Errigal achieves project excellence with Asta Vision and Asta Powerproject

Monaghan-based Errigal specialises in internal fit-out and facade contracting across a diverse range of sectors. Their project portfolio includes internal fit-out work for data halls, apartments, and commercial blocks, as well as facade installations for high-rise buildings, data centres, and pharmaceutical facilities. With a dedicated planning department at the core of their operations, Errigal relies on robust project management tools to maintain their competitive edge in securing and executing complex construction projects. Their planning team uses Asta software daily, with these tools forming the foundation of their project management approach from initial tender through to contract execution and ongoing instruction management.

According to Graham McCracken, Senior Planner at Errigal, they have been using Asta Powerproject for approximately 15 years. This extended partnership speaks to the enduring value that Asta’s solutions bring to Errigal’s operations, helping them navigate the complexities of modern construction project management with confidence.

Key benefits for Errigal:

• Maintained project continuity when adding Asta Vision to their product suite
• Coding programmes with Asta Powerproject to suit the needs of the project
• Power BI integration for smarter, more dynamic reporting
• Automated reporting eliminating the need for manual exports

The challenge – planning in subcontracting

Errigal’s diverse project portfolio presents the team with unique challenges that require sophisticated planning solutions. Without effective project management software, their planning capabilities would be “nonexistent,” Graham said. He went on to say, “the team find alternatives like Microsoft Project awkward and potentially overwhelming for their specific needs”, underscoring the importance of having the right tools for their specialised work.

When setting up projects, it’s particularly important to establish proper codes that ensure accurate information throughout the project lifecycle. This task becomes especially difficult when projects come at short notice, requiring the team to rapidly organise resources and create comprehensive plans under tight timeframes.

“In SharePoint you have to restore previous versions to check revisions, but in Vision you can baseline documents at the click of a button. It’s a strong feature.”

Graham McCracken, Senior Planner, Errigal

Solution: Asta Powerproject and Asta Vision

Errigal’s project planning ecosystem centers around two complementary Asta solutions: Powerproject and Vision. The company has relied on Powerproject for approximately 15 years, using it as their primary tool for creating tender programmes, contract programmes, and instruction target programmes. This long-standing relationship demonstrates the software’s ability to evolve alongside Errigal’s growing business needs while maintaining the familiarity that enables efficient daily operations.

In 2020-2021, Errigal enhanced their planning capabilities by implementing Asta Vision to support and level-up their existing Powerproject workflows. Vision serves as both a reporting platform and a sophisticated file management system, extending the value of Powerproject. This integrated approach allows the planning team to maintain continuity throughout the project lifecycle while gaining new capabilities for tracking, reporting, and collaboration.

The combination of these two solutions creates a seamless workflow where projects developed in Powerproject can be published to Vision, making them accessible for reporting purposes and maintaining a comprehensive audit trail of project history. This integration provides Errigal with both the detailed planning capabilities they need at the project level and the broader oversight required for effective portfolio management and executive reporting.

Once properly established, the integrated workflow between Powerproject and Vision creates significant efficiency gains throughout the project lifecycle. The ability to progress from tender to contract to instruction programmes within a consistent environment ensures continuity of information and approach, while Vision’s reporting capabilities provide transparency for stakeholders at all levels.

Workflow efficiency and file management

Powerproject serves as Errigal’s foundation for detailed project planning and ongoing project management, enabling the team to develop comprehensive programmes for various project stages. A particularly valuable aspect of Asta Powerproject is the ability to code programmes with mandates that support reporting and tracking needs. This coding structure creates the foundation for effective progress monitoring and comparison against baselines, enabling the team to evaluate performance and identify potential issues before they impact project timelines.

While Powerproject excels at detailed planning, Vision extends these capabilities with robust file management and reporting features. Graham specifically highlighted Vision’s file management capabilities: “In SharePoint you have to restore previous versions to check revisions, but in Vision you can baseline documents at the click of a button. It’s a strong feature.”

Having a standardised approach to planning (that can be monitored and therefore maintained consistently) supports faster turnaround as projects enter at tender phase, as well as providing more clarity and certainty over the accuracy of the proposal that goes back to Errigal’s client. Ultimately more accurate planning provides predictability for both the contractor and client.

Enhanced oversight and dashboard integration

Vision also serves as the connection point between Errigal’s planning data and their internal business intelligence dashboards. Through integration with Power BI, Vision enables automated dashboard updates, ensuring that executive stakeholders always have access to current information.

As projects advance, the planning team updates progress in Powerproject with a dropline (a visual cue to track progress against original schedules) , creating an accurate representation of actual progress. These updates are then checked back into Vision and published on the Vision platform, triggering an automatic update to Errigal’s internal dashboards through Power BI integration.

This automated approach eliminates the need for manual data export and imports, saving significant time and reducing errors. Director-level stakeholders can access current plan-versus-actual comparisons through the dashboards, gaining immediate visibility into project performance.

Support and community learning

Beyond the software itself, Errigal values the support provided by the Asta team. Graham said his experience with Asta’s support team is positive. “People get back to you as soon as they can, and are very, very knowledgeable,” he said. Errigal also actively participates in the Vision user groups that are conducted quarterly. These community learning opportunities provide valuable insights into product enhancements and updates while also offering perspectives on how other companies use the software. “We attended a user group in Dublin recently; it’s brilliant!” Graham said.

This combination of responsive support and community engagement helps Errigal continuously refine their implementation of Asta solutions.

“People get back to you as soon as they can, and are very, very knowledgeable. We attended a user group in Dublin recently, it was brilliant!”

The future outlook for Errigal

While Errigal currently focuses on Powerproject and Vision, they remain aware of other Asta products through their participation in user groups and direct communication with the Asta team. “We continue to use [Vision] and continue to improve that within our own company,” Graham said, demonstrating Errigal’s commitment to maximising the value of their Asta implementation.

The integration of Powerproject for detailed planning and Vision for file management and reporting has created a seamless workflow that supports Errigal from initial tender through project completion. Particularly valuable capabilities include Vision’s superior file management, one-click baselining, and automated dashboard integration, which together enable more efficient operations and better-informed decision-making.

For Errigal, Asta’s solutions have become the foundation of their planning approach, supporting their continued success in securing and executing complex construction projects. As they continue to refine their implementation and explore new capabilities, this partnership promises to deliver even greater value in the years ahead.