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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    InEight

    Score8.3 out of 10
    N/AInEight's modular project controls software connects complex project data to improve visibility and delivery in capital construction.N/A

    SmartBid

    Score8.3 out of 10
    N/ASmartBid is a construction bid management software for general contractors. SmartBid provides a web-based and mobile platform to streamline their bid project data, documents, and subcontractor communications. It also supports user permissions control for data security.N/A
    Pricing
    InEightSmartBid
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    InEightSmartBid
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsInEight offers a modular, integrated project controls platform. Because the InEight platform covers the entire construction lifecycle, customers purchase the software based on their specific needs – purchasing stand-alone products, a bundle of products, or the entire platform. As a result, the pricing will vary depending on the specific product, number of users and length of contract. Once InEight has identified the highest impact areas, they offer potential customers a custom proposal. The options they consider include: Per user pricing: typically annual subscriptions. Revenue-based: using a percentage of the customer’s revenue. Project-based: software use dedicated to a specific project or program of work.As a cloud-based solution, our clients can scale their access annually depending on the number of users. Subcontractors invited to bid or prequalify in the system receive access at no cost.
    More Pricing Information
    Features
    InEightSmartBid
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of InEight and SmartBid
    Feature
    InEight
    7.0
    15 Ratings
    8% below category average
    SmartBid
    -
    Ratings
    Dashboards7.412 Ratings00 Ratings
    Standard reports6.414 Ratings00 Ratings
    Custom reports6.314 Ratings00 Ratings
    Data exportability8.114 Ratings00 Ratings
    Construction Project & Field Management
    Comparison of Construction Project & Field Management features of InEight and SmartBid
    Feature
    InEight
    6.8
    16 Ratings
    12% below category average
    SmartBid
    7.6
    4 Ratings
    1% below category average
    Plan distribution & viewing7.214 Ratings7.04 Ratings
    Plan markups & sharing7.215 Ratings00 Ratings
    Issue tracking & punchlists7.913 Ratings00 Ratings
    Photo documentation7.512 Ratings00 Ratings
    Jobsite reports8.06 Ratings00 Ratings
    Document sharing5.616 Ratings8.04 Ratings
    RFI tools4.713 Ratings6.03 Ratings
    Collaboration & approvals7.414 Ratings7.02 Ratings
    As-built drawings6.314 Ratings00 Ratings
    Mobile app7.610 Ratings10.01 Ratings
    Submittal design and management6.310 Ratings00 Ratings
    Checklists7.49 Ratings00 Ratings
    Meeting Minutes6.910 Ratings00 Ratings
    Specifications6.39 Ratings00 Ratings
    Change orders5.89 Ratings00 Ratings
    Estimating
    Comparison of Estimating features of InEight and SmartBid
    Feature
    InEight
    8.3
    16 Ratings
    4% above category average
    SmartBid
    -
    Ratings
    Takeoff tools6.84 Ratings00 Ratings
    Job costing8.814 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cost databases8.54 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cost calculator8.816 Ratings00 Ratings
    Bid creation8.516 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    InEightSmartBid
    Small Businesses
    CMiC Construction Platform
    Score7.2 out of 10
    CMiC Construction Platform
    Score7.2 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Autodesk Build
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Autodesk Build
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Revit
    Score9.4 out of 10
    InEight
    Score8.3 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    InEightSmartBid
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.4
    (25 ratings)
    8.0
    (6 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    8.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.5
    (24 ratings)
    9.6
    (2 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    8.0
    (9 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    8.1
    (9 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    InEightSmartBid
    Likelihood to Recommend
    InEight
    It's definitely a good tool for progress tracking, as well as time tracking. The ability to forecast quantities provide an even better scenario, closer to the reality, supporting even change management. The change management is also a good method, besides the fact of rework if you think in the whole process of issue creation, promoting to PCO, promote to CCO, execute the issue, move to change in controls, and so on... just now I think having all in a single place would minimize the manual work and maybe increase the engagement on it. About a negative point, I'd use a feature that appears to be in all modules. It's pretty much a cosmetic, but it impact in the productivity, a lot. For all fields you will fill with information, whenever your mouse hover over it, a tooltip appears, impeding you to continue, so you have to walk around, click in a place that's not being covered by that tooltip, go back to your keyboard and continue... again, it's a cosmetic, but having this in a Monday, with a full job to plan, claim quantities, and whatever else, it's annoying.
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    SmartBid is also very useful for conducting sub-contracting analysis and management simulations in the didactic field. The procedures for sharing documents are helpful, but the graphic can be improved. Many forms can be pre-filled. This helps a lot in saving time and money! SmartBid is great for exporting and/or sending single or mass emails. However, as mentioned, it would be useful to simplify some pre-construction processes and improve the overall communication
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    InEight
    • Tagging segments of work.
    • User defined views and descriptions for all screens.
    • Customizable ribbons to provide an efficient use of the software.
    • Multiple layers/dependents to allow for an extreme drill down of the work and the ability to roll up to a more useful level for upper management review.
    • You can bid the work as you would build it, in detail.
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    • It's very easy to set up a job and manage who receives solicitations. You can also keep detailed notes on who've you contacted and see if they're actually downloading and reviewing the documents.
    • You can add a confidentiality agreement clause which they must accept before accessing the documents. It then stores this information if it ever needs to be accessed. This is much cleaner and easier then sending out a NDA form and having the subcontractor return it before actually sending drawings/docs.
    • You can send Invitations to Bid and set it up to continue sending these ITB's until the subcontractor responds. However, this can also be a negative point because once you set up a delayed ITB, it doesn't update as the subcontractors view and respond to the ITB's. So if a sub is "Not Responded" and you set up a delayed ITB to fire off every day for 5 days, and the sub responds after day 2, that sub will continue to receive ITB's for all 5 days.
    • Uploading drawings is quick and easy. It's especially convenient if you link to one of your cloud services such as Egnyte, Google Drive, etc.
    • The search tools are quick and easy and often very accessible from any page.
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    InEight
    • Provide a simpler version (cliff notes) of the knowledge database
    • Offer versions of InEight for smaller companies, i.e. less than 20 emplyees, under $5M in revenue
    • When an estimate is complete, offer a dialog box to ask if the job was won, lost, or still in progress. We tend to leave most of our estimates in the bidding column. This is a user error, but the prompt would be helpful.
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    • We have seen intermittent problems with notes disappearing.
    • Ability to have more than one project bidding open at the same time/on multiple windows.
    • Mobile apps.
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    InEight
    Some features with InEight's TeamBinder are worthy of single use, however the review feature and subsequent revision and version numbering could be improved. We will be aiming to roll out the package to encompass our internal documentation in the near future and will be in a better position to judge the usability after that point in time.
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    InEight
    I would give it an 8 out of 10 because the software can be a bit cumbersome to new users. It also takes a long time to set up the library and input all of your companies needs so that the software will provide the level of service required to estimate projects. However, once the software is set up it is a powerful tool. We only use a portion of what the software is capable of delivering
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    InEight
    We are new to the use of the system, and so far, we have not reached out for any support. The only support we have requested so far is the development of a training program that involves other staff - some are to learn the use of the program, and some are for informational purposes in understanding the capabilities of InEight.
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    SmartBid has an excellent support team that is always at your service. Any problem I've had (when I've even had them) has been resolved almost immediately, along with tips on how to avoid them in the future. If you're looking for a program with excellent customer service, look no further than SmartBid.
    Incentivized
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    Implementation Rating
    InEight
    Since the original inception, I have been required to overhaul the system so that it is more user friendly and combines both aspects of our business, documentation and drawings. Being able to control revision and version numbering has been a key struggle that only staff training has been able to mark this as complete.
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    InEight
    We looked at HCSS and Bid 2 Win but chose Ineight due to the fact that it seemed more user friendly, plus I had used it at a former company when it was available from the Grantlun Corporation and was very familiar with it in its ease of use and reliability.
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    SmartBid is used by more of the contractors that we happen to do lots of work with. It has basically the same features. However, SmartBid will let subcontractors view all the jobs a general contractor is bidding, even ones we were never invited to. So it has the potential to bring more opportunities.
    Incentivized
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    Scalability
    InEight
    InEight is a good system that has scaled nicely as the company has grown. the tools are still readily available and applicable for our larger scope of work. It has kept up with the growth of the company very nicely
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    InEight
    • the positive impact is that it has helped us better gauge staffing and staff jobs appropriately
    • negative impact is that it takes a lot of time for new users to learn the software
    • the positive impact is that many of our clients use it, making collaboration easier with them
    • positive impact is that we can see our percent complete easier
    • positive impact is that it is easier to share documents to our team internally
    Incentivized
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    ConstructConnect
    • It is a big time saver compared to sending out individual emails.
    • It saves time in having multiple individual databases for company contact info.
    • It ensures that everyone is getting the same information.
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots

    InEight Screenshots

    Screenshot of InEight Estimate’s Benchmarking feature, which allows users to compare high, low, and average costs, as well as productivity rates from past projects, to visually assess whether current estimates fall within a realistic range. With historical performance data at their fingertips, estimators can bid more strategically and deliver more reliable, data-driven estimates.Screenshot of InEight Estimate’s CBS Register, which provides a user-specific view of an estimate, allowing users to create unlimited WBS structures and custom rollups. With parametric cost item assemblies, estimators can generate more accurate, reliable, and data-driven estimates.Screenshot of InEight Document’s Dashboard, that delivers a centralized, visual view of project information across all modules. Interactive dashboard tiles make it easy to track document activity and maintain visibility into project performance.Screenshot of InEight Document’s Gallery, which offers a comprehensive visual library of all project-related files—including drawings, photos, and documents—so teams can quickly access and manage the content they need from one intuitive location.Screenshot of InEight Schedule’s Risk Management feature, which enables project teams to evaluate schedules through a risk-adjusted lens. By visualizing scenarios with varying confidence levels, teams can anticipate potential impacts and plan with greater certainty.Screenshot of InEight Change’s PCO Summary dashboard that delivers a visual summary of all potential change orders. This helps project teams evaluate impacts, track approvals, and manage changes proactively for better cost and scope control.

    SmartBid Screenshots

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