Blog Archives

OfficeTime The Time-Keeping App

12/16/2013

If you are keeping your billable time in a spreadsheet, or, god forbid, a paper form; I found a really nice alternative, OfficeTime

Although there is a one-time cost of $47 for a Mac or Windows desktop version, you will certainly make that up by capturing all your time more easily. This is especially true if you also use the $8 iOS app so you can log your billable time anywhere.

The iOS apps synch with the desktop app by bluetooth. Once you turn it on, it just happens when the apps and desktop versions are open and nearby. I use an iPhone, iPad and the desktop and there has never been a hiccup.

The app is clean and simple with enough tools to do what you need by using the Timesheet, Project, Categories and Reports screens.

New Session
The main data entry is by adding or editing a session or expense. A Session is a work session in which you select the project and record the date, start time, time duration of the work session, and the category you want to assign the time to. If needed the session can be resumed later in the day rather than have two similar entries. The app’s settings let you use the last session’s info to avoid repetitive data entry. You can also add a note to each entry to describe the work you did.

Timesheet
The Timesheet is the screen that captures these entries as you can see in Figure A. The table represents one of your projects, which can be changed by clicking to the right of the displayed project name. Clicking on any cell in the table allows that cell to be edited. A new work session can have its duration entered or you can use a timer. You can start or restart a session by clicking the “Play” arrow at the left of the row when selected. Multiple timers are possible.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

New Expense
Expenses like mileage or printing costs can be added to a project by completing a simple form, Figure B. Give the amount, describe the expense, and add a category.

Categories
The ability to add a category to a Session or an Expense gives you a way to track types of project time and expense. Categories could be phases of the work, or types of work, like specs, 3D, field visits - anything you might want to identify later. For Expenses, the categories could be reimbursable, non-reimbursable, or mileage, reproduction, permits, or similar that you will want to be able to add up. In Figure C you see the Category creation form where you name the category, give it an hourly rate or value. Change the color of the text for easy ID.

Projects
Adding projects is the first step and it just amounts to filling out this form, Figure D. The project name could be the client (selected from your address book), but the name used here will appear in reports/invoices. Choose something that your client will relate to. You can use a project number that might be more useful for your record keeping. Note how you can control placement of the number. Selecting a default category will fill that data in for you on Sessions, and you can easily change it later.

Figure D

Figure E

Reports
The Report feature really brings it all together. A single click produces what you see here in Figure E. You can then modify it by the options at the top or the bottom. Select one of the eight preset date ranges or customize the date range. Select one or more project or all projects. Select one or more categories or all categories. Employee choices are similar.
Note the option in the lower right to make an invoice.

Invoicing
I think the invoicing function is very nice because of how much and how easily you can modify the template. Most systems I have tried require you to work with what they give you. With OfficeTime you can change any data-field placement to get the look you want. See Figure F (sorry about the scratch-out). You have the choice of including the detail of each entry on a second page, which many clients like to see.

Multi-user
I don’t have a way of testing the multi-user feature, but my understanding is that all team members can submit their data to the desktop version and from that consolidation of input you can run reports and create invoices. It appears that each employee must have the desktop version in order to merge data like this. This could get expensive, and more so when major paid upgrades come along. However, for four or five people, the cost would be similar to a single year of many systems that aren't as customizable.

Figure F

Wrap Up
OfficeTime works perfectly for me. I have been using a time-keeping system that is part of the accounting system that I subscribe to. I was in the market for a cheaper solution. I found a free accounting system, Wave; but there is no time-keeping and the invoicing is clumsy. That's where OfficeTime comes in. For a one-time charge that is a 75% reduction in my annual cost, I will have my needs covered. And no monthly fee. I think that for small design teams OfficeTime is a home run. Try it out, there is a 21 day trial of the complete desktop version and free, but limited, iOS apps. Constant logging of time is the only way to go. OfficeTime makes it easy.

Standard Details Filing System

12/12/2013

A system for storing our standard and typical drawings has eluded us for years. After all, the real promise of Computer Aided Drafting is saving time by not having to draw the same thing over and over. Everybody wants that.

What this has amounted to for us is scavenging details by cut and paste from one project to another. Everyone has their preferred sources that they have worked with in the past. Standardization implies “perfected over time”, but scavenging implies “re-used as is”. There’s a big difference.

For the longest time we tried to make the CSI 16 Divisions work as the filing system. This was very unsatisfactory. Then we hit on UNIFORMAT assembly divisions and found that it worked great for the filing system. The only problem was that it took too long popping open file after file looking for appropriate details.

Finally we came upon the concept of storing the details of each assembly in its own sheet of drawings. That minimized the search to opening just one file and panning around. This guide below was placed in the folder with all the standard sheets of details as a reference.

Most recently we hit on an improvement to this method of storing and retrieving standard and typical details. And that was to store the details in a template drawing that would actually be used in each project where its contents apply. The process was to simply copy the whole .dwg file to the current project folder; re-name the file; 'viewport' the applicable details; and add custom work as needed.

EXAMPLE: In a template sheet named “A-50b-InteriorDetails” collect all your drywall, masonry, casework details, etc. These are in Model Space. The “b” in the name is a placeholder for the actual sheet number when you know it. If any of these details are ALWAYS used, say a standard drywall partition detail, place it in a viewport in the Sheet view. On the next project that comes along, copy the file to the project folder, ’viewport’ any other details that apply, and then continue as always.

You can get a jump on this sheet template system by assembling good examples from past projects to use as your templates. Delete the non-standard stuff and you are ready to go. Add in other standard details as you find or create them. In about a year you will have a very nice addition to your firm’s intellectual property that will continually pay dividends.

We haven’t completed the transition from the system shown above in the image to using template drawings. However, we think the templates hold a lot of promise because even a Site Plan, which is always unique, could have a template sheet populated with items that will be needed: north arrow, legend of line types and symbols, paving key, standard boilerplate notes, etc.

Are you inspired to start saving time on the mundane stuff so you can spend it on Design?

An App Called 'Concept'

12/10/2013

Concept App by Fast + Epp

Here’s a handy App that helps you make early design decisions regarding structure. The App is called Concept; it is free; and it is by a Vancouver and Frankfort based structural engineering firm, Fast + Epp, who specialize in architectural structures. The App works on iOS devices. (Click image to the left to download.) An Android-compatible version is anticipated soon.

I like it because it does better guessing (than you would do), faster.

Concept lets you play what-if by yourself rather than involving a structural engineer. Let’s say you have looked at code and you have settled on using a steel structural system. You can get a good idea of how deep the beams will be by entering the span. Maybe you need to match an existing floor to floor height. The App will let you see how much space the structure needs for the span you want. Then you can play what-if to your heart’s content without your engineer becoming exasperated. The results you get will have to be verified, but the info is a good guess and fast and convenient.

The images below will walk you through how the App works.

Figure 1

Fig. 1
This is the screen you see when you open the App. “Calculator” takes you to the program part of the App. “Gallery” gives you examples of how the different structural materials can be used aesthetically.

Fig. 2
You see this when you open the “Gallery”. I suspect these photos of being a brochure of Fast + Epp’s work. If so, they do very nice work.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Fig. 3
You see this when you open the “Calculator”. Select the material you want to use.

Fig. 4
After selecting the material, you select “floor” or “roof” to work with.

Figure 4

Figure 5

Fig. 5
You next enter the span that you are considering, and press “Calculate” at the bottom.

Fig. 6
This screen shows you the answer for a beam or a truss girder.

Figure 6

Voila!
You have a good estimate in less time than it takes to write an email or text, or to make a phone call.

Remember: Check that the area per floor, number of stories, and Use Group of your project will allow the Construction Type that you want to use.

USGBC Is Malthus

12/7/2013

I love to plan.
I would rather plan a task than do it in most instances. That's the way I am wired. Fairly often I catch myself getting lost in the planning when I could have completed the task by now.

I think I recognize this tendency in USGBC. They are more about planning and re-working the plan and improving the plan than actually ... what? What is their goal? Reduce pollution and greenhouse gases? Save the rain forests? Keep landfills from overflowing? I was going to write "save energy"; but if you are using soloar energy or wind energy, you can't save it without nasty batteries - so use all you want.

Save water? That's a misnomer because all the water on planet earth is exactly the same amount as it was a million years ago. It recycles. So saving water either means "don't screw it up" for the next guy or don't use so much that the guy at the end of the stream doesn't get a drink too (because there are way more people wanting a drink now than one million years ago).

Of course, you can't achieve any meaningful goal with all this saving of energy or water. The seven billion plus of us humans are the problem. We need to start solving the problems we can. The green gurus aren't helping. Not using energy or water doesn't make enough energy or water for everybody.

I liken the green approach to not eating so there is enough food rather than growing more food. Malthus said we would all starve because of the growth in population. Instead we figured out how to grow more food.

USGBC is Malthus.

orig post date FEB 2013

PROJECT DESIGN TEAM - BASIC ISSUES

12/5/2013

Most projects are not the work of a single individual. There are many roles that need to be filled, and it is the unusual project where all the roles are filled by one person. Civil, geotechnical, structural, M/E engineering are just a few of the obvious ones. When the project has a Design Team, complexity builds and it is important to think about how you will simplify things for everyone. Below is a checklist of all the issues we have identified. You might have others to add or some to scratch off. In any event, when you kick-off a project, it helps to have a detailed discussion of specific roles and responsibilities. The success of the team depends on it.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Information management
Intellectual property issues; ownership of documents
Press releases and press communications
Quality assurance and quality control
Safety
Contingency management
Development of the project budget
Project scheduling
Marketing
Client/owner communication
Definition and scope of additional architectural, engineering, and other design professional services
Site analysis
Soft cost management
Schematic design
Design development
Design-phase cost control
Constructability review
Planning, zoning, and regulatory agency processes
Construction documentation
Level of documentation and specification
Level of flexibility within the documents and specifications
Interior design
Fixture, furniture, and equipment specification
Pricing package definition
Bid package definition
Bidding and negotiation
Permitting
Construction administration
Construction-phase cost control
Correction of work responsibilities for both design and construction
Origination and approval of change orders
Construction schedule definition; notice to proceed, milestone dates, date of substantial completion
Force majeure, including delay claims and costs
Payment processes; draw requests and associated timelines
Tests and inspections
Claims and litigation

OWNER CONSIDERATIONS
Similarly, the Design Team should consider a number of issues relating to the Client/Owner. Communicating and working with the owner needs to be managed congruently by the entire team by addressing the following issues:

Coordination of the owner's required insurance: builder's risk insurance, loss of use and consequential damages
Clarification of owner's roles and responsibilities
Processes for formal approval and acceptance by owner of design and major milestones
Assurances of owner's financial viability
Definition of allowances and alternates
Definition and management of the owner's contingency fund
Definition of budget and schedule guarantees, if any
Legal Agreement terms and conditions
Definition of roles with respect to communication with the owner
Identification of the point of contact with the owner
Contractual relationship of owner to project team, down to prime and sub-contractors

My experience is that you will never get all of these issues aired; but it is better to try and learn what you can before it bites you.

An Outlining App That Is A Joy To Use

12/4/2013

I don't know why I haven't mentioned this app before. It is an outlining app that is really very good. I’ve been using it as both a browser-based web app and an iOS device App. The web app is CarbonFin’s Outliner Online. An account is free and can be used as a standalone web app. One of the nice features is being able to share outlines with others for collaboration; or you can publish the outline so that it can be viewed by browser by anyone with the URL. Even a tablet browser works pretty well with the Outliner Online to give you mobile access.

However, if you are on the iOS platform, the $5 universal App is actually a much better experience than the web app on a computer. Even on an iPhone.
Some of the features of iOS App, Outliner by CarbonFin:

Show check boxes or not
Add notes
Show notes or not
Numbering or not
Multiple sub levels
Rearrange the order by dragging
Exporting
Synching

You can export your outline as a Text email; or as an attachment in .txt or .OPML format (used for other outlining programs). Synching your outlines with your account or with Dropbox makes them available on your iOS devices and any browser.

The pictures below show some of the options. The picture on the left shows me using Outliner to keep a checklist of management tasks that I was working on.

The ability to add a note to the item could be used to capture instructions, background, examples, or descriptions - any text you like. And, of course, Outliner can be used for anything that lends itself to a outline format. Some ways I’ve used Outliner: