Union Square was often adopted by architecture, engineering and quantity surveying firms looking to introduce more structured operational systems.
Many firms implemented the platform when:
Spreadsheet-based workflows had become difficult to manage
Leadership wanted stronger operational controls
Finance teams required more formal reporting systems
For practices attempting to impose more structure across multiple offices or teams, ERP platforms such as Union Square appeared to offer a comprehensive solution.
At the time of selection, Union Square was typically chosen because firms believed an ERP platform would provide:
Greater structure across project and financial processes
Centralised operational data
Standardised reporting across the business
In many cases, the decision was driven primarily by finance and operations teams who needed more control over reporting and financial oversight.
Once embedded in daily use, systems such as Union Square or Deltek PIM often require ongoing configuration, management and administrative oversight.
For delivery teams working on projects, maintaining data within the system can feel disconnected from the pace of day-to-day project work.
Over time, practices sometimes find that keeping project information accurate requires additional effort, and reporting confidence depends heavily on consistent administrative input.
This is often the point where leadership teams begin questioning whether the platform is delivering the clarity they expected.
For practices using Union Square or Deltek PIM, friction commonly appears in areas such as:
Heavy configuration and ongoing system management
Finance-oriented workflows that do not align well with project delivery
Reporting that requires specialist knowledge to interpret
Limited visibility into project margin performance until late in the process
Lower engagement from project teams
Often the hidden cost is the effort required to maintain the system rather than the software itself.
When engagement drops across parts of the practice, the reliability of reporting can begin to suffer.
Engagement with Union Square or Deltek PIM tends to sit primarily with finance and operations teams.
Architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and project leads may find the system less aligned with their day-to-day delivery workflows.
When project teams interact with the system inconsistently, the quality of operational data can become uneven.
This creates a gap between the information leadership expects and the information the system is actually able to provide.
Professional services firms in the built environment often reconsider systems like Union Square or Deltek PIM when they realise that complexity does not automatically translate into clarity.
Fresh Projects is frequently chosen by firms that want:
Higher engagement across project teams and leadership
Less administrative overhead in everyday workflows
Clear visibility into project profitability as work progresses
A platform designed specifically for professional services in the built environment
For many firms, the difference comes from adoption. When the entire practice actively uses the system, leadership gains more reliable insight into project financial performance.
Union Square or Deltek PIM may still suit firms that prioritise:
Highly structured ERP environments
Formal governance and configuration-heavy systems
Dedicated internal resources to manage complex platforms
The platform may become less suitable if:
Project teams struggle to engage with the system regularly
Maintaining accurate data requires significant administrative effort
Leadership wants clearer and more immediate insight into project profitability
The firm prefers a system that supports delivery teams as well as finance teams
Union Square, now known as Deltek PIM, remains part of the ERP landscape within professional services in the built environment.
However, for firms with 20+ staff that want clearer project profitability insight without the operational overhead typical of ERP systems, Fresh Projects often provides a more practical approach.
By prioritising engagement across the whole practice, Fresh Projects helps leadership teams gain reliable financial visibility without introducing unnecessary complexity.
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