Case Study: Arcwell Engineering x WorkGuru

Original study featured on workguru.io

Arcwell Engineering x WorkGuru

Arcwell Engineering is a family-owned structural steel fabrication company based in Whangarei, New Zealand. With over 60 years of experience, they handle everything from design and fabrication to on-site installation for construction, industrial, and utility projects across the North Island.

Finding the right solution

As Arcwell took on more projects, its outdated system became a bottleneck. It couldn’t accurately track project budgets and only provided insights at the purchase order level, leaving them without a clear view of actual costs. Without precise financial data, pricing jobs became a guessing game rather than a calculated decision.

Manual processes also slowed the team down. Timesheets had to be manually entered, adding 10 hours of admin work weekly. Payroll took longer than necessary, often leading to errors and delays. Admin staff were stuck re-entering data instead of focusing on higher-value tasks.

Arcwell initially kept its old system running alongside WorkGuru while cross-checking information to avoid potential data loss. Even with this extra step, it became clear that their old setup wasn’t sustainable and that a full transition was necessary.

• “We couldn’t track budgets project by project. It was really hard to get a clear picture of how we were performing financially.”
  
  - Eamon Garton, Operations Manager at Arcwell Engineering

Key Benefits

• Less Admin Work

• Better Budget Control

• Faster Payroll

• Clearer Reporting

Working with Heidi

Arcwell needed a job management system that worked the way they did—fast, accurate, and easy to use. Business Sense, led by Heidi Seal, stepped in to help.

Heidi worked closely with the team to map their workflows, identify inefficiencies, and configure WorkGuru to fit their operations. She also provided training, including video guides and weekly check-ins, ensuring the team felt confident using the platform.

Once Arcwell saw firsthand benefits—faster workflows, real-time tracking, and fewer errors—they fully transitioned to WorkGuru. The system’s real-time budget tracking eliminated guesswork, allowing the team to make informed financial decisions.

WorkGuru also automated time tracking, replacing manual data entry and freeing up hours of admin time each week. The seamless integration with Xero ensured that invoicing and payroll ran smoothly, reducing errors and simplifying the entire accounting process.
The rollout was carefully planned, and key staff were involved early in the process, ensuring a smooth transition and quick adoption.

The results with WorkGuru

Since implementing WorkGuru, Arcwell has transformed its work processes. Manual time tracking is gone, saving them 15 hours a week, while payroll is faster and more accurate.

With real-time budget tracking, Arcwell finally has clear insights into job costs. This allows them to price projects confidently and make informed financial decisions. Purchase order management is now seamless, ensuring materials arrive on time without delays or miscommunication.

Reporting tools have provided a new level of visibility into job performance, allowing the team to analyse data more effectively and identify areas for improvement.