'Nothing falls through the cracks' on work sites; United Solutions in Marlboro provides software, hardware, training for construction cos.

• Author: Gelbwasser, Michael
• Position: Business

Byline: Michael Gelbwasser

MARLBORO -- Today's construction and real estate companies have a different outlook on technology.

According to a Marlboro company that has been serving these companies for 30 years, these companies require a centralized computer system for all of their invoices, change orders, receipts, and contacts.

But the system also has to be mobile, so company employees can make changes and produce invoices based on what is happening at job sites -- from those job sites.

"We're finding that clients have a need to have one database for all of the businesses they interact with in the course of their business,'' said Greg Kirshe, principal of United Solutions Inc. of Marlboro. "Usually, what we've noticed in our clients' offices is that everybody has their (Microsoft) Outlook contacts. Accounting has their accounts payable contacts. No one has one central database of all of their subcontractors, vendors, lawyers and business contacts. And we're finding more and more business owners view that as one of the biggest assets of the company, and yet they don't have that in an organized fashion.''

The trend is improving efficiency at construction sites as well as within the offices, Mr. Kirshe said.

United Solutions connects its clients with Sage Software, an accounting and invoicing software used by 6 million customers worldwide, according to its website. Sage, headquartered in England, develops the software and promotes it nationally.

United Solutions is responsible for promoting Sage products in New England, Mr. Kirshe said, and offers consulting and training on using it. In addition to keeping track of internal documents, the software keeps track of unpaid invoices and can accept online payments.

"Envision an HVAC contractor. They're coming out to your house or going to your office in Worcester to fix a heating problem,'' Mr. Kirshe said. "We supply them with tablets, so they have all the information about your company right on that tablet. They can record what parts they used, how much time it took, they can have the customer sign off. As soon they're done, the back office has that information ready to be billed.''

"Fortunately, Sage, through the many years, has really invested well in developing software and solutions that remain competitive in the marketplace,'' Mr. Kirshe said...