archtms is a comprehensive management system designed for architectural firms. It streamlines project and client management, timesheets, fee forecasting and staff management into one cohesive platform.
The Journey
The journey began in 2018 during my time as an accounts assistant at Cassidy and Ashton. I was mainly responsible for entering timesheets manually into an Excel document. I thought surely there's a better way of doing this!
This inspired me to develop version 1 - a full-stack web application, accessible to all staff, to streamline the timesheet entry process for the practice.
Since the first versions release in 2018, the system has evolved into a comprehensive architect management system, used daily by ~60 employees.
Features
The first version of the system had the following features:
- Timesheets - Simplified time tracking and the submission process
- Project Management - Centralized project information and agreed fee management
- Employee Management - Staff profiles, roles and editable timesheets for admins
- Financial Analysis - Book figure graphs for visualizing project financials
Building on this foundation and understanding the broader needs of architectural practices, the system was re-developed in version 2 to become a more complete practice management solution.
The new system introduced the following:
- Fee Forecasting - Company cashflow projections, including agreed fee management across RIBA stages
- Holiday System - Complete leave management system and global company calendar
- Enhanced Reporting - Customized insights for directors including sector analysis, top projects and project progression
- Expense Management - Digital receipt uploads for expenses
- Performance Reviews - Employee evaluation and performance tracking
- Client Portal - Centralized client information
- Personalized Dashboards - Role-specific views and insights
- Automated Workflows - Email notifications and approval processes
Tech Stack
The system was rebuilt with the following tech stack:
- Frontend: React, Vite, TypeScript, RTK Query
- Backend: Express, TypeScript, Prisma, Zod
- UI: Chakra UI, react-table, Apexcharts, framer-motion, Mapbox
- Database: Supabase w/PostgreSQL
- Emails: Resend w/react-email
- Authentication: Supabase auth
- Storage: Supabase storage for file uploads
- Deployment: GitHub actions CI/CD to Fly.io via Docker containers
User Feedback
Since developing version 2, I received the following feedback:
Since the new time management system has been up and running not only have I been able to produce my own weekly time sheets & expenses much easier but I have been able to assess staff time and book costs against fee levels for individual jobs. As a Director this is invaluable in helping to run an efficient business, particularly as an architectural practice. This automated process whilst helping solve a problem also adds to our environmental credentials with a paperless system now in place. A very professional tool that we can easily evolve over time as the business needs change
The TMS system installed here at C+A has automated a procedure that previously relied upon searching elsewhere for job numbers, photocopying numerous copies, wasted paper, and took a long time to complete. Harry listened to our comments on the initial version and then made further improvements to create a system that is clear, reliable, quick and user friendly. Harry’s software saves paper and time and makes it far easier for the staff to record their time spent on each project
Interested?
If you're looking to modernize your practice or want to learn more about archtms, I'd love to chat. You can:
- Email me at harryb0905@googlemail.com
- Connect with me on LinkedIn