Review

From CAD User AEC Magazine  Vol 17 No 05 - MAY/JUNE 2004

"The best laid schemes o’mice an’men gang aft a-gley?"

I was minded to remember Robert Burns' well-known quotation from his poem "To a mouse" when I visited Archetype up in Glasgow recently. As usual, my memory was slightly at fault, having thought that the poem talked about 'plans' instead of 'schemes', although I am pretty sure that the bastardised version is used as frequently as the correct version!

The distinction between the two is irrelevant. Whether you are talking about the most exquisitely drawn-up sets of plans or the most perfectly outlined projects or schemes, their usefulness can be set at zero if you have difficulty finding the information when you need it most.

Archetype provides a simple solution to the problem of organising all of the information passing through an architect's office, eradicating in the process that other bugbear that afflicts other management solutions - the inability, through laziness or ineptitude, to register documents on the system each time they are produced.

For Archetype is a document management system expressly designed for architects, which understands how they work and how they use those documents, and which automatically assigns unique references to documents enabling them to be retrieved at the touch of a button, whenever they are required. Being Project oriented as well, all other documentation that may have a relevance to the one being created or accessed becomes available at the same time.

The software becomes part of the office process. Documents don't have to be created and registered within the software. Instead, they are created within the process. Schedules, drawing issue sheets, drawing registers, contact details, letters, emails and forms - are all produced within Archetype and assigned to the current project.

Project diaries and call logs can also be maintained to keep track of staff, appointments, project events and deadlines, and all communications between each and their customers. All related information is at hand, therefore - including the authors - to populate the documents in the appropriate places.

Simplicity is another factor. Once the user has logged on using a password they are asked to select a project from the current list, and are presented with a straightforward display listing all of the 45 modules available. Each relates to one of the many actions that can be carried out for that project, from adding new contacts to issuing drawings, sending emails, producing registers of certificates, component schedules and even print registers providing a breakdown of printing in progress - right down to the costs associated with each print job!

The advantages are obvious. Besides providing a simple tool that anyone in the office, from the post office junior to the Principals and Project Managers, can use, it enforces a consistent house style for the documents being created, ensuring standardisation of output and accuracy of information. Productivity is also increased by minimising user input - previously created forms are selected from the available list, and the appropriate project information is automatically appended.
Not everyone needs to have access to all of the processes available of course, and whenever users log in they are presented with just those functions that pertain to their particular responsibilities.

Project Details
As we said earlier, Archetype is focused around the Project. The most important element of a project is, of course, the project team, which is displayed on the project team sheet, starting at the beginning with just the architect and the client, and being added to by quantity surveyors, structural engineers, contractors and others as they are appointed. It takes a matter of moments to add the names of each from the contact database, whereupon the rest of their details - address, telephone numbers, email addresses and so on - are automatically inserted.

The details of the project are recorded within the project register, identified by its project number or reference code. No document can be created for a project until it has been registered, ensuring that all relevant information is linked to its project, eliminating the possibility of documents being lost within the system.

Although specific project details are automatically available whenever the project is accessed, searches can be made throughout the whole system to produce lists of projects relating to particular clients, to specific locations, job types, status - or to list those projects that are currently active.

Working within projects provides another advantage. It is far easier issuing documents to the limited list of people working on a particular project than selecting names from the complete contact database. Individuals added to the project team are automatically added to the distribution list. Alternatively, if it is found necessary to send documents to people not on the project, such as letters, faxes or minutes, they are also added to the project team, along with their details. The software therefore ensures that everyone with the remotest interest in the project is kept in the loop.

A Project Diary is also maintained, recording key dates in the life of the project. This allows records to be kept of dates when planning permissions was applied for and approved, the issuing of building warrants, the ends of defects periods, meetings, and so on. The diary can also be used as a checklist by entering events in advance, and for setting target dates. It can record the completion of each event and who completed it. Alarm dates can be set up before the event, providing warnings through the software's call log that an event is imminent, if it has not previously been signed off.

Drawing Register
Another critical section in Archetype deals with the management of drawings - the maintenance of revision levels, and the register of issues. All of this is handled within the Drawing Register. The software provides links to AutoCAD that enables the information in the register to be synchronised with the drawing title blocks. Drawings can also be opened by double-clicking on them in the register.

New drawings also fall within the purlieu of the register, and can be started by filling in a blank drawing sheet and automatically opening AutoCAD with the specified template, filling in the project information and drawing titles. Archetype also provides a drawing viewing facility for quick viewing of AutoCAD drawings. The status of any drawing, whether they are current, ready for issue, under revision, etc., is signified by a colour code in the drawing register.

Management of drawing issues is handled by the Issues Register and Issue Sheets. The former shows all drawings issues for the project with the most recent at the top. Clicking on any of the issues brings up the issues sheet.

Whenever new issues are to be made, drawings are simply selected from the drawing register and added to the sheet, accompanied by their details, and Xrefs (if appropriate) and their last issue date. A useful tool available at this stage is the ability to Zip and store the drawings, so that complete copies can be retained of previous revisions.

Practice Administration
Besides maintaining tight control over projects and drawings, Archetype includes modules that simplify the performance of the more mundane office chores - still retaining the project focus of the software. These include routines for handling
emails, faxes, time sheets, and a resource schedule. emails, for instance, automatically append project reference numbers. Time sheets list the amount of time spent by each user on each project, and the resource schedule can be set up to create and schedule a list of resources from cars, rooms and equipment to staff. Filtered searches allow each to be analysed, either on a project, individual, or any other basis.

Archetype also includes a Call Log that is used to maintain records of all calls or conversations made from the office. Reminders can be set up to prompt for return calls, or, as seen above, linked with the Project Diary to instigate reminder calls prior to project events.There is also a finance module that links to the Archetype data, producing Job Costing reports and uses Fee Schedules to manage the issue and payment of Fees

Archetype Release 7
Archetype introduced links with Microstation 8 drawing files in the latest version of the software. It also provided a new module for scanning and distributing incoming mail, integrating with the software's mail registers and mail book. Any incoming mail can be scanned and marked for the attention of any members of staff - for mark-up, circulation, and ultimate filing in the project register. There is also a new expense sheet module, and the email facilities now have their own email client - alongside Outlook - that works with any system supporting POP and SMTP protocols.
Version 7 also added a sanitary ware schedule system to the door, window and room finishes schedules. CU
www.archsoft.co.uk

Review

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