2020 was a year full of further developments. The NOVA AVA updates from 2020 include numerous new functions and modules that make the software even more tailored to the requirements of modern construction projects. The focus was on mobility, security and the simplification of complex processes.
Mobile working has been particularly expanded. With the new NOVA measurement app for iOS and Android, services can now be recorded and documented directly on site. At the same time, the introduction of two-factor authentication ensures greater protection when logging in.
The topic of digitalization has also been taken a step further. Thanks to the direct integration of Adobe Sign and DocuSign, offers can now be signed digitally without media discontinuity. The new supplier portal simplifies collaboration with regularly participating suppliers and bundles all processes in one place.
There were also numerous innovations in the area of cost planning. Working with BIM models has been made even more efficient. Thanks to placeholders in BOQ texts, improved filter logic and extended export functions, construction costs can now be planned and communicated even more accurately.
Another highlight is the launch of the NOVA SmartPool. It provides access to a constantly growing database of real projects and supports users in calculating current market prices.
Whether in billing, tendering or cost controlling, 2020 has shown how NOVA AVA digitally supports the entire planning and construction process and consistently thinks ahead.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
January 2020: supplements, standards, new exports
Supplementary management extended
New lists for supplementary services
From now on, blank or cost calculation lists can also be issued for supplementary services that have not yet been commissioned (or rejected). The latter in particular is requested by clients in order to be able to see the costs of a supplementary package at a glance before approval.
January 5, 2020
ÖNORM – now BIM ready!
Precision landing at the IMH BIM conference in Vienna
With NOVA AVA, you can now carry out cost planning based on BIM models directly with the service descriptions in accordance with Önorm A2063. Use the standardized service items to determine quantities and costs and create fully automated cost calculations according to Önorm 1801-1 and Bill of Quantities!
Cost planning – Excel output with catalog assignments
New options for Excel export
In the cost planning table, catalog entries such as service area, construction stage, etc. can be assigned to the calculation rows. This information is now also optionally available for the Excel export of the cost planning table.
January 27, 2020
February 2020: Schedules now available as PDF and Excel
Update for online scheduling module
PDF & Excel output options for schedules!
Here are the two new features for scheduling:
- Save schedules as PDF file
- Save schedules as an Excel file
For the PDF output, you can scale the daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly view in stages. And the Excel files can be processed and evaluated flexibly.
February 18, 2020
March 2020: BIM cost elements and 3D filters now even more flexible
Edit BIM cost elements
New function when saving
Until now, it was a little time-consuming to change a cost element. With the new “Overwrite” function, it is now easier to update a cost element after editing. The cost component to be replaced can now be selected directly in the save dialog.
Filter for BIM 3D models
New features for the 3D filters
Label function for better organization:
Labels can now be assigned to the filters, making it easier and clearer to organize the filters. In the view, the filters are grouped to the respective labels and can be shown or hidden
Store multiple values as a list:
It is now possible to define so-called “value lists” for finding components in the value field, which simply separate values with semicolons: a;b finds results with a “or” b
Copy filter conditions:
This makes it much quicker to query the same or similar parameters
March 20, 2020
Updates April 2020: More overview, more mobility, more knowledge
Tables and columns
From the user wish list: Fixed columns for clear scrolling
In the relevant modules such as the price comparison list, measurement and cost analysis, the columns in the left-hand table section are now fixed. This makes it much easier to compare offers, check measurement sheets and track project costs.
April 1, 2020
by the way!
Many small improvements online!
Here is a motley list of the latest additions and extensions:
In the Performance / Measurement and Target/Actual Comparison modules, the lines for preliminary remarks, notes and sub-descriptions can now be activated or deactivated, as was previously the case in the Quotations / Awarding module.
for BIM 3D models and cost planning, images/avatars can now be uploaded for display in the overviews
Comments, images & attachments were previously stored in the Performance / Measurement module distributed across the respective data entry sheets; with the current changeover, the collection of comments and images for the measurements of an item is now in a central location
the default alignment can now also be set in the profile when selecting the font – and thus also the popular justification
The import date is now saved for each IFC model version (simply select the version in the properties of the BIM model)
For invoices, we have incorporated the “Invoice receipt date” as an additional field and made it available in the print lists
BIM BOQ containers can now also be exported with the order BOQ (X86) after awarding the contract
You can now also attach attachments directly in the messages to our support team
April 8, 2020
NOVA measurement app V1 is in the stores
Mobile measuring with the NOVA app for iOS and Android!
Video about the NOVA measurement app
The NOVA measurement app is the perfect addition to the web-based NOVA AVA construction invoicing. Using a QR code or a direct link in an email, you can import and edit NOVA AVA orders that have been approved for you. You can see the commissioned services in the item list with text and order quantity. You can check them off or enter a detailed calculation for the service report. You can add comments and photos to document the work carried out. The app also works offline – the recorded data is synchronized with the servers as soon as you are online again. This means your order is always up to date – including supplements and measurement approvals. Surveying couldn’t be quicker or easier!
April 15, 2020
Bidding video available!
Here is the video for your bidders!
You can find all the information on the simple operation and options of the offer cockpit here.
Video on the bid cockpit for bidders
Ideal to get a short and complete overview. Take a look and forward the video to your bidders.
Tip: link the video directly in your invitation email
Tip 2: our support will help you!
April 21, 2020
NOVA SmartPool goes live!
Collective knowledge from the NOVA Cloud
Video about the NOVA SmartPool
The new NOVA SmartPool provides you with countless item descriptions with market prices from the NOVA AVA community. And this will become increasingly powerful in the future, because the content grows with every order placed: quantity-weighted and regionally evaluated. And it is GDPR-compliant: no personal data is stored. The NOVA SmartPool is available from the starter package and is ready to use for cost planning and tenders!
April 30, 2020
June 2020: Safety certificate, smart cost planning and flexible billing
Cost planning with BIM
New functions for more convenience!
We have once again implemented an improvement in the cost planning module, namely this one:
The cost planning audit
This allows you to better recognize whether your cost planning is fully attributed, i.e. whether all components and associated services are also assigned to a DIN cost group or a service area according to STLB, for example. Or whether no quantity or price has been entered for services.
June 1, 2020
Cost planning – new features!
These are the new functions
1) Price adjustments via characteristic values
From now on, the values of a cost plan can be determined using a newly introduced “factor”. The factor is not just a pure number field, but can be used via one or more characteristic values (key data). With e.g. price indices, regional factors, etc., cost estimates and cost calculations are now even more accurate!
2) Cost planning gross – Bill of Quantities net
Previously, a Bill of Quantities could only be generated from the net mode of cost planning. Now the extended routine ensures that VAT and factor are automatically taken into account when determining the net EP of the BOQ items.
June 15, 2020
Value added tax – variable
VAT conversion: 19% -> 16% -> 19%
From 01.07.2020, the reduced VAT rate of 16% will apply until 31.12.2020. To ensure that everything remains correct when invoicing your construction projects, it is now sufficient to enter the applicable rate in the check invoices or credit notes. Or simply adjust the default setting in the settings!
June 19, 2020
NOVA AVA – certified secure!
Tested application safety
We regularly have NOVA AVA “hardened” by external specialists, i.e. the security of the system is checked. The tool-supported and manual tests of the NOVA AVA application and the REST-API interface are carried out in accordance with these standards:
“Penetration test implementation concept” of the Federal Office for Information Security
Testing Guide Version 4 of the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)
And this is the result:
“Overall, the application and the API in the specified version and configuration can be attested a very high level of security.” (=highest possible security level)
Click here for the certificate
And here to the Secuvera final report
Construction invoice – Assign measurements
Deactivate entry sheets for invoices
From now on, specific entry sheets can be excluded for the creation of (check) invoices. For example, because the measurements they contain have not yet been checked. This makes controlling the measurements to be included in an invoice much more flexible and convenient.
June 25, 2020
Cost analysis – payment status
The “invoice release”
A new column is now available in the extended cost analysis based on the contract Bill of Quantities. The payments actually made for the project orders are listed here. This makes it much easier to compare the expected total costs with the total of invoices already paid.
June 26, 2020
July 2020: More account protection
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
Safety first!
You can now protect your account even better – with two-factor authentication, which you can easily activate in your profile. To log in to your NOVA account, you then use your password (first factor) as usual and also enter a code (second factor). You will receive this code for each login and, depending on your settings, by email to your address or in your app (e.g. Authy or Authenticator from Google).
July 21, 2020
September 2020: BIM cost planning at the next level
Cost planning with BIM: that’s new!
NOVA User Feedback
From the list of suggestions for improvement, we have implemented these features in the area of BIM-based cost planning, thank you for your input!
Placeholders in BOQ texts for component parameters:
Until now, you had to provide a separate service item for sampling for similar components with different parameters (e.g. wall thickness). With the new placeholder function, these parameters can now be automatically filled directly in the item text. In the specific example, you only need one item with the placeholder “wall thickness” and the value is supplied by the component itself
“additive” sampling with cost components: if the component properties match, several suitable cost components can now be assigned to the components
Visualization of the cost component assignment: in the cost component dialog you can now see in advance in the 3D viewer which components are sampled with the data of the selected cost component
Adjust items: with the new editing function, BOQ items can now be edited directly in the cost element selection, e.g. the short description, the quantity formula or the unit price to be applied
Synchronize components – select items: when transferring samples to similar components, the BOQ items can now be activated or deactivated individually
September 6, 2020
October 2020: Digital signatures directly integrated
Brand new add-on: Digital signature
Adobe Sign & DocuSign integration in NOVA
From now on you can store your Adobe Sign or DocuSign accounts in NOVA AVA and thus, for example, have the offers from your bidders and suppliers digitally signed – without any additional tools!
This is how it works using the example of the e-signature of an offer:
the bidder fills out his bid as always conveniently in the bid cockpit
the new option “Digitally sign” can now be selected when releasing the bid
the bidder receives a direct email request to sign his PDF bid.
October 4, 2020
November 2020: Mobile measurements, smart tendering and new supplier portal
NOVA measurement APP V2
To all site managers!
The new NOVA BIM measurement app is here! Orders can now be billed directly in the 3D viewer. As before, the job is available to you with the item list from the NOVA AVA web service. And now you also have access to the 3D model of the project directly in the app – online and offline! For (partial) invoicing of an item, you can simply tap the linked components in the 3D viewer and submit your performance report.
The NOVA measurement app is available for iOS and Android and can be downloaded free of charge from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
November 22, 2020
Extensions Tender module
Manage tenders even better
We have further expanded the Tender module with the following new features:
New output documents in PDF & Excel
Two new documents can now be generated for submission to the client or internally. The participant overview shows which bidders have taken part in the procedure via the bidding platform, the supplementary submission protocol provides precise information on the result of the bid opening
Individual settings for the tender
Previously, the settings for the tender platform (e.g. checking for unit prices, bidder text additions, etc.) could only be set for the NOVA AVA account as a whole. Now we have made these options available for each BOQ, making the tendering process much more flexible
Extended participant overview
Here, further information on participants can now be searched and filtered via the new search panel
Additional notifications
Bidders now automatically receive additional notifications by e-mail regarding changes to the invitation to tender (documents, deadline changes, etc.)
New add-on: Supplier management
Supplier management + supplier portal
Anyone who is already familiar with the NOVA tender cockpit will know that until now, bidders have always been sent a new access link for each request for quotation. This option is of course still available.
But what is new:
For suppliers who repeatedly take part in tenders, we now have
On the one hand, a completely new supplier management system with proximity search, evaluation criteria, multiple contact persons and the new access control system with pre-qualification is provided
and on the other hand, we have created a separate portal for your suppliers: here, participants can view and edit all tenders in which they participate or have participated via a single access point.
Supplier management can be licensed via an add-on. All functions remain free of charge for bidders and suppliers!
You can find more information here:
https://avanova.de/addon-lieferantenmanagement
November 24, 2020
December 2020: Smart appointment reminder and precise cost tracking
Reminder of BOQ dates
New settings for important dates
Now you can set automatic deadline reminders for all or individual measures. Depending on the type of deadline, e.g. submission, acceptance, warranty, etc… NOVA AVA reminds you of important events at the desired time via internal notification and e-mail.
Cost tracking in detail
Measurement & costs
The digital recording sheets (measurement sheets) are used to document the services provided as part of the construction work. In addition to the quantities, which can be recorded as increases and as cumulative values, the resulting costs are now also immediately shown, again as increases and as cumulative total costs. This makes invoice verification even easier!
December 6, 2020