Project Management Software (software 3/3)

Read in this article about project management software

Which Project Management Software is best?
Microsoft Project
Oracle^® Primavera
Comparison Microsoft Project vs. Oracle Primavera

This article is part of a small series.
Please also read:

The right project management software (article 1/3).
This article deals with software in general, as it is used in everyday office life, and also in project management.
The right project management software (article 2/3).
This article is about online collaboration tools. These are often referred to as project management software and are very helpful.

Which Project Management Software is best?

As in the previous articles, I would like to hold back with a recommendation which is the better product. This is an individual decision based on the requirements of individual organizations and projects. Especially as a subcontractor, you often have no choice anyway and are bound to the program that the client or his representative has chosen. The client chooses the program that he thinks is best suited. As a contractor, you have to be prepared to purchase, train and use the software mandated by the client. On the other hand, both are quite common and so it should be relatively easy to find support and training. As a planning engineer, you should be able to use both anyway.

Sometimes there can be regional differences. In the Middle East, where many of the megaprojects are skyrocketing, Oracle^® Primavera is usually the product of choice. So I worked a lot more with this program than with Microsoft Project. In other regions, however, this can be the other way around.

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project helps users plan projects and collaborate from virtually anywhere with the right tools for project managers, project teams, and decision-makers. The solution helps users streamline projects, resources, and portfolio management. Furthermore, integrated planning tools help to keep track of projects and to be organized at all times. It is a flexible solution for project portfolio management (PPM) and daily work provided through Office 365.

Microsoft's project and portfolio management help users get started quickly and run projects with ease. Built-in templates, familiar scheduling tools, and cross-device access help project managers and teams stay productive.

Evaluate and optimize project portfolios with portfolio management tools to prioritize initiatives and get results. The seamless integration with Microsoft Power BI offers advanced analysis and integrated reports to ensure that everyone is on the same level of knowledge.

Get insights into resource usage with resource management capabilities and collaborate with others using built-in tools. Thanks to simplified tasks and time management, teams can enter updates from anywhere, ensuring better control of executives.

Oracle^® Primavera

Oracle's Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management offers a range of applications for managing project portfolios of all sizes and across all industries.

Primavera provides solutions for a range of people including Chief Information Officers, Capital Projects Executives, Operations Executives, project management office (PMO) Directors, and Process Improvement Champions. The software's features allow you to manage capital projects and programs, IT PPM, manufacturing projects, architecture and engineering, oil and energy, business PMOs, and more.

Oracle's Primavera integrates cost control, document management, schedule and resource management, fund management, risk analysis, project analysis, and business process management into a suite of business PPM applications for portfolio management, project planning, project execution, and control. The user interface can be adapted to different industries and business needs so that you can create new configurations in addition to the standard functions. Oracle Primavera offers specific solutions and resources.

Comparison Microsoft Project vs. Oracle Primavera

Comparison Microsoft Project vs. Oracle Primavera
	MS Project	Oracle® Primavera
Database	Works with file format in stand-alone mode or with SQL database in EPM mode.	Works on multiple types of Databases.
Multiple User Access	Multiple users can work on an online database (using Microsoft Project Server).	Multiple users can work on individual projects at the same time.
Activity Steps	Not available.	Helps users to further break down complex activities into smaller parts while maintaining the simplicity of the Gantt Chart.
Max. Number Activities	700,000	No limit
Expenses	Complete overview of the project budget and costs during project execution.	Planned, remaining, and actual project expenses can be entered at the activity level.
Custom Fields	In Microsoft Project, there are around 500 default fields for tasks and resources.	It comes installed with over 200 columns each giving you different information. Column categories include EVM, budgeting, costs, etc.
Calendars	30,000+	An unlimited number of editable activity calendars and resource calendars, flexibly assignable.
Assigning Relationships	Directly in the Gantt chart by click and drag or in predecessors/successors fields.	Directly in the Gantt chart by click and drag or in predecessors/successors fields.
Multiple activity relationships	One relationship between the same activities.	Same activities can have multiple relationships of different types.
Max. number relationships per activity	50,000 predecessors, 50,000 successors	No limit
WBS	WBS levels and activities are all the same. No unique user-definable Task ID.	WBS is created separately from the activities with its unique IDs for each level.
Reports	The creation of graphical reports can be customized to any form.	Users can create sheet-like reports with customizable default forms. Only tabular forms are available without graphical charts and dashboards.
Tracking and Comparing	Multiple projects	Multiple projects, multiple project tracking, cross-project comparisons, cost and unit calculations, resource management, and more.
Baselines Assignments	Multiple baselines on project or task level and in a special view called Multiple Baseline Gantt. Costs and unit calculations possible.	Multiple project tracking and comparison, cost, and unit calculations are possible.
Import/Export Function	Fully integrated with Microsoft Office. Supports different file formats for importing and exporting.	Shares project data with other applications. Supports different file formats for importing and exporting.
Price	Check MS Project Price on Amazon	Check Oracle Primavera Price on Amazon