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13 June 2025 Project Controls News

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Dear Planning Planet Member,

Join the Global Community - welcome to the newsletter; did you know that this newsletter goes to the largest community of project controllers on planet Earth? 

WEBSITE UPGRADE  - 90% Complete

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ChatGPT for construction schedules - Planning Planet members get to try it out for free!

The background: A few months ago nPlan invited planners to beta test an early version of ‘Schedule Studio’, a new tool which lets you create detailed schedules with Generative AI in minutes.  So, what’s the update? Schedule Studio is now out of beta, meaning you can sign up and start generating schedules without having to sit on a waitlist!
  • Planning Planet members who sign up using this link will get 100 credits to try Schedule Studio for 30 days (enough to generate several schedules)
How it works: you paste in a scope and/or upload project documents, validate the assumptions and WBS the AI makes for the project, wait a few minutes and–voila–a detailed schedule is generated, which you can then export to P6 for further refinement.
  • nPlan says: it can reduce the time you spend building v1 of your schedule by >95%
Why it could be a big moment for the industry: schedules have traditionally been time-consuming, complex and expensive to build - that needs to change. Project leaders will finally be able to close the talent and skills gap that's been pinching scheduling capacity.  nPlan’s Head of Product Leonie Mueck has recorded a video walkthrough of Schedule Studio - check it out if you’d like to find out more before signing up for your free trial  
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THE STATE OF CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULING 2025

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Exclusive Preview for the Planning Planet Community: The 2025 State of Construction Scheduling report is here—and you’re among the first to get it.

SmartPM analyzed over 70,000 project schedules and collected over 3,500 survey responses from construction professionals (including you!) to uncover what’s really happening with time, data, and decision-making on jobsites today. The findings challenge common assumptions about schedule quality, control, and the gap between planning and reality.

Get the report early and explore the 8 key findings including:

  • Why only 12% of baseline schedules meet best-practice standards
  • How 75% of leaders rely on schedule data—even when it’s flawed
  • What the most effective teams are doing differently to manage delay and risk
Download the report now and stay ahead of the curve...

    ARTICLE| A SCHEDULE PERFORMANCE INDEX (GUIDE)

    Is your project delivering value at the right pace?

    The Schedule Performance Index (SPI) can tell you. SPI is a key metric in Earned Value Management (EVM) that shows how efficiently your project is progressing against its planned schedule:
    • SPI > 1: You’re ahead of schedule
    • SPI = 1: You’re on schedule
    • SPI < 1: You’re behind schedule
    Cleopatra Enterprise’s SPI Guide breaks down:
    • How to calculate and interpret SPI
    • When and how often to calculate it
    • Common pitfalls and limitations
    • How to pair it with other metrics (CPI, SV, critical path) for full project visibility
    • Plus, how Cleopatra Enterprise automates and visualizes SPI so you can take action early and keep your projects on track.

    Read the full guide here...

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    ARTICLE| PROJECT COST TRACKING: A PRACTICAL GUIDE

    Struggling to keep project costs under control? You're not alone.

    Effective project cost tracking is the backbone of delivering on time and within budget. Yet many teams still rely on fragmented tools or outdated spreadsheets.

    Read Cleopatra Enterprise’s blog to learn practical strategies to:

    • Track costs in real time
    • Improve budget visibility
    • Prevent overruns
    • Sharpen future estimates

    Plus, see how modern project cost tracking software like Cleopatra Enterprise can help you automate the process, reduce manual work, and make smarter decisions.

    Read the full blog here...

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    ON-DEMAND WEBINAR | DIGITALIZING PROJECT MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST WITH DRYDOCKS WORLD

    Discover how organizations across the Middle East are transforming their project management practices through digitalization. In this on-demand webinar, industry experts from Cleopatra Enterprise and Drydocks World explore the latest trends, tools, and real-world success stories that are reshaping capital project execution in the region.

    What You’ll Learn:

    • Key challenges in traditional project management
    • Digital strategies improving cost control and efficiency
    • Case studies from major projects in the Middle East
    • How to adopt an integrated project controls approach

    Watch now...

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    IPLAN SOFTWARE

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    Using spreadsheets and other data silos for Shutdowns, Turnarounds, and Outages doesn’t just create inefficiency — it creates serious risk and the potential for multi-million-dollar losses.

    iPlanSTO is a purpose-built turnaround management platform designed by industry experts.

    It delivers real-time visibility, smarter resource coordination, and integration with the systems you already use — helping you avoid overrun, reduce downtime, and protect your margins for only $99K.

    What are you waiting for, [Click Here] to try our free iPlanSTO ROI calculator today to find out how much you could save.

    IAMTECH KNOWLEDGE

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    IAMTech Knowledge: Mastering Six Phases of Shutdown and Turnaround Management with iPlanSTO.

    In this week's article, James Holt, IAMTech's Commercial Director, explores how mastering the six phases of Shutdown and Turnaround Management with iPlanSTO can turn complex TAR events into strategic wins through precision planning, execution, and continuous improvement.

    For more information visit us... 

     

    SCHEDULEREADER  GAIN CLARITY, CONTROL, AND CONFIDENCE IN EVERY PROJECT PLAN


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    Gain Clarity, Control, and Confidence in Every Project Plan
    ScheduleReader gives project teams secure, consistent access to schedule data without altering original source files. It improves communication, strengthens transparency, and keeps stakeholders aligned from planning through execution in construction, energy, and infrastructure projects.

    Experience the full potential of XER file insights with ScheduleReader...
     

    A SUPERIOR ALTERNATIVE TO THE "MOST POPULAR" SOFTWARE FOR US AS PLANNERS?

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    A superior alternative to the "most popular" software for us as planners?

    Spider Project

    Spider Project offers numerous unique functional features and is the only PM software that optimizes resource, cost, and material constrained schedules and budgets for projects and portfolios.

    Check it out here...   Ask questions here...

    Construction CPM Conference Call for Presentations for January 2026

    Construction CPM Conference is calling for Presentations for January 2026

    Papers are welcome but not required.

    We are still seeking a cost friendly host hotel for January 2026 but it is TIME for gathering top providers of knowledge in Project Controls, Planning & Scheduling with CPM and other Methods, Risk Analysis and Allocation, Prevention and Resolution of Claims of Disruption and Delay, and Other PROJECT Oriented Processes. Send your thoughts to us...  

     

    Thank you,
    FRED

     

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    THANK YOU FOR READING OUR MESSAGES

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    Regards... 

    The Planning Planet Team

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    That's all folks...

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