When it comes to construction ERP solutions, Acumatica is known for its robust reporting capabilities. But among all the reporting tools available, one feature often flies under the radar: utilization reporting.
At first glance, utilization may seem like a simple concept. It’s often defined as the number of billable hours worked by an employee or piece of equipment compared to the total available hours in a workweek. But when applied strategically, utilization reporting can reveal powerful insights into profitability, productivity, and workforce health.
What Is Utilization Reporting?
Utilization reporting measures how effectively your employees and assets are being used. For a typical 40-hour workweek, utilization helps you answer a few key questions:
How many of those hours were actually spent working on billable tasks?
Is your team working efficiently?
Are time entries being booked properly?
Are you seeing return on your equipment investments?
For professional services firms, payroll is often the largest expense. For construction contractors, it might be a combination of labor and equipment. Regardless, understanding how these resources are being used is essential to managing costs, improving planning, and increasing your return on investment (ROI).
Why It Matters in Construction
In construction, tracking utilization can be just as critical for equipment as it is for people. You want to ensure that every high-cost item—whether it’s a crane, excavator, or software license—is being used to its fullest potential before investing in more.
For example, if you can identify that a certain piece of equipment is only being used at 30% capacity, it might be better to optimize scheduling or share resources across projects rather than buying new gear.
Similarly, if an employee consistently logs 60 hours a week, you may be at risk of burnout or turnover—two issues that are increasingly top of mind in construction workforce management.
Getting the Most from Acumatica’s Data
Acumatica allows you to analyze time entries by:
Employee
Project
Cost Code
Date
Equipment
This granular level of data opens the door to powerful reporting dashboards. You can track utilization trends month over month, compare productivity across crews or job sites, and evaluate equipment usage over time.
For example, a dashboard graph might show billable hours per project over a 12-month period. You can drill into the data to spot slow months, flag underperforming jobs, or discover which teams are consistently operating at peak efficiency.
More Than Just Metrics
Utilization reporting isn’t just a financial tool—it’s also a people tool. High utilization might look good on a spreadsheet, but if it comes at the cost of employee burnout, it’s unsustainable.
By monitoring utilization trends, you can help ensure your team has a manageable workload and time for rest. This kind of insight supports healthier workplace culture and reduces costly turnover—both of which directly impact your bottom line.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re evaluating equipment ROI or keeping a pulse on your team’s well-being, utilization reporting is a critical but often underutilized capability within Acumatica. When leveraged correctly, it can lead to smarter project planning, better resource allocation, and a stronger, more resilient business.
Curious how utilization reporting can transform your construction business?
Strategies Group can help you make the most of your Acumatica data. Contact us today
