“BST Global understands that a project-centric user experience is paramount to our customers, and therefore, it is a core tenet of our design. Our solution was designed from the ground up for the demanding needs of project and operations managers, and we continue to evolve our solutions with them as the focus.” – Javier A. Baldor, Chief Executive Officer, BST Global.
Today, AEC firms face several challenges throughout their project lifecycle. For many firms, nearly everything in the project lifecycle — from bids to projects to resources — is managed in spreadsheets. And for firms with enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, often only the Finance department uses the tool while most project managers and department heads continue to rely on complex, offline spreadsheets to manage their portfolios. But BST Global, headquartered in Tampa, FL, takes a different approach to ERP software design, putting the project at the heart of the software workflow and holding active focus groups with real users to evolve future iterations based on user needs.
BST Global designs, develops and deploys project-based ERP solutions specifically for the world’s leading architects, engineers and consultancies. More than 120,000 professionals in 65 countries across six continents rely on BST Global’s solutions each day to successfully manage their projects, resources, finances and client relationships. With unrivaled industry knowledge, BST Global serves as a trusted partner to its loyal clients and remains at the forefront of innovation to evolve its products for the greater good.
In 1971, with just $100 of working capital in their pockets, Carlos A. Baldor Sr. and two colleagues founded BST Data Systems, Inc., a data processing service bureau. The company was named “BST” for the first initials of the founders’ last names: Baldor, Sosa and Triana. Fast-forward 50 years and BST Global now supports its AEC clients from its offices in the United States, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Australia.
Javier A. Baldor, who was named BST Global’s Chief Executive Officer in October 2020, leads the company’s vision — to be the innovator that helps consultancies worldwide flourish — and that vision drives all product evolution and advancements. Javier joined BST Global in 1989 and has served in various capacities during his tenure.
By focusing exclusively on the unique challenges architects and engineers face every day, the company delivers meaningful, high-quality solutions that help clients realize their full business potential today and in the future. “Across the architecture and engineering industry, one constant sits at the heart of every firm: projects. It is the focal point around which every AEC practice centers itself,” Baldor explains. “Because projects play such a pivotal role in this industry, BST Global has built our solutions for AEC project and operations managers while still meeting the complex needs of Finance.” With regular user communication and collaboration, BST Global has also evolved its solutions based on actual client needs and wants.
BST Global’s flagship ERP solution, BST10, provides a user experience that can be tailored for each role and individual preference in the firm. At the same time, each user can personalize their experience and interactions with the system to accommodate how they like to work best. Plus, end-user interaction is centered on the core business processes, including project management, resource management, billing, collections and all aspects of financial management, including accounts payable, accounts receivable and general ledger. Master files are used to enter and maintain data in the system, and then dashboards, inquiries and reports streamline your ability to analyze, monitor and manage your business effectively.
BST10 stands out in the marketplace for several reasons:
- BST Global is the only ERP software provider to focus exclusively on the national and international Architectural, Engineering and Consultancy (AEC) market. No other software provider focuses solely on this “micro-vertical” market concentration.
- Since the initial release of BST10 in 2014, BST Global has expanded the breadth and depth of its ERP solution. Building on the platform’s strong foundation and financial capabilities, the solution evolved to concentrate on project and operations management through enhancements for resource management, revenue forecasting, mobile timesheet entry and review, collaboration, billing and collections.
- BST10’s open platform has an expansive API that gives clients the freedom to seamlessly integrate with any existing and future third-party application investments like leading HCM and payroll, CRM, and expense solutions. Plus, BST Global has fostered formal partnerships with industry standouts like Newforma® for project information management, SAP Concur® for expense reporting, and Microsoft Power BI® and Excel® for self-service reporting.
2021 is proving to be a significant year in BST Global’s history. In honor of the company’s 50th anniversary, BST Global unveiled a new logo and brand presence in the marketplace. Plus, the innovative ERP solution provider has also started to share its longer-term vision for its ERP product. The company is working on designing its product for everyone involved in the AEC project lifecycle: project managers, operations managers, people planners, finance professionals and team members.
“We’re building our product with a targeted user experience that’s designed with each role and surface in mind,” Javier explains. In fact, BST8 and BST10 users have already been heavily involved in the evolution of future features and functionality.
