The next step in roofing data

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Emerging software capabilities could help contractors turn the information they already collect into faster, more useful answers. 

What if contractors could quickly ask which roof systems generate the most repairs in a particular region and receive a report built from their own company data? Brian Cook described that possibility during a recent discussion about the future direction of Dataforma. Rather than focusing only on collecting more information, his vision centered on making existing information easier to explore, compare and use. 

Looking ahead to the company’s design summit, Brian explained, “At our design summit this year, we’re going to have a section about how you will have a widget on your dashboard and then you will just type probably at first, but very soon just speak and say, Dataforma, show me this.” 

Under the concept he outlined, a user would submit a question through a dashboard widget. Brian continued, “It’s going to crawl through your database and then build you that report that you have on your dashboard.” The questions could address practical decisions contractors regularly face. As one example, Brian asked, “Which roof systems tend to perform the worst in which regions of the country?” 

He also described how the system could compare roof systems using repair volume, repair costs and replacement tendencies. Brian illustrated the potential by explaining that contractors could quickly review the types of roof systems they have installed, the number and cost of repairs associated with each system and how often those systems are replaced. This could make it easier to identify which roof systems are performing better. 

These examples point toward an emerging role for roofing software. A platform can serve as more than a system of record when it helps users identify patterns within the information they have already accumulated. Regional comparisons and repair histories could give contractors a clearer way to evaluate performance without manually assembling every report. 

Reflecting on the breadth of information already available within the platform, Brian observed, “There’s so much detail in Dataforma that an agent in there would just find a myriad of uses for.” 

The concept remains a future direction rather than a confirmed, fully launched voice-query feature. Still, it illustrates how easier access to existing data could help contractors move from storing information to asking better questions of it. 

Learn more about how roofing software could help contractors turn existing data into practical answers!