Dataforma Construction Software

Pros

It is great to have all the history of a building in one easy to find section. Logs all change orders. PO system. The correspondence is great how it works with outlook.

Cons

It does not link the reported to on work orders to the contact so that you can see the history of what they have reported.

Been using DataForma for approx 3 years. It's has become (as we have grown with it) a great tool within our company.

Pros

Linking/building relationships is helpful to maneuver from one platform to another under the same account, search ability, ease of use, entering data.

Cons

It's limitations. Limited fields to use. Custom exported reports have to be created by DataForma. Queries have to be created by DataForma. Searching limitations and information exported across platforms (i.e., trying to combine information from one platform and another at the same time - requires a special query).

Started using the Data-Forma system in 2009/2010. In a lot of ways it helped us track our work orders, provide clients with an easier way to share info versus a DropBox or related service.

However, all the benefits of the service have been lost by failures in customer service, addressing customer concerns and simply even returning a phone call.

Like all vendors in the construction industry, they make all kinds of promises to get a sale and are very attentive until they get your check. Then it's on to the next sale and you are old news.

Pros

Easy to learn.

Cons

Needs to allow you to complete windows before updating after every entry. Boggs down, kicks you off too often requiring you log back in, sometimes several times in a day.

Poor customer service, lack of follow through, privacy concerns.

Advice to Others

Look somewhere else.

We used Software Advice to put us in touch with products that could work with our current business practices and we were lucky enough to find Dataforma. We are just getting under way with them as our CRM software and thus far have been pleased with the product and overall process with them.

We started using Dataforma a little over three years ago when we were informed about it during a trade conference. This was a large shift for us and as a roofing company, our end users were not technically proficient to begin with. We immediately noticed how supportive their staff was in making sure we transitioned to the software as smoothly as possible; they even had a company representative visit our offices to help train our staff. The software is fairly robust and there are a number of fields that can be populated in order to retrieve detailed information for reporting and reference as needed. Once familiar with the basics, we were able to speak directly with the Dataforma developers to have custom templates produced for data experts and reporting needs. The stability of the system has been absolutely consistent as they have redundant servers in multiple states. Over time we have been excited to find new ways to improve our operations, scheduling, accounting and basic CRM needs by becoming more familiar with the software and communicating with a helpful and readily available support staff. We now attend biannual super user conferences where the system administrators and various users from different companies can confer directly with the Dataforma design team. The events are very helpful in that we also confer with other users to find new ways to better use and adapt the software to our ever-changing needs.

Pros

The software is very robust and capable of producing reporting from a variety of perspectives and directions. The software continues to improve as the developers actively seek input from the end users. System stability and support has always been first rate. Great value for the investment.

Cons

Initial learning curve can be a challenge to some but the quality support makes this less of an issue. Looking forward to expanded accounting functionality.

Advice to Others

We can recommend this product to roofing companies that appreciate the importance and value of accurate information management.

Poor UI/UX. Generally not a user friendly product. It is not a modern looking interface and that reflected in longer training time for new users.

Pros

Hmmm...
Should there be a problem, DF does provide good support.

Cons

Although Dataforma states that users "own" the data; DF won't provide connections between data tables.

Advice to Others

Be well aware of all the various options on the market. Carefully consider what features you will use.

We are new to using Data Forma field service. So far it has been great and very easy to use once a data base is built. The customer service has been great and we never feel rushed or that we bought a product and have been passed off. The hardest thing for us has been not going backwards and resorting back to hand written work orders and reactive behavior vs pro-active when dispatching a repair or an emergency type of call. Change is never easy but it is necessary to grow in a positive manner. This Dataforma is exactly as advertised and as the Data is provided it becomes easier to use and manage. Positive Results are immediate.

Pros

The ability to track everything possible about a job, customer or building is amazing. It is very easy for the field techs to use and get us the info we need so our customers get what they require in a great turn around time. The Dataforma employee who is doing our training etc has been amazing and exceeded our expectation by leaps and bounds.

Cons

Anything negative I have to say so far is on our companies end and accepting change without resorting back to old habbitts.

Advice to Others

Do yourself a favor and at least get a free demo run of the product.

Likes Best

The software is easy to use once you've worked with it for a while.

Likes Least

I am very disappointed with the reporting. I would like to easily create my own reports and I do not have that ability. It can be very frustrating at times.

Recommendations

Know what your exact needs are when evaluating this product. It does not interact with other softwares easily.

Likes Best

I like the plot feature. It allows you see all the contractors in a particular state. I like that i can see the many different vendors that are located around the work i need performed.

Likes Least

So far i have not ran into any problems with this database. I am able to accomplish everything i need to using this site. There are a lot of features i am sure i have not learned about.

Recommendations

Because of the many features my recommendations would be to do all the DataForma training available. Any webinars that you are able to take i would, there is a lot to learn.

Likes Best

Ease of use is fantastic. Any time I've had a question or an issue, the customer service response is immediate. Everyone is friendly.

Likes Least

No complaints here. I have one computer screen dedicated to Dataforma--it's my one-stop for everything in day-to-day operations.

Recommendations

We've looked into other systems that are similar but we can't find anything that houses all the information you need like Dataforma does. Also, most of the system is editable, so you can add/delete items to tailor it to your business practices.

Likes Best

It's easy to use, has features we can grow into. The company is made up of people interested in building out a database with a lot of stock and custom features. They're very accessible and accommodating.

Likes Least

I've been waiting for them to release a previously announced update and finalize development of other features in discussion that will really help us.

Recommendations

Make sure you and /or a key employee are detail oriented and want to maintain complete accurate records.

Likes Best

Dataforma has helped us streamline our service work and has given us a central location to manage all of our important documents for each job. It's web-based, so any of our employees can log in, no matter where they are. The mobile app has been very useful for our field technicians as well.

Likes Least

The only issue we've had has been a request for automation on email generation for reminders, events, etc. But, this information is available on each employee's home screen.

Recommendations

I would recommend attending Dataforma's PSU yearly event. This has been helpful for training and tips on how to utilize the software to its full potential. They are constantly upgrading the system to make it better for their clients, and they bring the new information to the PSU each year.

Likes Best

Easy to locate information, can get at information from anywhere, can store documents in one central place

Likes Least

Can't write my own reports, Warranty portion of software still has errors,

Recommendations

Try it. I found that the search options were the best feature.

Likes Best

Dataforma has, as the office manager and job scheduler, make my life easier. It is an amazing program that allows me to see the results of an inspection or a finish job almost immediately, before the workers are off the roof. Easy to schedule, easy to create jobs, all the information is at my fingertips. Proposal with picture reports are fast and very professional.

Likes Least

The only thing Dataforma is lacking is more accounting features.

Recommendations

If you are in the roofing, construction industry, this is the software for you, don't even bother looking farther.

Likes Best

We like the versatility of the product as well as the ability to customize the menu options for more focused reporting. The Dataforma staff has also been very supportive in helping us tailor the product to our specific needs. The software has been reliable and the layout makes it easy to create relationships among the data fields. Our clients also appreciate having access to selected information via a client portal that we can invite them to use.

Likes Least

The number of menu selections can make it seem a little overwhelming until the user is familiarized with the product. Otherwise, we don't have any major complaints.

Recommendations

The company sends a very knowledgeable trainer out to ensure the product launch goes smoothly. Configuring various users with specific tiers of access is not difficult and the "clone permissions" feature helps save time.

Likes Best

DataForma allowed us to be much more effective and efficient in serving our customers. The organized way information is kept and the relationships that are built between data allow for an account manager to quickly answer customer questions.

Likes Least

The software user interface can be overwhelming at times. There are a lot of options on any given screen. This is necessary because of the power of the software but it needs some polishing, particularly for use with mobile or tablet devices.

Recommendations

The key to software roll outs or evaluations is to make sure that the closely mimic your business process. With DataForma, walk through the process of entering service work orders or a project and make sure that it either is similar to your process or that you want to modify your process to match the software's flow.

Likes Best

The customer support is excellent. They are quick to respond and very friendly. Also I work in a lot of other facility databases and this one is the simplest and most straightforward system. I also like how I am able to work with other vendors of ours through the system.

Likes Least

I wish it were possible to set up custom alerts to email or on the dashboard for WOs that are in one status to long. I also would like to see the accounting system be able to integrate with Quickbooks.

Recommendations

I would recommend using the full capability of the database. Work with the Dataforma team to customize as much as possible to help you business run much smoother.

Likes Best

The software performs well and can be as simple or complex as you like it. The vendor is great. They are very nice folks, who really believe in their product. Phone support is excellent.

Likes Least

They don't seem to grasp the importance of online and email-based support. They are fantastic with the phone, but virtually nonexistent otherwise.

Recommendations

Knuckle down and do it, step by step.

Likes Best

The staff is always willing to help.

Likes Least

The software does so much that it will take time to learn and implement. It's also a little pricey.

Recommendations

If you are a roofing contractor, this software will be beneficial.

The application is fantastic and has the natural flow of a roofing company, due to the fact that individuals that have managed a roofing company developed it.

The most important issue with any software or Cloud based application is training and technical support. Dataforma is unmatched in these fields. Their technical support alone is well worth the price of admission! Don't be mislead by the term technical support, meaning that there are issues with the application. The application works great and their technical support is available immediately to answer any "How To" questions.

I am not a satisfied customer; I'm a raving fan!