How Granite Construction Keeps Teams Connected in Ever-Changing Conditions
Key takeaways
- Granite Construction replaced manual email logging and shared spreadsheets with Autodesk Build Correspondence.
- Field and office teams can manage official notices, attachments, replies, and project records in one searchable place.
- iPad access and invite-based sharing help remote jobsites keep communications moving without personal inboxes.
- Granite Construction has implemented the tool on over 400 projects, improving accountability, compliance, and risk control.
How did Granite Construction keep teams connected in ever-changing conditions?
Granite Construction kept teams connected by moving project correspondence into Autodesk Build’s Correspondence tool, giving heavy civil teams a central place to manage official communications on remote, fast-changing jobs. Granite Construction uses the workflow on projects such as the Pretty Rocks Landslide project in Alaska and the Interstate 10 reconstruction project in Arizona, where timelines shift, conditions change, and communication has to stay current.
Heather Almendares, Project Controls Specialist III at Granite Construction, said, “[On any project], it’s essential for us to make sure that policies and procedures are followed.” She added that if there is an injury or incident, the team needs to find the communication about the hazard or location and make sure everyone is taken care of.
What problem was Granite Construction trying to solve with project correspondence?
Granite Construction was trying to replace manual email logging, shared spreadsheets, and disconnected file storage with a process that reduced human error and made correspondence easy to search later. Before Autodesk Build, the Granite Construction team received an email, downloaded it, uploaded the file to Autodesk Files, and then logged the email in a shared spreadsheet.
That workflow created data silos and limited real-time updates, which made it hard for Granite Construction teams to follow up on important conversations. Heather Almendares described the process as “like herding cats with water,” and Granite Construction needed a better way to create a central source of truth for project communication.
How did Autodesk Build change Granite Construction’s correspondence workflow?
Autodesk Build changed the workflow by letting Granite Construction teams create correspondences, reply to them, add attachments, and receive notifications in one system. Granite Construction was selected as one of 15 customers for a private beta of the Correspondence tool in July 2022 and participated in kick-off and demo sessions before rolling it out more broadly.
Heather Almendares said she suggested creating a distribution group based on Granite Construction’s address book so teams could use the project email address on laptops and mobile devices. After initial pilot use, Granite Construction saw the Correspondence tool as a trustworthy repository for emails from clients, subcontractors, vendors, and suppliers.
Teams can also add attachments from the Files module in Autodesk Build, save attachments to Files, and add references to RFIs, issues, submittals, and more. Subcontractors and owners who do not have a Build license can access the Correspondence tool after Granite Construction invites them.
How does a centralized correspondence log help a document control team?
A centralized correspondence log helps a document control team keep the project record complete, searchable, and accountable. Using Autodesk Build, Granite Construction can store official notifications securely in Autodesk project files, avoid burying records in personal email archives, and reduce multiple versions of the same document across the platform.
Heather Almendares said, “It’s been very helpful to send official notifications to the client, knowing they’re securely stored in Autodesk project files for easy reference.” She also said that documenting directly from the Correspondence tool makes Granite Construction’s workflow seamless in Autodesk. Heather described document control as essential because consistency improves efficiency, boosts performance, ensures compliance, and reduces risk.
What benefits did Granite Construction see on remote projects?
Granite Construction saw faster communication, easier search, and better field access on remote projects. Teams can manage correspondence in Autodesk Build instead of several hundred inboxes, search and filter by subject line, define correspondence types, and respond from iPads in the field.
Brittany Barnes, Contracts Specialist III at Granite Construction, said, “The Correspondence feature in Autodesk is extremely helpful for storing project correspondence that needs to be part of the project record, and you don’t want it to be buried in someone’s personal email archive.” Granite Construction has implemented the Correspondence tool on over 400 other projects to date, and Heather Almendares expects additional features to strengthen the team’s transparency and reduce the risk of data loss.
Frequently asked questions
How can a heavy civil construction team keep RFIs, submittals, and official notices organized when conditions are changing fast on site?
A centralized correspondence tool in Autodesk Build keeps official notices, replies, attachments, and project records in one searchable system instead of scattered inboxes and spreadsheets.
What’s a better way to manage project correspondence than logging everything in email and spreadsheets?
Granite Construction moved correspondence into Autodesk Build’s Correspondence tool, which replaced manual email logging, reduced human error, and made messages easier to find later.
How can Autodesk Build help create a single source of truth for construction communications across field and office teams?
Autodesk Build stores correspondence, attachments, and notifications in one project record, lets teams search by subject and correspondence type, and helps prevent multiple versions from spreading across the platform.
What’s the easiest way for field teams to access official communications without digging through scattered inboxes?
Field teams can access the Correspondence tool on iPads and respond on site, while invite-based access lets subcontractors and owners view correspondence without needing a Build license.
How do centralized correspondence logs help with compliance and audit readiness in construction?
They preserve official notifications and project communications in the project record, support accountability, and make it easier to report on communications and trace decisions later.
How can project controls teams reduce the risk of missing an important notice or response deadline?
They can centralize correspondence, use notifications and searchable subject lines, and avoid buried messages in personal email archives or disconnected spreadsheets.