Introduction to RDrive Progress Monitoring

Overview

RDrive Progress Monitoring gives project teams a clear, structured way to plan, track and understand progress as work happens.

It connects scheduled activities with updates from the teams carrying out the work, helping everyone understand what has been completed, what is currently in progress and where attention may be required.

Progress Monitoring can be used for anything from a straightforward sequence of activities through to detailed construction programmes, testing and commissioning, finishing schedules and integrated master programmes.

What is Progress Monitoring?

Construction progress is often managed across a combination of programmes, spreadsheets, site reports, meetings and updates from different teams.

RDrive brings these activities together.

At its simplest, Progress Monitoring follows a straightforward journey:

Schedule → Tasks → Site Updates → Progress → Reporting

A Schedule provides the overall structure of the work.

Within the Schedule, Tasks represent the activities that need to be completed.

Tasks can then be broken down further and connected with the relevant project information, allowing progress to be captured as work takes place.

As teams provide updates, RDrive calculates progress based on the configuration of the Schedule, giving project teams greater visibility of delivery.

What can Progress Monitoring be used for?

Progress Monitoring is designed to be flexible.

The same principles can be applied to many different types and stages of project delivery, including:

• Construction programmes
• Short-term and look-ahead schedules
• Installation tracking
• Testing and commissioning
• Finishing schedules
• Inspection and quality-related activities
• Phased or location-based works
• Handover and completion activities
• Master programme progress reporting

This means teams can use RDrive at the level of detail that makes sense for the project — from monitoring a relatively simple set of activities to tracking thousands of individual items contributing towards a wider programme.

How Progress Monitoring works

Progress Monitoring brings together several parts of RDrive to create a structured flow of information.

1. Create the Schedule

The Schedule provides the framework for the activities being monitored.

Depending on the Progress Monitoring configuration being used, this may be created and managed within RDrive or connected with an external planning programme.

2. Define the Tasks

Tasks represent the activities that need to be completed.

They can contain dates, responsibilities and progress information depending on how the Schedule has been configured.

3. Break work into measurable activities

A high-level programme activity does not always provide enough detail for teams working on site.

RDrive allows activities to be broken down into smaller, measurable elements so that progress can reflect what is actually happening.

For example:

Install Mechanical Services

could contain activities relating to different areas, systems or stages of installation.

This creates a clearer connection between the programme and the work taking place on the project.

4. Capture progress from the project

Teams can update the activities relevant to them as work progresses.

This allows information to be captured closer to the point where the work is actually happening, rather than relying solely on progress being collected retrospectively through meetings, emails or spreadsheets.

Where applicable, teams can also work through the RDrive mobile app and continue working while offline.

5. Calculate progress

RDrive uses the configured progress fields and weightings to calculate how individual activities contribute towards overall Task progress.

This means that different activities can contribute appropriately towards completion rather than every activity necessarily being treated equally.

6. Monitor and report

Progress information can then be viewed at different levels — from individual activities through to Tasks, Schedules and project-level reporting.

RDrive Analytics can be used to provide dashboards and reporting that help teams understand project performance and identify areas requiring attention.

Choose the right Progress Monitoring setup

Not every project needs the same level of scheduling functionality.

RDrive therefore supports different approaches to Progress Monitoring depending on how the project programme is managed.

The appropriate option will depend on where the project programme is maintained and how much scheduling information needs to be managed within RDrive.

What can you do with Progress Monitoring?

Plan

Create structured Schedules and Tasks representing the work that needs to be delivered.

This provides teams with a consistent framework for recording and understanding progress.

Organise

Break larger activities into smaller, manageable elements and organise work by the structure required for the project.

This could include areas, floors, zones, systems, packages, phases or other project-specific divisions.

Allocate

Assign activities to the appropriate teams so that responsibility for updating and delivering work is clear.

Update

Allow teams to record progress as work happens.

Updates from the project can contribute towards the overall progress of Tasks and Schedules.

Connect

Progress Monitoring can work alongside other RDrive functionality.

Where required, activities can be connected with Processes and Forms, helping teams bring progress and project delivery information together.

Monitor

See how work is progressing and identify activities that are complete, ongoing or still outstanding.

Where dates are being used, project teams can also compare progress against the planned Schedule.

Analyse

Use RDrive Analytics to transform Progress Monitoring information into dashboards and reports.

This provides management and project teams with a clearer view of performance and helps highlight areas that may require investigation.

Integrate

With PM Sync, Progress Monitoring can work alongside supported external planning software, allowing site progress captured through RDrive to form part of the wider programme management process.

Connecting progress with quality

Progress is not always simply a percentage.

In many project workflows, completing an activity may also involve inspections, checks, forms or other evidence.

RDrive Processes and Forms can be incorporated into Progress Monitoring workflows where required, helping connect the progress of the work with the information used to manage and verify its delivery.

Progress Monitoring on site

Progress Monitoring isn't limited to teams working from the RDrive website.

Site teams can use the RDrive mobile app to access relevant project information and provide updates while working in the field.

This helps move progress reporting closer to the people carrying out or reviewing the work.

Offline capability also allows teams to continue working in locations where an internet connection may be limited, with information synchronised when connectivity becomes available.

From site activity to project visibility

Progress Monitoring connects the work happening on site with the wider project programme.

Schedules provide the overall structure, with Tasks defining the activities that need to be delivered. These can be broken down into more detailed activities, allowing teams to record progress at the level where the work is actually taking place.

As updates are made, RDrive uses the configured progress rules and weightings to calculate progress through the Schedule.

This information can then be brought into RDrive Analytics, giving project teams and management a clearer view of progress and performance across the project.

Why use Progress Monitoring?

Progress Monitoring is designed to provide a more connected approach to managing project progress.

Instead of information being spread across separate programmes, spreadsheets, forms and site updates, RDrive can bring the relevant information together into a structured workflow.

This can help project teams:

• Create greater visibility of work taking place across the project
• Provide teams with clear responsibility for activities
• Capture progress closer to where the work happens
• Reduce reliance on manually collating progress information
• Connect progress with project Processes and Forms
• Identify outstanding or delayed activities earlier
• Provide consistent progress information for reporting
• Give management teams a clearer view of overall project performance

The result is a clearer connection between the programme, the work taking place on site and the information used to understand project performance.

Next Steps

Now that you understand the principles behind RDrive Progress Monitoring, the next step is to begin configuring it for your organisation and projects.

Recommended learning path

Next → Progress Monitoring – Tags & Presets Progress Monitoring – Tags & Presets

Learn how Presets and Tags provide the structure used to identify, organise and report on Progress Monitoring information.

Then → Configuring Progress Monitoring Configuring Progress Monitoring (Project Level)

Learn how to configure Schedules, Tasks, Task Sets, Items, progress fields and weightings.

Using Progress Monitoring

Learn how project teams view, update and manage progress during delivery.

Progress Monitoring FAQs & Troubleshooting Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common configuration, calculation, Schedule and reporting questions.