Review Summary:
Having used Primavera Contract Management for 11 years, the ValleyCrest Landscape Companies benefit from accurate forecasts, robust reporting and easy subcontractor tracking. The application represents a significant upgrade over Microsoft Office, which the company had previously used, said Sandy Kayser, the administrator for Primavera Contract Management.
Overall, Kayser rated the software an 8 out of 10 and said ValleyCrest would “absolutely” upgrade to the next version of Primavera Contract Management.
How long have you been using this tool?:
ValleyCrest has been using Primavera Expedition, now Primavera Contract Management, for 11 years.
What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?:
Landscape construction and maintenance.
Where did you obtain it?:
How are you using this product?:
ValleyCrest uses Primavera Contract Management for project management, financial compliance, client communication and projections.
Why did you pick this product?:
Primavera Contract Management provided the most comprehensive application that met our business requirements.
Was this product compatible with the software programs you were already using?:
Yes, it was compatible with other applications. We were also able to enhance the value by integrating with our ERP system.
Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one?:
Yes, we looked at a few others at the time. This was a more enterprise ready solution that fit our needs as an organization.
Before you bought this product, were you using a different one to do the same job? :
There was no single system being used prior to the purchase of Primavera Contract Management. People were tracking their project management and financials through various Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and Word documents.
How many people are using this software? :
We have approximately 225 users, comprised of mostly project managers, office managers and purchasing agents.
Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed? :
Forecasts are much more accurate. External and internal communication is easier. We are able to keep track of all subcontractors in one place. Robust reporting shows a full summary of project financials.
What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?:
The Cost at Complete reporting, Change Management process and the enhanced communication, such as integrated email.
What would you change about the product if you could?:
The ability to open more than one project or more than one window at the same time. Some of the administration features, such as archiving and deleting projects, can only be done one project at a time instead of grouping them together. This takes a lot of time and has to be done while no other users are in the system.
Are there features that you don't use?:
We do not use the scheduling module (Primavera P6), as the size of our projects does not warrant a product as advanced as P6. In addition, we do not write purchase orders, payments or billing out of Primavera Contract Management. That is done in our ERP system which is then integrated with Contract Management. Finally, we do not use the Safety module, as we have our own.
Who would you recommend use this tool?:
Any company involved in construction projects looking for a tool that can help streamline their operational processes thus allowing them to become more profitable.
How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?:
Basic computer skills. However with this application, specific training is required to understand the business process.
Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?:
A typical user needs only two days of training.
Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help?:
Yes we have used Primavera’s support and we have had good experiences.
How would you rate the user documentation? :
Our administrators occasionally use the documentation; however, the day-to-day users are provided with custom user guides that specifically focus on how the tool helps drive our business processes.
When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?:
Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?:
We give it an 8. Overall, Primavera Contract Management is an easy-to-use application. There are certain areas that could use improvement, such as rolling an estimate into a change order to and from labels, and we look forward to seeing those in the next release.
