Global Engineering And Construction Firm Improves Project Profitability With Deltek Enterprise Software

SOURCE: Deltek Systems, Inc.

MCLEAN, VA --(INTERNET WIRE)--Jan 14, 2002 -- Deltek Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTK - news). Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd has increased profitability on its multi-million dollar engineering and construction projects after going live on a comprehensive enterprise software system from Deltek. Founded in 1983, Deltek has extensive experience and expertise in providing business software, solutions and consulting for more than 8,000 project-based companies worldwide.

Cleveland Bridge improved profitability by using the system to secure greater effective financial control of project costs and to reach key business decisions in a more efficient and timely manner. Greater financial control, easy access to real time information and timely decision making are especially critical to a global organization like Cleveland Bridge, whose projects have annual budgets of $150 million or more, and in which a fiercely competitive business environment is continuing to narrow profit margins.

Gary Slater, Systems Manager for Cleveland Bridge, emphasizes that, "The real payoff from using Deltek is that we're doing everything smarter, faster and more cost-effectively than ever before, in part because we've gained fast access to accurate and timely information on all of the company's project management, financial and budgeting activities. Deltek's solution is driving maximum profitability by giving management much more effective control over the true ‘cost of completion' for our projects," Slater continues. "It also gives us the confidence that key business decisions are based on the right data, and that we can identify potential problems long before they might arise."

In April of 2001, Cleveland Bridge deployed Deltek's fully integrated enterprise software system, which is designed specifically for project-based organizations. It automates and centralizes information for core back office business functions, including project and financial accounting and materials management. The software provides a broad selection of features as well, including tools for gathering business intelligence and handling multicurrency transactions. Deltek also provided an advanced timekeeping system that automatically processes and tracks labor, payroll and billing activities by project and other categories, along with powerful tools for automating the budgeting, forecasting and planning process at the corporate level.

After Cleveland Bridge conducted an exhaustive review of 20 leading software vendors in May of 2000, Deltek emerged as the clear winner. As Slater explains, "We felt that Deltek clearly stood out because of its extensive industry expertise, and our management team was really impressed by the solution's advanced project and financial management tools and time collection features. It's apparent that Deltek software is designed with projects and project businesses in mind -- not just as an afterthought, which was one of the weaknesses of several of its competitors."

Although Cleveland Bridge requested a timesheet product on their initial wish list, management didn't think there was a vendor who could actually deliver. Because Deltek's solution already included an integrated employee time collection system, however, the company avoided a major investment in a third party package that would have required costly and time-consuming customization and integration.

The Deltek employee time collection system is making a greater contribution to the bottom line than originally anticipated. "We're now able to track overhead labour and time against specific projects," says Slater. "Before Deltek, only people who worked on projects completed a timesheet, today everybody does. In addition to increasing accuracy of labour hours charged, the system is speeding up our billings by decreasing the time it takes to process timesheets."

From a business intelligence standpoint, Slater explains that in the past, all project reporting was hidden away on spreadsheets. "Cleveland Bridge's management now has sophisticated real-time reporting tools at their fingertips. The production of key reports and financial statements directly from a single, integrated system is fast and efficient," Slater observes, "making it easier for staff to continuously monitor project-related costs and to prevent unexpected or hidden costs from appearing at project completion."

Cleveland Bridge has also been very pleased with the high quality and professional nature of Deltek's client services and technical support. "Deltek's technical support is outstanding, and the help desk service and the response you get is the best I've come across in my career," Slater concludes. "I would strongly recommend Deltek and its software to any project-based organization like ours."

Fast Facts on The Cleveland Bridge Deltek Enterprise System

- Deltek Costpoint® - Enterprise level back office automation for professional services and project-based organizations with complex information requirements. Deltek Costpoint Facts At A Glance: www.deltek.com/news/newscostpoint.asp.

- Deltek Time Collection - Advanced electronic time collection and reporting for professional services and project based organizations. Deltek Time Collection Facts At A Glance: www.deltek.com/news/newstime.asp.

- Deltek Corporate Planner - Dynamic multidimensional macro-level resource planning, budgeting and forecasting in professional services and project-based organizations. Deltek Corporate Planner Facts At A Glance: http://www.deltek.com/news/newscorp.asp.

Additional Resources & Information

- Deltek Client Case Study on Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd: World Leader in Bridge Construction and Heavy Steel Fabrication Automating Back Office and Time Collection Activities With Integrated Enterprise System From Deltek, http://www.deltek.com/industry/success/cb.asp.

- More detailed information on Deltek solutions is available through the Deltek Online Press Kit, at www.deltek.com/news/presskit.asp.

About Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd

Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd is part of The Cleveland Group, which has 2,000 employees worldwide with 800 in the UK. The company operates worldwide with offices in Dubai, Malaysia and San Francisco to name a few. Major projects include some of the world's greatest structures ever built in the last 125 years, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, the Tsing Ma Suspension Bridge in Hong Kong and the Canary Wharf Office Tower in the UK. More information on the company is available at www.clevelandbridge.com.

About Deltek Systems, Inc.

Deltek Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTK - news) is a leading provider of business software, solutions and consulting to more than 8,000 professional services firms and project-based companies worldwide. Deltek's solutions encompass client relationship management and proposal automation; employee time and expense; project and resource planning, budgeting and control; accounting and billing; procurement and materials management; human resources management; and e-Business. Integrated services include premium-level customer support and software maintenance, implementation and practice management consulting, and classroom training. For more information, visit Deltek at www.deltek.com, or call 800/456-2009 in the U.S., or +44 (0) 20 7518 5010 in the U.K.

©2002 Deltek Systems, Inc. All referenced trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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