The Business

• UAE mid-tier contracting firm (interior fit-out and MEP)
• 25+ live projects at any time across UAE
• 180 direct employees + extensive subcontractor network
• Annual revenue: ~AED 90M

The Problem

Project profitability was a monthly conversation, not a daily one. By the time variance reports landed, projects were often weeks past the point where corrective action would have mattered. Subcontractor management was Excel-driven with no central visibility of commitments vs actuals. Materials ordered for one project were sometimes re-allocated mid-stream without proper cost transfer. Cash flow forecasting was reactive.

The Solution

Module Stack

• Project — every contract set up with WBS, milestone schedule, and budget
• Purchase — POs raised against specific projects with cost capture at receipt
• Inventory — multi-location for site stores; transfers tagged by project
• HR — labour time captured against project tasks
• Accounting — analytic accounting on every transaction for project P&L
• Custom subcontractor module — commitments, certifications, progress billing

Operational Cadence Shift

The project management office shifted from monthly cost reviews to weekly project P&L meetings. Site supervisors got mobile access to current vs budgeted spend on their projects. Procurement raised POs only against approved project budgets, with overage requiring documented variation approval.

Outcomes (Month 8)

Operational Wins

• Project managers now intervene on cost slippage within days, not after monthly close
• Subcontractor commitments visible centrally — no more surprise invoices
• Materials transferred between sites carry the cost transfer automatically
• Tender pricing now informed by actual historical project cost data, not estimates