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Best Project Database

7 replies [Last post]
Tue, 2009-03-10 02:19
nasreen almutawa
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Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
I work in a petrochemical company, and we are handling multiple small projects most of the time. Most of our projects fall around 2 milion dollars or below. My question is, how can I decide on the best software or / database to be used for managing all of our projects. Currently we have SAP, Primavera, and an MS Access database. and now i’m hearing about @task software as well. My goal is to have all project related information in one database and use it. This includes schedules / resources / cost / Reports generation ...etc. Please advice as i am lost.
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Replies

Tue, 2009-03-10 08:21
#1
Dieter Wambach
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Vladimir

I agree

There isn’t always a need to create automatted interfaces. Sometimes manual transfer of to compare two reports will be absolutely sufficient.

Regards
Dieter
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Tue, 2009-03-10 06:27
#2
Vladimir Liberzon
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Groups: Accreditation Editors, Board of Advisors, Civil Engineering, GPCCAR Editors, Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, Regional Representatives, Spider Project Team, TURNAROUND & SHUTDOWN (T/A & S/D)
I have the same opinion. SAP scheduling is poor.
But usually it is necessary not to import/export cost data but to compare.
Sometimes the difference is intended.
And in any case we suggest to manage parallel costs of the same activities - internal costs, contract costs, approved costs. And each of these costs consists of components (labour costs, material costs, overhead costs, etc.).
Regards,
Vladimir
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Tue, 2009-03-10 05:55
#3
Dieter Wambach
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Vladimir

SAP has basic functions for a netplan - activities and relationships - and a schelduling algorithm. The GUI (Graphical User Interface) is designed for (financial) controllers.
This parameter setting does mean that the SAP algorithm to calculate the plan regards the dates of an activity with these settings as fixed - calculated externally. For my opinion SAP PS and PM are designed for cooperation with a pm software.

Regards
Dieter
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Tue, 2009-03-10 04:19
#4
Vladimir Liberzon
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Groups: Accreditation Editors, Board of Advisors, Civil Engineering, GPCCAR Editors, Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas, Regional Representatives, Spider Project Team, TURNAROUND & SHUTDOWN (T/A & S/D)
Dieter,
I agree that PM software is not for accounting. Usually we suggest our customers regularly compare the results of PM software cost monotoring with the reports of accounting system.
But I don’t understand what best parameter do you mean, please clarify.
Regards,
Vladimir
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Tue, 2009-03-10 03:24
#5
Dieter Wambach
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Nasreen

Project costing you can do in Primavera, but NOT accounting.
SAP PS and PM have a scheduling algorithm. But the best parameter is (dsex; I’m not sure for the name) for externally calculated. If you assign this setting to an activity its dates won’t be touched by scheduling. This algorithm is very basic and not sufficient for projects.
In Germany you can find many companies who use both and transfer the data in between. But in this case a good concept is required.

Hope this helps

Dieter
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Tue, 2009-03-10 03:10
#6
nasreen almutawa
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Dear Dieter,

Thank you for your reply. i think i wasn’t clear. what i meant is can i use just one programme for all project management issues. as you know scheduling can be done in SAP as well. and project cost can be reflected in primavera.
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Tue, 2009-03-10 02:37
#7
Dieter Wambach
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Nasreen

I don’t really understand your question and - frankly spoken - I’m doubting if you are joking.

You have:
- SAP: erp software faor all main business processes, but not e.g. project management. PS "Project System" is related to the cash flow for investing money e.g. for a project, and made to cooperate with a pm-software.
- Primavera: software to support project management
- MS Access: Small database to create reports, e.g. by integrating report files from SAP and Primavera.

Hope that helps
Dieter
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