Bolster Blog

Get More Efficiency and Accuracy with Construction Reporting

Written by Bolster | Jan 2, 2025 2:45:00 PM

Construction decision-making is tough and high-risk, with big budget, time, and client satisfaction implications. Construction reporting is a critical tool for project managers and owners to track progress, identify risks, and make informed decisions to keep projects on track. With Bolster’s construction estimating software, you can simplify this process, collaborate better, and get better project outcomes.

In this post we’ll go into the basics of construction reporting—what it is, why it’s important, and how you can get the most out of it.

What is Construction Reporting?

Construction reporting is collecting, organizing, analyzing, and presenting data about a project’s progress and status. This includes schedules, budgets, quality control, and more. When done right, construction reporting gives stakeholders the information they need to monitor project health and make informed decisions.

At Bolster, we know accurate and timely reporting is the foundation of good construction management. That’s why our platform has robust reporting features that integrate seamlessly with your estimating and budgeting workflows.

Why is Construction Reporting Important?

Construction reporting is important for:

  1. Early Problem Detection: Reporting regularly helps you identify problems before they become big ones, so you can solve them proactively.
  2. Transparency and Trust: Clear communication builds trust with stakeholders by giving them up-to-date and accurate information.
  3. Informed Decision Making: Having the right data enables project managers and stakeholders to make decisions to keep projects on track.

Bolster’s software takes this a step further by automating parts of the reporting process so you can spend less time collecting data and more time on high-value tasks.

Types of Construction Reports

Different projects require different types of reports to cover all bases. Here are the types of reports every construction professional should use:

1. Work in Progress (WIP) Reports

These reports track a project’s current status against the original schedule and budget. WIP reports are used to see if a project is over or under budget and the estimated cost to complete.

2. Daily Reports

Daily reports are snapshots of what’s been done each day with notes, photos, and updates from the field. They keep teams and clients aligned.

3. Sales Reports

Sales reports track revenue, contracts, and outstanding payments. By giving you visibility into financial performance, these reports keep your business profitable and financially sound.

4. Financial Reports

Financial reports summarise overall revenue, expenses, profit, and loss. They’re essential for budgeting and financial decision-making.

5. Quality Control Reports

These reports ensure work meets the established standards and specifications. Quality control reports often include data from inspections and audits so teams can stay compliant and reduce rework.

6. Change Order Reports

Change order reports document changes to project scope, schedule, or budget. They track the reason for the change, the approval process, and the potential impact on the project outcome.

7. Stakeholder Reports

Stakeholder reports are high-level summaries of project progress, schedule, budget, and risks. They’re designed to engage and enable decision-making by key stakeholders.

Bolster makes creating and managing these reports easy with customizable templates and automation.

Construction Reporting Benefits

Construction reporting can change your projects. Here’s how:

1. Transparency

Reports provide transparency by giving stakeholders a view of project status and performance metrics. This transparency builds trust and relationships.

2. Better Communication and Collaboration

With one source of truth, construction reporting enables better communication between team members and stakeholders. Everyone is working towards the same goals with the same data.

3. Decision Making

Reports give you actionable information. For example, if a task is behind schedule, you can add more resources or adjust the timeline.

4. Project Monitoring and Control

Reports allow real-time monitoring of project milestones and potential risks. If costs are blowing out, you can take corrective action before it’s too late.

5. Accountability and Performance Evaluation

By tracking tasks and hours worked, reports hold team members accountable and highlight areas for improvement. This reduces rework and improves overall performance.

6. Owner Engagement

Regular updates keep owners informed, engaged, and happy with the project's progress. 

How to report on construction projects

Whether you’re just starting out with reporting or looking to improve what you already do, here’s how:

  1. Define Reporting Requirements: What information do you need, when do you need it and how should it be presented?
  2. Standardise Templates: Consistent formats make reports easier to analyze and compare across projects.
  3. Automate Data Collection: Use Bolster to automate data gathering and ensure accuracy.
  4. Track the Right KPIs: Focus on metrics that align with project goals, such as budget and timeline milestones.
  5. Data Accuracy: Good data means better decision-making and risk management.
  6. Visualise Data: Charts and graphs make complex information easier to consume.
  7. Collaboration: Get team input to improve report quality and relevance.
  8. Review: Regularly review the reporting process and adjust as needed.
  9. Training: Train your team to produce good reports.
  10. Review Past Reports: Use historical data to find trends, benchmarks, and areas for improvement.

Bolster makes it easy to follow these best practices with our simple interface and powerful reporting tools.

How Bolster Construction Estimating Helps with Construction Reporting

Bolster’s construction estimating software goes beyond reporting by giving you:

  1. Real-Time Reporting: Get project performance and financial status in real-time.
  2. Customizable Templates: Save time with pre-built templates for your business.
  3. Document Management: Store and access contracts, invoices, and progress reports in one place.
  4. Financial Tracking: Track budgets, expenses, and cash flow.
  5. Time Tracking: Monitor labor performance and payroll to stay efficient.
  6. Revenue Forecasting: Forecast income based on your sales funnel and project pipeline.

With Bolster, you can produce reports that give you actionable information so you can stay on time and on budget and build trust with stakeholders.

Why Bolster for Construction Reporting?

Bolster is designed for residential construction contractors. By combining estimating, budgeting, and reporting into one platform, we make it easy to manage everything in your projects. Here’s what sets us apart:

  • Ease of Use: Anyone on your team can create and read reports.
  • Automation: Save hours of manual work with automated data collection and reporting.
  • Flexibility: Reports to suit your projects and stakeholders.

Construction reporting is the foundation of good project management, giving you better decision-making, collaboration, and accountability. With Bolster’s software, you can improve your reporting, increase transparency, and deliver great results on every project.