Rhumbix and BIM 360: A Construction Technology Match Made in Heaven

The disconnect between the field and the office - ‘the suits versus the boots’ - is a longstanding issue in the construction industry. While the problem may seem intractable, much of this disconnect results from the limitations of static documents both digital and paper-based and the inefficient flow of information.

How many times is the foreman  working off outdated or incomplete plans, causing major errors or the need for rework? How much time is wasted in the field and office solving avoidable issues, updating paperwork, and searching for project information? What is the impact of project managers in the office having to make decisions with incomplete information? Bottomline: manual processes cause bottlenecks and misunderstandings that lead to major costs in both time and money. But what if new construction technology can help to finally bridge this gap?

Field-Level Data When and Where You Need It

Imagine what it would be like if there was seamless integration between the field and office. Imagine a paperless jobsite, with less data loss and better information flow. Imagine efficient capture and sharing, leading to faster identification of issues, reduced risk, and a more complete picture of the current state of the project and jobsite. Imagine being able to easily collect data and extract insights to gain more visibility.

This is the vision Rhumbix co-founders Zachary Scheel and Drew Dewalt have sought to make a reality.

Rhumbix was inspired by the military experience of DeWalt and Scheel, former US Navy officers who were amazed by the cutting-edge technologies that allow the US Military to seamlessly connect soldiers, hardware, and assets across the globe on land, sea, air, and space with decision makers in operation centers hundreds to thousands of miles away. They wanted to bring this level of clarity to construction project managers, who every day must make decisions with incomplete information that have real time and fiscal consequences.  

_{Rhumbix collects construction data and delivers insights to project managers}

Rhumbix began as a timekeeping app to help companies tackle labor productivity but has grown into the #1 platform to bring data out of documents in the field. The company’s Field Intelligence Platform™ aims to move the industry away from updating and creating static documents and towards creating structured field data by collecting and digitizing data from paper-based workflows.

Construction is an information-rich environment, and Rhumbix seeks to help collect that data and deliver insights to project managers, so they can develop projects more safely and efficiently. Rhumbix can capture data from anyone, sync with the cloud, and generate any workflow or document that’s needed. With a ‘digitized foreman’ and structured data being captured, that data is available to be used in a variety of applications. This ensures project stakeholders have the best data to make better decisions and draw actionable insights.

A Construction Technology Match Made in Heaven 

 ^{Rhumbix's Time & Materials Tracking software is integrated with Autodesk's BIM 360 Cost Management product}

At 2018’s Connect and Construct Keynote last November, Autodesk announced the new Cost Management module in BIM 360. The new module is in a limited pre-release and allows users to manage all of a project’s financial information in one place. It contains functionality to help contractors and construction project teams plan their project budget, visualize cost-related risk, and manage change order processes.

Now, we are proud to announce an integration between Rhumbix and BIM 360 Cost Management launching this spring.

Rhumbix's Time & Materials Tracking software is integrated with Autodesk's BIM 360 Cost Management product to help General Contractors and Subcontractors better manage their T&M (aka “field change order”) process via a cloud-based paperless solution for reporting, tracking, and approving T&M tags.

By ingesting data from Autodesk’s Cost Management module, only approved cost item numbers will be passed to Rhumbix, ensuring that all tags are categorized correctly with the proper supporting documentation. Autodesk users will be able to see the details (hours, equipment, materials, money) involved for T&M tags inside of the Potential Change Order (PCO) module of the BIM 360 Cost Management tool. This allows for transparency and  understanding of what the true costs of a PCO are.

With a shared mission of helping the construction industry work more efficiently, Autodesk and Rhumbix are a great match.

Working together, the two companies are helping to bridge the gap between the field and office in order to create a seamless information flow for everyone involved on a project. For users of both technologies, this integration will help make workflows easier. Because they complement each other so well, users of one technology should consider using the other as well for maximum benefit.

Want to learn more?

Find out how Rhumbix and BIM 360 Are Changing The Construction Technology Game.