WGA ZT GmbH: From FTP Servers to PLANFRED

DI Thomas Schmidt is Head of Planning Group 2 and is responsible for Sustainable Building at WGA ZT GmbH. The company is one of Austria’s leading architectural firms and covers all planning phases, from the initial concept to the completed building.

Before PLANFRED: Working with an FTP Server

Previously, WGA ZT GmbH relied on an FTP server. The biggest challenge was usability. Users regularly encountered difficulties, and project platforms in general were often perceived as complicated. Both specialist planners and clients tended to avoid using them whenever possible. Today, the situation at WGA ZT GmbH is very different.

The Decision to Choose PLANFRED

Due to the size and complexity of its construction projects, WGA ZT GmbH has worked with a wide range of project platforms commonly used in the industry. The decision to adopt PLANFRED was not based on a single recommendation. Instead, it resulted from years of experience with different platforms and a thorough evaluation of available solutions. The conclusion was clear: PLANFRED was the most user-friendly platform and the solution that best matched the company’s requirements.

When asked about the onboarding process, Thomas Schmidt replied: “I can hardly remember it. Getting started was very straightforward.” He added: “That is probably the best proof of a platform’s ease of use — when traditional training is not really necessary.”

Traceability When It Matters Most

Today, PLANFRED is used on almost all projects and throughout every project phase.

A specific example illustrates why PLANFRED offers more than just convenience for project participants. The residential development project “An der Schanze 25” in Vienna’s Donaufeld district is one of the company’s key reference projects, where PLANFRED has been used continuously since the submission phase.

WGA ZT GmbH acts as the general planner for the project. The development consists of four buildings of varying heights with a total of 210 apartments. Planning began in 2018, and completion is scheduled for 2026.

PLANFRED is actively used for approval workflows covering a wide range of execution plans.

“The documentation and traceability have helped us many times. We were able to prove that something had been approved, how it had been approved, and that certain items were definitely included in an official approval,” explains Thomas Schmidt.

Especially on larger projects involving many stakeholders and numerous documented decisions, this creates both technical and legal certainty.

A Platform People Actually Use

One aspect Thomas Schmidt particularly highlights is user acceptance: “PLANFRED is well accepted by specialist planners and clients.”

He also notes: “In the past, everyone considered project platforms cumbersome and generally preferred not to work with them. That is no longer the case today.”

In addition, he points out that: “PLANFRED delivers significant time and cost savings compared to other platforms.”

PLANFRED in a Few Words

After around five years of working with PLANFRED, Thomas Schmidt describes the platform in three words: “Straightforward. Versatile. User-oriented.“

And in one sentence: “PLANFRED is the platform for your project.”