Best Project Management Software For Architects

In this article, you’ll find the best project management software for architects with detailed feature comparisons, pricing, pros & cons, & evaluation criteria to consider.

10 Best Project Management Software For Architects

Here’s our picks for the best project management architecture software in 2020.

In this post, I’ll explain how architecture project management, like many industries, can benefit from employing the right suite of PM software and other digital tools architects need.

Architectural projects need easy communication, usually across a broad array of stakeholders, budgeting, and financial planning help (architects love testing this), as well as logs of absolutely every snippet of conversation that might be relevant to the final result.

Many of these common conundrums and sticky situations can be remedied by replacing messy excel spreadsheets and ad-hoc project planning with the best architect software on the market.

Project management software tools for architects may crossover with what you have come to expect from some construction management software, based on the logistics and requirements of construction projects.

However, they have many features that are specific to architectural project management in particular and which can help streamline workflow, processes, and projects for architectural firms or other professional services firms.

Below you will find an outline of project management software for architects.

The Best Online Architecture Software List

Here’s a shortlist of the best architectural project manager software:

Looking for more? Check out this article on the best project management software.

Architecture Project FAQ

If project management software for architects left you with a question, start here to get your bearings before we get into the software reviews.

What software do architects use?

Architects at architecture firms and other AEC firms will use a range of software, like project scheduling software (Trello, Asana, Basecamp), accounting for architects (Quickbooks, Sage), and/or design software (AutoCAD, Rino 3D, Sketchup).

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Other Project Management Software For Architects Options

Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list. If you need additional suggestions for handy project management software for architects, check these out.

1. WorkflowMax — WorkflowMax is a cloud-based project management software from Xero. It also has lead management, document management, and invoicing capabilities, as well as a good number of integrations.
2. ArchiOffice — ArchiOffice is a project management software created specifically for use by architects and architectural firms. It includes time tracking capabilities and works on desktop and mobile.

Architect Software Comparison Criteria

What are we looking for when we select project management software for architects for review? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria:

1. User Interface (UI): Are the UI and UX easy to understand at a glance? Is the layout intuitive and well-designed?
2. Usability: Does the software have a manageable learning curve with ample training materials, like white papers, wikis, video tutorials, and webinars? Does the software work on mobile devices?
3. Features & Functionality:

• Design elements — Does the tool let you brainstorm, collaborate, make notes, and wireframe as you build upon ideas and plans?
• Budgeting and accounting — Are there money management features included in the project management tools that architects could benefit from, such as invoicing functionalities? Does the tool allow for tracking billable hours and timesheets to keep track of how much time is being spent per project?
• Versioning and document management — Can you return to different versions of a design before changes and features were added? Are they saved for posterity? Can the tool store blueprints? Can you import existing files from tools like Dropbox or Google Docs?
• Asset storage — Can you digitally store and compile different visual, video, and text assets as the project grows?
• Collaboration — Does the tool have built-in collaboration tools and features so architects working on the same project can communicate and work together in real-time, such as chat or mention functions?
• Resource management — Can the tool assist with planning and allocating resources for projects? Does the tool have capabilities for viewing architects’ and other team members’ capacities and workloads and allow for adjustment as needed?
• Task management — Does the tool include functionalities for keeping track of tasks and deliverables? Can users set due dates and deadlines, task ownership, and task dependencies?

4. Integrations: Is it easy to connect with other tools? Any pre-built integrations or add-ons with software that your firm already has in use, such as accounting software or time management software?

5. Value for $: How appropriate is the price for the features, capabilities, and use case? Is pricing clear, transparent, and flexible?

Learn more about The Best Project Management Software For Architects. Read the full article here.