Why did Nice Touch Solutions, Inc. build the EWBills Pre-Bill Module (PBM)?
Simply - we were asked to build this by a number of contractors over the last 15 years. So we built Version 1 for RGW Construction 2006 - accessing HeavyJob database directly ourselves, then built Version 2 for Topgrade Construction in 2011 - with the help of HCSS providing the data export file that we defined with them, and resurrected it as Version3 in 2018 at the urging of Granite Construction and HCSS. PBM is a work in progress for sure. As we discover more content, features or efficiencies that we can add to PBM we will.
But we did not want to provide an import utility even from the first version. Our primary purpose for the EWBills Pre-Bill Module (PBM) is protect the integrity of the data imported into EWBills as we try when manually entered. So PBM evaluates, transforms, and imports time card and other charges from other sources like HCSS HeavyJob via a defined XML file format and either XML or XLS for other sources to properly process extra work billings in EWBills.
When we say transform - we will take the raw information from HCSS and transform the timecard and MSE data as needed to provide proper billing based on EWBills Job Setups and Project Owner specifications.
Why a contractor using EWBills would use PBM?
Instant benefits include reduction of double entry, volume electronic input, and consistent information fed from systems like HCSS HeavyJob (HJ).
Why HCSS integrated PBM directly into HeavyJob (HJ)?
HCSS HeavyJob does a lot of things well. But HCSS saw that in California at least Time and Material Billing is handled differently than most of the country. So seeing the needs of their contractor clients in California - they worked diligently with us to provide a seamless solution for our client base that overlapped.
