There are several things to consider when selecting commissioning software. You want to make sure you select the best option for your projects, so you can get the best value and complete commissioning as efficiently as possible.  But select the wrong one, and you could be starting the review process all over in a year from now, once you realize the software you selected can’t actually meet your needs.

These are the things to consider when selecting commissioning software:

Finding the Right Solution: Identifying commissioning software that aligns with your specific project needs and industry requirements can be challenging due to the multitude of options available. There are software systems tailored to each industry, in the terminology used and the workflows provided, so make sure you pick the right one.

Cost Considerations: Budget constraints may limit access to premium commissioning software solutions, forcing you to consider cheaper alternatives. But don’t get sucked into this trap. The right commissioning software will easily save you time and effort on projects, and should not be viewed as an expense. The right question to ask is how much will software save your projects. Look for software systems that give you the highest ROI, rather than focusing on the cost.

Compatibility and Integration: Ensuring that the chosen software integrates seamlessly with existing systems and workflows can be complex, especially in environments with diverse hardware and software configurations. But don’t get too overwhelmed thinking it would be great to get everything interconnected and integrated. You’re commissioning software doesn’t actually need to have elaborate interfaces – you don’t need all 30,000 activities from Primavera loaded into your commissioning software. With a few critical connections to other systems within your project delivery, your commissioning software will be able to work seamlessly.

Learning Curve: Commissioning software often requires specialized knowledge and training to use effectively, posing a challenge for individuals and teams unfamiliar with the technology or commissioning process. There is quite a lot involved in getting your commissioning software set up correctly in an efficient manner to be helpful on your project – and only you can define this in the way that you do the work –your software provider can’t tell you how you do your specialized workflows.  If you have great processes, you’ll love the software. But if you have bad processes, you’ll hate it. And most projects are not super process-driven.  The training required for the individuals configuring the software is very different from the individuals using the software on a daily basis  You’re going to need a very specific training program for each role-specific task in the software. And you likely don’t want to prepare this on your own as you’re also trying to learn the new systems.

Data Security: Concerns about data privacy and security may arise when using commissioning software, particularly when dealing with sensitive project information and client data. Your IT department probably has unreasonable restrictions, so how do you keep them happy when using a cloud-based system? The best commissioning software systems have industry-leading security at the same level as the tech-giants in Silicon Valley (who have teams of thousands working on the best encryption methods available), this is much better than your corporate security group of 6 can implement. But it’s hard to convince them of that…

Scalability: Commissioning projects vary in size and complexity, making scalability an important consideration when selecting software that can accommodate both small-scale and large-scale projects. Don’t get trapped by software that crumbles when you add too many tagged items to your software. Do you really want to wait 20 seconds for each search to find what you’re looking for? Google can search the world’s information in 0.63 seconds, your commissioning software should be able to do the same for your much smaller dataset.

Technical Support and Maintenance: Access to reliable technical support and ongoing maintenance services is essential to address any issues or updates that may arise during the commissioning process. Do you want software designed by real commissioning people, or do you want software designed by someone overseas who knows nothing about commissioning?

Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to industry regulations and standards is crucial for successful commissioning projects, requiring software solutions that facilitate compliance and documentation. Servers need to be in the right location when it comes to access to information or claims negotiation later in projects.

User Adoption: Encouraging user adoption and ensuring buy-in from stakeholders can be challenging, especially if individuals are resistant to change or unfamiliar with the benefits of commissioning software. What if your team hates the software you choose and insists on going back to paper and spreadsheets? You need to make sure you have a robust roll-out strategy that guarantees your team will love the software and sees the value in using it. You certainly don’t want your software rollout to be another failed process improvement flavour-of-the-month…

Long-term Viability: Assessing the long-term viability and support of commissioning software providers is essential to mitigate the risk of investing in a solution that may become obsolete or unsupported in the future. Select a software system with a strong user-base, indicating the platform is growing and sustainable for the future.

Download the complete 25+ commissioning software list of available platforms and start using these systems on your projects – download the commissioning software list here.