The construction industry must increasingly rely on digital solutions to manage projects efficiently, control costs and improve collaboration between the construction site and the office. Power Apps, Business Central and CX Time offer an integrated solution that combines working time recording, construction documentation and process automation. In this article, we show practical use cases for Power Apps and their integration with Business Central and CX Time.
Challenges in the construction industry
Typical problems that can be addressed by digital solutions:
- Manual processes: Many processes are still based on paper forms or Excel spreadsheets.
- Inefficient communication: Information gets lost or reaches the wrong people.
- Cost control: Without centralised data collection, it is difficult to monitor project budgets precisely.
Power apps for construction and project management
Mit Power Apps lassen sich maßgeschneiderte Anwendungen für Bauleiter, Vorarbeiter und Projektmanager erstellen. Diese Apps können auf Smartphones, Tablets oder PCs verwendet werden und direkt mit Business Central verbunden werden.
Examples of power apps in the construction industry
Material ordering via app
- Request for new materials by foreman
- Automatic stock check in Business Central
- Approval workflow with Power Automate
Defect management app
- Recording of construction defects with photos and description
- Assignment to subcontractor with deadline
- Tracking the processing status in Business Central
CX Time integration for working time recording and construction documentation
- Employees record their working hours directly in CX Time
- Automatic synchronisation with Business Central for payroll accounting
- Recording of daily reports, photo documentation and construction site notes
- Analysis of working times by project and cost centre
- Authorisation and document workflow
Digitale Workflows für mehr Effizienz:
- Automated authorisations
- Document management with access control
- Integration mit ONeDrive, SharePoint und Power Automate
- Connection with Business Central for complete documentation
- Digital recording of working times via app, terminal or web interface
- Automatic transfer of times to Business Central for payroll accounting and project costs
- Creation of construction documentation with reports on working hours, weather, progress and defects
- Evaluation and reports on working hours, overtime and absences
Technical connection of CX Time to Business Central
- API interfaces enable automatic data transfer
- Power Automate can synchronise CX Time data with Business Central
- Rules for overtime can be calculated automatically in Business Central
Power Automate for process automation
Many processes can be automated with Power Automate:
- Automatic authorisation of working times: Supervisors receive a notification if working hours are outside the norm.
- Integration mit Business Central: Stunden aus CX Time werden automatisch für die Lohnbuchhaltung und Projektkosten übertragen.
- Automatic construction documentation: Daily reports from CX Time are archived in Business Central and used for project reports.
- Notifications in the event of deviations: If working times are exceeded or not recorded, project managers are informed.
Conclusion: Seamless integration for optimised construction project management
The combination of Power Apps, Business Central, CX Time and Power Automate offers an end-to-end digital solution for the construction industry. Companies benefit from:
- Precise time recording and cost control
- Automated approval processes
- Seamless connection between construction site and officeNahtlose Verbindung zwischen Baustelle und Büro
- Faster billing, fewer errors and less administrative effort
By using these technologies, construction companies can increase their efficiency, reduce errors and complete projects more economically.
