Choosing construction project control software affects the whole company: site managers, the technical office, purchasing, administration and management. A good choice gives you real visibility into each project's margin; a bad one leaves you with one more tool that nobody updates.

In this article we explain which features construction control software should have and a practical method for choosing it.

If you are looking for software names, see the 10 best construction management software in 2026.

What is project control

Project control means measuring, comparing and correcting how the works are progressing along three dimensions: cost, schedule and quality. Project control software should help you to:

  1. Set the baseline (estimate and schedule).
  2. Record what happens (costs, progress, incidents).
  3. Compare it with the baseline.
  4. Make decisions in time.

Essential features

1. A connected construction estimate

Control starts with the estimate. The software should:

  • Manage sections, line items and unit prices.
  • Import estimates from BC3 (the Spanish standard format for exchanging estimates) and Excel. See what a BC3 file is.
  • Distinguish the sales estimate from the cost estimate.

2. Cost allocation by project and line item

  • Material purchases with project and line item.
  • Subcontracts with their contracts and certifications.
  • Labor through timesheets and attendance.
  • Owned and rented equipment.
  • Indirect costs.

3. Purchasing and procurement

  • Material requests from the jobsite.
  • Comparison of supplier quotes.
  • Purchase orders linked to the estimate, with alerts if it is exceeded.
  • Delivery note receipt on site.

4. Subcontractor management

  • Contracts with scope and prices.
  • Subcontractor certifications with retentions.
  • Document control (REA, the Spanish register of accredited subcontractors; social security contributions; insurance). See how to manage subcontractors.

5. Certification and invoicing

6. Financial control and earned value

  • Planned vs actual cost by line item and section.
  • Actual margin and forecast at completion.
  • Earned value indicators (CPI, SPI, EAC). See how to control project costs.

7. Scheduling

8. Mobility and fieldwork

  • Access from phone and tablet.
  • Daily reports, photos, incidents and checklists from the jobsite.

9. Reports and dashboards

  • Dashboard per project and consolidated for the company.
  • Export to Excel and connection to BI tools.

10. Integration with accounting and BIM

  • Project-level cost accounting without duplicating data.
  • Import of quantities from Revit or IFC. See BIM 5D estimates.

Nice-to-have features

  • Project document management.
  • Quality and safety control.
  • Equipment and rental management.
  • Satisfaction surveys and after-sales tickets.
  • Technical-economic ratios to compare projects.

How to choose: a 6-step method

1. Define your objectives

What do you want to achieve? For example: "know the real margin of each project every month" or "halve the time spent preparing certifications".

2. Document your current processes

Document how information flows from the bid to collection. Identify where time is lost or data is duplicated.

3. Decide between a specialized tool and an ERP

  • Specialized tools (estimating, scheduling, field apps): quick to deploy, but they force you to integrate.
  • Construction ERP: more initial effort, but a single source of data for the whole company. See the best ERPs for contractors.

4. Build a shortlist and ask for demos with your own data

Do not accept generic demos. Ask vendors to import one of your estimates in BC3, run a certification and show the cost report.

5. Evaluate total cost and the partner

Licenses, implementation, training, support and future development. The implementer's experience in construction matters as much as the product.

6. Start with a pilot

Implement first on one or two projects, adjust processes and then roll out to the rest. See steps to implement Odoo.

Evaluation checklist

  • Does it import BC3 and Excel?
  • Does it allocate all costs (materials, subcontracts, labor, equipment, indirect) by line item?
  • Does it compare planned vs actual without duplicating data?
  • Does it generate certifications and invoices?
  • Does it manage subcontractors and their documentation?
  • Does it have a mobile app or mobile access for the jobsite?
  • Does it integrate with accounting without duplicating data?
  • Does it integrate with scheduling and BIM?
  • Is it scalable to more projects and users?
  • Is there support in your language and country?

How BIM 2.0 meets these requirements

BIM 2.0 for Odoo covers the essential features on a single platform: estimates with BC3/Excel/Revit import, material requests, purchasing, attendance, equipment rental, project contracts, certifications, payment statements, indirect costs, earned value, documentation, checklists, tickets and Microsoft Project integration, all connected to Odoo's accounting.

Frequently asked questions

Cloud or on-premise software?

The cloud makes access from the jobsite easier and reduces server management. What matters is that all users can work in real time.

How long does implementation take?

It depends on the scope. A phased approach (estimate → purchasing → costs → certifications) lets you start seeing results early.

Conclusion

The best construction control software is the one that connects the estimate, actual costs, progress and invoicing with the least manual effort. Define your objectives, evaluate with your own data and start with a pilot.

👉 Try the BIM 2.0 demo or contact us.