Hi everyone! I’m considering switching from Notion to Airtable for our construction project management needs. We’ve been using Notion for ages, but it’s lacking some key features we need now.
Our setup:
- 10 team members
- About 30 ongoing projects
- Two main databases: projects and tasks
- Tasks linked to projects
- Team adds their own tasks
What we’re after:
- Printable Gantt charts
- Easy task addition
- Template tasks for project starts
- Flexible task management as projects evolve
Anyone made a similar switch? How’s Airtable working for you in construction? Any tips or gotchas to watch out for? Thanks for any insights!
hey dancingbird, i moved to airtable last yr too and its change has been real. the task addin is seamless and gantt charts are solid. it was a hassle at first but soon it fell in line. ya, definitely worth thinking about.
I’ve been in your shoes, DancingBird. Made the switch from Notion to Airtable for our residential construction firm about a year ago. Honestly, it’s been a game-changer for us.
The Gantt charts in Airtable are fantastic - we use them for client presentations and internal planning. They’re easy to customize and print, which our project managers love.
One thing to watch out for: the permissions system can be a bit tricky at first. We had to spend some time setting up views and permissions for different team roles to ensure everyone had access to what they needed without overwhelming them.
The template feature for tasks is a lifesaver, especially for repetitive project phases. We’ve set up templates for foundation work, framing, electrical, etc., which has streamlined our project kickoffs significantly.
Overall, Airtable’s flexibility has allowed us to adapt our system as we’ve grown. It took some effort to set up initially, but the payoff in efficiency has been worth it. Good luck with your transition!
I’ve been using Airtable for construction management for about 18 months now, and it’s been a significant improvement over our previous system. The Gantt chart functionality is particularly useful for visualizing project timelines and dependencies. One aspect to be aware of is the learning curve for team members who aren’t tech-savvy. We found that creating detailed documentation and offering training sessions helped smooth the transition. Also, take time to set up your base structure carefully at the start - it’ll save you headaches later. The template feature for recurring tasks has been a real time-saver for us. Overall, Airtable’s flexibility has allowed us to adapt our processes as our needs evolved, which was crucial for our growing operation.
I used Airtable in the past and it worked great. We switched to SmartSuite as we scaled because SS allows you to link data between different solutions (“bases” in Airtable). We’re a production home builder building 200 homes a year- SF and MF. We use it for everything from HR to Warranty and sales, customer selections, design, purchasing… vendor portals, homeowner portals… I’d be happy to show you how we’re using it if you like. You can do a similar set up with Airtable.