There are benefits to an estimating software based on the cloud but there are drawbacks as well. With Over 15 years of estimating experience and a wide knowledge of estimating software I will do my best to help you make the correct decision for your construction business.
It doesn’t matter! This is the wrong question
The most important thing is to use an estimating software that gives you the features you need to do estimates fast and accurately. So the right questions is - Which software is best for my estimating / bidding needs? The fact that it is cloud based or not is often a secondary question or just one of the features you need to consider.
So, if a software has the best features to help you with what you want to estimate, then stop right there. You have a winner.
For example, if you estimate concrete and a software gives you out of the box ability to calculate count / length, area of forms and volume of concrete using a single condition then that might be the best software for you. At the very least any software that does not have this feature shouldn’t be on your shortlist.
Another example: if you estimate multi family buildings, then usually the most important feature is to select a page or an area and then multiply the quantity by the count. The software that makes this process the easiest and most flexible is probably the best one for you.
An important example: If you use (or are planning to use) a pricing software or database, the the integration of the estimating software with it is essential.
I can keep on going but you get the idea. Now, lets assume your shortlist has both cloud and pc based software. What are the pros and cons.
The Potential Benefits of cloud based software
Better Accessibility - Not a huge benefit
Your estimate is accessible anywhere from any machine in a cloud based software. The same is only true for PC based software if you email or upload the software file. Also, multiple people can access and work on the same file simultaneously.
In my opinion this is a very small benefit even though it is marketed as the main benefit of cloud based software. The fact that you can simply upload the software file from your PC to Dropbox etc. Make this not a huge deal. Plus, there are very few real world scenarios where you would need to access the estimating file outside the workplace.
Better Collaboration - Very small benefit
Even if multiple estimator work on the same file (as they do in our firm), they will work on different pages and then it is very easy to collate the work in a single file. I do not see any real scenario where it is beneficial for 2 people to simultaneously work on an estimate on the same page or part of the drawing.
Still it is a bit easier if you don’t have to collate the work and people work on the same file.
Automatic software update - Shouldn’t even be a consideration
An estimating software isn’t the type of thing where you are hoping for future updates to solve your problems or make improvements. If the existing software isn’t good enough or the best for you, then don’t even think about it.
Data Safety and Data Privacy - Could be important for some
Having data stored on your servers or PC makes privacy easier to manage. While having the data on cloud ensures automatic backup and better safety of your data. In general it is unlikely your PC data gets corrupted or destroyed or deleted somehow, but it can happen. Also, generally data is quite safe in the cloud but hacks / data leaks can happen. Both can be an important factor for some.
Conclusion
Start with the right question. What is the best software for me. In general cloud based software don’t inherently provide any huge benefit over PC based ones. Focus on the estimating features of the software and don’t worry if its cloud based or not. Like always there are exceptions to every rule.