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UpdaterTM:
Mobile Schedule Tracking Software
The Need
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Maintaining
a current construction schedule is critical to effective
project planning and control, but schedules frequently are not
consistently maintained. This is likely due in large part to
the reliance on manual methods, which are tedious,
time-consuming, and prone to error. It is believed that improvements in efficiency and effectiveness could be
realized by effectively employing computer technology to
automate the schedule updating process. However, computers and
the construction environment are incompatible. New portable and wearable computing
technologies, such as palm-held computers, appear to be more
compatible with the construction environment. |
Updater PH Interface
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The Technology
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Virginia Tech and Primavera
Systems, Inc. have developed a
software interface, called Updater, to enable automatic electronic transport of
schedule information between the desktop (DT) schedule and a
portable palm-held (PH) computer. The Updater aims at simplifying the process of updating
construction schedules, and ultimately improving the
consistency and quality of updates. The system employs
palm-held computers to eliminate reliance on potentially
incomplete or unreliable mental or field notes.
The Updater system consists of
Updater DT and Updater PH. The Updater DT runs on the office desktop computer and serves as the interface
between the Primavera Project Planner (P3) or SureTrak schedule and palm-held
computer files. The Updater PH runs on the palm computer. It gives the
user access to schedule information and enables electronic recordation of updates in the
field. Information is transferred between the desktop and computers by Windows CE.
The process of using Updater begins with the creation of an
'export' file using Updater DT to select the activities to be transferred to the
palm-held computer. The activity ID, description, actual start, actual finish, remaining
duration, percent complete, and expected finish of each selected activity are
transferred. Updater PH can then be used to record progress information in the
field. Once updates have been recorded, the palm computer is returned to the office
and docked at the desktop computer. The updated files are automatically
transferred to the desktop computer. Updater DT is then used to
'import' the updated activity information to the P3/SureTrak schedule file. During the
Import cycle, field changes are highlighted and the User has the opportunity to
accept, reject, or revise values in Updater DT prior to saving them to the P3/SureTrak file.
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Updater DT Interface
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The Benefits
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Some
benefits that can be gained from Updater:
- Eliminating
the reliance on paper-based field notes.
- Ability to
directly upload field data to the P3/SureTrak schedule.
- Schedule
updating becomes quicker and more accurate.
- The use of
palm-held computer meets the challenges of the
construction environment.
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Status
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Version 1.0a which
handles P3-defined Filters is now commercially available
through Solvo Systems, Inc. Solvo is Latin for
"detached". A PalmPilot version is currently
under development and should be available mid-summer. |
Barriers
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While multiple files
can be stored in the palm-held unit, Updater can open one file
at a time with a maximum limit of 280 activities on each file. |
Points of Contact
- Jesus M. de la
Garza, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Virginia Tech., Construction Engineering and Management, Patton
Hall 117-A Phone: (540) 231-5789, E-mail: chema@vt.edu
- Solvo Systems, Inc., PO Box 10273,
Blacksburg, VA 24062-0273, Phone: (540) 552-5267, E-mail: Updater@SolvoSystems.com,
Web: http://www.SolvoSystems.com
References
- Repass, K. A., de
la Garza, J. M., and Thaber, W. Y., "Mobile Schedule
Tracking Technology at the Jobsite," ASCE Construction
Congress VI, 2000, p. 204 - 213
- Updater Home Page,
http://www.solvosystems.com/
Disclaimer Statement
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Neither the Construction
Industry Institute nor Purdue University in any way endorses this
technology or represents
that the information presented can be relied upon without further investigation. |
MA39
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