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P5 Vs MS Project

16 replies [Last post]
Mon, 2007-10-22 11:37
Philip Richards
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We are a projects based company, running projects across multiple divisions, and multiple sites. We are presently using Primavera 5 as our standrad planning tool.

’Management’ have now decided to review our planning procedures, and amongst other things, require us to manage global resources through the programme.

I have been asked to justify why P5 is the most suitable tool to use (there is a leaning amongst some management towards MS Project).

Having had experience with both tools, I am confident that P5 (eventually upgrading to P6) is the only way to go, but before I start putting together a detailed justification, Has anyone gone through this excersise before?

Any thoughts / Ideas / Opinions would be most welcome.

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Replies

Wed, 2007-10-24 08:43
#1
Jerome Atkin
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A very valid point James.

The office 2007 is a good tool; I am playing with it (although not using it for work purpose) and it is doing the stuff I want it too.
With not using the software in a live project it is hard to gauge if the software has bugs – I’m just mucking around with it.
Primavera is and has always been the software of choice for me. But you get the same argument with Microsoft and Mac. What I meant was that the old project software has been totally overhauled like primavera done from version 3 to 5.
So it was on this basis I was saying compare the new software.

As for me project 2007 is very new, it will have bugs (hey its Microsoft) but I will say it is a good package, in time once used more widely will be a very good package to have along with office 2007 (got a full working rip if you want one !!)
As Microsoft will now be looking at walking away from office 2003 & XP and move towards there new vista and office 2007 it is worth checking it out.
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Wed, 2007-10-24 08:29
#2
James Barnes
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Gerome, surely they are the same (comparing software / your thoughts on which one you would like)...?

the point, at least from my perspective, is to compare the options that you have. That may be between the old version and new version of a specific software, or between different packages. a combination of the 2 applies aswell. Comparing P5 against MSP2003 is valid if those are your options.

So I don’t agree that you must use only the *latest* MSP for your comparison. In fact, what you should use is the package that you are considering.

As for MSP 2007 being full of bugs, well I don’t know about that (but probably, eh?). OTOH, How long was P3 out and when was the last SP published and how many strange things are there still with that package? I stop short of saying bugs, but the bloody mouse scroll wheel could work by now, I mean come on.

Compare the items you are considering. It is not significantly relevant what newer versions are available and what they can do, unless those versions are on your list of options.
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Wed, 2007-10-24 06:20
#3
Jerome Atkin
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All i said was if you are going to compair new primavera software to MSP, it should be the new version of MSP as well.
I did not say anywhere in most post which one i would use.

The post is on compairing software not your thoughts on which one you like !
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Wed, 2007-10-24 05:08
#4
James Barnes
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Karim

thanks for reminding me about that thread, I remember it now. It doesn’t provide a direct comparison, but perhaps it could provide a framework for questions to ask of other providers.
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Wed, 2007-10-24 04:57
#5
Karim Mounir
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An old post regarding pros/cons of Primavera:
http://www.planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?fid=&Cat=8&Top=37386&...
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Wed, 2007-10-24 04:57
#6
James Barnes
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this 1st release is nothing else than a full basket of bugs and non-working functionalities.

^well, it’s Microsoft xD*

Alex, from your answer (although you don’t directly state so) I will assume that you do not work for the people who make or distribute PSnext. Please correct me if this assumption is correct. Please forgive my cynicism, this is an open forum though and spammers have been known to lurk ... from time to time ;)

*joke ... don’t sue taser me, dude
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Wed, 2007-10-24 04:44
#7
James Barnes
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Actually yes and no. Good point though

For example, if they were to switch over where I work, they would likely use MSP 2003, as that’s what they already have. Thus the columns in the feature list would need to not onlly include pakages from differnet providers but the different packages that each provider offers.

Bugger, this is getting complicated....
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Wed, 2007-10-24 04:40
#8
Jerome Atkin
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Just wondering guys if your talking about the OLD MSP or the new 2007 MSP.
I would check out the MSP web site and see what new fetures it has.
I am playing with it and it has got a few more tricks than the older version.
Link: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/project/FX100487771033.aspx

If your task is to compair two programming tools then like P6 you should only compair it aginst project 2007 !
other wise you should compair P3 version 3 against the old project.

My 2p

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Wed, 2007-10-24 04:32
#9
James Barnes
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hmm

this is interesting. It’s easy to deride MSP .. it’s written by microsoft. However, purchasers and those that make strategic level decisions are not familiar with the abilities of the software on offer and need to be given digestable answers to questions like "why should I spend 000’s on P5 when we already have MSP as part of our MS Office bundle?"

The answers i always hear (and one that I admit I fall into aswell) is along the lines of "well, you can’t really compare, MSP is ok fro small projects, but erm, well, P3 handles more complexity and tracks resources better and is, um, good at reports and that". No manager is going to accept that as an answer, they want more objective detail.

One way to achieve this is a comparison chart, compare the packages feature by feature, but I’ve not been able to find one. Anyone have a link for one? Preferably one NOT made by one of teh companies who’s software we’re interested in comparing. If it doesn’t exist, sounds like a weekend project for an industrious PP’er

I’d also be interested in seing other packages included in such a table, afterall, the Primavera and MS families are not the only packages out tehre, Pv certainly isn’t perfect but it certainly is costly (although compared to what is sorta the question, really)

OTOH, Alex, you sound a *bit* like you’re on a sales pitch, do you have any connection with PSNext or its distributers?
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Tue, 2007-10-23 19:27
#10
Alex Wong
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Other advantages of P5 or P6 is

the use of timesheet integrated into the system

Portfolio / Program management (plan multi projects)

Multi Baseline

Easy to use Web Platform

Work Flow / Process flow for project approval

Documents / Issue register

Planning in Role as well as Named resources

Planning different resource start and finish in different time within same activity

Good Luck

HTH

Alex

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Tue, 2007-10-23 10:08
#11
David Forrest
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The resource management capabilities of P5 are far more advanced than MSP. As a corporate tool one of the features that I find most beneficial is the high level of hierarchical structure that can be applied to resources, resource codes and roles. This allows one to slice and dice data at many levels. In addition, myPrimavera enhances resource management through strong graphical and spreadsheet views. The web application in P6 further enhances RM.
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Tue, 2007-10-23 03:17
#12
K D
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Hi Richard.

MSP
1) Single User (no other user can open the project read/write while the project is checked out.
2) Microsoft uses project-level locking.
3) You cannot work on those projects offline and save them back to Project Server –without double counting of resource assignments
4) Must open projects and select a different
one to switch between projects (manual work).

Primavera
1) TeamPlay, P3e, P3e/c provide true multi-user access to all project and resource data so that all project participants can get to the same project information –simultaneously.
2) While a PM is managing her piece of the project, other users can access (view or edit) that same project real-time.
3) Primavera enables you to select
Multiple Projects simultaneously.
4) and view their activities and
other information simultaneously.


As to Report.
MSP
1) Limited web accessibility
2) Tabular and not presentation quality. Limited Report Wizard & Tabular Reports.
3) Project uses OLAP tools to do portfolio level reporting. Data (“the data cube”) for these OLAP tools has to be formatted for use within the tools. This is a time consuming and manual process.
4) Project ships with only 29 standard reports only. Only 4 types of customizable reports.
5) Multi-project infomrationrequires very extensive set-up. For example, cross project reports require custom data cube creations or consolidation of multiple projects manually by the project manager.

Primavera
1)Portfolio Comparisons and what if analysis from the web.
2)more robust on the type of information displayed. Ability to drill down, Roll up, Pivot, Graph key metrics
3)Business Intelligence –Out of the box OLAP reporting on
top of v4.0 (Q3 2004)
4)Offers over 100 standard reports
5)Primavera’swizard driven report writer provides the ability to create and customize a multitude of graphical layouts and create cross-project reports.
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