for the success or failure of the organization.
Role
The executive will be required from time to time to respond to work flow that requires their approval. As such, is it critical that the process required from them (starting with the email notification and finishing with the approval action) is very easy to access and complete. If the executive, for example, is reviewing cost items (budget, contract, etc.) then it can be configured so that the executive can review the financial data within the work flow itself to ensure the approval is efficient and automatically updated in the Cost module where appropriate.
The executive needs to maintain visibility of all the projects within the program. Reporting is a key requirement for the executive to be able to quickly ascertain the overall healthiness of the program. Ultimately, the solution will provide adequate reports and dashboard views to allow the executive to manage the work flow processes by exception. The reports will be dynamic (or real time) and require little to no effort by the executive to generate.
Key Concepts
Before you start reading the e-Builder Processes module help, you should familiarize yourself with some key concepts used throughout this section.
Project
Most everything in e-Builder takes place within the context of a project. Projects in e-Builder refer to the various projects that you are participating in. Each real world project is associated with a project in e-Builder. If you are working on the real world project, then you can be added as a member of the project in e-Builder. Your Project Administrator or Manager will be able to add you as a member of a project in e-Builder.
Process Type
The process type is the name of the process. Examples of process types are Change Order Request, Submittal and Project Issue. Each process type has a work flow comprised of a series of steps. Each step has permissions assigned to it. This determines who can act or view on each step. Because of this, you may be able to act and view certain instances of process types, but, unable to initiate or act on an instance of another process type.
Module Integration
If the Cost Module is activated for your account process types can be integrated with cost items. A process type can include one and only one cost item. The cost items available are budget change, commitment, commitment change, commitment invoice and general invoice. When integrated the cost item details are contained in the process type automatically. That means that when a process is filled out that is configured as such, then the status and details of the cost item will automatically be updated in the Cost Module. This solution eliminates redundancy.
Data Fields
Fields can be configured to store information related to the process. These fields can present as drop down boxes, to date fields, to file fields and many other types that you may be familiar with as it relates to filling data out on an electronic document. Data fields automatically create unique variable names for use in reports and mail merge. Data fields have permissions assigned to them so that the field can be restricted only to certain roles.
Page Layouts
Page Layouts organize data fields into custom displays. A layout is associated with a step in a work flow. There can be both actor and non-actor layouts associated with each step, allowing you to restrict proprietary data not meant for to be edited or even viewable by non-actor users accessing the step. Data fields are added to layouts and each field can be marked as read-only or required based on your business requirements.
Sections
There are one to many sections in a page layout. Each section is a collection of data fields. The purpose of a section is to separate data into like areas to organize your data layout in a way that resonates with the potential actors.
Workflow
Workflow is the automation of a business process (entirely or partially) during which documents and other pertinent information is passed from one participant to another for action, according to a set of procedural or business rules. Each process type can have one or more work flows assigned to it. Each project has one work flow assigned to it. In each work flow there are a series of flows consisting of steps and connectors with a start and finish.
Actor
An actor is a person that can act on a step. When a work flow enters a step the actors receive a notification via email to login e-Builder and accept or decline the responsibility to complete that step. Once an actor takes an action the step is considered to be completed.
Action
An action is a trigger to complete a step in a work flow. Data entry steps are those steps where it requires a human to act on it. Each of these steps include one or more actions. When an action is taken the work flow routes to the next step.
Data Assignments
Data assignments can be configured to automatically set a value to a data field. There can one or more data assignments set for an action.
Step
A work flow step organizes the page layouts, actors and non-actors, actions, data assignments and standard due dates. Each step represents an activity that needs to be completed by an actor in order for the work flow to move on its path towards completion (or finish).
Data Entry Step
The data entry step requires a person in an actor role to complete it. Each data entry will require an actor to take an action in order for the work flow to move on its path towards completion. In addition, there can be data fields that are required to be entered or updated.
Conditional Step
A conditional step is a defined statement that can take a path of true or false. It is configured to let the system determine the route in the work flow.
Connector
A connector connects two steps together. A connector requires a from step, action and to step.
Spawn Process Step
A spawn process step allows a process to spawn another process when the work flow enters that step. A classic example of this would be a potential change order (PCO) that can spawn a change order request (COR) if it is approved by the appropriate parties.