ARES PRISM

Pros

- Ease of use, PRISM is user-friendly and allow flexible import/export functionality, plus a lot of utilities that caters for bulk updates.
- Comprehensive Project Controls Capability and features, PRISM is a one stop shop, you don't need to look for additional systems to cover gaps, because there isn't any.
- Fully Integrated solution, All modules talk to each other very efficiently, no need to worry about external integrations.
- Excellent Support team, Experienced and responsive team that resolves issues promptly.

Cons

- Reporting features, PRISM standard reports are good but a bit difficult to customize.

Pros

Very easy to setup. The clients I support want different things, so the setup has to be flexible

Cons

not always easy to get support on a question

Pros

Use of Excel to update via imports and exports
Wide variety of canned reports and processes (includes change control, trends)

Cons

Canned 80's/90's style reports that cannot be modified.
Can't copy an existing report to modify and make another report.
Executive Summary reports do not format correctly. S-Curve /Histogram has errors on progress (group that has not started yet shows progress.
Technical Support not consistent.
Dashboard is not included.

Pros

The things I like most about G2 is that it is ready to go out of the box. G2 provides enough structure for you to start using it immediately, but also offers the ability to customize to many different business needs. G2 can be used at a project or program level to manage projects from a few million to several billion dollars.

Some other benefits are that you can quickly setup the software to integrate with SAP, load actuals, and see your EAC quickly in both tabular and graphical form. You can select your physical progress method to obtain both calculated and independent EAC's.

Integrating the software with Primavera is also very easy by creating a cross-reference utilizing G2's built in utilities. The same can be done to map your estimate to control accounts so that you have a common element at the level which the project is managed.

There are a good amount of standard reports are available and the system also has a report writer available.

When starting a new project, I immediately go to G2. I like the fact that reporting periods are locked down once closed out and forecasts can be obtained easily. The system also allows you to process accruals in a couple of different ways and allows the tracking of both actuals and incurred.

Great software that I will continue to use for many years!

Cons

There are a good amount of standard reports available, but if using the report writer, some time is required to learn.

Pros

It's ready to go on Day 1, you can actually load data and start configuration immediately and develop a PMB very quickly. I've used on Mining, O&G, Energy, Land Development, Rail, Airports, Government EVMS required projects, and even IT projects and PRISM has always met my program' / projects' needs. If there is a gap, the ARES team works to understand the requirement and close the gap. The ROI was quick as the implementation and training cost were fare less than other tools on the market. The system has many reports to analyze a programs performance if tracking unit rates, quantities or just contract and subcontract values. It's easy to get data into and out of the system and doesn't require complex work flows.

Cons

The on-screen analytics can be improved. All analytics run through reports or from the Dashboard system. It has taken us a long time to get service packs to fix technical issues in the past. It's seems to be getting better. Most issues were addressed with simple work-a-rounds luckily.