The whole world is transforming its view of the business operation thanks to the cloud computing. The construction industry is not about to be the last one in line. The benefits of working in the cloud are numerous. The top one is mobility. Mobility is vital to a majority of construction projects, making the cloud something to consider.

The leading expert from AFS general contractors in Orlando shared the benefits of cloud computing for the construction industry.

1.    Excellent Access From Anywhere

Keeping the information in a cloud allows anyone with the access to take advantage of the information from any location. Personnel can use cloud-based services to submit the data related to job progress. Meanwhile, the contractor can share tasks with employees at remote locations. Office workers can take advantage of the easily accessible information to deal with billing, financial reporting, analytics, and more.

At the same time, the employees can use the services to fill out applications and other forms on the road or job sites without being tied to the office. Instead of dealing with a variety of unnecessary paperwork, the staff can operate digital information on the web.

2.    Improved Collaboration

The lack of communication is often a problem for construction projects. Cloud-based services allow all team members, including contractors, suppliers, owners, and office staff to share the information and get their questions answered in a timely manner. Enhanced collaboration maximizes productivity, improves output, and minimizes mistakes.

3.    Better and Cheaper IT Infrastructure

Cloud-based computing allows construction companies to reduce IT expenses. Cloud-based services are easier to maintain. They also often reduce the need for managed IT services for the company.

4.    Powerful Data Processing Ability

Processing information in the cloud is beyond the capabilities of a standard office computer. Whenever you have to analyze big volumes of work or sort out hundreds of images, a cloud is the best place to do it.

5.    High Storage Capabilities

Construction projects often involve storing a variety of information. When the projects pile up, so does the data. Backing it up with hard disks is time consuming and not always safe. Cloud storage offers virtually endless storage possibilities. Meanwhile, the disaster recovery options, which come with the cloud-based services, are truly impressive.

6.    Better Analytics

When all of your data is in the cloud, you can use it to analyze your business process to optimize further work. Meanwhile, you can easily access the previously stored data to use it for new projects.

7.    Easy Payment Structure

Using cloud-based services is not just convenient, it’s fairly cheap. The provider charges you only for the services you need. For example, you only pay for the storage space you require and the computing power you take advantage of. The systems are regularly updated so you don’t need to worry about maintenance.

Cloud-based services are transforming the construction industry. It’s hard to overlook the benefits. Meanwhile, there are a few downsides as well:

  • Downtime – sometimes servers go down.
  • Security –even though highly secure, all servers are subject to breaches
  • Cost – the costs seem high but only until you compare them to the hardware expenses you’d need to endure otherwise.
  • Online work – if you don’t have internet access, you can’t take advantage of cloud-based services.

The majority of construction companies, which has taken advantage of the cloud-based services, reports improvements in the work process.