Key Results
15–20 Hours Saved a Month on Invoicing
The team now saves up to 20 hours each month on invoicing compared to their previous process in Deltek Ajera.
Instant Project Visibility
Project managers can log in and immediately see budgets, schedules, and the health of their projects.
Seamless QuickBooks Sync
Financial data stays synced between Factor and QuickBooks Online without extra manual work.
Firm-Wide Insight
Leadership can review firm-wide data and reports to quickly understand project performance and workloads.
Overview
Altura Architects is a design-focused architecture firm working across both residential and commercial projects, from custom homes to larger hospitality and commercial work.
Studio Director Heather Hatmaker oversees day-to-day operations and firm strategy. With a team of 10 architects and designers, Altura needed a better way to access project data without adding more administrative work.
The firm had been using Deltek Ajera along with spreadsheets, but it was difficult for the team to quickly find and trust the information they needed. To simplify how they managed projects, invoicing, and reporting, Altura moved to Factor.
“We have been so impressed with the team, with the software itself… we would absolutely recommend any firm that’s considering switching software to really look at Factor.” Heather Hatmaker, Studio Director at Altura Architects
Challenges
Data Was Hard to Access and Trust
Before switching to Factor, Altura Architects relied on a mix of spreadsheets and Deltek Ajera to manage projects and firm data. Project information lived in multiple places, making it difficult for the team to quickly understand whether a project was on track.
To get the insights they needed, they often had to export data into spreadsheets or move information between systems, which created extra work and made it harder to trust the data.
Too Much Time Spent on Admin Work
For a small team, maintaining project data across systems became a challenge. Most of the firm’s time was spent managing software, not managing projects, and the tools they were using required too much effort to keep up to date.
“We wanted them to take ownership of the data, but not have it be their full-time job.” Heather Hatmaker, Studio Director at Altura Architects
Invoicing Took Hours Each Month
Preparing invoices in Deltek Ajera was time-consuming and added to the team’s workload each month. The process required multiple steps and made billing slower than it needed to be.
Solution
Up and Running in Weeks
Altura Architects chose Factor after searching for a cloud-based platform that could simplify how they manage projects and grow with the firm. The team was able to get up and running within a few weeks and quickly saw improvements in their invoicing process.
Faster, Simpler Invoicing
Invoicing became much easier with Factor. Project managers can quickly review project hours, draft invoices, and pass them along for approval without a separate pre-billing process. As a result, the team now saves 15–20 hours each month on invoicing.
Real-Time Access to Project Data
Factor gives project managers immediate access to the information they need. Team members can log in and quickly see project budgets, schedules, and overall health, making it easier to stay on track and make updates when needed.
“Project managers can log in and immediately see the health of their project and make changes if they need to.” Heather Hatmaker, Studio Director at Altura Architects
Seamless QuickBooks Integration
Altura connects Factor with QuickBooks Online, allowing financial data to stay in sync across both systems. Once set up, the integration requires little manual effort and keeps financial information up to date.
Better Visibility for the Whole Team
With shared access to data, both project managers and leadership can see what’s happening across the firm. Teams can review project performance, balance workloads, and use reports to support better decision-making.
“We know immediately that if it’s in Factor, it’s been updated and it’s the right data.” Heather Hatmaker, Studio Director at Altura Architects
Implementation
Up and Running in Weeks
Altura Architects was able to get started with Factor quickly. Within a few weeks, the team was already using the platform day to day and seeing improvements in how they handled invoicing and project data.
An Easier Way to Work
Coming from Deltek Ajera, the shift to Factor felt more straightforward. The team didn’t have to jump between systems or follow complicated steps just to manage projects or billing.
Support That Made the Switch Smoother
Altura also had a strong experience working with the Factor team during the transition. With the right support in place, they were able to get set up quickly and start seeing value right away.
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