- NetSuite, Sage, Sage Intacct
Effective project controls play a crucial role in the construction industry, ensuring projects stay on schedule, within budget, and aligned with stakeholder expectations. Without robust tracking and real-time insights, projects can quickly become unmanageable, leading to financial setbacks, reputational risks, and significant delays.
Despite this, many construction companies still rely on disconnected systems, spreadsheets, and manual processes. This fragmented approach increases the likelihood of errors, data duplication, and a lack of real-time visibility, ultimately causing project delays, financial inefficiencies, and operational hurdles.
Without an integrated ERP system, managing project controls becomes challenging, making scope creep more likely and complicating overall project management. In such cases, maintaining financial oversight and control becomes increasingly difficult.
This blog examines the critical role of project controls in construction and how ERP systems like NetSuite and Sage Intacct improve project execution, transparency, accountability, and visibility from start to finish.
Key Elements of Effective Project ControlsÂ
Effective project controls depend on robust governance, real-time insights, precise data, and streamlined processes. A unified ERP system serves as a centralised hub, enabling seamless management of all project components.
With real-time data and analytics, proactive forecasting and in-depth reporting help mitigate common risks such as scope creep, budget overruns, and poor project oversight. Automated workflows and standardised processes minimise manual errors, while smooth communication across project sites ensures that potential issues are detected and resolved early.
Governance and Administration: The Foundation of Project SuccessÂ
For construction firms and contractors, strong governance and well-defined administrative processes are essential for successful project execution. Without structured project controls, businesses may face communication breakdowns, accountability issues, financial inefficiencies, and delays.
Governance helps define clear roles and responsibilities, ensuring project managers, on-site teams, and stakeholders remain aligned with project goals. A structured administrative framework enhances decision-making by incorporating compliance, risk management, and budget control into daily operations.
When projects involve multiple stakeholders, large teams, subcontractors, and suppliers, a coordinated approach is crucial for maintaining efficiency, accountability, and clear communication throughout the project lifecycle.
The Role of Reporting and Real-Time VisibilityÂ
Consistent reporting, analytics, and real-time insights are crucial for effectively managing large construction projects. Without regular progress updates and financial monitoring, potential risks can go undetected until they develop into significant challenges.
Many high-profile project failures result from poor management due to inconsistent reporting. By implementing an ERP system, organisations can benefit from:
• Full financial visibility – Track expenditures in real time, providing accurate insights into financial performance.Â
• Real-time reporting – Project managers, teams, and stakeholders receive timely updates on progress, risks, and budget status.Â
• Clear accountability – ERP systems provide transparency into potential issues and delays, ensuring that all stakeholders understand their roles and responsibilities.Â
How ERP Systems Improve Transparency and Accountability Â
ERP solutions like NetSuite and Sage Intacct serve as a single source of truth for construction projects, consolidating budget management, resource allocation, risk tracking, and compliance monitoring. This centralised approach enhances control and reduces inefficiencies. Key advantages include:
1. Financial Performance Monitoring
• Track budgets against actual costs in real time
• Detect financial inefficiencies and mitigate budget overruns
• Automate expense tracking and invoice approvals to reduce manual errors
2. Improved Visibility
• Access real-time project data through a dashboard with key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Maintain a transparent audit trail for financial transactions and project modifications
• Strengthen supply chain management by monitoring procurement and delivery timelines
3. Comprehensive Progress Tracking
• Generate real-time reports to monitor project timelines and key milestones
• Identify delays and potential bottlenecks before they disrupt project schedules
• Provide stakeholders with timely insights to support data-driven decision-making
Addressing Scope Creep and Risk Management Â
Scope creep—when projects extend beyond their initial plan without proper oversight—is a significant challenge in construction. Without strong project controls, unforeseen changes can result in delays and budget overruns.
ERP systems help prevent scope creep by:
• Monitoring and approving change requests before they are implemented
• Leveraging historical data to anticipate risks and address potential challenges
• Automating alerts for project milestones, budget limits, and risk indicators
The Value of Industry Expertise in ERP Implementation Â
Strong project controls are essential for boosting efficiency, transparency, and profitability in construction. Implementing an ERP system like NetSuite or Sage Intacct allows businesses to track finances in real time, improve project oversight, and manage risks proactively. In an industry where delays and budget overruns can be costly, a centralised ERP solution helps keep projects on schedule, budgets under control, and stakeholders well-informed.
Selecting the right ERP partner is crucial for success. Noledge is a trusted provider of ERP solutions, offering industry expertise and personalised support to help construction businesses find the best system for their needs. Contact us today to learn how we can assist your business.
We will be exhibiting at the National Construction Summit in Blanchardstown in April and look forward to discussing how our ERP solutions can benefit your business. You can find us at stand I23, where we’ll be demonstrating how NetSuite and Sage Intacct can support your business with smarter financial and operational management. Â
About the Author
Anna Carolan
Anna is an experienced professional in project management and change management roles, with a focus on IT systems development and implementation. Currently serving as the Implementation Team Manager at OSSM, part for the Noledge Group, Anna assists in managing and implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems for large organisations and small-to-medium-sized companies.