Sub Specialty Contractor

  • 1.  ERP

    Posted 05-29-2025 07:56
    Hello All!

    If I learned one thing at the conference this year it was that our current ERP system, which we LOVE, (ComputerEase), is holding us back from taking advantage of advances in technology and third-party integrations. I would love to hear what you use and what you think about it.  We are a Mechanical Contractor working in 3 states with a service company and real estate holdings. We have 380 employees, run payroll in-house, are union and have 135m in combined revenue. We are also cloud based. 

    I appreciate any feedback that you have to offer!

    Have a great day!

    Alexander Spiezio, CCIFP

    Chief Financial Officer / Treasurer

    Mid-Atlantic Mechanical

    1500 RIke Drive; P.O. Box 249

    Millstone Township, NJ 08535

    P: 732-521-2150 - F: 732-521-5641 - C: 732-896-0024

     

     

     

     



  • 2.  RE: ERP

    Posted 05-30-2025 10:37

    Hi Alexander,

    I really appreciate your openness about what you learned at the conference-I had a similar realization, but from a different angle.

    We're evaluating a move from Vista on-prem to Vista Cloud (due to the 2026 support sunset), and it's become clear to us that not all "cloud-based" ERPs are equal when it comes to true SaaS architecture and the ability to leverage AI, automation, and modern integrations.

    Specifically, I've learned that many systems-including those hosted by Trimble-are cloud-hosted legacy platforms, not SaaS-native. That means:

    • You're in the cloud, but still on a private virtual machine
    • Integrations, real-time data access, and automation require custom work
    • AI tools (like Copilot or Fabric) don't natively connect-so your "modernization" rests entirely on your own shoulders

    If you're thinking about replacing ComputerEase, I'd really encourage you to look at not just feature sets, but the underlying architecture. Ask:

    • Is this system multi-tenant?
    • Does it support modern APIs?
    • Can it integrate natively with Microsoft 365, Power BI, or Copilot?

    You might love the UI or workflows of a given ERP, but if it can't scale with your vision, it's worth knowing that before you commit.

    Happy to connect more if it's helpful-we're a specialty mechanical firm as well and are working through many of the same questions.

     

     

     

    Tyler Fenton | Controller

    3435 W Harry | Wichita, KS 67213

    O 316-945-0797

     

     






  • 3.  RE: ERP

    Posted 06-10-2025 08:54

    Thanks Tyler!

    We LOVE ComputerEase and are hoping that we can find third party vendors that will help us take advantage of some of the new technology out there but going is slow. If we make a move it will be with a company that has more "seamless" integrations.

    I appreciate the feedback!



    ------------------------------
    Alexander Spiezio CCIFP
    Mid-Atlantic Mechanical
    Perrineville NJ
    (732) 521-2150
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: ERP

    Posted 06-10-2025 09:07

    We purchased a company who was running ComputerEase and it definitely has it's perks!  But, we ultimately migrated that company to SAP S/4Hana, which the rest of the business is running.  It's a big lift and there are other technologies that are more construction-centric, but we also run our payroll in house and have found that for the volume of local agreements we're party to (several hundred,) SAP was the best fit and it is super flexible/customizable for our business.  Based on my evaluation of the different options, Coins looks really good if you have a substantial service business and Vista seems great for construction.  I think it's really smart to lean into new tech and third party integrations- they're coming fast, are becoming more affordable, and seem to be getting more "plug and play" if you've got an ERP to support it. Good luck!



    ------------------------------
    Jeni Berreth
    Vice President Finance & Accounting
    Enerfab, LLC
    Cincinnati OH
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: ERP

    Posted 06-10-2025 10:54
    Thanks!

    Alexander Spiezio, CCIFP

    Chief Financial Officer / Treasurer

    Mid-Atlantic Mechanical

    1500 RIke Drive; P.O. Box 249

    Millstone Township, NJ 08535

    P: 732-521-2150 - F: 732-521-5641 - C: 732-896-0024

     

     

     

     




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: ERP

    Posted 07-17-2025 21:08
    Hey @Alexander Spiezio - we've heard this a lot from mechanical contractors we work with (similar headcount & union payroll complexity). Over the past few months Deltek has quietly worked to open-up its platform to project management software like Procore, Autodesk, and ServiceTitan. We stay in close contact with their product team and I'd be happy to introduce you to them. I'm sure they'd be happy to discuss:
    • Their 6- to 12-month roadmap for ComputerEase connectivity
    • Which integration use-cases they're prioritizing
    If that sounds helpful, let me know and I'll make the connection!
    Tom


    ------------------------------
    Tom Reno
    Co-founder, CEO
    Agave: www.agaveapi.com
    San Francisco CA
    (805) 394-3112
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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