Data is a valuable asset and essential for decision making in the construction sector. When it comes to contract management, being able to analyse historical data provides insights that feed future improvements – within which reporting processes play a big role. This trend is underscored by the Construction Playbook and the upcoming Procurement Act, both of which emphasise data capture, transparency, and detailed reporting through a project’s lifecycle.
This was the key topic in our first Knowledge Hub webinar – putting Sypro’s integration with Power BI under the spotlight. Our technical director Dr Stuart Kings and head of partnerships and integrations Charley Wainwright were joined on the session by Justin Harris, associate director at AtkinsRealis, who is leading on the delivery of major highways and infrastructure projects for Suffolk County Council.
It’s through collaboration with Justin on the enhanced reporting needs that could benefit anyone managing a contract that our integration with Power BI has been developed.
Taking stock of reporting
In the construction industry, project and contract reporting processes are rapidly evolving as the adoption of technology continues. Generally speaking, the industry has got much better at recording data – but the next step is taking this even further, especially when considering companies may use lots of different platforms, creating data siloes.
This is no different to information being recorded physically in different notebooks across sites and offices from back in the day, but when we’re already leveraging technology and software solutions – we should be doing so to the maximum extent possible. In an ideal world, information would flow seamlessly across different systems from one single input, reducing human error and ensuring data accuracy for everyone involved.
The Construction Playbook and upcoming Procurement Act both reflect a growing requirement for data capture and ability to report thoroughly and accurately in a transparent manner throughout a project lifespan. In turn, that should make things more successful through continuous learning, create better working relationships and generate optimal results – as well as minimising the risk or number of disputes.
Streamlining reporting for real-time decision making
Despite advances, reporting can often still be time-consuming, especially for those still using manual processes. Our panellists all shared their own experience in this, while our audience poll revealed that most attendees are spending between 6 and 12 hours on reporting every single month. When considering the reporting is usually fed by more than one person, that’s a huge amount of time duplicated across the lifecycle of a project.
Real-time reporting tools can change this. By updating continuously, having the right tools in place can eliminate the lag between data capture and report generation, freeing up teams to focus on higher-value work. For contract management, operating more efficiently and effectively also helps the maturity of contract management skills and knowledge.
Justin detailed his experience of seeing a sea change in cultures, approaches and understandings since implementing Sypro’s contract management software, saying: “A key observation has been witnessing those who have approached contract management in much more historical ways, such as within Excel. It’s here that we’ve seen a real growth in understanding among different stakeholders, especially when it comes to the governance and added protection it affords us.
“I’m spending much less time chasing others for information or to carry out their actions thanks to complete clarity on roles, responsibilities, and deadlines – keeping everyone accountable and streamlining the amount of administrative time required. With that time back – not just for myself, but across other members of the project team too – we’re able to feed more productivity.
“An even further benefit comes from considering a lot of project reporting tends to bolt onto an already full-time day job, but with greater efficiencies and time savings, our team enjoys a better work life balance too thanks to Sypro and its integration with Power BI.”
Power BI: Leveraging data for deeper insights
Sypro’s integration with Microsoft Power BI adds another layer of capability by turning raw data into actionable insights. This connection allows users to analyse everything from compensation events to project delays, view trends, and share detailed insights with finance teams or other stakeholders.
Reports can be broken down by various metrics, providing a clear snapshot of project health – and can do so across multiple contracts, including by client, contract type, and more. This then feeds the learnings to take forward, with better understanding of what may constitute a potential risk to protect against in the future, or simply of what worked best to create onward efficiencies. Also, when considering that for certain projects, there may well be multiple contracts that run alongside each other or cross over. In these instances, decision-making is not an isolated thing and may impact other contracts – meaning that again there are learnings to be analysed and take forward to avoid issues in the future.
Along with Sypro’s intuitive system, this level of data integration really steps up the understanding of what makes a project successful – or not. A clear oversight of actions with a RAG system links directly through to the right point in the Sypro system itself, so communications are recorded in the right place in the system, which can be critically important to abiding by the contract itself.
Justin said: “We needed a strategic single point of entry tool to strengthen how we report, assess and drive ownership of contract communications at different levels of the collaborative organisation. It was through close consultancy and collaboration with the team at Sypro that we were able to maximise on its open API and create a Power BI solution that really works for the key stakeholders involved in such projects.
“Together, we went through an agile development approach in a short spell of time that really brought to life what was needed and saw its functionality go beyond our initial vision, which is now benefitting any Sypro user too.”
Power BI’s flexibility even extends to customisation, allowing organisations to match the interface to their brand, creating a more tailored user experience. With time savings of up to 6 hours per month in contract management, the integration signals what’s possible with APIs that connect diverse platforms.
The Future: Data-driven decisions for the construction industry
The construction industry is only beginning to unlock the full potential of integrated data for project and contract management. Tools like Sypro and Power BI represent a major step forward, helping companies move toward data-driven decisions that enhance efficiency, improve project outcomes, and foster better relationships between stakeholders. This technological shift lays the groundwork for a smarter, more connected industry, where continuous improvement is within reach for every project team.
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