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Tools to draw, model, bill, manage
by Deborah Snoonian, P.E.

archInvoice
Weske-Wilson Software
510/440-9400
www.archinvoice.com

ArchInvoice helps design firms bill their clients.

ArchInvoice is a tool for creating invoices and managing projects for firms that bill clients on an hourly basis by project phase. Information such as client name, billing address, and total project value is entered, and phase codes are assigned to each activity performed on a project (e.g., design development, construction documentation). Employees enter hours worked on each phase into a preformatted Microsoft Excel template; e–time sheets are then converted to invoices for a predetermined billing period.

io Personal Digital Pen
Logitech
800/231-7717 or 510/795-8500
www.logitech.com

Logitech’s io Digital Pen.

This infrared-equipped ballpoint pen saves what you scribble. Write on a specially printed digital notebook or Post-It note, place your pen in the USB-equipped cradle (like synchronizing a handheld organizer), and your pen strokes are transferred to your computer. The software included works with Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook, so you can share your ideas with others easily. Handwritten documents are saved as PEN files, which can be exported to formats such as JPEG, Microsoft Word, and others.

Revit 5.0
Autodesk
800/538-6401 or 415/507-4600
www.autodesk.com

The new version of Autodesk’s Revit allows 3D animations.

Revit 5.0 is the first major new upgrade of the 3D building-modeling program since it was acquired by Autodesk earlier this year. The company now calls it their “strategic authoring application for the building industry.” Improvements in this version include the ability to link multiple building models for campus-style projects; faster opening and saving of files; accurate modeling of detailed assemblies and walls with properties that vary vertically; better automation of construction documentation, such as plans and elevations; easier methods to print entire drawing sets; and ability to create walk-through animations of projects.

Vision
Deltek Systems
800/456-2009 or 703/734-8606
www.deltek.com

The desktop for Deltek’s Vision.

Building on Deltek’s extensive experience in creating tools for management and accounting, Vision is an integrated solution for managing the entire life cycle of AEC projects, with modules for client relationship management, proposal tracking, resource and project scheduling and planning, time and expense management, accounting, and billing. The Vision “dashboard” is the application’s portal that displays essential project data and management tools, with links to project team members, schedules, and other critical information. The modules can be purchased and used separately, or deployed together for a one-stop solution. A computer needs only a Web browser to use Vision—no additional software installation is necessary.

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