Construction Software Review .com

• Estimating Reviews
• Job Cost/Accounting Reviews
• Project Management & Scheduling Reviews

PRIMAVERA P6 AND CONTRACT MANAGER REVIEW: SCHUFF STEEL

Subcontractors and vendors who are looking to make an extra buck by neglecting to delete credits to their invoices better beware of Schuff Steel Management Co.'s Colorado division, which is using Primavera Contract Manager to keep a proactive eye on its bottom line.

"It's much easier, with Contract Manager, to follow my costs as they're expended by vendors and subcontractors," said an employee of Schuff Steel. "I can find deductive pay orders, so we don't over-pay vendors. It's all right there. The fudge room is gone."

Sso are the reams of paper and piles of stubby pencils that were for so long part of the steel fabrication and erection industry, according to Schuff Steel. Primavera's software is user-friendly and easy to use, especially after both formal and hands-on training. One recommendation: more hues. "I'd like to see more color on the screen instead of a lot of black and white -- maybe some yellow highlighting would make it easier to read," one employee added.

Schuff Steel rated Primavera Contract Manager an 8 out of 10.

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?
Schuff Steel Management bids, fabricates and erects commercial and industrial structural steel projects.

How long have you been using this tool?
I have been using Primavera Contract Manager for about one year. I have used SureTrak project manager, Microsoft Excel and Word for 15 years.

Where did you obtain it?
I do not know, because the company furnished it.

How much did you pay?
I don't know.

How are you using this product?
I use Primavera Contract Manager for writing subcontracts, construction project scheduling, creating spreadsheets, writing proposals and for change-order requests.

Why did you pick this product?
The company furnished it. I had no input.

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)?
The company furnished it. I had no input.

Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool…what has changed?
There is much more detail available in subcontract documents and for construction project scheduling. I've been in this business almost 37 years, so obviously it's gone from the Stone Age to where it's hard for a guy my age to catch up to what's going on. It's much easier, with Contract Manager, to follow job costing as it's expended by vendors and subcontractors.

Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
Tracking all the engineering changes on a commercial remodeling job would be one way. Another is that someone now puts all the subcontractors' invoices into the system and all I have to do is look at them. I can find deductive pay orders, so we don't over-pay vendors. It's all right there. The fudge room is gone.

Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this tool?
We have saved probably between two and three hours a day. Everything's right there on the screen now. I come from the days of slide rules, sharp pencils and erasers, so this improvement has made things a lot quicker.

What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
I like the ease of operation, the way it's set up and the way it looks. When we started using PCs a long time ago it was almost a DOS version and if you couldn't find your data it was as good as lost. This is user-friendly.

Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
I do not know because Primavera Contract Manager was company furnished.

What would you change about the product if you could?
I'd like to see more color on the screen instead of a lot of black and white -- maybe some yellow highlighting would make it easier to read.

Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
I do not use some of the forms. I just have no use for them.

Who would you recommend use this tool?
Others in the construction and engineering business. You could probably use Primavera Contract Manager in any business. We're the largest steel fabricator and erector in the country and we use it.

How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
Six months.

Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
Our IT department trained us for eight hours in one day. Of course, it's like playing a musical instrument: You can read books and watch DVDs, but the hands-on approach is best. After a week or so you've finally figured out all the idiosyncrasies.

Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
Yes. The help desk people at Primavera were very informative and helpful. For the most part, results have been positive since the technical support folks have provided me with workable solutions.

How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
Actually, I've never even seen the books. It's got 'help' right on the screen and that's what I use. Or I call IT and they help me. The 'help' function is great.

When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
Most likely.

Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this tool?
8