MICROSOFT EXCEL, WORD, ACCESS USER REVIEW
REVIEW SUMMARY |
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Microsoft Excel helps LCO Associates create construction estimates and cash-flow reports, while Word is the firm's product of choice for general reports. Information from both applications is then stored on a Microsoft Access database. "Each and every member of the office staff uses these applications, and pretty much everyone knows the basics of Excel, Word and Access," employee Selvan Assiskumar noted.
LCO Associates, which provides cost-consulting services for commercial construction projects in North America, uses an array of popular programs to simplify communication between employees and with clients. The Ottawa-based firm relies on general office tools such as Microsoft Excel, Word and Access, as well as more specialized construction-industry applications, including Primavera Project Planner and Palisade Corp.'s @Risk, to conducts its business.
"To create construction estimates, cash flows, cost reports and the like, we use Microsoft Excel and customize the format using Excel's built-in tools. For reports, tables and to state assumptions, for example, we use Microsoft Word," said Selvan Assiskumar, who joined LCO Associates about eight years ago. "For tasks such as storing project cost details, contacts and sub-contracts, we use Microsoft Access."
Before purchasing Microsoft Office and Access, LCO Associates used earlier versions of spreadsheets and word-processing applications, he said. But Microsoft's solutions have proven cost effective, easy to learn and are the de facto standard among construction and non-construction firms, making it easy to share documents between different companies, Assiskumar added.
"I think the Microsoft programs and our other software tools may have minimized the actual cost by 75%. Each and every member of the office staff uses these applications, and pretty much everyone knows the basics of Excel, Word and Access," he noted.
Assiskumar rated Microsoft Office and Microsoft Access an 8 out of 10 for creating and storing construction estimates and other job costing details.
USER PROFILE |
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| User: | Selvan Assiskumar |
| Company: | Leroux Chauhan Ouimet & Associates (LCO Associates Inc.) |
| Location: | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Website: | www.lcogroup.com |
| Type of business: | Project and construction management, including cost consulting |
| Business size: | Estimate projects of $500,000 and up |
| Experience: | 10 years |
| Software tools used: | Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access, Primavera Project Planner (P3), Palisade Corp.'s @Risk |
| Tool & Version | Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access |
REVIEW DETAILS |
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What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?
How long have you been using this tool?
Where did you obtain it?
How much did you pay?
How are you using this product?
Why did you pick this product?
Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one? What was it you didn't like about them (or made this product better)?
Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?
Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this tool?
What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
What would you change about the product if you could?
Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
Who would you recommend use this tool?
How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
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?
What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?
LCO Associates provides cost-consulting services for commercial construction projects valued at $500,000 and more. The company is based in Ottawa.
How long have you been using this tool?
I have been using it for about eight years.
Where did you obtain it?
I am not sure, because it was in-place when I joined LCO.
How much did you pay?
Again, I do not know because it was already in use.
How are you using this product?
To create construction estimates, cash-flows, cost reports and the like, we use Microsoft Excel and customize the format using Excel's built-in tools. For reports, tables and to state assumptions, for example, we use Microsoft Word. For tasks such as storing project cost details, contacts and sub-contracts we use Microsoft Access. For construction scheduling, primarily activity scheduling, we use Primavera Project Planner (P3). To assess risk and contingency, we use Microsoft Excel with @Risk add-ins.
Why did you pick this product?
I am not sure because these were already being used when I was hired.
Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one? What was it you didn't like about them (or made this product better)?
Again, I do not know because all these tools were being used at the company when I joined eight years ago.
Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?
Initially, LCO Associates had the earliest version of Lotus 1,2,3 and WordPerfect which were used only to produce the final reports and construction estimates. When the technologies changed, LCO started acquiring Microsoft Office.
Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
Every time we prepare construction estimates, we change the quantity, rate and so forth; with Excel this task is very easy and fast. Each time we change an estimate we keep a copy of the previous version for our records. Likewise, all the tools are very helpful and we use them for all day-to-day activities.
Can you estimate how much time or money you have saved or other measurable benefits your firm has realized using this tool?
I think the Microsoft programs and our other software tools may have minimized the actual cost by 75%. Each and every member of the office staff uses these applications and pretty much everyone knows the basics of Excel, Word and Access. We sometimes consult advanced users for some technical help or assistance with advanced features or refer to the Microsoft help books.
What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
They are easy to customize, and data created in Microsoft's programs is easy to store, modify and transmit to clients or subcontractors.
Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
Yes I do.
What would you change about the product if you could?
I'd like the ability to produce customized reports with links and auto-updates. That would be perfect. At times we manually change the data and have to learn more advanced features like macros in Excel. Also, for analysis purposes, it would be very helpful if the reports could summarize key values or statistics.
Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
As far as Excel is concerned, we use the most common and standard features. They are normally sufficient to perform all our tasks. There are macros and Visual Basic-enabled programming facilities which we would like to learn little by little in order to produce more customized reports.
Who would you recommend use this tool?
In our industry, almost all consultants use these tools. We send our reports in these formats and, at times, we use Adobe Acrobat PDF files to retain our original formatting and advise our clients to have these tools to view and print.
How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
Basic computer skills are necessary. These days, as computers have become a part of life, most people already know these applications.
Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
Using Excel and Word doesn't take much training. Someone who needs to use Microsoft Access needs some training in order to enter tables, forms, create queries and produce reports, and so forth. To use @Risk, someone would need some training but an individual with good Excel knowledge and a background in statistics should be able to easily use this tool.
Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
We rarely call them. Instead, we discuss it with each other or call or friends or colleagues for help. For each and every application we use, we have one or two in house experts who are capable of guiding us through each program's advanced features, and we manage with that approach.
How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
We rarely check the user documentation for Microsoft's products. At times, Google helps us do quick research by guiding us to forums and discussion groups or the manufacturer’s website
When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
Although there are a couple of versions out that we haven't purchased, with our recently upgraded computer system we may decide to purchase the new systems.
Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?
8.