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general comparison with msproject and primavera

8 replies [Last post]
Wed, 2006-01-04 06:19
robin salenga
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kindly help me on my report for which between primavera p3, p5 or msproject is most suitable for the project scheduling, i have to convince my bosses that the primavera software are most appropriate to use.

second, we have an information that there was a primavera constractor that was on sale right now and the updated version of the suretrak, please provide the same information between primavera p5 and primavera contractor.

thank you, and hope to receive response before our meeting on friday, 06 january 2006,

robin
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Fri, 2006-01-06 11:33
#1
Andy McLean-Reid
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David

You are right about RA Engines between Excel and P3 and the ODBC connections to Access providing a good interface.

However I find moving data between MSP and Access and Excel quite easy.

Have you ever used the functionality between MSP & Outlook. Apparantly it can allocate activities straight into people task list and update progamme progress as the progress their individual tasks.

I’ve never used it myself but it sounds good.
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Fri, 2006-01-06 11:05
#2
David Kelly
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I agree with Andy EXCEPT.

The Interface between P3 and Microsoft Office (excell/word/Access) is MUCH better than between MSP and Office. In summary P3 can "talk" to MS office by:

1) Use "RA", the sample spreadsheets distributed by primavera "Activities.xls" and "Project.xls" are awesome in their read/write capabilities.

2) Import/Export in the "project utilities" menu

3) ODBC access. This makes it possible, for example, to incorporate a Primavera table within an Access database directly.

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Thu, 2006-01-05 03:29
#3
Andy McLean-Reid
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Robin

In general terms:

For P3:
P3 is more robust at handling larger projects.
P3 is better than MSP at handling cost & resource allocation
P3 is not Microsoft :-P
P3 has functionality that MSP lacks such as the ability to establish a coding structure which allows for a vast range in choosing how the programme is structured/filtered/organised.
P3 is the standard software used by planners, MSP is used by Project Managers that think they know how to plan (v. dangerous).

For MSP:
MSP is good for producing a quick and dirty schedule, often P3 is like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut.
MSP has a smoother interface with other Microsoft applications, from Access to Outlook.
Anyone who can use MSOffice will be able to fly MSP relatively quickly.

Generally I have found that contractual requirements dictate which software is used, for example in the UK Network Rail have cost analysis software that analyses the output from P3, so all contractors must submit cost and resource loaded P3 programmes.

It is all horses for courses, I don’t like the resource curves that P3 produces so tend to export the data to MSExcel to make prettier charts. This would be earier with MSP. However, I don’t like going over 1,000 activities in MSP as it can develop Gates disease and errors appear for no particular reason. P3 is the better planning application by a country mile, from critical path analysis to BCWS/ACWS/BCWP reporting, but often we do not need that level of functionality. I prefer to use both applications as the situation dictates. Currently I have a master programme in P3 (cost loaded) and produce bespoke MSP schedules as required for specific purposes.

Hope this helps, unfortunately I have no experience of P3e so sorry about that.

Andy
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Wed, 2006-01-04 18:42
#4
robin salenga
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sir maurio,

thanks a lot hope i can convince my boss with regards to that one... anyway hope i can find more comparison with regards to P3 or P5 versus msproject
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Wed, 2006-01-04 07:58
#5
Marcio Sampaio
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Robin Salenga;

But if u have to by more than 1 license of P5, u have an option to by Primavera Contractor to create Projects Packages. Contractor generate a .XER file that u can import from P5 into an exist Project.

Regards,

Marcio Eduardo
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
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Wed, 2006-01-04 07:54
#6
Marcio Sampaio
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Robin Salenga;


And Contractor are not multiprojects. U can’t work with more than 1 project at same time.

Regards;

Marcio Eduardo
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
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Wed, 2006-01-04 07:51
#7
Marcio Sampaio
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Robin Salenga;

Primavera Contractor allows only 750 activities. It’s not indicated for big projects.


Regards;

Marcio Eduardo
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
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Sun, 2006-01-08 10:01
#8
David Kelly
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Virtualy all of my clients are in the European Oil and Gas industry, where any planner using MSP would be asked to change their medication. Most of my exposure to MSP is therefore demonstrating its inadequacies to Managers who think that drawing a five activity barchart in MSP makes them planners. I have no exposure to MSP/Outlook.
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