In short: a construction ERP (enterprise resource planning system) runs the company: accounting, HR, procurement and payroll. Construction management software runs the project: schedules, BOQ to payment requests, inspections, RFIs and documents. Most contractors in the UAE and Saudi Arabia need both, and the two work side by side. Arkan is construction management software, not an ERP.
What is a construction ERP?
An ERP is a company-wide system built around finance. For a contractor or developer it usually covers:
- The general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, and tax reporting
- Procurement, purchase orders and supplier invoices
- Inventory and fixed assets
- HR, payroll and end-of-service calculations
- Company-level cost and profit reporting across all projects
The ERP is the financial record of the company. It answers questions such as: what did we invoice this month, what do we owe suppliers, and what is our cash position?
What is construction management software?
Construction management software (also called project controls or project management software for construction) works at project level, where the site and the design team work every day:
- Schedules: importing and tracking the Primavera P6 programme and comparing versions
- BOQ to payment request: holding the bill of quantities, recording variations, and building the interim payment request (IPC) from the items being claimed, with retention and advance recovery
- Inspections and snagging: requesting, recording and closing inspections and snags
- RFIs and submittals: tracking questions and approvals with due dates and owners
- Documents and drawings: one current version, a version history and controlled access
- Approvals: configurable workflows so every request has a visible owner
It answers a different set of questions: which RFIs are overdue, which items are ready to be claimed, who has the latest drawing, and where the programme is slipping.
ERP vs construction management software at a glance
| Question | Construction ERP | Construction management software (such as Arkan) |
|---|---|---|
| Main user | Finance, procurement, HR | Project managers, quantity surveyors, engineers, document controllers, consultants |
| Level | Company | Project |
| Core records | Ledger, payables, receivables, payroll | Schedule, BOQ, variations, payment requests, inspections, RFIs, documents |
| Typical output | Financial statements, tax returns | Payment certificates, RFI logs, inspection and snag reports, schedule views |
| External parties | Suppliers and banks | Consultants, clients and subcontractors who review and approve |
Why contractors end up needing both
A payment request is a good example. The project side builds it: the quantity surveyor selects BOQ items, progress comes from inspected work, retention and advance payment recovery are applied, and the consultant certifies it. Once it is certified, the finance team raises the invoice, records the receivable and tracks the payment in the ERP.
If the ERP is asked to run the project side, site teams usually end up in spreadsheets and email anyway, because ERP screens are not designed around inspections, RFIs or drawing revisions. If project software is asked to run the company's accounts, finance loses the controls it needs. Keeping each system to its job avoids both.
How the two work together
Arkan does not replace your ERP and does not keep your company accounts. The practical links are simple:
- Excel export and import: BOQs are imported from Excel, and BOQ, finance and other grids export to Excel or PDF, so certified figures can be passed to finance in the format your ERP accepts.
- API: Arkan has an API that can be used for system-to-system integration with other tools. Scope is agreed per project, so raise any ERP integration need early in a demo.
- Clear ownership: certified payment figures are decided in the project record; invoicing, tax and payment settlement stay in the ERP.
Questions to ask before you choose
- Who will use it every day: the finance team or the site and design teams? That tells you which kind of system you are buying.
- Can your quantity surveyor build a payment request from the BOQ and inspected progress without re-typing?
- Do consultants and clients get a clear approval step, and can you see who the request is waiting on?
- Does the interface work in Arabic and English for your site teams?
- How will certified figures reach your accounting system: manual export, scheduled export or API?
UAE and Saudi Arabia notes
Tax and e-invoicing rules differ by country (for example UAE VAT, and the e-invoicing requirements issued by Saudi Arabia's tax authority). Those obligations belong in your accounting system, and your finance team and advisers should confirm what applies to you. Arkan shows retention and VAT within the payment request summary, but it is not a tax or accounting tool.
Already have an ERP?
You do not need to replace it. Already have an ERP? See how Arkan fits alongside it: book a demo and bring your current payment request process, or read about BOQ management and payment requests.
Last reviewed 13 October 2026.