PRIMAVERA SURETRAK USER REVIEW: UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI


REVIEW SUMMARY

Raymond Miller began building power plants for GE in 1978. At that time, the only computers were at GE headquarters in Schenectady, New York, and all data input was done via unreliable dial up phone terminal interfaces with thermal printers. In the 1980s, he began using Primavera construction project management software and has been using it ever since.

Over the years, he has worked in a variety of industries and has also used MS Project, Harvard Project, Timeline and Open Plan, but he keeps returning to Primavera software due to its "logical approach to building projects, detailed reporting structures and robust data analysis."

Miller has been using SureTrak for more than 25 years, and finds that its best feature is "the ability to rapidly lay out and develop a construction schedule without a huge investment in time." The $400 price tag of the product has been worth the cost, as Miller estimates that SureTrak has "possibly saved $1 million over the past four years."

He recommends the product to "anyone managing projects on a smaller scale, but a high volume of projects." While "one needs to be fairly computer literate" to utilize SureTrak effectively, Miller had no formal training and learned by using the program. It is easy to use, reports are simple to generate and "using SureTrak has allowed me the ability to input smaller scope and dollar value projects than I had before."

Due to its features and exceptional value, Miller rated SureTrak a 10 out of 10.

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USER PROFILE
  User: Raymond A. Miller
  Company: University of Cincinnati — Consolidated Utilities
  Location: Cincinnati, OH
  Website: http://www.uc.edu
  Type of business: University Utility operations
  Business size: 36,000 students, 12.5 mil SF campus, and $270 mil budget
  Experience: 7 yrs
  Software tools used: Primavera, MS Project, Timeline, Open Plan
  Tool & Version SureTrak

REVIEW DETAILS


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?
Power plants and industrial facilities.

How long have you been using this tool?

More than 25 years of versions of this application.

Where did you obtain it?

Personal copy.

How much did you pay?

$400.

How are you using this product?

Utility plant maintenance and construction project management.

Why did you pick this product?

Good experience with it. Simplicity of reporting. Ease of use for projects.

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)?

Other vendor construction project management software I have used includes Microsoft Project, Timeline, Open Plan and Harvard Project. Open Plan requires operating within a database application like Oracle, MS Access or SQL Server to access data for reporting. The other applications are usable but not as flexible as Primavera software.

Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?

Using SureTrak has had me input smaller scope and dollar value projects than I had before. Ease of use.

Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?

Power plant construction project for the University of Cincinnati. Construction project management software assured a concurrently designed plant to start up on time and on budget -- a rarity in the power industry.

Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this tool?

Possibly $1 management over the past 4 years.

What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?

The ability to rapidly lay out and develop a construction schedule without a huge investment in time.

Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?

Yes, absolutely.

What would you change about the product if you could?

Nothing.

Are there features that you don't use? Why not?

For many of my projects, I use standard report specifications.

Who would you recommend use this tool?

Anyone managing small-scale construction projects but at a high volume.

How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
One needs to be fairly computer literate to use this construction project management software.

Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
I never had training. I learned the application through use.

Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?

No.

How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
Very detailed and supportive when needed.

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

Not necessarily. My current version has been serving me well for six years.

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