An initial database of over 130,000 items from NYDOT projects awarded in the last year and a half, has been developed. This quarterly-updated database is comprised of the three low bidders on every project and is included with the purchase of the software.
Contractors must have the Construction Link Estimating System or the NYBID program from the manufacturer in order to use the software. Soon available for other states, the 32-bit program which requires Windows 95 or higher.
Civil/Survey 98 modules
Eagle Point Software has released a stand alone version of its Civil/Survey 98 modules. This new version allows the user to run the software without having to purchase a separate CAD engine. With full DWG read/write capabilities and data file compatibility across multiple platforms, this product is a complement to existing CAD software or as an independent solution.
All Civil/Survey 98 modules also share project data across peer-to-peer and server-based networks. It may be deployed on individual workstations or installed and run from a peer-to-peer or single network application server. CAD managers also can maintain and control standards through centralized prototypes and settings located on the network.
Accounting software
CTS Inc. now offers the 1999 edition of the Guide to Accounting Software for the Construction Industry and an optional program, the Requirements Analyst, to assist contractors select the right system. The guide evaluates leading PC construction accounting systems.
The guide is an objective, hands-on evaluation by construction software experts of today’s leading PC packages. In addition to a 7,500 word critique that addresses each system’s strengths and weaknesses, an assessment also is made of the target market and the availability of productivity tools and third-party add-ons. Charts rate how well each vendor performs over 1,000 features.
Specific modules evaluated are: Job cost, general ledger, inventory control, service order processing, equipment, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable and purchasing orders.
The Requirements Analyst, a decision support software program, quickly ranks the systems according to the user’s specific needs. Reports provide product-to-product comparisons by required features.
Sign design program
Transoft Solutions has released GuidSign Version 4.0 an easy-to-use roadway sign design program for use in AutoCAD or MicroStation and includes many user-suggested features.
According to the company, the major customer request was the option to have multiple signs in a file, because some states use layout sheets that include four or six signs. The software can create different signs in the same file.
Other new features include improvements in onscreen readability and display options, increased options for displaying sign dimensions, new diamond sign shapes, improved handling of fractions, variable length arrows, MUTCD sign styles, text styles that speed test creation and compatibility with Windows fonts.
