The stage is about. Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge. Two heavyweights within the mission administration software program division. Generally known as mission scheduling software program, mission portfolio administration, mission planner and extra, however which is the champion or is there a darkish horse within the wings to steal the title?
To make the Primavera vs. Microsoft Challenge honest, we’ll outline each, clarify what they’re used for and the place one surpasses the opposite. These are each broadly used mission administration instruments, however that doesn’t imply they’re with out points. One of many important complaints is the price and complexity.
We’ll get into the stats and let readers resolve which is best, Primavera P6 or MS Challenge, however know that there’s a galaxy of mission administration software program for all industries, together with development scheduling. Within the battle between Microsoft Challenge and Oracle Primavera, the only option may be neither.
That’s as a result of ProjectManager is award-winning mission and portfolio administration software program that’s inexpensive and simpler to make use of than both of those merchandise. Our software program has a number of mission views which suggests mission managers can schedule tasks on sturdy Gantt charts or a number of tasks on roadmaps, whereas groups execute their duties on the visible workflow of kanban boards or process lists. Stakeholders can keep updated with calendar views.
However a variety of instruments have a number of mission views. Ours differs within the energy they provide customers. For instance, our Gantt charts do every part a traditional Gantt chart can do, but additionally hyperlink all 4 sorts of process dependencies to keep away from delays and value overruns. They’ll additionally filter for the important path immediately, which suggests no complicated calculations. Then set the baseline to trace progress in actual time. Get began with ProjectManager at this time without cost.
Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge: Why Ought to You Select Primavera P6?
Excuse our enthusiasm, however we are able to’t include our endorsement for ProjectManager, which does what Primavera and Microsoft Challenge do and does it higher. However honest is honest. Let’s give Primavera vs. MS Challenge its due and look at the place they excel and the place they fall brief.
What Is Primavera P6? 
Primavera P6 is a complete mission administration software program suite developed by Oracle. It’s designed to plan, handle and execute large-scale and sophisticated tasks. It’s well known for its means to deal with giant numbers of duties, assets and mission dependencies. This device is understood for its superior options in scheduling, useful resource administration, value administration and mission portfolio administration.
What Is Primavera P6 Used For?
As famous above, this mission administration software program is used to handle complicated and large-scale tasks. It handles vital assets, multi-layered dependencies and a number of groups. This includes mission scheduling, useful resource administration, value administration, portfolio management, danger administration, collaboration and reporting.
Associated: What Is Oracle Primavera P6? Uses, Features & Pricing
Who Makes use of Primavera P6?
Organizations throughout numerous industries use the device. A few of these are development corporations, engineering corporations, oil and fuel business, aerospace and protection, utilities and power, project management offices (PMOs) and authorities businesses.
Primavera P6 Key Options
Primavera P6 has many instruments that enable it for use throughout many industries. The mission administration software program is designed to deal with difficult, giant tasks and, subsequently, has these key options.
- Tracks important path methodology, dependencies and mission baselines with Gantt charts
- Has useful resource utilization profiles, in addition to useful resource allocation, leveling and histograms
- Challenge portfolio administration with optimization and cross-project useful resource administration
Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge: How Is Primavera P6 Higher Than Microsoft Challenge?
Not like Microsoft Challenge, which is extra suited to smaller to medium-sized tasks with fewer duties, Primavera P6 can deal with hundreds of duties, dependencies and assets. MS Challenge has primary useful resource administration, however Primavera P6 permits for detailed useful resource administration throughout multiple projects, together with labor, gear and supplies, and is best at managing bigger groups.
Once more, MS Challenge has related options, akin to portfolio administration, nevertheless it’s not as complete as Primavera P6. The identical is true with value and price range administration, the place Primavera P6 contains options like earned value management (EVM), which helps to trace mission efficiency in opposition to the baseline. Primavera P6 has enterprise-level mission administration options that may deal with complicated workloads, whereas Microsoft Challenge is solely not that sturdy.
Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge: How Is Primavera P6 Worse Than Microsoft Challenge?
Nevertheless, there are limitations in comparison with Microsoft Challenge, notably when it comes to usability, value and adaptability. Each aren’t identified for his or her ease of use, however Primavera P6 has a steeper learner curve and requires vital time and coaching. Primavera P6 can be prohibitively costly, which makes it out of attain for small-to-medium-sized companies.
Then there may be the useful resource administration complexity. Primavera P6 has superior resource management capabilities, however they may be too detailed for smaller groups and organizations. Additionally, integrating Primavera P6 with different software program, akin to ERP methods, can require customized options and technical experience, whereas MS Challenge seamlessly integrates with the Microsoft ecosystem and different third-party functions with out such difficulties.
Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge: Why Ought to You Select Microsoft Challenge?
That’s one aspect of the Primavera vs. MS Challenge debate. Now, it’s time to provide the opposite aspect its due. Don’t decide fairly but. Whereas Primavera P6 would possibly appear like a superior alternative to Microsoft Project, it’s nonetheless not a loser. It has its deserves which we’ll discover now.
What Is Microsoft Challenge? 
Microsoft Project is mission administration software program that gives instruments for mission planning, scheduling, useful resource administration and collaboration. The mission administration software program is designed to assist mission managers create detailed mission schedules, assign duties and assets, observe mission progress and generate stories.
What Is Microsoft Challenge Used For?
Microsoft Challenge is used to create mission plans and schedule tasks. It may allocate resources, observe progress and handle budgets and prices. The device may generate stories on progress, timelines, prices and useful resource utilization. There are additionally some collaborative options, although the product isn’t often known as an important collaboration device.
Associated: What Is Microsoft Project? Uses, Features and Pricing
Who Makes use of Microsoft Challenge?
A variety of industries and organizations of assorted sizes use Microsoft Challenge. Typical customers embody mission managers, small-to-medium-sized companies and freelancers and professional services consultants. It will also be present in departments inside bigger organizations in addition to authorities and nonprofit organizations.
Microsoft Challenge Key Options
We’ve listed some key options that make Microsoft Challenge one of many best-known mission administration software program merchandise.
- Gantt charts with process dependencies and milestones
- Price monitoring in opposition to the project budget and assigning prices to assets, duties and tasks
- Pre-built and customizable stories and visible dashboards
Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge: How Is Microsoft Challenge Higher Than Primavera P6?
Microsoft Challenge may be a more sensible choice than Primavera P6 within the following situations. For instance, when managing smaller or related tasks, the place it’s extra easy and has enough instruments to schedule tasks, allocate assets and observe budgets. Nobody would say MS Challenge is straightforward to make use of, however it’s compared to Primavera. It’s additionally no more cost-effective than most mission administration instruments, besides when evaluating it to the costly Primavera P6.
One of many important benefits is that it really works simply with different Microsoft instruments that organizations are in all probability already utilizing, akin to Outlook, Excel, Groups, and so on. Whereas MS Challenge isn’t a collaborative device, it may be used with different Microsoft merchandise, akin to Challenge for the Internet and Challenge On-line. In fact, this may add to the price of utilizing the software program, which could make some shrink back from the additional purchases.
Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge: How Is Microsoft Challenge Worse Than Primavera P6?
If customers are in search of mission administration software program that’s designed for large-scale, complicated tasks, then Primavera P6 can be a greater answer than Microsoft Challenge. It’s going to wrestle to handle greater tasks successfully. Due to this fact, Primavera P6 is the selection for enterprise-level mission administration because it offers detailed management over a number of, complicated tasks.
This contains Primaveria’s dominance in useful resource and portfolio administration when working with giant, distributed assets throughout a number of tasks. Primavera P6 additionally has built-in options for detailed risk management and evaluation. MS Challenge lacks the depth required for managing high-risk, large-scale tasks. It additionally doesn’t have the superior scheduling functionality that permits for fine-grained management over complicated timelines, process dependencies and constraints that Primavera P6 has.
Learn how to Make a Microsoft Challenge Gantt Chart With ProjectManager
We haven’t talked about ProjectManager for some time, however at this level, it’s vital to deliver up the truth that our software program could make a superior Gantt chart. Each Primavera P6 and Microsoft Challenge have Gantt charts, however they’re troublesome to study and costly to make use of. Our software program can even enable Mac customers to view and edit MPP recordsdata, not like MS Challenge. A fast option to clear these hurdles is to take a free 30-day trial with ProjectManager.
See how straightforward it’s to take a Microsoft Challenge (MPP) file and import it into our software program. There, it may be shared simply among the many mission crew, edited with out issue after which exported again to Microsoft Challenge. Whereas it’s higher to only use ProjectManager to handle tasks, this workaround is useful for these working in organizations which can be wedded to MS Challenge. Simply observe these steps.
1. Export Your Microsoft Challenge File as an Excel, MPP or CSV File
Customers can import MPP recordsdata, excel paperwork or any CSV file into ProjectManager. Open the Gantt chart view. On the highest ribbon, click on the import button, which appears like a field with an arrow piercing its prime.
2. Select the Excel, CSV or MPP File You Wish to Import
Now, observe the immediate and choose the file you need to import. As soon as the file has been imported, customers can view and edit it on their PC or Mac.
3. Choose Choices
At this level, customers can be given the choice to decide on which choice they need, akin to importing the MPP file to a brand new mission or including it to an present one.
4. Import Into ProjectManager
Choose whether or not to import all the info from the Microsoft Challenge file or simply the duties.
5. Customise Your Microsoft Challenge Gantt Chart With ProjectManager
When a window that claims success pops up, you’re able to customise your Microsoft Project Gantt chart inside ProjectManager, which suggests utilizing our all distinctive and easy-to-use options.
Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge: Pricing Comparability
We’ve talked lots about pricing, however having supplied particulars. If you happen to can take the sticker shock, beneath is a pricing comparability between Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge. (Be aware: there are two variations of Primavera P6, however Oracle Primavera Cloud.)
Primavera P6 Pricing
- Oracle Primavera P6 Skilled: The P6 Skilled model of Primavera is a desktop-based software program that may be bought straight from Oracle, or by a licensed Oracle software reseller. It should be put in into workstations. Oracle Primavera P6 Skilled prices $2,570 for an annual subscription. That value contains $2,020 plus an annual upkeep price of $550 for upgrades, fixes, patches, and so on. The renewal of the upkeep value isn’t required, nevertheless it’s urged.
- Oracle Primavera P6 EPPM: There’s additionally the enterprise choice, Primavera P6 Enterprise Professional Project Management (EPPM). This model of Primavera P6 is accessed by way of the online quite than being a desktop software program utility which makes it simpler to implement in giant organizations. This selection will run you $2,750 for a perpetual license, which incorporates an annual upkeep price of $605.
- Oracle Primavera Cloud (OPC): Like Primavera P6 Skilled and Primavera P6 EPPM, Oracle Primavera Cloud focuses on mission, program and portfolio administration, however has a unique function set. OPC has the added advantages of quicker supply and fosters collaboration to enhance effectivity and high quality.
Microsoft Challenge Pricing
- Planner Plan 1: $10/person/month
- Planner and Challenge Plan 3: $30/person/month
- Planner and Challenge Plan 5: $55/person/month
ProjectManager Is Higher Than Primavera P6 and Microsoft Challenge
For these nonetheless reeling from the costs of Primavera P6 vs. Microsoft Challenge, don’t fear. There may be an alternate. ProjectManager is award-winning mission and portfolio administration software program with options like Primavera P6 and MS Challenge to ship tasks on time and inside price range however with out the bills or steep studying curve. Our software program is designed to ship tasks whether or not they’re large and sophisticated or small and easy, for one mission or a program or portfolio of tasks and throughout industries like development, IT, manufacturing, skilled providers and extra. Our software program has highly effective danger administration options to determine and observe points, automated workflow with process approval settings to make sure high quality management, model management, international search and limitless doc storage.
Monitor Challenge Progress, Timelines and Prices in Actual Time
In fact, being about to plan and assign duties is simply the beginning. Challenge and portfolio managers want to observe their crew’s efficiency and progress to make sure it aligns with the schedule. To get a high-level overview of the mission, toggle over to the real-time mission or portfolio dashboards. They’re gathering reside information and displaying it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that present time, value, workload and extra. For extra element, use customizable reports on standing, portfolio, workload, timesheets, variance and extra. They go deep for groups or present a abstract to maintain stakeholders up to date. Safe timesheets streamline payroll and supply a window into labor prices to assist ship tasks inside price range.
Schedule and Stability Challenge Assets
Managing assets can be important to delivering profitable tasks. Gantt charts can schedule human and nonhuman assets, together with prices. Challenge managers can then view their crew’s useful resource allocation on color-coded workload charts and see who’s overallocated or underutilized. Then, steadiness their workload to maintain everybody working at capability with out risking burnout. There’s additionally a crew web page that exhibits a every day or weekly overview of the crew’s actions. This web page will be filtered to indicate precedence, progress and extra.
Associated Primavera and Microsoft Content material
This isn’t the one time we’ve reviewed Primavera and Microsoft merchandise. Those that need to learn extra concerning the professionals and cons of those mission administration instruments, try the hyperlinks beneath to just lately revealed articles on the topic.
ProjectManager is on-line mission and portfolio administration software program that connects groups whether or not they’re within the workplace or out within the subject. They’ll share recordsdata, remark on the process degree and keep up to date with e mail and in-app notifications. Be part of groups at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who use our software program to ship profitable tasks. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
