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What would you do if you heard the leading
contract documents in the world just got easier to use? The team of professionals
who developed the new release of the electronic format (EF) 3.0 Contract
Documents softwarenamed EF 3.0 PLUShope that you take the
opportunity to try it. The author recently visited with the team to find
out what the new software offers and the reasons behind its release.
Why is EF 3.0 PLUS
being released?
The AIA developed EF 3.0 PLUS to fix many difficulties users encountered
with EF 3.0. The product team wanted to be responsive to the needs of
users.
Where did the ideas
for the improvements originate?
Recommendations came from several sources. First, the product team has
tracked all user feedback since the release of EF 3.0. This past May,
the AIA initiated a very detailed online survey of current EF 3.0 users,
which drew more than 1,000 responses. Next, the team conducted phone interviews
with users to gather additional information. Finally, in May, the team
presented these findings during the AIA national convention in Charlotte
and finalized the results after meetings with more than 300 users.
What exactly makes
EF 3.0 PLUS easier to use?
Ten key areas have been improved in response to user requests:
1. Improved formatting. Improved
formatting of many EF 3.0 documents emulates the look of the paper contracts.
For example, the redesign of G701 reduces the extensive right margin and
aligns and increases the areas for user input.
2. Improved document usage assistance.
Updated HTML sections have been added to the AIA Style/Contract Information
Hierarchy to provide improved assistance to users on when and how to use
forms and contract documents.
3. Improved printing. Improved
printing now permits users to print partial documents without problems.
4. Faster (and lighter) printing of "DRAFT"
watermark. The revised watermark now prints faster and lighter,
allowing text to be visible beneath the watermark.
5. New document recovery utility.
In the event of a system crash during "print" or "print
preview," the document recovery utility now saves the document in
use allowing for easy user retrieval.
6. Improved search/find/replace.
A new dialog box now appears onscreen when this feature is invoked so
users need only click "next" to proceed throughout the document.
7. Improved text selection and strikethrough.
Documents now respond more consistently and predictably to user commands
to select textwhether from right to left, or
from left to rightand to delete (strikethrough) AIA original language.
8. New dialog boxes. These boxes
now include helpful hints at key points of document preparation, for example,
identifying text that cannot be modified.
9. Improved installation instructions.
A warning message at the point of installation requests the user's machine
be set at "administration or administration level logon rights"
to install the software accurately. If not, the user may abort, cancel,
and call Technical Support to preclude previously encountered difficulties.
10. Addition of 11 new, revised, or reformatted
forms. Previously only available in hard copy, 11 documents are
now part of the EF 3.0 PLUS contract suite (see box).
When will EF 3.0
PLUS be available?
The EF 3.0 PLUS software is available now only to currently licensed EF
3.0 users at www.aia.org/documents.
The general release of this new software will be available in mid-August.
Is there a cost for
the new software?
For current EF 3.0 users, the upgrade is free. Although this upgrade is
free of charge, it does not extend or increase a user's current license
conditions or term. For all others, EF 3.0 PLUS can be purchased in August
(for the same amount as the current price of EF 3.0).
EF
3.0 PLUS Offers New, Revised, or Reformatted Forms for:
A114, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor Where
the Basis of Payment Is the Cost of the Work Plus a Fee Without a Guaranteed
Maximum Price (GMP), is a new contract that should be used with A111 to
replace the discontinued A117
G701, Change Order, is a revised edition of the original form
G709, Proposal Request, is a revised edition of the original form
G714, Construction Change Directive, is a revised edition replacing
former AIA Document G713
G804, Register of Bid Documents, is a new form that serves as a
log for bid document
G805, List of Subcontractors, is a revised edition of the original
form
G806, Project Parameters Worksheet, is a new form developed to
maintain a standard list of project parameters
G807, Project Team Directory, is a new form used as a single point
of reference for basic information about persons working on the project
G808, Project Data, is a new form used for recording information
gathered during the course of a project
G809, Project Abstract, is a new form used for a brief description
of project data used in tabulating architect marketing information and
firm statistics
G810, Transmittal Letter, is a new form used as a written record
of the exchange of project information between parties involved in a project.
Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects.
All rights reserved.
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This article is the first in a series
of four that discuss various aspects of the new EF 3.0 PLUS Contract
Documents.
Currently licensed EF 3.0 users may
obtain a download for EF 3.0 PLUS by
following this link on the AIA Web site. (The general release
of this new software will be available later this month.)
The
Flywheel Group (previously known as Web Advocacy Group), Washington,
D.C., is a consultant to the AIA on the Contract Documents Electronic
Format.
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