P3 Vs P3ec

Hi Alex,



You said that



"In real software term, it is very difficult to change the 16 bit technology to a 32 or 64 bit technology and that’s why Primavera do not want to re-programme the software application(P3)" - Are you expert on this?



"Changing platform is not the issue, just there is no room to growth in P3 and that is why Primavera have to develop a alternated product P3e, team play or P3e/c (they are same)to takeover the existing 10 years old product" - Are you sure about this expecially the no room for growth part?



Please elaborate.

In addition to my reply/query to Jorge:



I think instead of changing the platform from P3 to P3e, its better just to upgrade P3 considering whatever the future OS by Microsoft will be launching. It is also noteworthy to improve the cost feature of P3. I hope one day, I won’t need to buy an estimating software to interface with a scheduling software. Primavera could explore on this side because I believe, they have somewhat mastered already the planning/scheduling part.



My point here is, planning/scheduling is already developed in P3, Primavera should look on other important elements of project management not changing platforms.



In the first place, why the need to change platform? Just improve and upgrade it considering user requirements not considering first Microsoft requirements. Again, I believe there are good programmers there who can do this job so I don’t see any reason why this can’t be done.

I would appreciate:

1- The ability to define Custom Calculated Fields.

2- The ability to view and edit past period performance database in a worksheet view.

3- EVERY DAY USE FUNCTIONALITY - No more esoterics, like EPS, OBS to me it is BS in relation to Scheduling, don’t need it, it is a waste of effort, a waste of time. No one I know uses "time cost-trade off", functions avilable 30 years ago for the determination of optimum schedule duration based on variable activity cost with duration, good for a collegue thesis but not for everyday use. From the very beginning those who developed P3 knew what was important, they did not included those esoterics. Nothing new is really needed, scheduling is no rocket science, but there is a lot to be improved in functionallity and ease of use.

I would appreciate an alternative to P3 other than P3e.

Willing to consider suggestions.

We do not necesarely want to be Primavera users. We dont make a living doing schedules, we make a living as builders. Our need is for a CPM tool afordable, easy to use by our contractors and subcontractors. A scalable solution like P3 and Suretrack, P3e and Primavera Contractor won’t fit us.

We do not need an esoteric tool with unnecessary complications like Enterprise Organization Structure, like Named Resources, ... a 100% of our contractors dont have a need for these. Shared resources is a rare comodity in our business, our projects are a 100% stand alone.

I was to recommend to compare products side by side, to prepare real life schedules in both products and decide by yourself. A couple of schedules and a running a simulation of the whole process should tell you.

Unfortunatelly all investment in Primavera P3 software and training will be lost. We should start soon to look for a replacement. But I dont like what I hear, "MS Projet as an alternative", it is not, better look for an alternative elsewere.

Hi Jorge,



Is there a way the present 16 bit for P3 be upgraded so as to comply with the requirements of the new OS of Microsoft instead of shifting again to a new environment such as P3e?



I don’t see any reason, like the previous forum guest, why I should change from P3 to P3e if that is the only reason. I am quite happy with P3 and I find it effective in managing my projects. I believe, with very good programmers from Primavera, they can do this as well.



Just like the other forum guest, simplicity is the key. Not everybody likes to work with complex functionalities.

We have P3 and P3e running on our network side by side. I work both but prefer P3 over P3e by a margin of 1000 to 0. I just hope in a few years Primavera will solve some issues with P3e specially those regarding reports, ease of use when jobs and resources are not shared, and that these solutions are incorporated into the Primavera Contractor Software soon (I hope) to be released. If not we will look for other available options to satisfy our need.



The many definitions for start and finish dates available under P3e creates unnecessary confussion, maybe Primavera was looking for compatibility with MS Project.



The theory of all CPM scheduling software is essentially the same among different software. Do not loose perspective, it is what we, PROJECT MANAGERS, need as a tool, the information it provides, how it is presented (better be simple so the team includding subcontractors without a Phd can understand it, I mean Roofers, Masonry Contractor’s, Painting Contractor’s)and finally but not least important the ease of use so the tool can be used at the management level that is responsible of the job (it do not takes an MIT Sloan School of Management degree to figure out that the responsible manager should have control of what he is responsible for).



I have seen construction schedules anybody looks at, being prepared by others who dont understand the job, uncapable to differentiate between a darby and a float. Prepared just to comply with contractual requirements. The best application I have seen is when the schedule is done and maintained at the jobsite by a full time scheduler under the supervision of the Project Manager. When this is not feasible then the Project Manager himself should prepare his own schedules.