In 1975, John Maultsby wrote a job cost accounting system for his own construction business using the IBM 5100 portable (56 lb) computer. In the fall of that year IBM entered into a contract with Maultsby to furnish and maintain a Comprehensive Construction Job Costing and Payroll System for the new IBM 5110 computer, which was sold as an IBM Third Party Program. A support employee was hired and Constructive Computing (CC) was incorporated.
In early 1978 Moore Business Forms contracted with CC for a computer system to automate their proprietary ‘one write’ accounting system using micro-computers running the OASIS Operating System (48K of memory). The system was delivered to Moore in 1979. Two additional employees were hired for this endeavor.
In 1981, with the release of the first IBM Personal Computer, CC converted their system for the new IBM computer using a new 5MB hard disk from Tallgrass Technology. IBM had changed their policy and did not continue the Third Party program plan for the IBM PC. A CPA was hired and the accounting system was expanded to include full Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable and General Ledger in addition to the Job Costing and Payroll modules. Dozens of these systems were sold in the Kansas City area and many of these customers are still using CC products.
In 1983 the IBM PC Model XT was announced and CC started national marketing of their construction accounting system. Trademarks were established for Constructive Computing, QuickACCOUNT, QuickREPORT, and QuickEST. At the 1983 AGC National Convention the QuickEST product was announced. QuickEST is unique having a Procedure Language which allows the user to configure the takeoff process to their needs.
In 1984 CC entered into a private label agreement with DataTrak Corporation to market their QuickACCOUNT system. This contract lasted until DataTrak was bought by Software Shop in the early 90’s. At this time, Maultsby sold 8% of the CC Stock to Lincoln Builders of Ruston (Ronnie Graham), a QuickEST user, to fund growth. Also, in the late 80’s, CC entered into a private label agreement with the Frank R. Walker Company, authors of a widely used construction estimating handbook, to market and sell the QuickEST product under the trade name of WalkerEST. CC expanded and had 17 employees at this time.
In the early 90’s CC entered into an exclusive private label Agreement with Construction Data Control Inc. (CDCI) to market QuickEST under the name BidTeam. The QuickACCOUNT and QuickEST products were converted to Windows. Also the QuickCALC Windows digitizer takeoff system and QuickDIRT Windows earthwork takeoff system were trademarked and added to the CC product line. In 1998, the QuickACCOUNT system was added to the CDCI agreement and was marketed as Profit Builder Millennium. CC downsized to eight employees, due to CDCI doing most of the sales. CDCI continued to sell the CC private label products until 2002 when CC terminated the agreement because of royalty payment problems.
In early 2000, CC started development of a new SQL Server based accounting system using programming techniques to minimize multi-user contention. This product, Evolution Professional (SQA), is now released with over 100 systems installed through mid 2009.
In 2003, most of the CDCI Dealers left CDCI and signed a Dealer Sales Agreement with CC. CC further reduced their staff with the dealers doing the majority of the training and installations. CC now has over 400 customers on Maintenance Agreements and is seeking a marketing partner.
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