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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    HCSS

    Score9.5 out of 10
    Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
    HCSS is a construction software suite. It includes functionality for bidding, time card and project management, safety, planning, scheduling, equipment management, and data warehousing and reporting. Each module can be purchased separately. The suite can be hosted in the cloud.N/A

    Viewpoint Spectrum

    Score8.5 out of 10
    N/AViewpoint Spectrum is a cloud-based construction ERP suite with project management, accounting, resource management, and reporting and analytics. Key features include workflow automation and collaboration tools, document imaging and sharing, cost estimating tools, and RFI management tools.N/A
    Pricing
    HCSSViewpoint Spectrum
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    HCSSViewpoint Spectrum
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredNo setup fee
    Additional Details—Prospective buyers may contact vendor directly for a price quote.
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    HCSSViewpoint Spectrum
    Considered Both Products
    HCSS
    No answer on this topic
    Trimble Viewpoint
    Chose Viewpoint Spectrum
    We looked at Oracle as an option, but it was too costly. This is a good system within mid-sized budgets.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    77%
    Would buy again
    24 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    75%
    Delivers good value for the price
    18 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    81%
    Happy with the feature set
    25 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    64%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    9 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    50%
    Implementation went as expected
    10 Answers
    Features
    HCSSViewpoint Spectrum
    Construction Project & Field Management
    Comparison of Construction Project & Field Management features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    6.8
    33 Ratings
    12% below category average
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    -
    Ratings
    Plan distribution & viewing6.99 Ratings00 Ratings
    Plan markups & sharing6.06 Ratings00 Ratings
    Issue tracking & punchlists9.913 Ratings00 Ratings
    Photo documentation10.025 Ratings00 Ratings
    Jobsite reports8.030 Ratings00 Ratings
    Document sharing7.117 Ratings00 Ratings
    RFI tools3.01 Ratings00 Ratings
    Collaboration & approvals4.019 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile app6.128 Ratings00 Ratings
    Payroll Management
    Comparison of Payroll Management features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    5.0
    22 Ratings
    36% below category average
    Pay calculation00 Ratings7.722 Ratings
    Benefit plan administration00 Ratings7.016 Ratings
    Direct deposit files00 Ratings8.219 Ratings
    Customization
    Comparison of Customization features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    5.3
    9 Ratings
    36% below category average
    API for custom integration00 Ratings5.39 Ratings
    Security
    Comparison of Security features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    8.3
    27 Ratings
    1% above category average
    Single sign-on capability00 Ratings9.622 Ratings
    Role-based user permissions00 Ratings7.027 Ratings
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    3.6
    30 Ratings
    67% below category average
    Dashboards00 Ratings7.829 Ratings
    Standard reports00 Ratings3.330 Ratings
    Custom reports00 Ratings2.428 Ratings
    General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
    Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    8.9
    28 Ratings
    14% above category average
    Accounts payable00 Ratings8.027 Ratings
    Accounts receivable00 Ratings8.025 Ratings
    Global Financial Support00 Ratings9.38 Ratings
    Primary and Secondary Ledgers00 Ratings9.419 Ratings
    Journals and Reconciliations00 Ratings8.722 Ratings
    Configurable Accounting00 Ratings9.219 Ratings
    Standardized Processes00 Ratings9.423 Ratings
    Inventory Management
    Comparison of Inventory Management features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    6.2
    17 Ratings
    24% below category average
    Inventory tracking00 Ratings5.117 Ratings
    Automatic reordering00 Ratings6.01 Ratings
    Location management00 Ratings7.56 Ratings
    Order Management
    Comparison of Order Management features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    7.8
    15 Ratings
    1% below category average
    Pricing00 Ratings7.212 Ratings
    Order entry00 Ratings7.213 Ratings
    Credit card processing00 Ratings8.84 Ratings
    Cost of goods sold00 Ratings8.111 Ratings
    Subledger and Financial Process
    Comparison of Subledger and Financial Process features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    8.1
    27 Ratings
    8% above category average
    Billing Management00 Ratings9.623 Ratings
    Cash and Asset Management00 Ratings8.022 Ratings
    Travel & Expense Management00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
    Budgetary Control & Encumbrance Accounting00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
    Period Close00 Ratings8.823 Ratings
    Project Execution Management
    Comparison of Project Execution Management features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    6.7
    7 Ratings
    3% below category average
    Project Planning and Scheduling00 Ratings5.01 Ratings
    Task Insight for Project Managers00 Ratings7.16 Ratings
    Project Mobile Functionality00 Ratings7.36 Ratings
    Definable Resource Pools00 Ratings7.24 Ratings
    Procurement
    Comparison of Procurement features of HCSS and Viewpoint Spectrum
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    Viewpoint Spectrum
    7.8
    5 Ratings
    12% above category average
    Bids Analyzed and Compared00 Ratings8.83 Ratings
    Contract Authoring00 Ratings8.12 Ratings
    Contract Repository00 Ratings8.12 Ratings
    Requisitions-to-Purchase Orders Integrated00 Ratings6.84 Ratings
    Supplier Management00 Ratings7.33 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    HCSSViewpoint Spectrum
    Small Businesses
    CMiC Construction Platform
    Score7.2 out of 10
    Zoho One
    Score8.9 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Autodesk Build
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Zoho One
    Score8.9 out of 10
    Enterprises
    InEight
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Microsoft Dynamics AX (discontinued)
    Score9.1 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    HCSSViewpoint Spectrum
    Likelihood to Recommend
    6.1
    (38 ratings)
    7.2
    (69 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.1
    (7 ratings)
    Usability
    7.0
    (2 ratings)
    8.7
    (30 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.5
    (2 ratings)
    Support Rating
    10.0
    (35 ratings)
    6.4
    (29 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.2
    (32 ratings)
    8.9
    (4 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.6
    (20 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.6
    (2 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    HCSSViewpoint Spectrum
    Likelihood to Recommend
    HCSS
    Our operation uses several pieces of what we call specialty equipment (not used every day on every job). The foreman when finished will give a location of where this equipment is left, this many times can be very vague and lead to a lowboy driver trying to block around to find the piece or driving down a street he cannot get turned around in. With the GPS devices, the driver can pinpoint exactly where the unit is and if he has room to turn around at that location.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Trimble Viewpoint
    The Installation team is amazing. They provide clear guidance at the beginning of the process regarding what is expected and what needs to be done. The implementation manager follows up monthly with you to make sure you are on track and if you need additional help. They are very helpful and responsive in resolving issues.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    HCSS
    • #1 is support! HCSS is by far the best software support of any product we have ever used. Unlike most software companies HCSS utilizes their support calls to help upgrade their software. When you here them tell you that they will write down a particular issue you come across during a support call if they can't help you then and there they will research and get an answer to you extremely fast. If the software will not do it, you can bet there is a good chance it will be on the list of enhancements you will see come out in the near future.
    • Estimating software is very extensive. Their software is capable of handling the smallest estimate all the way to the largest joint venture estimate. It has advanced features that make it extremely useful for analyzing job materials, subcontractors etc.
    • HeavyJob is an extremely useful tool for the field to keep the office up to date with job costs. Everything is at the Foreman's fingertips on Tablets to allow the information from the field to get uploaded to HeavyJob manager which then can export to accounting. We are also able to give our Foreman the ability to deal with the Daily and weekly safety needs (Tailgate Meetings, incident Investigation, observations etc.) right on the Tablets thru HeavyJob.
    Read full review
    Trimble Viewpoint
    • Job Costing - Viewpoint Spectrum handles job costing per project, per work order, per site, and gives us an up to date analysis of the project.
    • HR - helps to keep all of the training certifications and HR incidents in a consistent and manageable order for all Managers to use.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    HCSS
    • All their apps are on mobile devices. Although there is not a clear company policy on Android versus iPhone. Updates for features lag behind on Android. Some apps are exclusive to one platform making it hard to fully interconnect all programs.
    Read full review
    Trimble Viewpoint
    • Support isn't readily available. You can submit a ticket and wait days before it's picked up. Even critical issues (system outages) can wait an hour or two before someone responds.
    • Large companies will feel limited. This product wasn't designed to handle large amounts of data, and performance seems to slow when there are more than 80 concurrent users.
    • The new developments are limited. HR Management is less robust than a third-party product specializing in HR Management. Viewpoint Analytics is nowhere near as robust as Power BI or Tableau.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    HCSS
    No answers on this topic
    Trimble Viewpoint
    The product is working for us and the cost to implement a new system does not warrant the expense.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    HCSS
    As mentioned, user interface appears messy and complicated at initial onset. Training is necessary but becomes easy to maneuver through after solid daily use.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Trimble Viewpoint
    There's a little bit of a learning curve, but once you've been working in the system for a while, it becomes second nature. I would say that out of all of the other software that I've personally used, Spectrum has been the easiest one to pick up and learn quickly
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    HCSS
    No answers on this topic
    Trimble Viewpoint
    I've never seen Spectrum down
    Read full review
    Performance
    HCSS
    No answers on this topic
    Trimble Viewpoint
    For the most part the product is very reliable. Since we are hosted we sometimes have connectivity issues but I would say that is more our ISP than Spectrum.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    HCSS
    I have never had a bad experience or heard of one in 4 years of doing business with HCSS. That is unheard of even with the hurricanes and flooding in Houston area it feels like HCSS was always there and willing to help in every way.
    Read full review
    Trimble Viewpoint
    The support has recently changed. Last year, you could call in and get an immediate response. Now that doesn't seem possible unless you have an urgent situation with access to the software, payroll or payables. I have found that using chat or e-mail works nicely for the most part, but sometimes I feel it would be easier if someone from support would jump on our site and take a first-hand look rather than going back and forth
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Online Training
    HCSS
    No answers on this topic
    Trimble Viewpoint
    Our trainer was excellent and navigated the time zone differences expertly. She gave us test assignments to complete and was available for questions at any time.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    HCSS
    I was not employed with PPI upon implementation. I would prefer to reference my previous statement, that each company needs to evaluate its culture and address your implementation accordingly. The purchasing company should assign an employee as point person and really take charge of not just the technical side of the implementation (HCSS pretty much handles that), but focus on company culture and training.
    Read full review
    Trimble Viewpoint
    My only insight would be to take time in your implementation and training process; ours was six weeks from start to finish.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    HCSS
    Other estimating products I have used consist of ICE/MC2 and MS Excel. ICE was not a good fit for our company, as they have awful technical support and offer very poor training. MS Excel is great for simple estimates where there is not a lot of data being compiled. However neither hold a candle to the power of HCSS Heavybid
    Read full review
    Trimble Viewpoint
    I have previously used Sage Masterbuilder, another construction industry software. This has been a number of years ago. The company I am working for already had Spectrum and have been using it for as long as it has been around when it was known as Forefront. Based on conversations I've had with the personnel that were here at the time of purchase, Spectrum clicked off all the boxes they were looking for.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    HCSS
    No answers on this topic
    Trimble Viewpoint
    You can grant user specific access which is nice. Project managers do not need all the same modules as Accounting. But Accounting does need access to PM modules as well
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    HCSS
    • The biggest ROI for us was the ease of adoption by field personnel.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Trimble Viewpoint
    • [In my opinion,] it takes at LEAST twice as long to do our jobs now.
    • [I feel like] we are paranoid about something not being printed correctly because of [what I believe are] buggy text fields.
    • [In my experience,] we still have to refer to a physical file cabinet with paper, even though a main point of switching was to go paperless.
    • [In our experience,] screens can now be "locked", so we can't see something if our coworker is also looking at it.
    • [I believe that] the financial hit our company took from this switch was astronomical. [In my opinion:] Beware!
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    HCSS Screenshots

    Screenshot of HeavyBid - build the structure of an estimateScreenshot of HeavyBid - manage sub and material quotesScreenshot of HeavyBid - create professional bid proposalsScreenshot of HeavyJob - manage a job site from a mobile deviceScreenshot of HeavyJob - capture job site photos from any deviceScreenshot of HeavyJob - review, edit, and approve time cards from a mobile device