5 Features to Look for When Evaluating Roofing Contractor Software 

When your company is ready to make the switch from pen and paper to a business management software, you can spend a lot of time evaluating and researching all the options on the market.  

By Kate Foster, AccuLynx. 

While roofing contractor software can help save your company time and money, increasing work efficiency and decreasing project costs, it can be difficult to determine which option has the best features and functionality compared to others. 

Looking for these 5 features will ensure you find the best roofing software for your company’s needs. 

1. Flexibility Flexibility is an essential characteristic when evaluating roofing contractor software. While no software except one custom-designed to your business will ever fulfil every single need or function you can imagine, the best software should be able to solve as many paint points within your business as possible. 

What to Look For: This may mean having many features you can mix and match, such as options in scheduling, assigning leads, and managing your workflow. A wide array of features provides your company with endless possibilities and combinations that it needs to perform its unique job.  

A flexible software should also help you develop better processes, allowing for growth and improvement, rather than being a hassle or not saving you any time. Check to see if the roofing software you are considering will grow with your company, providing useful features and options even as your needs change.  

2. Accessibility The ability to easily access your information is another feature to consider when evaluating roofing contractor software. Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to access the content you need when you need it or spending forever trying to download a document. 

What to Look For: Choosing a software that is easily and reliably available can eliminate these frustrations, increasing productivity and efficiency. A software compatible with multiple devices or with an app version are valuable assets in today’s technology-centered world. These features provide 24/7 access to your job information as well as allowing you to take your office with you to any location. 

3. Integrations

Part of having roofing software that is available wherever and whenever you need it depends on how well it is integrated with the vendors and programs you use every day. 

What to Look For: Integration with material suppliers such as ABC Supply, Allied Building Products, as well as programs like QuickBooks, means everything you need is right at your fingertips in one convenient software. When integrated with technology companies such as SkyMeasure or EagleView, software can provide aerial measurements to your company, increasing safety and letting your field staff do their jobs more quickly and accurately.  

Not only can an integrated software decrease your overall cost, but it also means you are directly connected to suppliers and accounting, reducing human error, maximizing accuracy, and removing the hassle of logging in to multiple accounts. 

4. Ease of Use Some software can be confusing and hard to navigate. When updates roll around you must relearn old features as well as new ones, wasting valuable time. The best roofing software simplifies day to day tasks making your job easier, not more complicated. 

What to Look For: In order to find the best program possible, make sure to look for a software with a layout that is easy to navigate and features that are user friendly. Quality customer support can help guide you through any remaining questions, resolving potential problems and making your job as easy as possible. Updates should add to the software in a way that improves the overall functionality rather than simply reworking old features. 

5. Collaboration A company does not operate with only one person, so your software should not work for only one person either. A good roofing software is applicable for all the different jobs within your business, from sales representatives to project managers to office personnel. More than that, it should connect those people together, facilitating the communication that allows a company to function. 

What to Look For: Features that allow for shared information, such as calendars, tasks, and documents, add clarity to projects and reduce potential miscommunication. A software that allows for collaboration between your staff will help your company work as a cohesive unit, getting jobs done quickly and with precision. 

As a business, your main goal is to complete a job efficiently and accurately. The best roofing software provides the organization, tools, and communication that makes such a task possible. 

AccuLynx is the most powerful tool for your roofing business. Simple to use software, industry-leading tools and the best customer support -- AccuLynx makes it easy to grow faster than your competition. 

Note: This article first appeared on the AccuLynx blog and can be viewed here.