Delivering complex planning and infrastructure projects with a 25-person consultancy, David Jarvis Associates needed a clearer view of where time and money were being spent. By adopting Fresh Projects, the team gained consistent project-level insight, simpler reporting, and greater confidence in day-to-day decisions.
At a glance
Core outcomes
A growing need for clarity and control
David Jarvis Associates, a 25-person consultancy with deep roots in town planning and landscape architecture, had outgrown its old way of working. The firm specialises in mixed-use developments, mineral and industrial infrastructure, and has a strong reputation across the UK and overseas. But behind the scenes, operations had become difficult to manage.
Multiple disconnected systems were being used to track projects, manage invoicing, and coordinate resourcing. The team was juggling spreadsheets, outdated software, and manual processes. For senior leadership and finance, this meant decisions were often being made without reliable data to back them up.
“We were struggling to understand where we were making money or where we were losing money on projects.” — Paul Gibbs, Managing Director
As the business grew, so did the challenge. Information was being duplicated or delayed. Processes were inconsistent between teams. And the system that was meant to provide oversight couldn’t be trusted.
“The previous system that we had — I just didn't have any trust in it. The figures that were coming out of it didn’t always make sense.” — Rachel Allen, Accountant
The tipping point came when it became clear that this wasn’t just an efficiency issue. It was a risk to performance.
One platform: One version of the truth.
Fresh Projects replaced this patchwork approach with a single, connected system that could handle project setup, time tracking, forecasting, WIP, invoicing, and more. For a team that previously had to cross-check between systems and manually pull together reports, the shift was immediate.
“Having it all in one place and only having to input things once has made a massive difference.” — Paul Gibbs
Rachel, who previously spent time cross-checking data between systems, noticed the improvement straight away.
“Time sheets, the actual projects, work in progress, sales, invoicing, expenses — the list goes on. Everything.” — Rachel Allen
“I’m definitely saving time... It’s clearer to see. Everything’s easier.”
Having this level of visibility has helped the leadership team make faster, more informed decisions. Rather than waiting until the end of the month or relying on outdated figures, they now have accurate, real-time insights into what’s working and what isn’t.
“It’s just about efficiencies across the whole company. Because everything’s in one place and it all operates off the same basis of information.” — Paul Gibbs
“Fresh Projects has become an absolutely fundamental part of how we operate now. It’s just a shame we didn’t do it a few years ago.”
Built for the full team, not just for finance.
One of the biggest changes since adopting Fresh Projects has been how widely it’s used across the business. It’s not just leadership and finance teams benefitting. Admin staff, project managers and new starters all engage with the platform.
Hannah, who manages job creation and documentation, found that the simplicity of the system made adoption easy.
“You can take an opportunity from the pipeline and just put it where the job list is. That’s amazing.” — Hannah, Office Administrator
“Now that it's all in one place, I'm using the system a lot more than I did previously. It's very easy to find everything and add to it.”
Even the onboarding process, often a pain point when rolling out new systems, went smoothly.
“I found it really easy. It’s like when you get a new mobile phone or a new TV and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, what’s going on with this?’ And then once you’ve got it, you’ve got it.” — Hannah
“It’s intuitive. You just see it done once and you remember how to do things.”
For Paul, the fact that the whole team is now engaging with the system speaks volumes.
“Everyone seems to really like it and they're using it in ways that we hadn't anticipated. It really works, which is just great.” — Paul Gibbs
From reactive, to proactive.
With Fresh Projects now embedded in day-to-day operations, David Jarvis Associates has shifted from a reactive approach to a proactive one. The team can now anticipate challenges, course-correct early, and ensure resources and profitability stay on track.
What used to take hours of admin now takes minutes. What used to be based on gut feel is now backed by consistent data.
“It just works. The consistency of the information we’ve now got. That’s been the real benefit.” — Paul Gibbs
That understanding fed directly into behaviour and accountability.
“People now understand how their time translates into money and how that translates into potential bonuses.”
Support from the Fresh Projects team also played a big role.
“From start to finish I have to say, with Fresh Projects, it has been really good. The onboarding, the help, the guidance.” — Rachel Allen
And if another firm asked them whether to make the switch?
“I’d say go for it. Don’t be nervous or worried about it.” — Rachel Allen
“Prepare for it properly, but do it.” — Paul Gibbs
For architecture and engineering firms with 25+ people managing complex projects, Fresh Projects brings projects, finance and admin into one connected system. This gives leadership and delivery teams a shared, reliable view of performance, without adding extra process or overhead.
