Cost management system, cost management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a cost management system, a cost management method, and a program capable of appropriately evaluating the cost when the price related to the cost varies.SOLUTION: A cost management system includes: an input unit for inputting cost data related to budget; an evaluation unit which evaluates, using price data related to the cost, whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than appropriate cost; and an output unit which outputs information on the appropriate cost for the cost data when the evaluation unit evaluates that the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cost management system, a cost management method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] When construction work, such as architecture or civil engineering, or projects in the IT (Information Technology) industry, is being carried out, it is important to consider whether the expenses incurred by the work (hereinafter referred to as the cost price) are appropriate.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a unit price validity check device that can check the validity of a unit price at the time the unit price is entered when inputting an estimate. Specifically, the unit price validity check device calculates a lower limit value and an upper limit value of the unit price based on the actual unit price, and checks whether the estimated unit price entered on the estimate input screen is within the range between the lower limit value and the upper limit value. If the estimated unit price is not within the range between the lower limit value and the upper limit value, the unit price validity check device outputs an "abnormal value" as the check result. The unit price validity check device is also capable of outputting the difference between the actual average unit price and the input estimated unit price. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-095331 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The prices that make up the cost of work, such as material costs and labor costs, are not constant but change over time. In particular, in recent years, social conditions have changed significantly, and as a result, the costs associated with work have also changed significantly. Therefore, even for the same work, the appropriate cost may change significantly between the recent past, for example, one month to one year ago, and the present or near future.

[0006] The unit price validity check device according to Patent Document 1 sets a lower limit and an upper limit for checking the validity of a unit price based on a past unit price. However, for the reasons described above, there is a possibility that an appropriate unit price at the time of the past actual unit price may diverge from an appropriate unit price at the time of the current estimate. In such a case, the unit price validity check device may not be able to set lower and upper limits that reflect the current social situation, and may output an inappropriate check result.

[0007] One of the objectives that the embodiments of the present disclosure aim to achieve is to provide a cost management system, a cost management method, and a program that can appropriately evaluate costs when a change occurs in a price related to the cost. It should be noted that this objective is only one of the objectives that the embodiments disclosed herein aim to achieve. Other objectives or problems and novel features will become apparent from the description of this specification or the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A cost management system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an input unit for inputting cost data relating to a budget, an evaluation unit for using price data related to costs to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than an appropriate cost, and an output unit for outputting information regarding the appropriate cost for the cost data when the evaluation unit evaluates that the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost.

[0009] One aspect of the cost management method according to this embodiment is executed by a computer to input cost data relating to a budget, use price data related to costs to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than an appropriate cost, and if it is evaluated that the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, output information regarding the appropriate cost for the cost data.

[0010] One aspect of the program of this embodiment causes a computer to input cost data related to a budget, use price data related to cost to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than an appropriate cost, and if it is evaluated that the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, output information regarding the appropriate cost for the cost data. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a cost management system, a cost management method, and a program that are capable of appropriately evaluating costs when fluctuations occur in prices related to costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a cost management system according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a cost management system according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a construction management system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a prime contractor terminal according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a subcontractor terminal according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a management server according to the present disclosure. [Figure 6] An example of the construction type included in the raw cost data stored in the raw DB is shown below. [Figure 7A] An example of material information stored in the cost DB is shown below. [Figure 7B] An example of construction plan information stored in the related information DB is shown. [Figure 7C] An example of information on construction companies stored in the related information DB is shown below. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed by a management server according to the present disclosure before performing an evaluation. [Figure 9A] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed when a management server according to the present disclosure executes an evaluation. [Figure 9B] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed when a management server according to the present disclosure executes an evaluation. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description and drawings in the embodiments are omitted and simplified as appropriate for clarity of explanation. In addition, in this disclosure, unless otherwise specified, when "at least one of the multiple items" is defined for multiple items, the definition may mean any one item, or may mean any multiple items including all items.

[0014] Each drawing referred to in the embodiment is merely an example for describing one or more embodiments. Each drawing may not be related to only one particular embodiment, but may be related to one or more other embodiments. As can be understood by a person skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing may be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create an embodiment not explicitly shown or described, for example. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing are necessarily required to describe an exemplary embodiment, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps described in any drawing may be changed as appropriate.

[0015] Additionally, common definitions used in this disclosure are explained below.

[0016] [Definition explanation] A "budget" refers to a spending plan for expenses incurred in some work. Here, "work" includes any work that generates monetary value. Work is work that results in the provision of goods such as hardware or software, or services. Specific examples of work include, but are not limited to, construction work such as architecture or civil engineering (hereinafter also referred to as construction), manufacturing of industrial products, construction work of infrastructure or information systems, application development work, and management of various events. In addition, the cost management process according to the present disclosure may be performed at any time when a manager or the like checks the budget before or during work.

[0017] The "cost data" includes information on at least one of the overall work cost and the cost of each item that constitutes the overall work cost. For example, when a work is composed of subdivided small tasks, the cost of each item that constitutes the overall work cost may be the cost of each small task. Alternatively, the cost of each item may be classified according to the characteristics of the cost. Specific examples of classified costs of each item include material costs, labor costs, and other expenses for the entire work. Material costs are the general costs for materials used in the entire work, and labor costs are the costs related to workers that occur in the entire work. However, the costs of each item can be further subdivided and defined. For example, material costs may be defined as costs divided by material type. Labor costs may be defined as costs divided by worker attributes. Labor costs may be defined as costs divided by type of cost, such as wages, welfare costs, and insurance premiums. Furthermore, when a work is composed of subdivided small tasks, classified costs (for example, material costs, labor costs, and other expenses) may be defined for each small task.

[0018] Additionally, material cost data may include the price of materials per unit weight (hereinafter also referred to as unit price) and the quantity of materials. Labor cost data may include labor costs, such as wages per unit time, and hours worked. Thus, cost data may include price and quantity information per unit that defines the cost. Cost data may also include data regarding the country or region within a country in which the work is performed.

[0019] Furthermore, the cost data may include information indicating a work plan. The information indicating the work plan may include, for example, one or more work processes into which the work is divided, and the work cost for each work process or the cost of each item that constitutes the work cost.

[0020] The cost data may further include information indicating the type of construction work. The type of construction work may be classified according to criteria such as the area or amount of the construction work, the region where the construction work is carried out, etc.

[0021] "Price data related to cost" (hereinafter also simply referred to as price data) means any price that is not the cost itself but has an effect on the cost. Specific examples of price data may be at least one of the following: prices relating to the provision of goods or services, standards relating to wages or rent, statistics or market prices, or exchange rate information. For example, for the cost of materials, it is possible to use as price data the prices of the materials shown in statistics. Also, for the cost of labor, it is possible to use as price data the national or regional average wage shown in statistics, or wages set by the national or local government (e.g. minimum wage). However, specific examples of price data are not limited to these.

[0022] The price data may indicate a price for the same object, or may indicate different prices depending on a country, a region within a country, or a time. Furthermore, the price data may include at least one of data at the time of evaluation, data from the past before the time of evaluation, and data predicted for the future after the time of evaluation.

[0023] "Fair cost" refers to either a cost value or a range of costs that is considered fair as a budget required for the work, taking into account at least price data. Note that the determination of "fair cost" may take into account not only price data, but also cost data from the past from the time of evaluation.

[0024] First embodiment [Configuration Description] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a cost management system. The cost management system 10 includes an input unit 11, an evaluation unit 12, and an output unit 13. Each unit (means) of the cost management system 10 is controlled by a control unit (controller) (not shown). Each unit of the cost management system 10 will be described below.

[0025] The input unit 11 inputs cost data related to the budget. The input unit 11 may be an input device such as a touch panel or a keyboard that allows a user to input cost data. Alternatively, the input unit 11 may be an interface used for communication to acquire cost data from an external device of the cost management system 10.

[0026] The evaluation unit 12 uses price data related to the cost to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data input from the input unit 11 is higher than the appropriate cost. Here, the price data may be stored in advance in the cost management system 10. Alternatively, the cost management system 10 may acquire the price data from an external device of the cost management system 10 or a network such as the Internet.

[0027] For example, for the material cost of material A in the input cost data, the evaluation unit 12 identifies the material cost of material B from the price data on multiple materials stored in the cost management system 10. Here, material B is a material required to generate material A. The stored price data is statistical data, and the price of material B is defined in this price data. The evaluation unit 12 uses the material cost of material B to evaluate whether the material cost of material A indicated by the cost data input from the input unit 11 is higher than an appropriate material cost.

[0028] As another example, the evaluation unit 12 may obtain information on the average wage at the time of evaluation as price data for the labor costs in the input cost data from the Internet. The evaluation unit 12 uses this average wage information to evaluate whether the labor costs indicated by the cost data input from the input unit 11 are higher than the appropriate labor costs.

[0029] The evaluation unit 12 may use, for example, an AI (Artificial Intelligence) model that has been trained in advance using training data to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data input from the input unit 11 is higher than the appropriate cost. The AI ​​model used by the evaluation unit 12 is trained by inputting training data including price data related to the sample cost and information on the appropriate cost into the AI ​​model. The information on the appropriate cost is the correct answer label in the training data.

[0030] After the AI ​​model has been trained as described above, the evaluation unit 12 inputs price data related to the cost indicated by the cost data input from the input unit 11 to the trained AI model. The AI ​​model uses the input information to output appropriate cost information for the cost indicated by the cost data. The evaluation unit 12 can compare the appropriate cost output by the AI ​​model with the cost indicated by the input cost data to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the input cost data is higher than the appropriate cost.

[0031] However, the learning of the AI ​​model used by the evaluation unit 12 may be performed by inputting training data including sample cost data information, price data related to the cost, and information indicating whether the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost to the AI ​​model. The information indicating whether the cost data is high or not is a correct answer label in the training data. After the AI ​​model is trained as described above, the evaluation unit 12 inputs the cost data input from the input unit 11 and the price data related to the cost to the trained AI model. The AI ​​model uses the input information to output information indicating whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost. Even in this way, the evaluation unit 12 can evaluate whether the cost indicated by the input cost data is higher than the appropriate cost.

[0032] In addition, any technique such as logistic regression or neural network can be used for the learning method using the teacher data described above.

[0033] As another example, the evaluation unit 12 may perform the evaluation using an AI model trained using a semi-supervised learning or unsupervised learning technique. Examples of unsupervised learning techniques that can be used include cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and the like, but are not limited to these.

[0034] However, the evaluation unit 12 may generate information indicating whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost by applying a rule-based algorithm to the input cost data and the price data related to the cost, instead of using an AI model. For example, the evaluation unit 12 may use an algorithm to calculate the appropriate material cost of material A from the price of material B indicated by the price data. The evaluation unit 12 compares the calculated appropriate material cost with the material cost of material A indicated by the cost data to evaluate whether the material cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate material cost.

[0035] The evaluation unit 12 may not only evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, but also evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data is lower than the appropriate cost.

[0036] In the above example, the evaluation unit 12 performs the evaluation of the material cost of the material A using the price of the material B used in producing the material A. However, the evaluation unit 12 may perform the evaluation of the material cost of the material A using other information. For example, the price data may include at least one of the following information: the wages of the workers required to produce the material A, the import cost of the material A, or the exchange rate related to the import. The evaluation unit 12 can calculate the appropriate material cost of the material A even if such information is used. Then, the evaluation unit 12 can compare the calculated appropriate material cost with the material cost of the material A indicated by the cost data, thereby evaluating whether the material cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate material cost.

[0037] When performing an evaluation on the material cost of material A, the evaluation unit 12 may use a plurality of price information (for example, the price of material B and exchange rate information).

[0038] Furthermore, the evaluation unit 12 may perform the evaluation by calculating the range of appropriate material costs for material A, instead of the price of the appropriate material cost for material A. In this case, the evaluation unit 12 can evaluate whether the material cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate material cost, for example, by comparing the upper limit value of the range of appropriate material costs for material A with the material cost of material A indicated by the cost data.

[0039] When the evaluation unit 12 evaluates that the cost indicated by the cost data is high, the output unit 13 outputs information on the appropriate cost for the cost data. Here, the information on the appropriate cost may be information indicating the appropriate cost itself, or may be information that leads to the user obtaining information on the appropriate cost.

[0040] For example, assume that the cost data of material costs includes the unit price and the amount of material A. Here, the evaluation unit 12 uses an AI model or algorithm to calculate the unit price of material A, which is the appropriate cost, using the price of material B indicated by the price data. Then, the evaluation unit 12 determines that the unit price of material A indicated by the cost data is higher than the calculated unit price of material A by a predetermined value or more. At this time, the output unit 13 may calculate the appropriate cost of material A by multiplying the amount of material A indicated by the cost data of material costs by the calculated unit price of material A. The output unit 13 outputs the calculated appropriate cost.

[0041] As another example, the output unit 13 may output the calculated unit price of material A as information on the appropriate cost. Alternatively, the output unit 13 may calculate the difference between the calculated unit price of material A and the unit price of material A indicated by the cost data. The output unit 13 may output information on the difference. Alternatively, the output unit 13 may output information on the value obtained by multiplying the difference by the amount of material A indicated by the cost data of the material cost. In this way, by calculating the difference regarding material A, the output unit 13 is able to output information on the price at which the material can be discounted.

[0042] If the evaluation unit 12 determines that the material cost of material A indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate material cost by calculating the appropriate material cost range of material A, the output unit 13 can output the following information as information on the appropriate cost. For example, the output unit 13 may calculate the appropriate cost of material A by multiplying the amount of material A indicated by the material cost data by one or more unit price values ​​included in the calculated appropriate unit price range of material A. The output unit 13 outputs the calculated appropriate cost.

[0043] As another example, the output unit 13 may output the calculated range of unit prices of material A, or one or more unit price values ​​included in that range, as information on the appropriate cost. Alternatively, the output unit 13 may calculate the difference between one or more unit price values ​​included in the calculated range of unit prices of material A and the unit price of material A indicated by the cost data. The output unit 13 may output information on that difference, or may output information on the value obtained by multiplying the amount of material A indicated by the cost data of the material cost by that difference. Note that the one or more unit price values ​​are, for example, values ​​such as the upper limit or average value of the calculated range of unit prices.

[0044] Furthermore, the output unit 13 may provide information on substitution of cost data as information that leads to the user obtaining appropriate cost information. The substitution information is information that, when the cost data is recreated using the information and the recreated cost data is evaluated by the evaluation unit 12, makes it difficult to evaluate the cost indicated by the cost data as being higher than the appropriate cost, as compared with the evaluation of the cost data before the recreation.

[0045] In addition, the output unit 13 can obtain and use this information by referring to information regarding substitutions stored within the cost management system 10 or by obtaining information regarding substitutions that exists outside the cost management system 10.

[0046] The information regarding the alternative may include, for example, at least any of the following: (1) Substitutes for the cost items such as materials and labor that make up the cost data (2) Substitute plans for work plans regarding cost data (3) An alternative organization to the company or other organization that performs the work related to the cost data (1) or (2) is information that can be substituted for information contained in the cost data. With regard to (1) or (2), by making the substitution, the cost indicated by the cost data becomes lower than the cost before the substitution. Also, by using (3) to recreate the cost data, the cost indicated by the recreated cost data becomes lower than the cost indicated by the previous cost data. Therefore, when the evaluation unit 12 evaluates the cost data after substitution, it becomes difficult to evaluate that the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, compared to the evaluation of the cost data before substitution. Specific examples of information regarding substitution will be described later in embodiment 2.

[0047] The output unit 13 may output information on the appropriate cost so that the user can recognize it, using at least one of a display device, an audio output device, and a printing device provided in the cost management system 10 or outside the cost management system 10. Examples of the display device and the audio output device are a display and a speaker, respectively.

[0048] [Explanation of the process flow] Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a typical process of the cost management system 10, and the outline of the process of the cost management system 10 is explained by the flowchart of Fig. 2. Note that the details of each process are as described above, and therefore will not be explained as appropriate.

[0049] In step S11, the input unit 11 inputs cost data related to the budget. In step S12, the evaluation unit 12 uses price data related to the cost to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost. In step S13, when the output unit 13 evaluates that the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, it outputs information about the appropriate cost for the cost data.

[0050] The evaluation unit 12 may perform evaluation not only for one type of item but also for multiple types of items (e.g., materials, workers, etc.). Here, the output unit 13 can output information on the appropriate cost of the cost data for at least an item that is evaluated to have a cost higher than the appropriate cost among the multiple types of items.

[0051] [Effect description] As described above, the evaluation unit 12 of the cost management system 10 uses price data related to the cost to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost. Due to social conditions and other reasons, fluctuations in the price related to the cost may cause the past data on the cost to deviate from the appropriate cost at the time of evaluation. Even in such a case, the evaluation unit 12 can use the price data to appropriately evaluate the cost.

[0052] Furthermore, when the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, the output unit 13 outputs information on the appropriate cost. Therefore, the user can take measures to reduce the cost using the output information. Therefore, the cost management system 10 can contribute to cost reduction.

[0053] The cost management system 10 is realized by one or more computers. When the cost management system 10 is realized by more than one computer, the method of distributing each of the units from the input unit 11 to the output unit 13 of the cost management system 10 to the more than one computer may be arbitrary. As an example, the cost management system 10 may be configured by mounting the input unit 11 to the output unit 13 on separate computers and connecting the computers. However, the cost management system 10 may also be configured by distributing the input unit 11 to the output unit 13 on two computers.

[0054] Some or all of the components of the cost management system 10 may be provided in a cloud server constructed on a cloud, or in other types of virtualized servers generated using virtualization technology, etc. Functions other than those provided in servers such as cloud servers or virtualized servers are placed in edges. For example, edges are devices that are placed at or near the site where work is performed via a network, and are devices that are close to terminals in terms of the hierarchy of the network.

[0055] Embodiment 2 In the following embodiment 2, a specific example of the cost management system described in embodiment 1 is disclosed. However, the specific example of the cost management system shown in embodiment 1 is not limited to the one shown below. Furthermore, the configurations and processes described below are examples and are not limited to these. It goes without saying that all or any part of the configuration described in embodiment 2 can be appropriately applied to the cost management system described in embodiment 1.

[0056] (2A) [Configuration Description] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a construction management system. The construction management system 100 comprises a prime contractor terminal 110, a subcontractor terminal 120, and a management server 130. The prime contractor terminal 110 is a terminal owned by a prime contractor of a construction project managed by the construction management system 100. The subcontractor terminal 120 is a terminal owned by a subcontractor of a construction project managed by the construction management system 100. The management server 130 is a server constructed on a cloud and provided at a location separate from the prime contractor terminal 110 and the subcontractor terminal 120.

[0057] Subcontractors generate cost data as cost estimates for construction work. The cost data is transmitted, for example, from the subcontractor terminal 120 to the management server 130. As described below, the management server 130 determines whether the costs recorded in the cost data are appropriate or not, and transmits the determination result to the prime contractor terminal 110. The prime contractor refers to the information transmitted to the prime contractor terminal 110 and checks the results of the check of the cost data by the management server 130.

[0058] 4A is a block diagram showing an example of a prime contractor terminal. The prime contractor terminal 110 includes a receiving unit 111, a display unit 112, an input unit 113, and a transmitting unit 114. The receiving unit 111 is an interface capable of receiving information from the subcontractor terminal 120 or the management server 130. The display unit 112 is a display capable of displaying information received by the receiving unit 111. The input unit 113 is an input device that allows a user of the prime contractor terminal 110 to input information while viewing the display unit 112. The transmitting unit 114 is an interface capable of transmitting information input from the input unit 113 to the subcontractor terminal 120 or the management server 130. Each unit of the prime contractor terminal 110 is controlled by a hardware controller (not shown).

[0059] 4B is a block diagram showing an example of a subcontractor terminal. The subcontractor terminal 120 includes a receiving unit 121, a display unit 122, an input unit 123, and a transmitting unit 124. The receiving unit 121 is an interface capable of receiving information from the prime contractor terminal 110 or the management server 130. The display unit 122 is a display capable of displaying information received by the receiving unit 121. The input unit 123 is an input device that allows a user of the subcontractor terminal 120 to input information while viewing the display unit 122. The transmitting unit 124 is an interface capable of transmitting information input from the input unit 123 to the prime contractor terminal 110 or the management server 130. Each unit of the subcontractor terminal 120 is controlled by a hardware controller (not shown).

[0060] 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a management server. The management server 130 includes a raw DB 131, a preprocessing unit 132, a cost DB 133, a related information DB 134, a receiving unit 135, an evaluation unit 136, a notification generating unit 137, and a transmitting unit 138. The receiving unit 135 and the evaluation unit 136 correspond to the input unit 11 and the evaluation unit 12 in the first embodiment, respectively. The notification generating unit 137 and the transmitting unit 138 correspond to the output unit 13 in the first embodiment. Each unit of the management server 130 is controlled by a hardware controller (not shown). Each unit will be described below.

[0061] The raw DB (Data Base) 131 is a DB that stores raw cost data indicating the type and cost of each construction project for the budget of construction projects carried out in the past. Note that the type of construction project may be classified according to criteria such as the area or scale of the construction project, the region where the construction project is carried out, etc.

[0062] In the raw cost data, the total amount of each item is defined as the cost. The cost data may also define the price per unit of each item and the quantity of each item for a given item. Here, the price per unit of each item is a price such as the unit price of material costs and the wage per person for labor costs. Furthermore, the quantity of each item is a value such as the amount of material and the amount of work done by a worker expressed as (time * number of people).

[0063] Here, the raw cost data includes multiple expressions that have the same meaning but are written differently. "Expression" includes, for example, character information, information of symbols indicating units, etc. Here, character information means at least one of a word indicating a single meaning, a compound word formed by combining multiple words, a phrase, a sentence, and a symbol.

[0064] Fig. 6 is a table showing an example of the types of work included in the raw cost data stored in raw DB 131. In Fig. 6, "the above installation work," "the above installation work," and "the same equipment installation work" are shown as words that represent the work of installing a type A toilet. When inputting information about costs, contractors sometimes input different expressions even though they have the same meaning.

[0065] The raw DB 131 may store not only cost data of construction works that have been carried out in the past, but also cost data of construction works that are in progress at the time of evaluation.

[0066] The preprocessing unit 132 functions as a conversion unit that converts the raw cost data stored in the raw DB 131 and unifies multiple expressions with the same meaning contained in the raw cost data into a single expression. For example, in the example of Fig. 6, the preprocessing unit 132 converts "the above installation work", "the above installation work", and "the same device installation work" into "A type toilet installation work". By executing this process, the preprocessing unit 132 contributes to the evaluation unit 136 accurately evaluating the input target cost data.

[0067] The pre-processing unit 132 may convert the raw cost data by using an AI model that has been trained in advance using training data, for example. The AI ​​model used by the pre-processing unit 132 is trained by inputting training data including sample data containing multiple expressions with the same meaning and character information (correct answer label) in which multiple expressions with the same meaning are unified into a single expression to the AI ​​model. Any technique such as logistic regression or neural network can be used as the training method.

[0068] After the AI ​​model is trained as described above, the preprocessing unit 132 inputs the raw cost data input from the raw DB 131 to the trained AI model. The AI ​​model converts multiple expressions with the same meaning in the raw cost data to a single expression, and outputs the converted cost data.

[0069] As another example, the preprocessing unit 132 may transform the raw cost data using an AI model trained using semi-supervised or unsupervised learning techniques, such as, but not limited to, cluster analysis, principal component analysis, etc.

[0070] However, the preprocessing unit 132 may apply a rule-based algorithm to the raw cost data to convert multiple expressions that have the same meaning in the raw cost data into a single unified expression.

[0071] The cost DB 133 stores the cost data converted by the preprocessing unit 132. As described for the raw DB 131, the cost data stored in the cost DB 133 may include not only the cost data of construction works done in the past, but also the cost data of construction works that are in progress at the time of evaluation.

[0072] The related information DB 134 stores price data that is not the cost of the construction work itself but indicates some price that affects the cost. In this example, the related information DB 134 stores data including the prices of materials related to the materials of the construction work, the average wage of construction workers, and exchange rate information as price data. Here, the price data includes prices at multiple points in time during the period from the evaluation time to a specified past time for each item in the price data. The management server 130 may update the price data to the latest version, for example, by periodically obtaining information related to the price data from the Internet.

[0073] Furthermore, at least one of information on construction plans that can be used alternatively and information on a plurality of construction companies may be further stored in the related information DB 134. Details of this information will be described later.

[0074] The receiving unit 135 receives cost data to be evaluated (hereinafter, also referred to as target cost data) from the transmitting unit 124 of the subcontractor terminal 120. The target cost data is created by the subcontractor when receiving an order for the construction work. The receiving unit 135 outputs the target cost data to the evaluation unit 136.

[0075] The evaluation unit 136 uses the cost data stored in the cost DB 133 and the price data stored in the related information DB 134 to evaluate whether the cost indicated by the target cost data is an appropriate cost, is higher than the appropriate cost, or is lower than the appropriate cost.

[0076] For example, the evaluation unit 136 identifies the material cost of material A in the cost data stored in the cost DB 133 for the material cost of material A in the target cost data. The evaluation unit 136 also identifies the material cost of material B required to generate material A from the price data stored in the related information DB 134. For example, the price data stored in the related information DB 134 may indicate that material A and material B are associated with each other. When referring to the price data, the evaluation unit 136 can identify the material cost of material B required to generate material A by acquiring information indicating the association between material A and material B.

[0077] The evaluation unit 136 uses the material cost of material A in the cost data and the material cost of material B in the price data to determine the appropriate range of material cost for material A at the time of evaluation. For example, an AI model trained in advance using training data may be used to determine this range of material costs. The AI ​​model used by the evaluation unit 136 is trained by inputting into the AI ​​model sample cost data of past material costs, price data related to material costs, and training data including information on appropriate material costs. The information on appropriate material costs is the correct answer label in the training data.

[0078] After the AI ​​model has been trained as described above, the evaluation unit 136 inputs the material cost of material A in the cost data and the material cost of material B in the price data to the trained AI model. The AI ​​model uses the input information to output an appropriate cost range for the material cost of material A. The evaluation unit 136 compares the appropriate cost range output by the AI ​​model with the material cost of material A in the target cost data. Then, the evaluation unit 136 can determine whether the material cost of material A indicated by the target cost data is within the appropriate range, higher than the appropriate range, or lower than the appropriate range.

[0079] When performing an evaluation on the material cost of material A, the evaluation unit 136 may use information on other prices as well as the price of material B as price data information. In addition, the learning method of the AI ​​model used by the evaluation unit 136 is not limited to the above method.

[0080] The evaluation unit 136 can use the AI ​​model to evaluate not only the material costs in the target cost data, but also, for example, labor costs. The evaluation unit 136 may acquire price information (for example, information on average wages) related to labor costs in the area corresponding to the area where the construction work is performed, from the price data information, by referring to the area where the construction work is performed, specified in the target cost data. The reason why the evaluation unit 136 executes this process is to acquire accurate information reflecting the actual situation at the time of evaluation, since information on wages differs depending on the area. The evaluation unit 136 can use the acquired price information to evaluate whether the labor costs in the target cost data are within an appropriate range, are higher than the appropriate range, or are lower than the appropriate range.

[0081] The evaluation unit 136 may also refer to the type of construction included in the target cost data to ascertain information indicating the scale of the construction and the area in which the construction will be carried out. The evaluation unit 136 refers to the cost DB 133 to acquire cost data information corresponding to at least either the scale or the area. The evaluation unit 136 also refers to the related information DB 134 to acquire price data information corresponding to at least either the scale or the area. The evaluation unit 136 evaluates the cost of the target cost data using the acquired cost data and price data information.

[0082] Furthermore, the evaluation unit 136 can perform the above-described evaluation for each of the multiple cost items listed in the target cost data.

[0083] The notification generating unit 137 generates the contents of an alert notification to be transmitted to at least one of the prime contractor terminal 110 and the subcontractor terminal 120 based on the evaluation result of the evaluating unit 136. The transmitting unit 138 transmits the notification contents generated by the notification generating unit 137 to at least one of the prime contractor terminal 110 and the subcontractor terminal 120.

[0084] Below, we will explain the specific notification contents and notification methods for the following three cases. (A) When the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is an appropriate cost (B) When the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is higher than the appropriate cost. (C) When the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is lower than the appropriate cost.

[0085] (A) When the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is an appropriate cost, the notification generation unit 137 generates a notification to the prime contractor including information indicating that the cost indicated by the target cost data is an appropriate cost. The transmission unit 138 transmits this notification to the prime contractor terminal 110.

[0086] The receiving unit 111 of the prime contractor terminal 110 receives this notification, and the display unit 112 displays the notification content. This allows the prime contractor to know that the cost indicated by the target cost data is the appropriate cost. This enables the prime contractor to carry out the work.

[0087] The notification generating unit 137 may further generate a notification to the subcontractor including information indicating that the cost indicated by the target cost data is an appropriate cost. The sending unit 138 sends this notification to the subcontractor terminal 120. The receiving unit 121 of the subcontractor terminal 120 receives this notification, and the display unit 122 displays the notification content. This enables the subcontractor to confirm that there is no problem with the cost content indicated by the target cost data created by the subcontractor.

[0088] In addition, when there are multiple cost items to be evaluated by the evaluation unit 136 in the target cost data, for example, when the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the costs for all target cost items are appropriate, the notification generation unit 137 may generate a notification to the prime contractor and a notification to the subcontractor with the above-mentioned content.

[0089] (B) When the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, the notification generation unit 137 generates notification contents to be sent to the prime contractor terminal 110 and notification contents to be sent to the subcontractor terminal 120. Hereinafter, the notification sent to the prime contractor terminal 110 will also be referred to as a notification to the prime contractor, and the notification sent to the subcontractor terminal 120 will also be referred to as a notification to the subcontractor. The transmission unit 138 transmits the notification to the prime contractor generated by the notification generation unit 137 to the prime contractor terminal 110, and transmits the notification to the subcontractor generated by the notification generation unit 137 to the subcontractor terminal 120.

[0090] The notice generation unit 137 generates a notice to the prime contractor so that the notice to the prime contractor includes at least any one of the following information: The fair cost information generated by the evaluation unit 136 Information about replacing object cost data For example, the notification generation unit 137 may include the appropriate unit price range of material A generated by the evaluation unit 136 as appropriate cost information in the content of the notification to the prime contractor. Alternatively, the notification generation unit 137 may multiply the appropriate unit price range of material A generated by the evaluation unit 136 by the amount of material A indicated by the target cost data to calculate the appropriate total price range of material A. The notification generation unit 137 includes the appropriate total price range of material A as appropriate cost information in the content of the notification to the prime contractor.

[0091] Alternatively, the notification generating unit 137 may calculate the difference between the material cost of material A indicated by the target cost data and the upper limit of the range of the appropriate unit price of material A, and include the information on the difference as appropriate cost information in the content of the notification to the prime contractor. Alternatively, the notification generating unit 137 may multiply the calculated difference by the amount of material A indicated by the target cost data, to calculate the cost to be reduced for the material cost of material A as appropriate cost information, and include the information on the appropriate cost in the content of the notification to the prime contractor.

[0092] The information regarding replacement of the target cost data generated by the notification generating unit 137 may be, for example, as follows: Specific examples will be described below along with (1) to (3) described in the first embodiment.

[0093] First, an example of (1) will be described. For example, assume that the evaluation unit 136 calculates that the appropriate material cost range of material A is equal to or more than a1 and equal to or less than a2, and the material cost a3 of material A indicated by the target cost data is higher than a2. In this case, the notification generation unit 137 refers to the material information stored in the cost DB 133. Here, the cost DB 133 stores information on a plurality of material items and information on the price of each item as information on a plurality of materials. A plurality of materials can be used alternatively. Therefore, it can be said that the cost DB 133 stores information on substitutions.

[0094] 7A shows an example of material information stored in the cost DB 133. It is assumed that the cost DB 133 stores information on a plurality of materials that can be used alternatively, namely, material A with a unit price of a4, material C with a unit price of c1, and material D with a unit price of d1. If c1>a4>d1, the notification generating unit 137 determines that the cost will be lower by using material D as a substitute for material A. Therefore, the notification generating unit 137 generates a notification to the prime contractor including a content proposing to use material D as a substitute for material A as a notification to the prime contractor. The transmitting unit 138 transmits the notification to the prime contractor terminal 110.

[0095] When the receiving unit 111 of the prime contractor terminal 110 receives the notification for the prime contractor, the display unit 112 can display the notification for the prime contractor. By knowing the contents of the notification, the prime contractor can take measures such as changing materials, thereby reducing the cost.

[0096] The notification generating unit 137 may calculate the cost of materials when material A indicated by the cost data is substituted with material D. The notification generating unit 137 calculates the cost of materials by using data related to material D stored in the cost DB 133 and the related information DB 134. In this case, the notification generating unit 137 generates a notification for the prime contractor including information on the cost of materials when material D is used instead of material A, in addition to the content proposing to use material D as a substitute for material A. The transmitting unit 138 transmits this notification for the prime contractor to the prime contractor terminal 110. Therefore, by knowing the notified content, the prime contractor can know how much the cost will be reduced by changing the material.

[0097] Next, an example of (2) will be described. For example, assume that the evaluation unit 136 calculates that the appropriate labor cost in the cost is greater than or equal to e1 and less than or equal to e2, and the labor cost e3 indicated by the cost data in the construction plan A is higher than e2. In this case, the notification generation unit 137 refers to information on multiple interchangeable plans stored in the related information DB 134.

[0098] 7B shows an example of information on a construction plan linked to a construction method stored in the related information DB 134. The related information DB 134 stores the following as information on a construction plan that can be alternatively used. -Construction plan A: Work volume is 100 man-days, construction period is 10 business days -Construction plan B: Work volume is 120 man-days, construction period is 8 business days - Construction plan C: Work volume is 80 man-days, construction period is 12 business days A person-day indicates the amount of work that one worker can do in one day.

[0099] The notification generating unit 137 compares the amount of work for each construction plan and determines that construction plan C requires less work than construction plan A. Here, because the wage in the labor cost of construction varies in proportion to the amount of work, the notification generating unit 137 determines that it is possible to reduce the labor cost of construction by changing construction plan A to construction plan C. Therefore, the notification generating unit 137 generates a notification for the prime contractor including content proposing to adopt construction plan C instead of construction plan A. The transmitting unit 138 transmits the notification for the prime contractor to the prime contractor terminal 110. By knowing the content of the notification, the prime contractor can take measures such as changing the construction plan, thereby reducing the cost.

[0100] The notification generating unit 137 may calculate the labor cost when the construction plan A is changed to the construction plan C. When the construction plan C is adopted, the notification generating unit 137 calculates the labor cost in the construction plan C by using the data related to labor costs stored in the cost DB 133 and the related information DB 134. In this case, the notification generating unit 137 generates a notification for the prime contractor including information on the labor cost when the construction plan C is adopted, in addition to the content proposing to adopt the construction plan C instead of the construction plan A. The transmitting unit 138 transmits this notification for the prime contractor to the prime contractor terminal 110. Therefore, the prime contractor can know how much the cost will be reduced by changing the construction plan by knowing the notified content.

[0101] Next, an example of (3) will be described. For example, assume that the evaluation unit 136 calculates that the appropriate cost of construction A is equal to or greater than f1 and equal to or less than f2, and the cost indicated by the cost data of construction A provided by company A is f3, which is higher than f2. In this case, the notification generation unit 137 refers to information on a plurality of construction companies stored in the related information DB 134. The related information DB 134 stores the names of a plurality of construction companies and information on each construction company.

[0102] 7C shows an example of information on construction companies stored in the related information DB 134. The related information DB 134 stores the following information on construction companies: ·Construction company A: Can perform constructions A, B, and C. Past construction work has an average rating of 80 out of 100. Construction cost range is between Th1 and Th2. Location is City A. ·Construction company B: Construction B and C are possible. Past construction work has an average rating of 75 out of 100. Construction cost range is between Th3 and Th4. Location is City B. ·Construction company C: Construction A and C are possible. Past construction work has an average rating of 80 out of 100. Construction cost range is between Th5 and Th6. Location is City A. ·Construction company D: Construction A and D are possible. Past construction work has an average rating of 85 out of 100. Construction cost range is between Th7 and Th8. Location is City D. Here, Th1>Th7>Th5, Th2>Th8>Th6.

[0103] In this example, the information about the construction company includes information about the types of construction work that the construction company can do, an evaluation of construction work that the construction company has done in the past, the price range of the construction costs of the construction company, and the location of the construction company. The location of the construction company may include not only the headquarters of the construction company, but also the location of the construction company's facilities necessary for carrying out the construction work, such as a branch office or sales office. The information about the construction company may include at least any of the above information. The information about the construction company may also include other information. The evaluation of the construction work is based on at least any of the following perspectives, for example: no delays in the construction work process, high work quality, low cost, and small difference between the budget and the actual cost.

[0104] The notification generating unit 137 refers to the information of each construction company and determines that the construction companies capable of construction A are construction company A, construction company C, and construction company D. Next, the notification generating unit 137 refers to the information on the price range of the construction costs of these three companies and determines that the price range of the construction costs of construction company C and construction company D is lower than that of construction company A. Based on this determination result, the notification generating unit 137 may specify at least one of construction company C and construction company D as a replacement candidate for construction company A. The notification generating unit 137 generates a notification for the prime contractor including content proposing to change construction company A to the identified replacement candidate construction company. The transmitting unit 138 transmits the notification for the prime contractor to the prime contractor terminal 110. By knowing the content of the notification, the prime contractor can take measures such as changing the construction company, thereby reducing the cost.

[0105] The notification generating unit 137 may further compare the price range of construction company C with the price range of construction company D, and determine that the price range of construction costs of construction company C is lower than that of construction company D. Based on this determination result, the notification generating unit 137 may identify construction company C as a candidate to replace construction company A. In this way, the notification generating unit 137 can identify construction company C that is expected to have the lowest construction cost, and include information about construction company C in the notification to the prime contractor. In this case, it is expected that the cost can be made the cheapest if the prime contractor changes construction companies by knowing the contents of the notification.

[0106] As another example, the notification generating unit 137 may further compare the evaluation of the work of the construction company C with the evaluation of the work of the construction company D, and determine that the evaluation of the work of the construction company D is higher than the evaluation of the work of the construction company C. Based on this determination result, the notification generating unit 137 may specify the construction company D as a candidate to replace the construction company A. In this way, the notification generating unit 137 can specify a construction company by taking into consideration not only the cost of the work but also the evaluation of the work, and include information about the construction company D in the notification to the prime contractor. Then, it is assumed that if the prime contractor changes the construction company by knowing the contents of the notification, the cost can be reduced while maintaining the quality of the work.

[0107] As yet another example, the notification generation unit 137 may refer to the location of construction company C and the location of construction company D. Furthermore, the notification generation unit 137 specifies that the location where construction A is to be performed is City A. For example, the notification generation unit 137 can specify the location information of construction A by referring to the location information of construction A included in the target cost data transmitted from the subcontractor terminal 120.

[0108] The notification generation unit 137 compares the location information of construction companies C and D with the location information of construction A. Then, the notification generation unit 137 determines that construction company C, which is located in the same city as the location of construction A and is closer to the location of construction A than construction company D, is more suitable as a construction company. In this way, based on the comparison result, the notification generation unit 137 selects construction company C as an alternative construction company to carry out construction A. In this case, it is expected that if the prime contractor changes construction companies by knowing the contents of the notification, the construction can proceed more smoothly.

[0109] The notification generating unit 137 may, for example, compare the location of construction A mapped on a map with the locations of construction companies C and D to determine that construction company C is closer to the location of construction A than construction company D. Furthermore, the notification generating unit 137 may select construction company C as a construction company whose location is within a predetermined distance from the location of construction A, or whose location is within a predetermined time from the location of construction A.

[0110] The notification generating unit 137 may determine an alternative construction company based on a viewpoint other than the price range, the evaluation, and the location included in the information of the construction company. The notification generating unit 137 may also determine an alternative construction company based on a plurality of viewpoints included in the information of the construction company.

[0111] In addition, in the search for alternative information described above, it is assumed that the notification generating unit 137 may not be able to find suitable alternative information. In that case, the notification generating unit 137 may generate a notification for the prime contractor including information for which suitable alternative information could not be found. The transmitting unit 138 transmits the generated notification for the prime contractor to the prime contractor terminal 110.

[0112] In addition, in the situation (B), the notification generating unit 137 also generates a notification for the subcontractor to be sent to the subcontractor terminal 120. The notification generating unit 137 generates the notification for the subcontractor so as to include proposal information including content proposing at least any of the following to the subcontractor: · Check the contents of the target cost data ·Enter the reason for creating the target cost data ·Change in object cost data In other words, the notice to the subcontractor provides the subcontractor with an opportunity to correct the target cost data or to explain the target cost data. In particular, the notice generating unit 137 may be configured to suggest, in the notice to the subcontractor, at least one of confirming the contents, inputting the reason for creating the data, or changing the data for items (e.g., material costs of specific materials, labor costs, etc.) that the evaluation unit 136 has evaluated as having a high cost among the target cost data. The sending unit 138 sends the generated notice to the subcontractor terminal 120.

[0113] In addition, the notification generating unit 137 may set a deadline for replying to the subcontractor's notification in the subcontractor's notification.

[0114] When the receiving unit 121 of the subcontractor terminal 120 receives the subcontractor-directed notification, the display unit 122 becomes able to display the subcontractor-directed notification. Based on the notified contents, the subcontractor can execute the following. For example, the subcontractor may input information indicating that the subcontractor has confirmed the contents of the target cost data whose cost has been determined to be high, in the input unit 123. However, the subcontractor may also input a correction to the item of the target cost data whose cost has been evaluated to be high, in the input unit 123. Alternatively, the subcontractor may input an explanation to the item of the target cost data whose cost has been evaluated to be high, in the input unit 123. A response including the information on the confirmation, correction, or explanation of the input contents is transmitted to the management server 130 by the transmitting unit 124.

[0115] The transmitting unit 138 may transmit the contents of the reply transmitted from the subcontractor terminal 120 to the prime contractor terminal 110. When the receiving unit 111 of the prime contractor terminal 110 receives the contents of the reply, the display unit 112 can display the contents of the reply. Therefore, by checking the displayed information, the prime contractor can know whether there is a problem with the target cost data, whether the problem of high costs in the target cost data has been corrected, or whether there were legitimate circumstances for the high costs. Therefore, the prime contractor can carry out the work.

[0116] The timing at which the transmission unit 138 transmits the notice to the prime contractor and the notice to the subcontractor can be set arbitrarily. For example, the transmission unit 138 may transmit the notice to the prime contractor and the notice to the subcontractor simultaneously, or may transmit either one first. For example, the transmission unit 138 may transmit the notice to the subcontractor first. When the reception unit 135 receives the reply content from the subcontractor terminal 120, the transmission unit 138 may transmit the notice to the prime contractor to the prime contractor terminal 110. Furthermore, the transmission unit 138 may transmit the reply content from the subcontractor terminal 120 and the notice to the prime contractor together to the prime contractor terminal 110. In particular, when the notice to the prime contractor includes the content shown in (3), it is preferable that the transmission unit 138 transmits the notice to the subcontractor first, with the intention of providing the subcontractor with an opportunity to confirm, correct, or explain first.

[0117] In addition, when there are multiple cost items to be evaluated by the evaluation unit 136 in the target cost data, it is assumed that the cost of one or more arbitrary items or one or more specific items of the target cost data is evaluated as being high. In such a case, the notification generation unit 137 may generate the above-mentioned notification to the prime contractor and notification to the subcontractor for each item evaluated as having a high cost.

[0118] (C) When the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is lower than the appropriate cost, the notification generation unit 137 generates a notification for the subcontractor to be sent to the subcontractor terminal 120. The notification generation unit 137 generates the notification for the subcontractor so as to include proposal information including content proposing at least any of the following to the subcontractor, just as in the case where the cost indicated by the target cost data is evaluated to be higher than the appropriate cost. · Check the contents of the target cost data ·Enter the reason for creating the target cost data ·Change in object cost data In particular, the notification generating unit 137 may propose, in the notification to the subcontractor, at least one of confirming the contents, inputting the reason for creation, or changing the contents of the items (e.g., material cost of a specific material, labor cost, etc.) that the evaluation unit 136 has evaluated as having a low cost among the target cost data. The sending unit 138 sends the generated notification to the subcontractor terminal 120. Note that the notification generating unit 137 may set, in the notification to the subcontractor, a deadline for replying to the notification to the subcontractor.

[0119] When the receiving unit 121 of the subcontractor terminal 120 receives the subcontractor-directed notification, the display unit 122 becomes able to display the subcontractor-directed notification. Based on the notified contents, the subcontractor inputs a response including information for confirming, correcting or explaining the contents of the target cost data. The input contents are transmitted to the management server 130 by the transmitting unit 124.

[0120] The transmitting unit 138 may transmit the contents of the reply transmitted from the subcontractor terminal 120 to the prime contractor terminal 110. When the receiving unit 111 of the prime contractor terminal 110 receives the contents of the reply, the display unit 112 can display the contents of the reply. Therefore, by checking the displayed information, the prime contractor can know whether there is a problem with the target cost data, whether the problem of low costs in the target cost data has been corrected, or whether there are legitimate circumstances for the low costs. Therefore, the prime contractor can carry out the work.

[0121] Furthermore, the notice generation unit 137 may generate a notice to the prime contractor so that the notice to the prime contractor includes at least any of the following information: The fair cost information generated by the evaluation unit 136 As explained in (B), the notification generation unit 137 may include the range of appropriate unit prices for material A generated by the evaluation unit 136 in the content of the notification to the prime contractor as information on the appropriate cost. Alternatively, the notification generation unit 137 may multiply the range of appropriate unit prices for material A generated by the evaluation unit 136 by the amount of material A indicated by the target cost data to calculate the range of appropriate total prices for material A. The notification generation unit 137 includes the range of appropriate total prices for material A in the content of the notification to the prime contractor as information on the appropriate cost.

[0122] Alternatively, the notification generating unit 137 may calculate the difference between the material cost of material A indicated by the target cost data and the lower limit of the range of the appropriate unit price of material A, and include the information on the difference as appropriate cost information in the content of the notification to the prime contractor. Alternatively, the notification generating unit 137 may multiply the calculated difference by the amount of material A indicated by the target cost data, to calculate the cost to be reduced for the material cost of material A as appropriate cost information, and include the information on the appropriate cost in the content of the notification to the prime contractor.

[0123] Furthermore, the notification generating unit 137 may include in the notification to the prime contractor an inquiry as to whether or not to send the notification to the subcontractor terminal 120. If the cost in the target cost data is low, it is basically expected that the prime contractor will benefit. Therefore, by allowing the prime contractor to select whether or not to provide the subcontractor with an opportunity to notify, the prime contractor can be given an opportunity to maintain its profits.

[0124] When the receiving unit 111 of the prime contractor terminal 110 receives the notification for the prime contractor, the display unit 112 becomes able to display the notification for the prime contractor. Based on the contents of the notification, the prime contractor inputs a response indicating whether or not it is OK to send the notification for the subcontractor to the subcontractor terminal 120. The input response is sent to the management server 130 by the sending unit 114.

[0125] When the response of the prime contractor terminal 110 received by the receiving unit 135 indicates that the subcontractor-directed notification should not be sent to the subcontractor terminal 120, the transmitting unit 138 does not send the above-mentioned subcontractor-directed notification to the subcontractor terminal 120. On the other hand, when the response of the prime contractor terminal 110 indicates that the subcontractor-directed notification may be sent to the subcontractor terminal 120, the transmitting unit 138 sends the above-mentioned subcontractor-directed notification to the subcontractor terminal 120.

[0126] In addition, the notification generation unit 137 may include an inquiry about whether or not to send a notification to a subcontractor in the notification to the prime contractor, but may not include the information on the appropriate cost generated by the evaluation unit 136.

[0127] Also, the notification generating unit 137 may not include the inquiry content as to whether or not to send a notification to a subcontractor in the notification to a prime contractor. In this case, the timing at which the transmitting unit 138 sends the notification to a prime contractor and the timing at which the transmitting unit 138 sends the notification to a subcontractor can be set arbitrarily. For example, the transmitting unit 138 may send the notification to a prime contractor and the notification to a subcontractor at the same time, or may send one of them first.

[0128] In addition, when there are multiple cost items to be evaluated by the evaluation unit 136 in the target cost data, it is assumed that the cost of one or more arbitrary items or one or more specific items of the target cost data is evaluated as low. In such a case, the notification generation unit 137 generates a notification to the prime contractor with the above content for each item evaluated as having a low cost, and may also generate a notification to the subcontractor as necessary.

[0129] [Explanation of the process flow] Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing that the management server 130 performs before executing the evaluation, and the flowchart in Fig. 8 provides an overview of the pre-processing of the cost management system 10. Note that the details of each process are as described above, and therefore will not be described as appropriate.

[0130] In step S21, the pre-processing unit 132 executes pre-processing to convert the raw cost data stored in the raw DB 131. In step S22, the cost data converted by the pre-processing unit 132 is stored in the cost DB 133. On the other hand, in step S23, The related information DB 134 stores price data, information on construction plans, and information on construction companies.

[0131] It should be noted that the processes of steps S21 and S22 and the process of step S23 may be executed in any order, or may be executed in parallel.

[0132] 9A and 9B are flowcharts showing an example of the process performed when the management server 130 executes an evaluation, and the flowcharts in Fig. 9A and 9B provide an overview of the evaluation process of the management server 130. Note that the details of each process are as described above, and therefore will not be described as appropriate.

[0133] In step S31, the receiving unit 135 receives target cost data from the subcontractor terminal 120. In step S32, the evaluation unit 136 evaluates whether the cost indicated by the target cost data is higher than the appropriate cost. If the cost indicated by the target cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, in step S33, the notification generating unit 137 generates a notification to the prime contractor and a notification to the subcontractor as an alert notification. The transmitting unit 138 transmits the notification to the prime contractor terminal 110 and the notification to the subcontractor terminal 120.

[0134] On the other hand, if the cost indicated by the target cost data is not higher than the appropriate cost, in step S34, the evaluation unit 136 evaluates whether the cost indicated by the target cost data is lower than the appropriate cost. If the cost indicated by the target cost data is not lower than the appropriate cost (i.e., the cost is appropriate), in step S35, the notification generation unit 137 generates a notification to the prime contractor including information indicating that the cost is appropriate. The transmission unit 138 transmits the notification to the prime contractor terminal 110. The notification generation unit 137 may further generate a notification to the subcontractor including information indicating that the cost indicated by the target cost data is the appropriate cost, and the transmission unit 138 may transmit this notification to the subcontractor terminal 120.

[0135] If the cost indicated by the target cost data is lower than the appropriate cost, in step S36, the notification generating unit 137 generates a notification to the prime contractor including information on the appropriate cost and an inquiry as to whether or not to send a notification to the subcontractor. The transmitting unit 138 transmits the notification to the prime contractor terminal 110. In step S37, the management server 130 judges whether or not the answer of the prime contractor terminal 110 received by the receiving unit 135 indicates that it is possible to send a notification to the subcontractor terminal 120. If the answer indicates that it is possible to send a notification to the subcontractor terminal 120, in step S38, the notification generating unit 137 generates a notification to the subcontractor, and the transmitting unit 138 transmits the notification to the subcontractor terminal 120. On the other hand, if the answer does not indicate that it is possible to send a notification to the subcontractor terminal 120, in step S39, the notification generating unit 137 does not generate a notification to the subcontractor.

[0136] [Effect description] When construction work is to be carried out, the prime contractor obtains a construction estimate from the subcontractor, which includes information on costs such as material costs and labor costs. The prime contractor must determine whether the costs are reasonable, but this determination is often difficult. In particular, when prices fluctuate rapidly and a simple comparison between past construction costs and current costs cannot be made, this becomes even more difficult.

[0137] In this case, if the subcontractor presents a cost price that is higher than the fair price, and the prime contractor approves the subcontractor's quotation without being able to make an accurate judgment, the costs that could have been reduced in the construction work will not be reduced. On the other hand, if the prime contractor judges the cost price to be high without having a clear standard and negotiates the price with the subcontractor, the subcontractor may be forced to discount the cost price even if the subcontractor presented a fair cost price. In this case, the subcontractor's profits may be damaged. Also, if the cost price is not fair, the prime contractor may not be able to decide how to respond.

[0138] In contrast, in the management server 130 shown in the present disclosure, the evaluation unit 136 can evaluate whether the cost indicated by the target cost data is higher than the appropriate cost by using the cost data in the cost DB 133 and the price data in the related information DB 134. For example, even if the cost of a certain material A is a substantially constant amount in the past cost data, when referring to the price data at the time of evaluation, it is assumed that the price will suddenly change in the near future. As an example, it is conceivable that the price of material B, which is the raw material of material A, will suddenly increase in price in the price data at the time of evaluation. Even in such a case, the evaluation unit 136 can predict the fluctuation of the appropriate cost of material A and accurately evaluate the target cost data. The prime contractor can accurately determine whether or not it is possible to reduce costs by checking the evaluation result generated by the management server 130.

[0139] Furthermore, if the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, the management server 130 can output information on the substitution of the target cost data as information on the appropriate cost. This provides the prime contractor with information on what action to take, allowing the prime contractor to make a smooth decision.

[0140] Here, the information on substitution may be information on substitution for at least one of the cost items constituting the target cost data, the work plan related to the target cost data, and the construction company that will carry out the work related to the target cost data. This makes the information given to the prime contractor more specific, allowing the prime contractor to make a smoother decision.

[0141] At this time, the notification generating unit 137 may compare the location information of the multiple construction companies with the location information of the construction work, and select an alternative construction company to carry out the construction work based on the comparison result. This allows the prime contractor to select a construction company that is geographically close to the construction site as an alternative construction company. Therefore, even if the construction company is changed, it is expected that the changed construction company will be able to start the construction work immediately, so that delays in the construction work can be suppressed.

[0142] The notification generating unit 137 may also compare the evaluations of the construction companies and select an alternative construction company to carry out the work based on the comparison results. This allows the prime contractor to select a construction company with a good evaluation as an alternative construction company. Therefore, even when changing the construction company, deterioration of the quality of the work can be suppressed.

[0143] In addition, when the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, the notification generation unit 137 may generate a notification to the subcontractor for the subcontractor terminal 120. Here, the notification to the subcontractor includes at least one of the following: confirmation of the contents of the target cost data, input of the reason for creating the target cost data, or a proposal to change the target cost data. This provides the subcontractor with an opportunity to correct, explain, etc. the target cost data. Therefore, if there is an error in the target cost data, the subcontractor can correct it, and the construction can proceed smoothly. In addition, since the prime contractor can check the corrections, explanations, etc. made by the subcontractor, it is possible to suppress the possibility that the subcontractor will damage the prime contractor's evaluation or the possibility that the subcontractor will be changed in charge of the construction without a valid reason.

[0144] Furthermore, when the evaluation unit 136 evaluates that the cost indicated by the target cost data is lower than the appropriate cost, the notification generation unit 137 may generate a notification to the subcontractor for the subcontractor terminal 120. Here, the notification to the subcontractor includes content proposing at least one of confirming the content of the target cost data, inputting the reason for creating the target cost data, and changing the target cost data. This provides the subcontractor with an opportunity to correct, explain, etc. the target cost data. Therefore, the prime contractor can obtain information from the subcontractor regarding costs, which contributes to the prime contractor accurately understanding the trend of costs.

[0145] Here, the notification generating unit 137 may generate an inquiry to inquire the prime contractor terminal 110 as to whether or not to output a subcontractor-directed notification to the subcontractor terminal 120. When the prime contractor terminal 110 responds that it is OK to output a subcontractor-directed notification, the management server 130 outputs the subcontractor-directed notification to the subcontractor terminal 120. By allowing the prime contractor to select whether or not to provide the subcontractor with an opportunity to notify, it is possible to provide the prime contractor with an opportunity to maintain the profits resulting from low cost.

[0146] The management server 130 may also include a pre-processing unit 132 that converts the raw cost data stored in the raw DB 131 to unify multiple expressions with the same meaning in the raw cost data. The converted cost data can be used when evaluation is performed by the evaluation unit 136. This allows the evaluation unit 136 to perform a more accurate analysis of the cost data, and therefore allows the evaluation unit 136 to more accurately evaluate the input target cost data.

[0147] In the second embodiment, the management server 130 transmits a notice to the prime contractor to the prime contractor terminal 110, and transmits a notice to the subcontractor to the subcontractor terminal 120. However, the management server 130 may transmit the notice to the prime contractor and the notice to the subcontractor to different terminals. Also, the management server 130 may transmit the notice to the prime contractor and the notice to the subcontractor to the same terminal.

[0148] In the above embodiment, this disclosure has been described as a hardware configuration, but this disclosure is not limited to this. In this disclosure, the processes or steps executed by at least one of the cost management systems, the management server, and the terminals described in the above embodiment may be realized by causing a processor in a computer to execute a computer program.

[0149] 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device in which the processes of the devices in each of the above-described embodiments are executed. Referring to FIG. 10, the information processing device 90 includes a signal processing circuit 91, a processor 92, and a memory 93.

[0150] The signal processing circuit 91 is a circuit for processing signals in accordance with the control of the processor 92. Note that the signal processing circuit 91 may include a communication circuit for receiving a signal from a transmitting device.

[0151] The processor 92 is connected or coupled to the memory 93, and performs the processing of the device described in the above embodiment by reading and executing software or computer programs from the memory 93. Examples of the processor 92 include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a DSP (Demand-Side Platform), and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). As the processor 92, one processor may be used, or multiple processors may be used in cooperation with each other.

[0152] The memory 93 is composed of a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof. The volatile memory may be, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or a SRAM (Static Random Access Memory). The non-volatile memory may be, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) such as a PROM (Programmable Random Only Memory) or an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a flash memory, or an SSD (Solid State Drive). As the memory 93, one memory may be used, or multiple memories may be used in cooperation with each other.

[0153] The memory 93 is used to store one or more instructions. Here, the one or more instructions are stored in the memory 93 as a group of software modules. The processor 92 can perform the processes described in the above-mentioned embodiments by reading and executing the group of software modules from the memory 93.

[0154] The memory 93 may include a memory built into the processor 92 in addition to a memory provided outside the processor 92. The memory 93 may also include a storage device disposed away from the processors constituting the processor 92. In this case, the processor 92 can access the memory 93 via an I / O (Input / Output) interface.

[0155] As described above, one or more processors included in each device in the above-mentioned embodiments execute one or more programs including a set of instructions for causing a computer to execute the algorithm described using the drawings. By performing this processing, the information processing described in each embodiment can be realized.

[0156] The program includes a set of instructions (or software code) that, when loaded into a computer, causes the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, the computer-readable medium or tangible storage medium includes random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray® disk or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device. The program may be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, the transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0157] A part or all of the above-described embodiments may be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes. It goes without saying that the following contents described as supplementary notes of the system can also be realized as a method and a program. (Appendix 1) an input unit for inputting first cost data relating to a budget; an evaluation unit that uses price data related to a cost to evaluate whether or not the cost indicated by the first cost data is higher than an appropriate cost; and an output unit that outputs information about a proper cost for the first cost data when the evaluation unit evaluates that the cost indicated by the first cost data is higher than a proper cost. Cost control system. (Appendix 2) The information regarding the appropriate cost is information regarding a replacement of the first cost data. The cost control system described in Appendix 1. (Appendix 3) The information on the substitution is information that substitutes for at least one of the cost items constituting the first cost data, the plan for the work related to the first cost data, or the entity that performs the work related to the first cost data. The cost management system described in Appendix 2. (Appendix 4) The output unit compares location information of a plurality of entities capable of performing the work related to the first cost data with location information of the work, selects an entity that will be a substitute entity for performing the work related to the first cost data from among the plurality of entities based on a comparison result, and outputs information on the selected entity as information related to the substitute. The cost control system described in Appendix 3. (Appendix 5) The output unit compares evaluations of a plurality of entities capable of performing the work related to the first cost data, selects an entity that will be an alternative to perform the work related to the first cost data from among the plurality of entities based on a comparison result, and outputs information about the selected entity as information about the alternative. The cost control system described in Appendix 3. (Appendix 6) When the evaluation unit evaluates that the cost indicated by the first cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, the output unit outputs, to a first terminal, first proposal information including content proposing at least one of confirmation of the content of the first cost data, input of a reason for creating the first cost data, or modification of the first cost data, and outputs information regarding the appropriate cost to a second terminal. A cost management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. (Appendix 7) The evaluation unit further evaluates whether the cost indicated by the first cost data is lower than an appropriate cost by using the price data; When the evaluation unit evaluates that the cost indicated by the first cost data is lower than an appropriate cost, the output unit outputs, to a first terminal, second proposal information including content proposing at least one of confirmation of the content of the first cost data, input of a reason for creating the first cost data, or modification of the first cost data. 7. A cost management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. (Appendix 8) the output unit outputs an inquiry to a second terminal inquiring whether or not to output the second proposed information to the first terminal, and when a response to the effect that the second proposed information may be output is received from the second terminal, outputs the second proposed information to the first terminal. The cost control system described in Appendix 7. (Appendix 9) A conversion unit converts second cost data related to a budget to unify a plurality of expressions having the same meaning included in the second cost data, The evaluation unit evaluates whether or not the cost indicated by the first cost data is higher than an appropriate cost by using the second cost data converted by the conversion unit and the price data. A cost management system according to any one of appendix 1 to 8. (Appendix 10) Enter the first cost data for the budget, Using price data related to the cost, evaluate whether the cost indicated by the first cost data is higher than a fair cost; When the cost indicated by the first cost data is evaluated to be higher than a proper cost, information regarding a proper cost is output for the first cost data. A computer implemented method of cost control. (Appendix 11) Enter the first cost data for the budget, Using price data related to the cost, evaluate whether the cost indicated by the first cost data is higher than a fair cost; When the cost indicated by the first cost data is evaluated to be higher than a proper cost, information regarding a proper cost is output for the first cost data. A program that causes a computer to do something.

[0158] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by a person skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be appropriately combined with other embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0159] 10. Cost Management System 11 Input section 12 Evaluation Section 13 Output section 100 Construction Management System 110 Main contractor terminal 111 Receiving unit 112 Display section 113 Input section 114 Transmitter 120 Subcontractor Terminal 121 Receiving unit 122 Display section 123 Input section 124 Transmitter 130 Management Server 131 Raw DB 132 Preprocessing section 133 Cost DB 134 Related Information DB 135 Receiving unit 136 Evaluation Department 137 Notification generator 138 Transmitter

Claims

1. an input section for inputting cost data relating to a budget; an evaluation unit that uses price data related to a cost to evaluate whether or not the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than an appropriate cost; and an output unit that outputs information about a proper cost for the cost data when the evaluation unit evaluates that the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than a proper cost. Cost control system.

2. The information regarding the appropriate cost is information regarding a replacement of the cost data. The cost management system according to claim 1 .

3. The information regarding the substitution is information regarding at least one of the cost items constituting the cost data, the plan of the work related to the cost data, or the entity performing the work related to the cost data. The cost management system according to claim 2 .

4. The output unit compares location information of a plurality of entities capable of performing the work related to the cost data with location information of the work, selects an entity that will be a substitute for performing the work related to the cost data from among the plurality of entities based on a comparison result, and outputs information on the selected entity as information related to the substitute. The cost management system according to claim 3.

5. The output unit compares evaluations of a plurality of entities capable of performing the work related to the cost data, selects an entity that will be an alternative to perform the work related to the cost data from among the plurality of entities based on a comparison result, and outputs information about the selected entity as information about the alternative. The cost management system according to claim 3.

6. When the evaluation unit evaluates that the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the appropriate cost, the output unit outputs, to a terminal, first proposal information including content proposing at least one of confirmation of the content of the cost data, input of a reason for creating the cost data, or modification of the cost data, and outputs information regarding the appropriate cost to a second terminal. The cost management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The evaluation unit further evaluates, using the price data, whether the cost indicated by the cost data is lower than an appropriate cost; When the evaluation unit evaluates that the cost indicated by the cost data is lower than an appropriate cost, the output unit outputs, to the first terminal, second proposal information including content proposing at least one of confirmation of the content of the cost data, input of the reason for creating the cost data, or modification of the cost data. The cost management system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. the output unit outputs an inquiry to a second terminal inquiring whether or not to output the second proposed information to the first terminal, and when a response to the effect that the second proposed information may be output is received from the second terminal, outputs the second proposed information to the first terminal. The cost management system according to claim 7.

9. Enter cost data for your budget, Using price data related to the cost, assess whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the fair cost; outputting information on the appropriate cost of the cost data when the cost indicated by the cost data is evaluated to be higher than the appropriate cost; A computer implemented method of cost control.

10. Enter cost data for your budget, Using price data related to the cost, assess whether the cost indicated by the cost data is higher than the fair cost; outputting information on the appropriate cost of the cost data when the cost indicated by the cost data is evaluated to be higher than the appropriate cost; A program that causes a computer to do something.

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