MERIDIAN PROLOG V7.5 REVIEW
USER REVIEWS
FEATURED VENDORS
REVIEW SUMMARY |
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The ability to make changes quickly and across the board is critical to the ongoing success of Clayco, a $750-million designer, builder and general contractor. Clayco has begun extending its clientele beyond its traditional base of industrial corporations into the residential, healthcare and educational markets. Due to such an expansion, the old method of pen and paper became too cumbersome, error-prone and time-consuming, so when Meridian developed its Prolog line of construction project management software, Clayco was quick to sign on as a beta tester.
Twenty years after the St. Louis, Missouri-based firm's project managers began using Prolog, Clayco's engineers, and more recently its project engineers, started tapping the program's expansive array of features.
"We have saved thousands of hours alone, just by having all the documentation in an electronic format. I can send out a drawing change in minutes to all the parties involved and get a design change to the architect, have it approved and out to the field in a matter of days instead of the two weeks it used to take when everything was done by hand," said a Clayco employee.
Ideally, Meridian Prolog project management software will further simplify custom report creation, they explain. "Part of the problem with some of our project managers and project engineers is that they do not use Prolog a lot, so we try to set up custom reports for them as much as we can to simplify the process."
This user rated Meridian Prolog as an 8.5 out of 10.
USER PROFILE |
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| User: | Anonymous |
| Company: | Clayco |
| Location: | St. Louis, MO |
| Website: | http://www.claycorp.com |
| Type of business: | Privately owned real estate, architecture and engineering, design and build, and construction firm |
| Business size: | $750 million |
| Experience: | 9 years |
| Software tools used: | Meridian Prolog 7.5, Microsoft Office Suite 2003, Primavera |
| Tool & Version | Meridian Prolog 7.5 |
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?
We mostly do industrial projects, but in the last three to four years the company has grown into sports complexes, as well as residential, healthcare and educational construction.
How long have you been using this tool?
Administrators have been using Prolog project management software for 12 years, project managers have been using the software for 20 years and project engineers have been using it for two years.
Where did you obtain it?
We bought it directly from Meridian.
How much did you pay?
It is $2,500 a seat.
How are you using this product?
We are using Prolog to manage all our construction projects.
Why did you pick this product?
Clayco was actually a beta tester for the original Prolog software.
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)?
At that time we were using pen and paper to track our projects. You have to realize, this was pre-Windows 3.1. When we started using Prolog in 1998 it was a godsend to have something geared to our industry from a vendor that was willing to customize its program to meet our needs.
Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?
In the last five years we have become self-insured, and Prolog has allowed us to keep track of subcontractors' time. It also saves a ton of time on the administrative side of the project. With the explosion of electronic communications, when a change happens to the project (whether it is owner- or design-driven), we can send out that communication to everyone involved in the project in minutes. Almost all of our sites now have high-speed wireless networks for subcontractors to use to send us the reports each sub must fill out -- with information on who is onsite, what they are doing and their hours -- and we then enter that information into Prolog for tracking, management and billing.
Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
Not just one! We have had owners who want to see all the change orders and, using Prolog project management software, I can produce this information and have it in their hands in a matter of hours, not days. It has been invaluable to be able to go back and see, historically, how some subcontractors have performed in the past in order to determine whether I want to use them on another project.
Can you estimate how much time or money you have saved or other measurable benefits your has firm realized using this tool?
We have saved thousands of hours alone, just by having all the documentation in an electronic format. I can send out a drawing change in minutes to all the parties involved and get a design change to the architect, have it approved and out to the field in a matter of days instead of the two weeks it used to take when everything was done by hand.
What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
The reporting capabilities and the ease to customize the product to each project or to each job are outstanding.
Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
Yes.
What would you change about the product if you could?
I would make custom reports easier to create. The way Prolog and Crystal name their tables isn't very intuitive. End-users told me this. Part of the problem with some of our project managers and project engineers is that they do not use Prolog a lot. We try to set up custom reports for them as much as we can to simplify the process. Say you want to run all the subs that have put in windows for you over the past two year: If you're used to queries, it's easy to do. If not, it's not easy to do. They just get frustrated and don't want to use it.
Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
Not everyone uses the budgeting module of the tool. Being a construction company with a lot of old-timers on board, it is tough to break them of the spreadsheet habit.
Who would you recommend use this tool?
Any general contractor who needs to keep detailed records of a project from start to finish will benefit from Prolog project management software.
How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
Very little for basic use, although it takes longer for learning to create custom reports. It is overall an easy tool to use.
Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
I did not have any formal training, but there was a power user here who took me under her wing. It probably took me two days to feel comfortable with the Prolog project management software.
Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
Yes, we have called them numerous times over the years. The tech support is generally good, but it can vary on who picks up the call. When you get to Level 2 and above, after the initial respondent basically walks you through anything in their knowledge base, it is very good.
How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
I would suspect that most, like me, will say they don't use it.
When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
Yes, after a short time spent testing the new version in our environment.
Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?
8.5