At a glance
Vendor descriptions below reflect publicly available positioning as of the date on this page and may change. Confirm current features, editions and pricing with the vendor before deciding.
| Viewpoint Vista | Viewpoint Spectrum | Forge ERP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Enterprise construction ERP, highly configurable | Web-based construction ERP | ERP for project-based businesses, construction first |
| Typical buyer | Large contractors with dedicated IT and accounting staff | Mid-to-large contractors | Contractors roughly $10M–$150M with a finance team |
| Architecture | Windows client plus browser access; hosted through Trimble | Native web application | Cloud, multi-tenant, browser-based |
| Payroll and HR | Native payroll and HR management | Native payroll timesheets and HR management | Through your payroll provider; job-costed labor with burden lands in Forge |
| Job cost and billing | Job cost, multi-entity accounting, service and field modules | Job cost, service, field data capture | Job cost with committed cost, AIA-style billing, retainage, subcontract pay applications, WIP |
| Controls | Configurable workflow; depth depends on implementation | Workflow configuration | Prepare/approve/post separation on every posting, governed ledger, audit history |
| Implementation | Months; consulting and customization are usually part of the cost | Shorter than Vista; still a project | Guided setup with QuickBooks import, duplicate matching and revert; designed for a parallel month |
| Suite | Trimble Construction One (Trimble Pay, analytics, project management) | Trimble Construction One | Standalone; Procore connector planned |
| Pricing | Subscription through Viewpoint One, plus services | Subscription | Tiered plans, 14-day free trial |
| Maturity | Established, large installed base | Established | Beta; no published customer results yet |
Where Viewpoint is stronger
- Native construction payroll, HR and union handling inside the ERP
- Service management, equipment and field modules for contractors that need them in one vendor
- A full suite around the ERP: estimating, project management, payments and analytics under one login
- Deep configuration for large, layered organizations, with partners and consultants who know it
- Reference customers at every size and trade
Where Forge is different
- Sized for the finance team that is leaving QuickBooks or Sage 100 Contractor, not the one that already runs an ERP department
- Approval and posting controls are the default, not a configuration project
- Setup is self-guided with a reversible import, instead of a consulting engagement
- Multi-entity without separate company databases
- Payroll stays in your provider; Forge takes the job-costed result, so you keep the payroll service you already trust
- An AI assistant that prepares drafts inside your permissions
Who should choose which
Choose Viewpoint if you run payroll for a large union or multi-state workforce in-house, need service and equipment accounting now, or want the whole Trimble stack from estimating to payments. Vista fits the largest and most complex organizations; Spectrum fits mid-size contractors that want the web-based version of that suite. Choose Forge if you are a mid-size contractor whose real problem is controls, WIP and multi-entity, you run payroll in a provider, and you want to be live in weeks rather than quarters. If you are evaluating both, ask each vendor for a dated implementation plan and total first-year cost, and compare those before features.
Forge ERP covers projects, purchasing, accounts payable, billing and receivables, job cost and WIP, reporting and close. Payroll runs in your payroll provider and lands in Forge as job-costed labor with burden. Forge is in beta with a 14-day free trial.
Frequently asked
- Is Forge ERP a replacement for Vista?
- For a large contractor running native payroll, HR, service and equipment in Vista, no. For a mid-size contractor being quoted Vista or Spectrum as the step up from QuickBooks or Sage 100 Contractor, Forge is the smaller step: the accounting, job cost, billing and WIP foundation with controls, without the payroll and suite modules.
- Does Forge connect to Trimble products?
- No Trimble connector exists today. The planned Procore connector is the first project-management integration on the roadmap.