Primavera P6, Primavera Contract Manager Software Review

How long have you been using this tool?:

We implemented Primavera software about two years ago.

What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?:

TCP works on a wide range of large capital projects.

Where did you obtain it?:

We purchased the software from Primavera UK.

How much did you pay?:

Terms of bulk package bundles are confidential information.

How are you using this product?:

We use Primavera software for tracking schedules and costs, as well as for resource management.

Was this product compatible with the software programs you were already using?:

TCP was a newly formed entity to manage several of South Africa’s infrastructure upgrade. We have still not integrated our Primavera software with SAP.

Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one?:

Primavera software was chosen prior to my involvement, though I understand that Primavera’s dominance in the large capital project market was the deciding factor.

Before you bought this product, were you using a different one to do the same job? :

No, as our company is a new entity.

How many people are using this software? :

We have 200 P6 licenses, 200 Web Access licenses, 200 Contract Manager licenses and 600 Timesheet licenses.

Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed? :

Historically, projects managed by divisions were delivered late and way over budget.

Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?:

Due to our organization being new, we have yet to get the best out of software. Nonetheless, we are effectively controlling costs and managing schedules on most projects (we have hundreds on the go). Going forward, we intend to do more effective resource planning, as Primavera has outstanding capacity planning features.

What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?:

Sophisticated scheduling capabilities, capacity planning and cost control are the best features of Primavera software.

Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?:

Definitely.

What would you change about the product if you could?:

The built-in report writer could be improved. Moreover, the integration between Contract Manager and Primavera P6 is limited; however we are managing costs and schedules separately.

Are there features that you don't use?:

There are several, as we are still phasing in usage of Primavera software. TCP rolled out several initiatives simultaneously (including SAP), which has resulted in a much longer embedment process.

Who would you recommend use this tool?:

For P6 -- Planners and schedulers mostly, but also project managers.
For Web Access -- project managers, resource managers and other management personnel.
For Contract Manager -- cost engineers, contract administrators and managers.
For Timesheets -- all users whose time is billable against projects, or whose input is required to progress the status of activities.

How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?:

Timesheets, Contract Manager and Web Access are easy to use. Primavera P6 is a very sophisticated product and does require experienced users.

Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?:

If implementing in a mature organization, Contract Manager training can be done within a few weeks. Primavera P6 takes over a year to truly master. This would be much less if you have planners who are already experts in other products such as Microsoft Project. (One must be careful to differentiate between planning and software skills.)

Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help?:

The Primavera / Oracle support is outstanding.

How would you rate the user documentation? :

It is world class.

When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?:

We are looking at P7 right now.

Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?:

10.

Primavera P6, Primavera Contract Manager Software

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