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MERIDIAN PROLOG 7 REVIEW

Based on the recommendation of its senior estimator, who had used the program at a previous job, Hamel Builders bought Prolog 7. The company uses the project management software for numerous tasks, among them creating transmittals, tracking drawings and specifications received, creating drawings lists, creating and track RFIs (requests for information) and responses, and logging meeting minutes and conversations. Prolog 7 also also houses Hamel Builders' contact database.

"We are starting to explore the bid list and associated functions, but haven't really implemented that yet," said Megan Hamel-LeBlanc. "The project assistants utilize the program for tracking submittals, writing contracts, etc."

Hamel stated that Meridian Prolog project management software saves time and money on every project the company has, particularly administrative processes. She explained, "Time is saved because you can duplicate things easily, without having to recreate the wheel. For example, if you are sending the same information to a bunch of people, you only have to create one transmittal, then you can duplicate it to everyone. I can't give you a monetary amount, but we send out on average 100-200 drawing packages per project, and we have to make a transmittal for every one of them. If I had to hand write them all it would take at least five minutes per transmittal. With Prolog 7, I can make one electronically, in roughly two minutes, and duplicate it for all the subcontractors in that trade. I would say just that function saves about a day and a half of work."

For all its benefits, however, Hamel would like to see the reporting features of this more versatile and user friendly. There are also functions Hamel Builders does not yet use but would if users could easily manipulate what information is shown in some of the different reports.

"For example, our entire contact database is in Prolog. If we could have a report that would allow us to choose who we want to contact and all of their information (phone, fax, email), and have it all in a list sorted by discipline or the spec sections that we want them to bid, it would save us a lot of time," she said. "Right now we flip back and forth between Prolog and Excel to make this list. If we could just click on all the contacts we want included and then export the list to Excel it would save at least half a day of work. The information is all in Prolog, and you can create just about any reports that you want with it, we just don't have the capability in-house to customize as well as we would like."

The project management software was already in use when Hamel began working with it, and it didn't take long to get up to speed. "I was trained by a co-worker and it was pretty easy for me to learn the basic elements, [though] if I had had a class by a certified instructor, it would have been even easier," she said. "Anyone can be trained, if he or she is willing to learn. Once you get the hang of where everything is you can use the basic elements. For the more advanced elements, reports and such, you would need advanced Prolog training."

Overall, Hamel would rate Prolog 7 as an 8 out of 10 and would recommend it to any construction company, specifically general contractors.

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?
Multi-family renovation and new construction.

Four years.

This construction project management software was in place when I got here.

Unknown.

To create transmittals, log/track drawings and specification received, create drawings lists, create and track RFIs (requests for information) and responses, log meeting minutes, log conversations, houses our contact database. We are starting to explore the bid list and associated functions, but haven't really implemented that yet The project assistants utilize the program for tracking submittals, writing contracts, etc.

Why did you pick this product?
Prolog 7 was suggested by one of our senior estimators who had used the program at a previous job.

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)?
Unknown.

Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?
I don't know about before, but with this tool things like RFIs, transmittals and meeting minutes are all electronic and paper use/filing is reduced. And time is saved because you can duplicate things easily, without having to recreate the wheel for example if you are sending the same information to a bunch of people, you only have to create one transmittal, then you can duplicate it to everyone.

Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
Every project we have. It allows us to save a lot of time on administrative processes.

Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this tool?
I can't give you a monetary amount, but we send out on average 100-200 drawing packages per project, we have to make a transmittal for everyone of them, if I had to hand write them all it would take at least five minutes per transmittal. With prolog, I can make one electronically, in roughly two minutes, and duplicate it for all the subcontractors in that trade. I would say just that function saves about a day and a half of work.

I think the bid invitation function is going to help us a lot.

I am not sure how expensive Prolog 7 was.

I would make the report section more versatile and user friendly.

We use some, but not as many as we could if we could easily manipulate what information is shown in some of the different reports. For example, our entire contact data base is in Prolog. If we could have a report that would allow us to chose who we want to contact to and all of their information (phone, fax, email) and have it all in a list sorted by discipline or the spec sections that we want them to bid, it would save us a lot of time. Right now we flip back and forth between Prolog and Excel to make this list. If we could just click on all the contacts we want included and them export the list to excel it would save at least half a day of work. The information is all in Prolog, and you can create any reports that you want with it (I believe) we just don't have the capability inhouse to customize as well as we would like.

Any construction company, specifically general contractors, would benefit from this construction project management software.

How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
Anyone can be trained, if he or she is willing to learn. Once you get the hang of where everything is you can use the basic elements. For the more advanced elements, reports and such, you would need advanced Prolog training.

See above. It was pretty easy for me to learn the basic elements. I was trained by a co-worker. If I had had a class by a certified instructor, it would have been even easier.

Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
No. N/A.

I have never look into the user documentation. I know that a co-worker has downloaded information from the website though, she seemed to find it helpful.

I would, I'm not sure if my company will.

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