Aconex Launches Dynamic Manuals for Mobile Handover

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA--(Marketwired - Oct 29, 2014) - Aconex, provider of a leading cloud collaboration platform for the global construction industry, today launched Dynamic Manuals, a mobile solution for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of built assets. Using Windows tablets, owners and their facility management teams can dynamically manage digital O&M manuals in the secure cloud (see customer testimonials attached). 

As the newest member of the Aconex Handover suite, Dynamic Manuals is a logical extension of Smart Manuals, an online solution for contractors to efficiently build high-quality, digital O&M manuals during the project for timely delivery to the owner at practical completion. Based on Windows 8.1, Dynamic Manuals expands Aconex support to the most costly phase of the asset lifecycle. ¹

"Aconex has helped deliver more than A$800 billion of successful construction and engineering projects," said Kerri Lee Sinclair, vice president of new business. "We've seen first-hand how owners and facility managers struggle without handover information that is complete and accurate, easy to search and integrate with other data, and useful from day one of asset operation. They need to get their facility up and running as quickly as possible. They're frequently moving around a site rather than sitting in an office full of reference materials.

"Owners and facility managers need the right data and documents wherever they are in order to make the right decisions with the right information in a timely manner. With Dynamic Manuals, this information can be updated in real time and managed securely in the cloud. Facility managers can keep up with an ever-changing asset as changes occur, which is critical to the owner's efficient, cost-effective operation of the asset over its useful life."

Giving Owners Complete Control of their Asset Information Historically, O&M manuals have consisted of physical documents and drawings stored in three-ring binders. More recently, this information has been digitized and stored on compact discs (CDs) or similar media. Searching for, updating and managing asset information for day-to-day operations can take hours for owners and their teams. In the event of a natural disaster or other unforeseen circumstances, this irreplaceable information can be lost forever.

Aconex Handover solutions overcome these challenges for both contractors and owners. For contractors, Smart Manuals simplifies the handover process and improves the quality and usability of the O&M manuals delivered to the owner. For owners, Dynamic Manuals makes the O&M information easy to access, share, search, update, and manage on mobile devices. The asset data is stored on the cloud-based Aconex platform, safe from the effects of catastrophic loss.

In addition to Smart Manuals and Dynamic Manuals, Aconex Handover solutions include Digital Manuals for delivery of digital O&M information on storage media and O&M manuals linked to multidimensional building information models (BIM).

Intuitive and Easy to Use, with Barcode Information Access Dynamic Manuals provides users with an intuitive graphical experience and the ability to view and update documents and technical files in the field. They can barcode or QR-code each physical asset in a facility and then scan the code from a Windows tablet to access all information on that asset. They can also share asset information with subcontractors and other outside resources from the tablet desktop or via email. All document updates and communications are captured in a permanent audit trail.

For more information on Aconex Handover, including Smart Manuals and Dynamic Manuals, see http://www.aconex.com/operation-and-maintenance-manual . For a video on the successful deployment of Dynamic Manuals at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, one of the world's leading clinical hospitals, see http://info.aconex.com/video-case-study-RMH-Jamie-2.html .

Also Launched Today - Connected BIM In a related announcement today, the company launched Aconex Connected BIM, which enables owners and their entire project teams to engage directly in design and construction processes throughout the lifecycle of BIM projects. This facilitates the handover of complete, dynamic O&M data. In addition to improving project team collaboration around BIM data and processes, Connected BIM provides early visibility of handover and O&M requirements.

These new products reflect the Aconex strategy of transforming project delivery and handover through the integration of four core technologies: cloud, deep collaboration, mobility, and BIM.

Aconex Handover and Dynamic Manuals Customer Testimonials

"Aconex Handover streamlined our ability to consolidate years' worth of designs, documents and decisions from the construction phase of our hospital into an easy-to-navigate, digital manual that we can leverage in operation and maintenance for years to come."

"With Dynamic Manuals, we're able to locate facility information 80% faster."

"Say goodbye to bulk paper binders and computer discs. Dynamic Manuals gives us simple, immediate access to digital information on our PCs and Windows tablets."

"We love the mobility and productivity that we've gained on site using Dynamic Manuals' barcoding capabilities on the Windows mobile device."

"Aconex Handover is a game changer in asset handover."

James Robinson Operations Manager The Royal Melbourne Hospital

"After a thorough four-month evaluation, only Aconex Handover met the detailed BIM and FM handover requirements of our client."

Derek Hoffine Project Manager Construction Group Hensel Phelps

About Aconex Aconex Limited provides a leading cloud collaboration platform for the global construction industry. This platform gives owners and contractors in the construction, infrastructure, and energy and resources sectors project-wide visibility and control between the many different organizations collaborating across their projects. With more than 50,000 user organizations and over A$800 billion of project value delivered in more than 70 countries, Aconex is the industry's most widely adopted and trusted platform. Founded in 2000, Aconex has 41 offices in 22 countries around the world, including headquarters in Melbourne, Australia and San Francisco, California.

Supporting Resources For more information on Aconex, please visit:

• Website: http://www.aconex.com
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/aconex
• LinkedIn: http//:www.linkedin.com/company/aconex
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Aconex  

¹ According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 60-70% of an asset's total lifecycle cost is incurred during the operation phase. The International Facility Management Associate estimates this figure to be 75%.