From 5 Tools to 1: A UAE Contractor's Migration from Aconex and Excel
See how a mid-size UAE contractor consolidated their fragmented toolset—Aconex for documents, Excel for BOQs, WhatsApp for coordination—into a single integrated platform, achieving significant cost savings and efficiency gains.
What You'll Learn
- Why using multiple disconnected tools was creating hidden costs
- The decision process for consolidating to a single platform
- How the migration was managed without disrupting active projects
- Specific ROI metrics from tool consolidation
Company Background
This established UAE contractor specializes in infrastructure and civil works including roads, utilities, and marine construction. Like many regional contractors, they had accumulated multiple tools over the years—Aconex for document control on some projects, Excel for BOQs and cost tracking, and WhatsApp for day-to-day coordination. The result was data silos and duplicate effort.
What They Were Facing
Tool Fragmentation
Aconex for documents, Excel for BOQs, WhatsApp for site coordination, email for correspondence, shared drives for drawings. No single source of truth.
Per-User Licensing Costs
Aconex per-seat pricing meant only office staff had access. Site engineers used workarounds (WhatsApp, email) that created documentation gaps.
Double Data Entry
Information entered in one system had to be manually copied to others. Progress updates, BOQ quantities, and payment certificates all required duplicate entry.
Integration Gaps
No connection between document management and cost control. Variation orders approved in one system weren't reflected in cost tracking until manual reconciliation.
How Arkan Helped
Unified Platform
All project functions—documents, BOQs, correspondence, site coordination—in one integrated system. Data entered once flows through all related processes.
Unlimited Users Model
Flat-rate pricing enables full team access. Site engineers, foremen, and subcontractor coordinators all work in the same system, capturing data at source.
Integrated Cost Control
BOQ management, variation orders, and payment certificates connected to documents and workflows. Changes propagate automatically, eliminating reconciliation.
Mobile-First Site Access
Full functionality from any device. Site teams capture data where work happens, with offline capability for remote locations.
How It Was Deployed
Tool Audit & Planning
Weeks 1-2- Current tool inventory and usage analysis
- Data migration planning
- Process mapping to new workflows
- Change management strategy
Migration Execution
Weeks 3-6- Data migration from Aconex
- BOQ import from Excel
- User training program
- Parallel run with old systems
Optimization & Decommission
Weeks 7-10- Old system decommissioning
- Process refinement
- Advanced feature adoption
- ROI measurement
Integrations
Measurable Impact
- Tool Costs: 65% reduction vs. previous toolset
- Data Entry: 70% reduction in duplicate entry
- Systems: 5 tools → 1 integrated platform
- Site Documentation: 100% captured at source (vs. 40% previously)
- ROI: Full payback achieved in 3 months
- User Adoption: 95% active usage (vs. 60% with previous tools)
Arkan Features Used
| Feature | Impact |
|---|---|
| Document Management | Replaced Aconex at 65% cost savings |
| BOQ & Cost Control | Replaced Excel with integrated system |
| Mobile App | 100% site documentation capture |
| Workflow Automation | 70% less data entry |
“We were paying for Aconex licenses that half our team couldn't use, then filling the gaps with Excel and WhatsApp. Arkan gave us everything in one place at a fraction of the cost.”