Construction software made for the field
4.6/5 (329 reviews)Pros
Intuitive and ergonomic functionality. It keeps files up to date and automatically supersedes old files.
Cons
The cost to share with other team members. If I have a project that has multiple subs that have a Project Manager, Asst Project Manager, Field Superintendent and Foreman who need to have the most updated drawings and each has to pay the fee then it gets pricey on their end. So I think Plan Grid should sell package/licenses s to subcontractor teams so they can distribute to their team in-house which you screen through their email address.
My company has been using PlanGrid for 3+ years. Our senior managers and field supervisors all use the program on company provided iPads. Since incorporating the use of PlanGrid into our daily operations, we no longer use paper hard copies of plans (we only provide those now for plan check, etc.) so blueprinting costs have reduced to near $0- and more than covers the cost of the PlanGrid subscription.
As the tech application guru for our company, I'm constantly looking at and am reviewing new or improving programs that are coming to or are already in the market. There are other companies now with similar applications, but I don't find any of them to be near as good as PlanGrid. The scaled dimension and quantities takeoff features that PlanGrid has especially cannot be beat by any of their competitors; these are features that most others don't have, but has proven to be very valuable in our daily use.
The great thing about PlanGrid that I learned as a fairly early user is that the founders weren't simply really good software programmers/engineers, but that they also had a really in depth knowledge of the construction industry. In my estimation PlanGrid really nailed it as to what the construction industry needs for portable electronic plans, and has demonstrated its commitment to continuously improve the product.
Pros
Rendering of plans is fast
Ability to zoom in on plans and details (easier to see than on paper copy)
Scaled dimension and take off feature
Attach job photos to pinpoint locations on plans
Punch list
Ability to attach job documents (doesn't count towards plan sheets limit...nice!)
Very rarely have there been problems with the account or website functions; we've only needed instruction support
Customer support is very quick and effective!
Cons
Labeling plan sheets at initial load is a bit cumbersome as you have to fully open the sheet to see the designers description (a magnifier bubble on the thumbnail view would be really helpful)
Hard to keep up with the new features being added (just kidding...it's a nice problem to have!)
No customer support after hours (that's the time of day senior managers need help)
Hard to get subcontractors to use it; maybe a slimmed down version with less features and less cost that can work on the cheaper Android tablets would be a solution, or a discount if hooking up with developer's or GC's job only
Pros
The application is easy to use so our people want to use it! It helps us be faster and more efficient. We constantly have the information we need at our fingertips. We enjoy being able to quickly and easily scroll through our project information and be able to link information together so you don't miss important information.
We enjoy working with the people over at PlanGrid because they make it feel like they are in whatever situation you are having, whether it is good or bad. They want you to succeed, they want to help you fix any issues that arise - they're part of our team and we appreciate their excellent customer and technical support.
Cons
PlanGrid works really hard to develop new features and push them out to their users. We know that they make a dedicated effort and are constantly exploring new options and ideas. With that being said, we'd like to see them come out even faster and more frequently.
Pros
It provides real time file updates and reduces the paperwork required. It also is a collaborative platform on which multiple companies can work on and share data and information regarding construction works. This also lets to access the information such as drawing and photos from any mobile device, anywhere. The features can be used offline as well. This tool can be depended on regardless of the size of the project, which makes it highly versatile. The application also makes sure that no data is lost during a turnover, we have all revised drawings made on a project. The application maintains security measures and procedures at every level, as the work progresses. It has helped us to compare various versions of the same project.
Cons
This software has no integration with any database software, so there is not option to control who can view what, which is a data security risk issue. The windows version of the application does not have as many features as compared to the version available on iPads. Cost to share data with team members is high.
For those familiar with standard user interfaces PlanGrid is very easy to pick up. It was recommended to me by the lead architect on our project and I'm very happy she did so. It was made immediately useful by allowing me to quickly upload my drawing set and begin making punch lists for the construction project I was overseeing.
Pros
One of my biggest time sinks is formatting reports so once I found out that this app formats them for you I was immediately hooked. The default format is very logical and simple to read and for that I am eternally grateful. No more messing with strange Word formatting procedure for this guy.
The collection of photos and being able to mark them up instantly is wonderful. It is great for punch lists as well as cataloging existing conditions. Simply being able to note where the photo is taken is excellent.
The myriad of additional mark up tools is fairly standard but very necessary and also well done. Without them this tool would not feel complete or flexible.
Cons
Initially it was difficult for me to find out how to download the remainder of my photos. They are kept in a folder on your device that I haven't found a quick way to get out without another app like Astro File Manager (another great app for those of you looking for better folder access).
If there was an option to include a list of photos and there locations on the reports that would be very helpful for existing conditions. It's just slightly quicker that making punch list items for each photo taken. I haven't used the app for a few months since I've been on other projects so I apologize if this has been added.
Pros
I really appreciate being able to carry ALL of my drawings, ASIs, submittals and RFIs on an IPad! This saves a lot of legwork when getting stopped by multiple subs on a jobsite because I have all of the information with me. I'm not a real tech person so when the office told me I was getting an iPad with Plan Grid, I was not interested. After a couple of days in the field, it is one of the most valuable tools I've ever had. To be able to mark up drawings, add site photos and transmit them in a PDF to the Engineers and Architects as an RFI is amazingly fast and easy and cuts down their response time! I highly recommend Plan Grid to every Superintendent out there who wants to increase their productivity and save a lot of time. Plan Grid is always available to assist with questions to help you get the most out of this software.
Cons
When I use the search icon to go directly to a specific page, I cannot scroll to the previous or next page from that point. It would be helpful to be able to scroll if you are off by a page or the details are on the next page.
Pros
PlanGrid is simple to use, and makes drawing management a breeze. Subcontractors can no longer complain they don't have the most up to date drawings - they're in their pocket at all times.
Cons
PlanGrid's simplicity is both its greatest strength, and its greatest weakness. The ubiquity of "There's an app for that" has turned into many tight and incredibly useful apps that (only) do one thing or another really well. PlanGrid is one of these - the drawing management capabilities are fantastic, but the RFIs tool is not. It is also somewhat a barrier to entry that there is an ever-growing cost associated with PlanGrid. Many subcontractors struggle to justify the cost month to month, especially if they have a small scope on a large project with many sheets. It would make more sense for the cost of PlanGrid on each project to be borne by the GC, and Subs to gain access via invitation, without incurring exponential costs in the process.
It is rather expensive if you have a lot of users... still worth it but could be a little more budget friendly. But overall this is an easy way to manage plans and distribute plans and changes!
Pros
This software is great for being able to take drawings into the field and add markups as I walk the site! This makes for great notes and helps communication between the field and office or between GC and client / AE. It makes it easy to track and control revision changes throughout bid process and actual construction.
Cons
Some of the set up is rather difficult and time consuming... but worth it in the long run. There is also no way to control permissions of users, which would be a great feature!
Pros
PlanGrid is great for users of all expertise levels. The application is simple and lightweight enough that we can teach any user to use it quickly and get them up and running. At the same time, there is enough versatility in features built into the service that we can efficiently control our documents with little effort. It has proven to be extremely useful in maintaining our contract and shop documents on large projects for the field to stay on top of the game.
Also, the PlanGrid team is a cut above the rest. Support is superb. I enjoy speaking with them to the point that I plug up their support chat from time to time just saying Hello. :)
Cons
One of the main hurdles in getting PlanGrid set up properly was figuring out how to organize our PDF's so that the field can get to the sheets they want without scrolling for days. However, with a little guidance from the PlanGrid support team, this is easily achievable.
Pros
The software is very intuitive and if you can drag and click your halfway there. I love the ability to take a photo and have it on the detail when you are creating an RFI. I've been a PlanGrid since 2013. At first I was the only one with my company that was using plangrid. After showing PlanGrid to upper management they implemented plangrid company wide. Then I changed employers. My new employer was not using PlanGrid so I did a presentation for our entire staff. Now, the new company uses PlanGrid. If I should change employers again, I will take plangrid and encourage the new company to adapt PlanGrid into their projects.
Cons
The only bad thing about plangrid is that it doesn't do the work for me. The biggest failure is that people do not use Plangrid to it's full potential. On projects where we are all dialed in with plangrid, it's great!
Easy plan management and distribution.
Pros
Plangrid allows us to manage and distribute plans and documents to the project management team and to the field quickly and accurately. Changes can be distributed immediately once received and processed. Questions and issues found in the field can quickly be shared and documented to the project management team with pictures and notes on the plans. Plangrid continues to update and release features on a consistent basis.
Cons
This is geared toward the general contractor but has been of great use to us as a subcontractor. Field reports could be easier to use and easier to import a new form into.
Leading up to the start of my projects I have been able to review and mark up plans much faster and easier than in the past. By pushing my notes to the master I am able to ensure all the members of my team are catching critical details.
I have close interaction with many GCs, Engineers and Architects and several have seen the ease of which I am able to move from sheet to sheet and between disciplines. BEI Structural Engineers are the EOR for my Gaithersburg, MD project and were very interested in the way I documented their inspections, easily attaching pictures of the issues and instantly passing them on to my field staff. Last I heard they were looking into Plan Grid.
I am now on a project in Reston, VA 350,000 sqft of wood framing. the GC is currently using Procore which is much slower to navigate and pass information. There is not much chance of the GC to change from Procore, there are using on all projects more to pass documents to subs than for the plans but those who have seen us use Plan Grid know it is better for access of plans.
At the end of 2015 we had a meeting in preparation of our company summit after showing the benefits of Plan Grid to the upper management of Colt they have purchased IPads and added many members of our field staff to Plan Grid.
You want to get better??
I need info on adding hyper links to rfis, ssks and asks.
I need to save on the number of sheets I push to my field personel, is there a way to add multiple 8x11 pages to one sheet, ie all related 8x11s for one rfi. some of our floor truss layouts will have 100 to 150 related 8x11truss profiles but it is not cost effective to push these to my men with the current setup.
My company is talking about going to procore for things like QC, safety issues, floor/roof truss layouts and profiles, RFIs, ASKs and SSKs. are you making any changes in this direction?
I originally purchased this product to get the plans into the hands of my field workers when we were only 200 men strong. It worked great for an entry-level program that did not cost an arm and a leg. I would say that this program works good for a small to medium size company.
Pros
Plangrid is easy to use and to get the plans to your employees in the field. I trained my men on my own and they picked it up right away.
Cons
The field report tools still need a lot of work. You have to build your team for each project. I am a Concrete sub and we have a lot of new jobs so we have an employee to just work on Plangrid input only.
Pros
They are focused on providing a simple and intuitive experience while incorporating the necessary features to make your job easier.
In an industry that is so behind on technology, adoption by project team members and subcontractors can be quite difficult, ultimately rendering tools nearly useless from lack of adoption.
Plangrid's approach makes it very easy for everyone on the project to adopt the tool and utilize it effectively, making the entire project run smoother.
Cons
It is difficult to say what I like the least, because they have been excellent at making improvements in their product and service model. Every time i like something the least, it goes away pretty quickly.
Once one of my projects was not downloading and I reached out to PlanGrid customer service and they were able to reconcile the issue within a few hours.
Pros
This software is extremely user friendly and easy to understand and learn. I love the search feature and being able to sort issues into lists. It's very convenient to use the app on my phone while I am out in the field. It's great that the sheets auto populate shortcuts and sort into sheets of the same type when updates are uploaded.
Cons
It is difficult to print a pdf from PlanGrid. I wish I could print the sheets or a portion of the sheet with my markups to pdf to be able to give to people in the field. It is also inconvenient that the free trial 50 sheet account option is gone. It can get very expensive to pay for multiple accounts when they will not be used for a long time or for many sheets.
Pros
The benefit of this product really comes from the simplicity of it's user interface. It makes implementing a digital plan management solution extremely easy for those more tenured field users. Additionally the mobile first solution makes viewing optimized in the field on any device. Simple markups, reviewing callouts, communicating changes, and reviewing updates are made super easy.
Cons
The pricing can be steep for what is offered. This is especially true when trying to bring trades on who need viewer access only to the plans. These users must purchase a full license. Additionally they may not always need access to all the sheets, but because the licensure is setup for licenses to be based on number of sheets assigned, trades end up paying extra for things they do not need. This may make it difficult at times to get buy in from the trades on using the software.
Pros
PlanGrid has put a lot of time and effort into making their software not only effective, but also user friendly. There are too many advantages to list and ALL of them are geared towards making a jobsite/contractor more efficient. My personal goal is to make a multi-million dollar project completely 'paperless' with regards to prints out in the field.... PlanGrid should give me the support to be able to do just that.
Cons
THE ONE... THE ONLY sizable problem with PlanGrid is the ability (or lack thereof really) to upload older (backdated) print sets WITHOUT them becoming the 'Current Set'. Currently, if you need to upload a version of the prints that were due to come out a month ago you have to erase everything that came out in the last month, upload the backdated version, and then re-upload everything that came after that. VERY FRUSTRATING!
Pros
With an aging construction field workforce that does not typically share a love of gadgets that their younger colleagues do, a complex app becomes a wasted purchase quickly. PlanGrid provides a intuitive and simple interface for our management and field employees to communicate anything pertaining to the contract documents. The key for our firm is having an app that does not overwhelm or intimidate the user whom may have just recently be introduced to his mobile device.
Cons
The marketing push / "how can we improve" push as of late seems a bit much.
Works great with ipad. Android use has had some quirks, but it seems to be improving.
Pros
Love the fact that changes can be shared on the fly to hand-held devices without having to redistribute paper drawing pages or sets. Feedback and field dimensions can be shared more quickly and efficiently than when we were working with paper sets.
Cons
Its a little pricey if some team members need only occasional use. However, there is no small group option, which makes it a little more difficult to share with sub-subcontractors.
partnership with Esub is good - build on getting more into that program as well.
Pros
ease of use- field has taken full use of this app - I have never seen the field accept an app like this. they like it because it is user friendly. customer service has been excellent. app is fast and reliable. ROI is hard to establish, but I know we are saving time..
Cons
the price as a company would be something to look at - If I have 400 people using, I would probably not want to pay that much per person per year.
no benefits, waste of time and money.
Pros
It can take a complete set of drawings and set up to use in the field via Ipad. you can use stamps to create a decent punchlist.
Cons
only has limited zoom capabilities that are not enough for real work use. very complicated to update and organize, RFI postage is terrible and hyperlink is spotty as far as function, sometimes you need to remove other posted items to get it to work. I would NOT recommend this software for anyone.
Pros:
-All of your drawings in one place on an easy to carry mobile device.
-Drawings open lightening fast! No need to use a VPN to log into a company server.
-Easy to upload/update sets of drawings.
-Keeps everyone on a full current set with access to older versions.
-Allows you to quickly mark up changes or notes and share if you like.
-Great place to keep RFI's or other field directives, can be easily linked to a sheet so your field team knows when they look at a particular sheet that something has changed on that plan and to reference the RFI.
-Control over who can edit or mark up sheets within the program.
-Ability to snap pictures and indicate on the drawings where that picture is taken.
-Downloadable As-Built set.
-Auto hyperlinking of details, cut thrus, and drawing index.
Cons:
-Inability to set your own RFI numbers.
-Inability to upload your own RFI form/format.
- $59/mo/user is a steep price for a subcontractor to pay just to view current plans.
- Can't copy/paste links on sheets. i.e. If I have an RFI that I want to link to multiple locations within a set of drawings I have to create an individual link for each location. If I could simply copy and paste one link/note it would save so much time.
-A comment bubble with an arrow would be useful.
-When reviewing a sheet on a PC with photos when you click the photo all you can view is a thumbnail. Would be nice to be able to click that thumbnail, it enlarge and be able to click through any other photos on that same photo tag.
Overall it's the best document control software I've seen. It's user friendly and worth the subscription fee to keep your project current. Ultimately it saves valuable time and money.
Have used plangrid for 2 years in 2 different fields. I have enjoyed learning the full potential and harnessing that potential for future growth within the company
Pros
Comparing sheets, ability to annotate, speed of updating information to the field and simplicity of the design
Cons
Not being able to perform the different functions available on mobile platforms on PC. Having to use the web to use the application(uploads). Speed of file uploads.
Pros
New features are constantly being added to make this a very versatile software. It's extremely user-friendly and has become a staple for our organization. Teams are able to access the same files which makes it easy to collaborate and keep everyone on the same page.
Cons
The Windows application is improving but still needs some work to get it fully functional. If it had all the features of the iPad, it would be a perfect product.
Pros
It has both Android and iPhone versions. The presence of zoom options on several scales helps to have a clearer view of the site images. The support team is very responsive and helpful. Any query put forward is solved by them efficiently. It helps to keep all your RFIs, drawings etc. in one single spot and need not carry them around in the field. It supports English, Japanese and Spanish.
Cons
It is very expensive. It is not affordable for small agencies and startups. Also, most of the features are scattered around and hence, browsing through all of them is not so easy.
Plan grid has been useful for our team to be one step ahead of the game in document control. I am currently working on a larger project with multiple files, especially ASIs. As a result, the overlay capabilities makes it easier to keep up with drawings that have been superseded and have the most current jobs in the field.
I like the ability to tag drawings by discipline and in my case phases. The ability to hyperlink drawings to compile an as-built set or update current drawings with referenced RFIs, ASIs or SK drawings is extremely useful.
I wish that plan grid would allow users that admins share files (i.e. subcontractors) have the ability not to pay. I think the GC should be responsible for payment , management, and distribution of files. Plan grid should sell perhaps licenses to the GC company and not charge individual subs a monthly fee just to review drawings. As a result, after the trial period ended none of the subs for my job signed up to use Plan Grid. Consequently, I've been using Bluebeam Revu Studio which has similar capabilities and users download a free software through Bluebeam that allows access to all the project folder and files. What Plan Grid has over Bluebeam currently is the OCR to recognize sheet names through the plan index and this is a standard feature; however, in order for Bluebeam to mimic Plan Grids basic principle, it seems like an added cost. Overall I like the software for in-house management but as far as the sharing it with the subs and getting them to use it for a project entirety it has been a struggle. Therefore I think they should either consider lowering the rates for additional users.