(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?
(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.
Morning all,
I have a simple question: In your opinion, which software package best integrates scheduling, costs forecasting, payroll and purchasing? In effect a "Project Control" package instead of simply a scheduling tool.
I'm currently using Prim Contractor to schedule a construction project (about to upgrade to P6) and don't have a lot of experience. I know Primavera will compare forecast and actual expenses, but it seems like a very time-consuming process to manually enter (or import) all the data from our payroll/purchasing systems.
Is there a package that allows actual expenses (payroll, purchasing, internal plant costs, overheads etc) to be synched with the forecast allocation of resources. By this I mean that the payroll and purchasing systems are PART OF the scheduling software, not a seperate system (to avoid copying data from one to the other).
A second question: Is there a software package that allows progress (planned and actual) to be graphically represented by overlaying a map/drawing? eg: on a pipeline project, by colouring in a section of the line where (eg) excavation crews will be working on a given date. I have created a very crude form of this in excel, but was wondering if something similar is available commercially?
Your thoughts/advice will be appreciated.
Cheers,
Tom
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Tom,
The following are some examples of such software, none meets my scheduling expectations. For accounting I believe Sage Accounting, PO and Job Costing mudules can be considered as one of my clients use it upon recommendation by his Surety. This client does not uses the scheduling module even after many years using Sage.
http://www.sagetimberlineoffice.com/
http://www.meridiansystems.com/products/prolog/construction-project-mana...
Best regards,
Rafael
Thanks Rafael - I understand what you're saying. I'm interested more out of curiosity than anything as there's no chance that my company will be adopting new software!
I do not know a Jack of all Trades that is expert on everything. I would not let my generalist to perform open hart surgery on me, perhaps my proctologist.
At home, General Contractors are not allowed to select their scheduling software, it is the Owner who specifies and forces the general contractor to use whatever they want, this goes for private jobs, municipal, state and federal government jobs. On very few jobs we are allowed our choice. Most agencies, including the GSA "General Services Administration" a federal agency brand name their choice on public jobs. It just does not makes sense to use such software even if there is such a thing as a Jack of all trades expert on everything as on every other job the Owner will require you a different software. We would never trade our financial software for any other because of a scheduling software, nor vice versa.
The most used scheduling software in the world, Microsoft Project, is compatible with Microsoft Office, Microsoft databases, Microsoft accounting and financial systems but this would not be our choice. There are others that partially integrate but we consider most of them to be rubbish, some do not even keep pace with newer versions of Windows operating system.
Putting all your eggs on a single basket is not a good strategy. What if your software vendor suddenly says they just bought another software and you have to change everything, and this new thing comes out to be a disappointment? I hope the change would be for free so the disappointment wont hurt so much.
Some further research has turned up this in response to my second question:
http://ennova.com.au/blog/2011/04/4D-productivity
Has anyone used this or something similar? What are the benefits/drawbacks of 4D modelling like this?
Email: PPadmin@planningplanet.com
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