The Spec Software Boom: How to Navigate The Tech Noise and Find The Right Fit For You

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Which spec writing software are you using for materials and FF&E specification? Does it matter? 

These past 3 years, we've seen an exceptionally high number of new specification software come into the market. 

While it is great to see that people are finally coming to grips with how manual using spreadsheets can be, there’s also been a lot of noise from new tech. 

With more and more specification tools coming up with similar feature stacks, It becomes quite difficult to navigate and figure out which one is right for you. 

Learn: FF&E Specification in Excel is Killing Design Firms — Even the Big Ones

If all spec software the same, why are users still jumping from software to software? 

With the specification software market more saturated, we’ve seen more software companies offer their tools for lower prices becoming a race to the bottom. 

With so many cheap options, you’d think: Why not just choose the cheapest one out there, with the most features, and a decent UX, and be done with it? That should do the job, right?

Like many things, we wish it were that easy. Then everyone would just be choosing one software and sticking with it. 

But what we’ve seen play out is different.

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Cheap doesn't (always) mean good

It often feels like a race to the bottom, where companies have been slashing prices to outbid one another, regardless of the long-term consequences. 

While this might seem like a winning strategy in the short term, the relentless focus on cost-cutting can erode quality, even for software companies. 

All the great UX in the world can't make up for software that lacks the functionality you are looking for. 

You have to choose software that's built with your business goals in mind

Right now, everyone is offering a fuss-free way to manage your specs, most spec writing software are now offering a digital product library where you can store your specifications for future project use.

But for us at Fohlio, it’s now grown beyond that. After thousands of discovery, onboarding, and even churn calls, we’ve gotten very good at figuring out which parts of our clients' processes drive the most profit and value for them, and what needs arise from this. From there, we’ve built new features that help our clients hit new goals beyond eliminating manual specifications. 

• Goal 1: Shortening time-to-open 

Specification alone isn’t enough to help speed up the schematic and budgeting process

While it's true that specification tools can help you cut down on time spent doing manual copying and pasting, they can still be lacking for companies whose businesses rely on using repetitive models: think, hotels, franchises, and retail stores. 

Clients needed a way to create packages of specifications for easy iteration. 

Just click on a package, and everything is pre-built: the specs youre going to use, the vendors, and the prices of the specifications. Quick and easy prototyping and budget creation. This way, projects are finished on time and aren’t at risk of running profit losses.

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• Goal 2: Visibility on multiple teams and easy collaboration

Consolidating specification data across teams can easily go out of control without the right systems in place. Most design or procurement teams we’ve spoken to depend on emails and Excel to keep steady communication with internal and external stakeholders. 

Sure, it works– But if your company is the type to have grown to 20 projects a year with an increasing number of vendors, using email threads can put you at risk for costly errors. 

With a platform to help you seamlessly communicate with stakeholders, you can easily:

• • Share data depending on stakeholder role
  • Track product approvals without having to follow up via phone call
  • Easily handover data from team to team without the fear of sharing inaccurate information 
  • Control visible information between teams 

• Goal 3: Making the most of cross-project specification data

Most specification software stops at specifying. But it would be a waste to leave all the data that comes with it (vendor, order, pricing, and standard) stagnant. 

What if you could pull data across multiple projects? That way, you can pull insights like:

• • What products were specified for each location
  • Price per category
  • Forecasting bulk purchase quantities
  • Capex forecasting

The sheer volume of choices can make it difficult to discern which tool will truly serve your business needs.

While the allure of low prices and extensive feature lists is tempting, it’s essential to look beyond the surface and choose a solution that aligns with your specific goals.

As the market becomes more saturated, the risk of compromising on quality for the sake of cost savings is real. 

The most effective software isn’t necessarily the cheapest or the one with the most features—it’s the one that understands and evolves with your business, helping you achieve more than just basic specification tasks.

At Fohlio, we’ve learned that businesses thrive when their tools are tailored to their unique processes and challenges.

Whether it's accelerating project timelines, enhancing team collaboration, or leveraging cross-project data for strategic insights, the right software should empower you to move forward confidently. 

As you navigate the noise in this booming market, remember that the right fit isn’t just about what’s available now, but what will continue to meet your needs as you grow.

With a thoughtful approach, you can find specification software that doesn’t just keep up, but leads the way in helping you achieve your vision.