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Driving Forecasting Innovation with eCMS

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Driving Forecasting Innovation with eCMS: How Onware Helped Miller Brothers Transform Their Financial Planning

Accurate forecasting is essential for construction organizations striving to maintain financial control, manage risk, and keep projects on track. For Miller Brothers Construction, this meant moving beyond a legacy desktop tool that no longer supported the speed, accuracy, or collaboration required in today’s data-driven environment. Their existing process relied heavily on manual data entry, disconnected spreadsheets, and time-consuming reconciliation efforts that made it difficult to respond quickly to changing project conditions.

To modernize their forecasting process, Miller Brothers partnered with Onware, a long-standing expert in eCMS data integration, analytics, and custom software development. Together, we built a modern forecasting platform that not only streamlined internal workflows but also unlocked new levels of visibility and confidence in project financials.

A Modern Forecasting Platform Built on eCMS Data

Miller Brothers needed a forecasting solution that could seamlessly connect to their eCMS Cloud Construction ERP, reflect real-time project performance, and support the complex cost structures inherent to heavy civil construction. Their teams required a tool that could handle detailed cost codes and the nuanced forecasting logic that evolves throughout a project’s lifecycle.

Onware delivered a custom web-based forecasting application designed specifically for these needs. The platform integrates directly with eCMS using secure SQL data pipelines and real-time APIs to pull cost, revenue, labor, and historical performance data into a unified forecasting environment. This ensures that every projection is grounded in accurate, up-to-date ERP information.

The new system allows project teams to:

  • Drill into cost codes
  • Update projections with intuitive, spreadsheet-like interactions
  • Reconcile variances between actuals and forecasts
  • Track trends across months, projects, and divisions
  • Export data for executive reporting and audit purposes

By eliminating manual data manipulation and spreadsheet-based workflows, Miller Brothers reduced their monthly forecasting effort from 40 hours to just 4, while improving accuracy and consistency across the organization. The tool also supports multi-user access, enabling project managers, finance teams, and executives to collaborate more effectively.

Expertise in eCMS Data: A Key Differentiator

One of the most significant contributors to the project’s success was Onware’s deep familiarity with eCMS data structures, reporting logic, and integration patterns. Construction ERPs are complex, and eCMS is no exception—its job cost, payroll, equipment, and forecasting modules each have unique data relationships that must be understood to build reliable, high-performing integrations.

Onware’s team brought years of experience working with eCMS customers across North America, allowing them to:

  • Navigate eCMS’s data model efficiently
  • Identify the data sources for forecasting inputs
  • Build performant queries that scale with large datasets
  • Align the application’s logic with how users work with eCMS

This expertise shortened development timelines, reduced risk, and ensured the final product aligned with Miller Brothers’ operational reality. Instead of forcing teams to adapt to a generic forecasting tool, we built a solution that fit naturally into their existing workflows.

Beyond Reporting: Advanced Analytics and Custom Development

While many partners focus solely on software development or integrations, Onware combines data analytics expertise with full-stack custom software development. This dual capability allows us to build solutions that go far beyond dashboards—solutions that reshape how organizations plan, forecast, and operate.

For Miller Brothers, this meant developing a forecasting engine that:

  • Applied business rules specific to heavy civil construction
  • Supported multiple forecasting methodologies (e.g., percent complete, cost-to-complete, earned value)
  • Provided dynamic filtering and drill-down capabilities
  • Enabled scenario modeling for “what-if” analysis
  • Integrated seamlessly with existing reporting tools

The platform also includes built-in auditability, allowing teams to track changes over time and understand how forecasts evolve month-to-month. This level of transparency is essential for financial governance and executive oversight.

Onware’s ability to blend analytics with custom application development is what enables us to deliver tools that are both insightful and operationally impactful. Instead of choosing between a rigid off-the-shelf product or a disconnected spreadsheet model, Miller Brothers now has a solution that is tailored, scalable, and deeply integrated with their ERP.

 

A Partnership Approach That Reduces Risk

Working with a third-party development partner can raise concerns about continuity, support, and long-term ownership. Onware addresses these risks through a team-based delivery model designed to ensure reliability and transparency.

Key elements of this approach include:

  • Cross-trained developers who can step in if a team member becomes unavailable
  • A dedicated project manager who oversees communication, timelines, and quality
  • A responsive support team that ensures issues are resolved quickly
  • Industry-standard technologies that make the solution maintainable by any qualified developer
  • Full customer ownership of all source code, documentation, and intellectual property

Onware stores source code in secure, customer-accessible repositories, ensuring that clients retain full control of their technology investments. This eliminates the risk of vendor lock-in and provides peace of mind that the solution can be maintained or extended by internal teams or other partners in the future.

This commitment to transparency and continuity is a core part of Onware’s philosophy and a major reason why contractors trust them with mission-critical systems.

Strengthening the eCMS Ecosystem Together

The Miller Brothers forecasting project demonstrates what’s possible when Computer Guidance’s robust ERP platform is paired with a partner who understands how to unlock its full potential. eCMS provides the foundation—accurate job cost data, reliable financials, and a strong operational backbone. Onware builds on that foundation by creating tools that extend functionality, improve decision-making, and modernize workflows.

Across North America, Onware supports construction organizations in:

  • Building custom applications that integrate with eCMS
  • Developing advanced analytics and forecasting tools
  • Creating data pipelines and reporting environments
  • Enhancing operational efficiency through workflow automation

As construction firms continue to modernize their operations, Onware remains committed to helping them build data-driven cultures, streamline processes, and make smarter decisions powered by eCMS.

About the Author

Fraser Gallop is the CEO of Onware and a recognized leader in construction data analytics, business intelligence, and custom software development. With deep expertise in Tableau, Power BI, and complex construction ERP ecosystems—including eCMS—Fraser has spent his career helping the construction industry unlock the full value of their operational data. He is a Tableau Ambassador, a sought-after speaker, and an active mentor in the analytics community. Fraser is known for blending strategic vision with hands-on technical insight, guiding organizations toward scalable, data-driven decision-making. His work spans forecasting, workflow optimization, and enterprise reporting solutions used by hundreds of construction professionals across North America.

About Onware

Onware is a North American software development and data analytics firm with offices in both the United States and Canada. Founded in 2002, Onware began as a project management software provider and has since evolved into a trusted partner for construction organizations seeking to modernize their operations through custom applications, ERP integrations, and advanced analytics.

For more than two decades, Onware has specialized in custom web applications, forecasting tools, data pipelines, and business intelligence solutions that integrate seamlessly with construction ERPs like eCMS, as well as financial systems and field tools. Our team combines deep industry knowledge with modern development practices, ensuring every solution is scalable, maintainable, and fully owned by the customer. With a team-based delivery model, dedicated project management, and a commitment to transparency, Onware helps contractors build resilient, data-driven cultures and unlock the full potential of their operational data.

 

Computer Guidance Corporation Announces Migration of Hosted Clients to IBM Cloud in Partnership with GlassHouse Systems

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Scottsdale, Arizona — April 28, 2026 – Computer Guidance Corporation, a provider of cloud-based ERP solutions for the construction industry, today announced the migration of all hosted clients to IBM Cloud, in collaboration with GlassHouse Systems.

The migration represents a consolidation of hosting services offerings onto IBM Cloud, an enterprise hybrid cloud platform designed to support secure, scalable, and distributed workloads across IBM Power and x86 environments. IBM Cloud provides robust infrastructure and platform services that enable organizations to manage mission critical applications across hybrid environments.

As part of IBM’s broader hybrid cloud ecosystem, IBM Cloud is used across regulated industries and supports workloads requiring high availability, security controls, and operational resiliency. The IBM Cloud environment also enables integration with hundreds of cloud services including artificial intelligence (AI), analytics, and automation capabilities used in modern enterprise application deployments.

The central part of the infrastructure supporting Computer Guidance Corporation’s hosted environment is based upon IBM Power Virtual Server built on IBM Power systems technology, which is designed for enterprise workloads requiring high performance and reliability. IBM’s Power platform supports hybrid cloud deployment models and is used in environments where continuous availability and workload optimization are required.

“This migration reflects our continued focus on providing a stable and supported hosting environment for our customers,” said Akshay Choudhary, Director of Information Technology, Computer Guidance Corporation. “Working with IBM and GlassHouse Systems allows us to align our infrastructure strategy with enterprise-grade cloud capabilities.”

“IBM Cloud and the IBM Power Virtual Server service is designed to support a broad range of mission-critical workloads, including IBM i based applications provided by ISVs. With its strong focus on security, resiliency, and hybrid flexibility, IBM Power Virtual Server is the ideal place for ISVs to run their as-a-service offerings” said Anthony Ciccone, Director Product Manager, IBM. “We are pleased to support Computer Guidance Corporation in their transformation and to host their clients as part of this environment.”

“For IBM i-based software construction companies, the next phase of growth starts with a stronger foundation. GlassHouse Systems is proud to partner with Computer Guidance to extend their trusted IBM i environments to IBM Power Virtual Server, giving them the agility of cloud while preserving the reliability their customers count on. That means less time managing infrastructure and more time building the software and services that keep construction businesses moving.” Said Alex Talmor, President, GlassHouse Systems

The migration is intended to provide a standardized hosting environment for all Computer Guidance Corporation hosted clients and to support long-term infrastructure consistency and operational efficiency.

Computer Guidance Corporation will be discussing IBM Cloud, the migration and hosting strategy in more detail at its upcoming Customer Focus 2026 event, where IBM and GlassHouse Systems executives will also participate.

About Computer Guidance Corporation

With over 20% of its clients represented on top ENR lists, Computer Guidance Corporation delivers construction enterprise resource planning software including financial management, project management, business intelligence, mobile solutions, and enterprise content management. Scalable and cloud-hosted, CGC serves thousands of organizations throughout North America. Computer Guidance Corporation is part of the JDM Technology Group, a global construction software organization serving more than 500,000 users across 40+ countries and 6 continents. Visit https://computerguidance.com

About GlassHouse Systems

For over 33 years, GlassHouse Systems (GHS) has been delivering transformative digital and security technologies that power the world’s most innovative companies. Our teams address the entire breadth of technology needs, from strategy and design to managing secure operations on-premises and in the cloud. To achieve this, we draw upon our deep in-house expertise and strategic partnerships and deliver creative technical deployments that help chart new strategies for our clients’ growing digital resiliency needs. For more information about our services, visit www.ghsystems.com.

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to effect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com

Computer Guidance’s eCMS v4.2 Earns 2026 Top Product Recognition from Constructech

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Scottsdale, Arizona—March 31, 2026—Computer Guidance Corporation, the leading developer of cloud-based ERP solutions for the construction industry, today announced that Computer Guidance’s eCMS v.4.2 ERP solution was selected as a 2026 Top Product by Constructech.

Constructech unveiled the winners of the Constructech Top Products 2026 Awards, honoring the most innovative, influential, and future shaping technologies in commercial residential, and infrastructure construction, and the broader AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) ecosystem. This year’s winners reflect a marketplace undergoing rapid transformation—where AI (artificial intelligence), robotics, automation, digital twins, and connected platforms are no longer emerging trends but essential tools for building smarter, safer, and more sustainably.

The Constructech Top Products program recognizes solutions that demonstrate exceptional innovation, strong customer adoption, and measurable impact on real world construction workflows. Each product is evaluated for its ability to solve industry challenges, improve productivity, enhance safety, and advance digital maturity across commercial, industrial, heavy civil, and residential sectors.

“Data is the key to successful construction projects, but often information isn’t easily accessible,” says Peggy Smedley, editorial director, Constructech. “Computer Guidance Corp., solves this with eCMS v4.2, which helps turn data into insights and delivers it to the right people at the right time. Congrats to Computer Guidance on the 2026 Constructech Top Products win.”

Computer Guidance Corporation’s eCMS v.4.2 is a comprehensive, cloud-based ERP platform purpose-built for the construction industry. Designed to unify financials, project management, and operational workflows in a single system, eCMS centralizes vast amounts of critical business data and transforms it into actionable insights. Through advanced reporting, business intelligence, and mobile capabilities, users can easily leverage real-time and historical data to support daily decision-making, improve forecasting, and drive strategic planning—whether in the field or in the office.

“We are proud to be recognized as a 2026 Top Product by Constructech,” said Steven Gross, VP of Client Success at Computer Guidance Corporation. “This honor underscores our commitment to innovation and to helping our customers harness the full power of their data.”

 

About Computer Guidance Corporation

With over 20% of their clients represented on top ENR lists, Computer Guidance Corporation delivers the leading construction enterprise resource planning solution including financial and project management, #1 business intelligence, mobile, and enterprise content management.  Scalable, customizable, and cloud hosted, CGC serves thousands throughout North America. Computer Guidance Corporation is part of the JDM Technology Group, a global construction-specific software conglomerate that serves more than 500,000+ in 40 countries and 6 continents. https://computerguidance.com

About the Constructech Top Products Awards

For more than two decades, the Constructech Top Products Awards have recognized the most forward-thinking solutions in construction technology. Winners are selected based on innovation, adoption, user experience, and the ability to solve critical industry challenges. A panel of industry experts judge and determine the winners. Learn more at connectedworld.com

About Constructech

Constructech is the leading authority on the intersection of construction and technology, connecting people, equipment, technology, and data. It delivers award programs, research, editorial analysis, and thought leadership that empowers industry professionals to embrace innovation and drive transformation.

How Content Management Is Transforming Construction ERP

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Is your construction ERP still living in the past?

For decades, construction ERP (enterprise-resource planning) systems served a clear purpose: managing financials and project controls. But as commercial contractors scale operations across multiple entities and projects, a new challenge has emerged. The documents, workflows, and approvals that drive daily execution have become just as critical as the financial data itself.

The most significant shift in modern construction ERP isn’t happening in accounting modules or cost controls. It’s occurring in how these platforms handle content management, and it’s fundamentally changing how large contractors operate.

Beyond Invoice Routing

Most construction professionals recognize digital invoice approval beats paper routing slips. But that’s just meeting the bare minimum. The real transformation comes when content management becomes a foundational architectural layer rather than a bolt-on feature.

Consider what happens when CM (content management) capabilities are truly integrated with ERP systems. Security models align with organizational hierarchies. Metadata connects directly to projects and cost codes. Document workflows trigger based on transactional events. This level of integration is impossible when content management exists as a separate system requiring constant synchronization.

The Flexibility Imperative

Rigid folder structures might work for small operations with simple processes, but they break down quickly at enterprise scale. Different divisions organize differently. Project types demand unique documentation approaches. Regional offices maintain distinct approval chains.

Modern CM platforms recognize this reality by allowing organizations to define their own structures: by project phase, cost code, department, or any combination that matches actual business processes. This isn’t about IT preference. It’s about removing friction from how people actually work.

Security That Matches Reality

Large contractors routinely handle sensitive contracts, financial documents, and legal agreements. Yet many still manage these documents in systems with primitive access controls or worse, shared network drives where “security” means remembering which folder not to open.

Enterprise CM systems built into ERP platforms support granular security at both folder and document levels. Role-based access, group permissions, and user-specific restrictions ensure sensitive content reaches only authorized personnel. These controls operate within the same security framework that governs financial data, creating consistent protection across the entire platform.

When a project manager leaves or a subcontractor relationship ends, access rights adjust automatically based on ERP roles rather than manual file permission updates that inevitably get missed.

Search When You Need It

Construction projects generate thousands of documents. Finding the right submittal, RFI (request for information) response, or contract amendment shouldn’t require perfect recall of folder structures or naming conventions. Full-text search across document contents, not just filenames, has become essential for decision speed and project momentum.

Version Control and Workflows

Version control extends beyond preventing overwrites. It’s about maintaining a complete record of document evolution, designating approved versions, and ensuring teams work from current information. When integrated with ERP security and workflow engines, it becomes governance infrastructure.

Advanced CM platforms support submittals, change management, compliance processes, and internal reviews. This helps contractors connect document flow directly to project execution and at the same time maintain clear visibility into approval status, escalation paths, and processing timelines.

The Architectural Reality

Content management has evolved from a peripheral ERP feature to an essential component of construction ERP. For large commercial contractors, this shift enables tighter alignment between documents, workflows, and transactional data. This shift supports more consistent execution across projects and organizational boundaries.

The question isn’t whether construction ERP should include robust content management. It’s whether organizations can afford to operate without it.

Why a Content Management System Can Make or Break Your Projects

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Walk onto any modern construction site and there’s all kinds of activity from cranes operating overhead, trades moving in sync, and site supervisors orchestrating a thousand moving parts. But behind the visible work on the jobsite there’s another layer of complexity: an endless stream of contracts, blueprints, permits, daily reports, and correspondence that affects every decision.

Managing all that data is no small feat. Construction companies face tight timelines and strict compliance demands. Losing track of one key document could derail a project. That’s why the quiet powerhouse inside many of today’s best construction ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems is not the scheduling module, the accounting ledger, or even the project management dashboard. It’s the CMS (content management system).

Beyond “File Storage”

Too often, the CMS is dismissed as a glorified filing cabinet: a place to store PDFs until someone needs them. But when built directly into an ERP, a CMS becomes something far more strategic. It becomes a central nervous system for the entire company, connecting people, processes, and data in realtime.

Imagine starting a new project and finding that every folder, from contracts to as-built drawings, already in place. The structure is standardized across jobs, so no one wastes time figuring out where things belong. Permissions are already defined, which ensures only the right people see the right documents, while still enabling smooth collaboration.

Security, Accuracy, and Control

In construction, security isn’t just about locks on site gates, it’s also about protecting sensitive data. A well-designed ERP-integrated CMS uses role-based access to ensure only authorised personnel can view or edit certain documents. Add version control and check-in/check-out features, and you’ve got an airtight record of who changed what and when. That means fewer errors, cleaner audit trails, and no risk of overwriting a critical plan revision.

From Field to Office, Seamlessly

Construction creates piles of paperwork that can slow a project while departments wait for data. That is why tools like mobile-friendly electronic forms have become game changers. With the right CMS, field teams can log safety inspections, submit timesheets, or capture equipment data directly from site. Those submissions flow instantly into predefined digital workflows for approvals and notifications with no manual re-entry, no lost forms, and no bottlenecks.

Workflow automation goes even further. Whether it’s processing subcontractor invoices, routing change orders, or onboarding new staff, the CMS acts as the engine driving tasks from start to finish. Paired with built-in email notifications, the system alerts the right people at the right time, keeping projects moving and reducing costly delays.

Intelligence Built In

A modern CMS does much more than simply store information. It turns data into insight. Integrated business intelligence tools transform the flow of documents, forms, and approvals into realtime dashboards and performance analytics. Project managers can track KPIs, executives can spot trends, and estimators can see cost impacts before they snowball into overruns.

Key Benefits of an Integrated CMS
An ERP-based CMS is more than file storage. It’s a productivity hub that keeps projects moving:

  • Work your way – Set folder structures, permissions, and rules to match your workflows.
  • Stay in control – Route revisions for approval to maintain accuracy and compliance.
  • Keep projects organized – Centralize emails, drawings, and RFIs by job for instant access.
  • Streamline field data – Use custom electronic forms to capture and process information fast.
  • Communicate in context – Email directly from the ERP using project-specific contacts.
  • Go paperless – Digitize records for secure, searchable access anytime.

The Digital Backbone of the Business

In a construction company, every department touches and creates data: project management, accounting, HR, procurement, compliance. A CMS that’s fully woven into the ERP serves every department and ensures information is accurate, secure, and accessible without breaking the flow of work.

It’s no exaggeration to say a robust CMS has become necessary for exceptional operations. It’s the digital backbone of a construction ERP, the piece that ensures your projects run smoothly, your teams stay connected, and your business remains competitive in a high-pressure industry.

For companies still juggling email attachments, spreadsheets, and paper binders, the leap to an ERP with a built-in CMS isn’t just an upgrade. It’s a transformation.

About the Author

Steven Gross, vice president of client solutions, Computer Guidance

Steven is responsible for leading initiatives designed to maximize the effectiveness and utilization of Computer Guidance software applications at customer environments. As the vice president of client solutions, Steven’s focus is on assisting Computer Guidance customers in realizing the highest levels of ROI from the Computer Guidance eCMS enterprise resource planning solution by delivering expert review and analysis of system usage, gap analysis, and best practices consulting.

Sun Builders Co. Implements eCMS + Procore Solution for Its Commercial and Industrial General Construction Operations

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Sun Builders Co. Implements eCMS + Procore Solution for Its Commercial and Industrial General Construction Operations

The eCMS + Procore Solution Delivers Improved Productivity, Smarter Decision-Making, and Better Project Forecasting for Sun Builders Co.

Scottsdale, Arizona—June 18, 2025 — Computer Guidance Corporation, the leading developer of cloud-based ERP solutions for the construction industry, today announced that Houston-based general contractor Sun Builders Co. has rolled out the eCMS and Procore integration for its commercial and industrial construction projects.

For over forty years, Sun Builders Co. has delivered preconstruction and general construction services—both rebuild and new build—across Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas. The company’s work spans tilt-wall retail, banks, warehouses, offices, interior fit-outs, medical spaces, and site development.

The challenge? A disconnect between field teams and back-office operations. Project managers needed real-time access to financials, job costs, and labor data without waiting for updates from accounting or payroll. To bridge that gap, Sun Builders sought to integrate their eCMS Cloud ERP and Procore Project Management systems. With help from Computer Guidance Corporation’s trusted implementation partner, INRS, the team deployed a seamless, bidirectional integration between the two platforms.

“The integration has been a game-changer for us. Our field teams are saving hours each week by eliminating duplicate data entry, and everyone from project managers to accounting has access to the same real-time information. It’s made a huge difference in how we manage jobs, track costs, and make decisions,” said Courtney Miller, Assistant Controller at Sun Builders Co.

“Sun Builders came to us with a clear vision: they wanted to break down the silos between field and finance. With the eCMS-Procore integration, we’ve given their teams a unified source of truth that makes collaboration easier and operations more efficient,” said Michael Carpenter, CEO of INRS Enterprises.

“It’s always rewarding to see customers like Sun Builders maximize the value of both eCMS and Procore through integration. Their team was all-in from day one, and the result is a more connected, data-driven way of managing their construction projects,” said Jennifer Spragg, Customer Success Manager at Computer Guidance Corporation.

About Computer Guidance Corporation
Computer Guidance Corporation has been the trusted provider of construction ERP solutions for over 35 years. Its eCMS platform delivers scalable, cloud-based technology to commercial contractors, empowering teams with real-time access to financials, project data, and business intelligence.

About Sun Builders Co.
Sun Builders Co. is a family-owned commercial general contractor that has successfully been in business since 1979. We are a bondable, fully insured prime contractor and are also a certified WBE (Women Business Enterprise) and HUB (Historically underutilized Business). Sun Builders specializes in tilt wall retail, banks, warehouse, office, interior fit outs, medical, and site development. Sun Builders negotiates over 65% of our contracts including many repeat clients who are pleased with our program. We operate and hold licenses in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas. Our goal is to keep an excellent reputation with owners and sub-contractors wherever we work.

About INRS
INRS Enterprises has been delivering simplicity to the construction industry since 2009. As the premier software developer for the commercial construction industry, we provide a suite of digital tools to help build the world. A dedicated team of information technology and industry experts have a mission to deliver innovative, easy to use, and agile applications. By exceeding expectations, INRS Enterprises is the go-to choice of construction professionals.

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