Bauwise software capabilities

Automated Construction Budgeting & Forecasting

Allocate budget based on construction stages or buildings. Track cost to complete based on actuals and forecast at completion based on commitments. Control budgets through versions and approval locks. Forecast profitability, manage accruals, and sync financial data with integrated ERP systems.

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Trusted by 6000+ Construction Professionals

Bauwise helps construction teams improve cost control, streamline workflows, and deliver on budget.

> 0 %

increase in construction project profitability

0 +

Construction
Projects

0 € Bil+

of construction
budgets

Bauwise Construction Budgeting & Forecasting Capabilities

Bauwise Budget Creation & Import​

Budget Creation & Import

Create or import construction budgets by phase, task, or division. Easily copy and paste data from any spreadsheet directly into Bauwise — no upload required. The system automatically generates WBS, which can optionally be mapped to a predefined template.

  • Copy-paste or upload your construction budget from any spreadsheet directly into the budget table
  • Get cost codes and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) automatically mapped in bulk
  • Auto-validate data for structure and logic errors
  • Edit imported values and structure before locking or submitting budget for approval
  • Setup the project budget based on construction contract type, including Lump Sum, Cost-Plus, Target Cost and custom models
  • Split budget between sub-projects
Bauwise Budget Version Control

Budget Version Control

Track, review, and approve budget changes by capturing snapshot-based versions of the project’s financial statuses in monthly or weekly intervals. Compare version forecasts, monitor changes, and maintain a clear audit trail. Ensure that both project managers and executives are aligned before confirming budget revisions.

  • Visually track what budget lines have changed from previous version using color highlights
  • Leverage multi-level approval workflows for version control
  • Track all budget versions with timestamps, change logs and user actions
  • Compare the locked original budget against the revised budget
  • All budget revisions go through change order process, ensuring traceability and preserving the integrity of the original budget
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Actuals vs. Budget Tracking

Monitor project spending against budgeted amounts and catch deviations. Bauwise enables smart automatic connection of actual costs to budget lines, commitments, and cost codes — ensuring financial clarity across every phase of the project.

  • Track budget vs actuals variances in real-time, high-level summaries and detailed breakdowns with color-coded highlights showing when actuals exceed forecasts
  • Import actuals via Automated ERP/API integrations or manual Excel upload – Bauwise then intelligently maps actual costs at the commitment level, linking them to contracts, purchase orders, or subcontracts
  • Drill down directly to the original invoice PDFs from within the budget view, for full financial traceability
  • Search and filter transactions by supplier, cost code, description, type, and more
  • Add and manage accruals based on progress completion or manual input to reflect earned cost accurately
  • Reallocate costs between cost codes or across commitments when adjustments are needed
  • View actual costs month by month in the budget table, with clear separation between previous and current month costs
  • Bauwise flags any unmatched transactions, helping you spot and correct issues where costs aren’t properly linked to the budget or commitments.
Construction Budget Management Software,construction budget management,budget management,budget management software,construction budget Construction Budget Management Software

Construction Project Profitability Monitoring

Get real-time visibility into the profitability of each project by continuously tracking margins, change orders, committed costs, and actuals. See how each new invoice, purchase order (PO), or change order affects each project’s bottom line.

  • Monitor original vs. revised revenues — track the original client contract value and get automatic update from approved change orders
  • Compare adjusted contract value against Estimate at Completion (EAC) to track real-time profit and loss
  • Understand how forecast changes impact profitability, track gained or lost margin over time
  • Leverage unique budget table preview visualization that enables to alalyze performance at PO or subcontract level and detect cost overruns or underutilized budgets
  • Spot internal budget changes to client-facing change orders to confirm all additional work performed is accounted for and billed
  • Review how your actual spending compares to planned timelines, helping understand if you are purchasing and hiring at the right construction time rate
  • Break down profit visibility to the task or Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) level
  • Use online Applications for Payment (AfPs) to track subcontractor line items and automatically keep commitment-level cost forecasts up to date
Bauwise Construction Project Profitability Monitoring​

Cost Forecasting Tools

Track and project future costs based on real-time commitments, trends, and performance data. Generate forecasts manually or automatically, apply buffers and corrections, to ensure transparency at both project and portfolio levels. Integrated approval workflows guarantee that only validated data is reflected in the financial reports.

  • Auto-generate forecasts across entire project timeline with adjustable monthly breakdowns
  • Forecast by task, phase, category, or division
  • Automatically update forecasts based on committed costs including contracts, change orders and purchase orders (PO)
  • Apply manual adjustments or buffers to account for expected changes or risk reserves
  • Track and review forecast changes over time with full audit history
  • View consolidated forecasts at the portfolio level for gross profit and cash flow analysis
  • Ensure finance teams receive approved, traceable forecast data
Bauwise Construction Project Profitability Monitoring​

Sub-Project Management

Split complex construction projects into sub-projects by phase, location, or structure. Track budgets, costs, and progress for each sub-project independently, while maintaining a unified view through consolidated reporting.

  • Create unlimited sub-projects with separate budgets and timelines
  • Track costs and performance at sub-project level
  • Consolidate reporting across all sub-projects for high-level overviews
  • Allocate budgets and resources to individual project segments
  • Compare performance across phases or areas
Bauwise Construction Project Profitability Monitoring​

Real-Time Project Reporting

Access standardized and adjustable reports at any point in the project lifecycle — from budget planning to final billing. Monitor revisions, commitments, and changes in real time to support internal decisions and provide clients with clear, up-to-date insights.

  • Generate real-time reports from live budget, cost, and billing data
  • Use standardized views for internal tracking or customize views for client reporting
  • Get real-time colour-coded highlights when costs, contracts, or changes impact the project budget
  • Export reports showing budget progress, billing status, and financial performance
Bauwise Construction Project Profitability Monitoring​

Accruals Management

Log unbilled costs and reflect expected expenses in reports before invoices arrive. Track accrued labor, material, and equipment costs to maintain accurate cost reporting and align budgets with real-world spending.

  • Record pre-invoice costs tied to purchase orders (PO), contracts, or delivery confirmations
  • Track accruals by cost type, supplier, or cost code
  • Automatically reflect accruals in budget and forecast reports
  • Calculate accruals based on completion
  • Sync accrual data with accounting or ERP systems
Bauwise Construction Project Profitability Monitoring​

ERP & Accounting Software Integration

Connect Bauwise to your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or accounting systems to eliminate double entry and ensure data consistency. Automatically sync invoices, budgets, purchase orders (PO), subcontractor contracts, and costs between Bauwise and ERP/accounting systems to align financial and project reporting.

  • Automatically receive invoices requiring approval from accounting software into Bauwise
  • Automatically send approved invoices into accounting or ERP software
  • Push project costs, commitments, and accruals into your accounting system
  • Pull actuals, payments, and accounting updates from ERP into Bauwise
  • Eliminate manual data re-entry and reduce admin workload
  • Align budget, invoice, and payment data across tools
  • Ensure finance and project teams work from a single source of truth
Bauwise Construction Project Profitability Monitoring​

Project Team Management

Structure and manage construction project teams with clearly assigned roles, responsibilities, and access levels. Control who can view, edit, or approve budgets, change orders, and financial data based on their role. Keep internal teams and external stakeholders aligned without compromising control.

  • Create and assign roles to internal and external team members
  • Define granular permissions per role for budgets, change orders, and reports
  • Control access to approval workflows by responsibility
  • Limit visibility of financial data to relevant stakeholders
  • Adjust team roles and permissions at any stage of the project

Proven Results Across 10,000+ Construction Projects

Managing €10B+ in Construction Budgets with Bauwise.

FAQ

Managing a construction budget requires careful planning, monitoring, and adapting. Here are some steps and best practices to effectively manage a construction budget:

  1. Initial Budgeting: Break down the scope of work, estimating all costs. Include a contingency fund for unforeseen expenses (typically 5-10%).

  2. Documentation: Maintain detailed records of all expenses. Consider using construction management software for tracking and forecasting.

  3. Regular Monitoring: Conduct regular budget reviews and adjust based on actual expenses.

  4. Change Orders: Have a straightforward, written process for any changes in the scope or materials, ensuring their budget impact is understood.

  5. Risk Management: Identify and plan for potential risks.

  6. Value Engineering: Seek alternatives that achieve the same objectives at a lower cost if over budget.

  7. Cash Flow Management: Set precise payment schedules with subcontractors and clients. Plan for retainage, if applicable.

  8. Communication: Ensure all stakeholders know the budget status and any changes.

  9. Competent Personnel: Employ experienced individuals to manage finances and construction.

  10. Review Past Projects: Use past projects to refine future budgeting practices.

 

Managing a construction budget involves careful planning, continuous monitoring, and adapting when necessary. It’s a dynamic process that requires attention to detail and a proactive approach to future projects.

Bauwise is widely regarded as the best construction budget management software. It provides comprehensive tools tailored for the construction industry, ensuring meticulous tracking, forecasting, and reporting of expenses. With its user-friendly interface and specialized features and tools, Bauwise makes managing construction budgets streamlined and efficient, helping project managers stay on top of their finances.

The terms “construction budget” and “project budget” are sometimes used interchangeably. Still, they can refer to different aspects of a project’s financial planning, especially in extensive and multifaceted projects. Here’s a breakdown of the differences:

1. Construction Budget:

  • Scope: Focuses primarily on the costs directly related to the physical construction of a project.

    • Components: Typically includes expenses like materials, labor, equipment rentals, subcontractor fees, and other costs directly tied to the building process.

    • Purpose: To guide the construction phase, ensuring the project remains within financial constraints during building.

2. Project Budget:

  • Scope: Encompasses all costs associated with a project, from inception to completion. This means it covers both construction-related costs and other peripheral costs.

    • Components: In addition to construction costs, a project budget will include expenses such as land acquisition, design, and engineering fees, administrative costs, legal fees, permits, inspection fees, project management fees, contingency reserves, post-construction outfitting, and any other expenses tied to the project lifecycle.

    • Purpose: Provides a holistic financial overview of the entire project, ensuring all aspects are accounted for and the project remains financially viable from start to finish.

In summary, while the construction budget zeroes in on the costs of physically building the project, the project budget paints a broader financial picture, encapsulating all costs from the project’s inception to its completion.

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