DynamicsSmartz and Microsoft Makes Electrical Contractors’ Life Easier

The challenges of 2025 may feel overwhelming, but they are not new for electrical contractors. From persistent skilled labor shortages to the complexities of project management, the pressure continues to mount. Managing budgets, schedules, inventory, and safety regulations remains an ongoing struggle. While these challenges are familiar, the right digital solutions and innovations can supercharge your operations and leave the competition in dust. But let’s dive deeper into the challenges first.

The Labor Shortage Crisis: A Growing Challenge

The shortage of skilled electricians is proving to be a significant challenge. According to the AGC’s 2024 Workforce Survey of 1500 construction firms, the situation is grim:

• 94% of construction firms are struggling to fill open positions, especially those crucial on-site craft roles. Even salaried positions are tough to fill, with 92% of firms facing challenges there.
• 79% of electrical contractors say the labor shortage will severely impact productivity in the next few months.
• 51% report delays in projects due to lack of workers.

The impact is clear: projects are delayed, productivity is reduced, and managing budgets has become increasingly challenging. Construction365 by DynamicsSmartz, built on the Microsoft Ecosystem will help you address these issues while streamlining your operations.

1. Workforce Management: Making Labor Shortages Less Painful

Labor troubles can be a significant challenge, but Construction365, powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, offers effective solutions to help ease the burden. Here’s how:

• Forecasting Labor Needs: With a limited pool of skilled electricians, managing workforce gaps is critical. The dynamics 365 lets you track workforce data in real-time, helping you forecast labor needs and optimize your team’s scheduling. You’ll always find what talent you need at the right time.

• Time Tracking and Efficiency: Accurate time tracking to manage budgets while complying with labor laws can be a complex task. Construction365 streamlines the process of tracking labor on project tasks, ensuring accurate budgeting in real time.
• Automating Back-office Support: While the focus is often on field work, critical activities such as payroll, contract management, billing, and ensuring you’re getting paid are just as essential for overall success. However, repetitive and time-consuming tasks bog the team down, hindering their ability to focus on strategic initiatives. Construction365 automates these processes, even integrating with banks to allowing your back-office staff to focus on more strategic initiatives.

2. Payroll Management: Union Labor & Prevailing Wage Made Easy

Managing payroll for unionized workers can often feel like a complex, full-time job, especially with varying pay rates, job classifications, and geographic considerations. Fortunately, Construction365 simplifies this process too:

1. Managing and Budgeting for Skill Classes: The system allows you to set up skill classes with burden costs and billing rates that you assign to project tasks to record time against. Because the system integrates with Payroll, actual costs are reconciled against the project budget, allowing you to produce Certified Payroll project reports where needed.
2. Tracking Fringe Benefits & Union Dues: Construction365 also tracks health benefits, pensions, and even union dues, making sure everything stays compliant and in order, without manual intervention.

3. Regulatory Compliance and Safety: Keeping You Safe and Sound

Electrical work is inherently challenging and hazardous. Balancing safety regulations with day-to-day operations can be a demanding task, but there are tools available to help you stay on track:

• Compliance with Safety Standards: Leverage Construction365 for jobsite safety inspections and checklists, incorporating OSHA, NEC, and other industry requirements. Use the system to flag compliance issues and corrective actions before they become a bigger problem.
• Safety Monitoring: Copilot with Microsoft Teams uses AI image recognition to help spot safety issues. This powerful tool helps even the most experienced individual spot problems they may have overlooked and then document the correction.

Other Microsoft Tools That Can Boost Your Business

The DynamicsSmartz Microsoft ecosystem doesn’t stop at Construction365. Here are some other solutions to help you optimize operations:

• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service: Efficiently manage service requests and field operations with this tool, which enables real-time scheduling and dispatching of technicians. Technicians consume inventory, create purchase requests, and complete work orders which are then billed to customers.
• Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI): Power Platforms for electrical contractors allows you to create purpose-build mobile applications tailored to your business needs, while Power Automate automates tasks and workflows between departments and applications to improve efficiency. Power BI provides insightful, real-time management reporting, helping understand your business’ performance.

The Future of Electrical Contracting: Powered by DynamicsSmartz and the Microsoft Ecosystem

The electrical contracting industry is facing a range of challenges, from labor shortages to increasing pressure on productivity and compliance. However, solutions like Construction365, dynamics 365 for electrical contractor coupled with AI-powered Microsoft products, provide valuable capabilities to manage the workforce, stay in compliance with industry regulations, and streamline back-office operations.

Embracing these tools today will position your business for greater success and help you tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Click here to request a demo.