DPC - Welcome to Digital Production Control Online Help

What is Digital Production Control?

Digital Production Control gives an estimator/project manager total job visibility to recognize labor production problems instantly. By integrating the takeoff and estimating processes, this powerful program digitally tracks labor production and payroll directly from the field to the project manager's work station in the office. Color coded plans display work in progress and indicate exactly where labor-cost overruns are occurring. Now the foreman can know immediately what production was expected to be achieved on each cost code and phase of the job. This dynamic tool lets a user know if the project is winning or losing the budget war. If the last 5% of the job is draining 50% of profits, Digital Production Control is the answer!

This is only the beginning! With with Digital Production Control, you can:

• Instant color-coded visual feedback for job site and office management showing if the project is on, close or over projected cost budget
• Sends and receives project information via the internet via wireless technology
• Calculates the percent complete of a project based on the actual time card information
• Capture valuable labor information for each specific activity to manage labor and maximize profit
• Imports/Exports accounting information
• Track and report real costs in real-time
• Improve future Bidding methods

Why use Digital Production Control?

Digital Production Control allows a project manager to perform job costing with greater accuracy than ever before. In addition, the project manager has real-time information at his or her fingertips. This allows the project manager to recognize problems that may slow progress and cut into profit margin. In a nutshell Digital Production Control saves a company time and money by providing the project manager with the right information at the right time.

To use Digital Production Control, the On-Screen Takeoff Bid must be set up using Price Using Quick Bid - Interactive. Digital Production Control tracks labor activity by using the Labor Cost Codes included in Conditions when priced in Quick Bid. The Labor Quantities and Hours Shown in each Conditions' Labor tab are calculated based on the Labor Activity as set in the Condition Detail item in Quick Bid. Every contractor uses a list of payroll labor cost codes. These codes (LCCs) will determine how accurately labor is tracked on the job site. Well-defined labor codes allow more accurate tracking of job site progress against the budget. Contact your Account Manager or visit On Center Software's Web site for more information about Digital Production Control or a demonstration of this advanced labor tracking software.

This User Guide is available by clicking Training > User Guide when DPC Mode is enabled. This User Guide provides the end user with a detailed reference for Digital Production Control (DPC). Every effort has been made to include as much detail as possible. These tools are intended to complement not replace the Training provided by On Center Software. Although it is not necessary to read this entire User Manual (although the author sure wishes you would) - it is recommended that you review all sections to become more familiar with the program. Please pay particular attention to the sections on Sending and Receiving Project Information, Percenting, and Timekeeping.  This User Guide does not explain On-Screen Takeoff® or Quick Bid® functionality. If you have questions regarding those applications, please review the appropriate User Guide by clicking Training > Online User Guide from the application.

Digital Production Control (DPC) uses the On-Screen Takeoff application interface to provide most functionality. Installing Digital Production Control simply involves installing On-Screen Takeoff and then the appropriate DPC license.

View the Release Notes for Digital Production Control (On-Screen Takeoff).

To make full use of this program’s capabilities and find answers to basic questions, please:

• Read this User’s Guide
• To familiarize yourself with the basic features of DPC, spend some time going through each section of this User Guide. You can get to this User Guide anytime by clicking Training > User Guide in the product.
• Use the Quick Start Guides
• The Quick Start Guides are designed to get a Project Manager and Foremen up and running with DPC quickly and efficiently. See DPC - QSG - Overview for details.
• Review the Online Training Videos
• On Center provides access to online training videos for DPC. These videos are a quick resource for application questions. (You can also just click Training > Training Videos to access our Web site.)
• Schedule Formal Training
• For advanced information on particular features or elements of use, please contact On Center Software's Training Department to schedule one-on-one or group training. Our Training Department is staffed with industry professionals who know how to get the most out of Digital Production Control. There may be additional costs associated with Training.  

Typographic Conventions

• Terms of importance, titles to dialog boxes, button names, Tabs and Main Menu items are bolded for easy recognition when skimming through pages.
• When instructed to select different Menu choices in the application, each selection (click) is separated by the greater than (>) symbol and Italicized - for example, if instructed to select the Open command in the File menu, it appears as File > Open.
• Many topics contain links or references to other sections or topics and hyperlinks to FAQs or web links. Anything that is blue underlined text is a link to additional information. Click on a link to access additional information - links in the body of an article open in a New Window - be sure to disable any pop-up blockers if the User Guide is not working correctly.
• Words or phrases referencing a common principle or concept are Italicized for emphasis.
• When you are instructed to press a key on your keyboard, the name of the key will be bracketed, like this:  <Shift> (means to press the Shift key on your keyboard) or <Enter> (means to press the Enter key on your keyboard)

Related Articles

In many articles, there may be links to other, relevant articles or even external Websites. These links typically open in a new window - be sure your Internet browser allows Pop-Ups from any site within oncenter.com.

Previous and Next Article Links

At the bottom of each User Guide article are links to the next logical article - this allows you to 'page' through the user guide, moving from one article to the next. To return to the previous article, just click the Back button in your browser, or click one of the 'breadcrumbs' at the top of the page. These links open in the current window.

Before You Dive In - The Basics