Questions Potential Project Software Purchasers ask us
Below are a selection of questions that we get asked by people interested in buying Project Administrator.
Technical Questions
- Will PA run on Access 2003 or 2007?
- Can I use a Microsoft SQL Server database as the back end?
- How does the real version differ from the trial version?
- Is it a limitation that the application is written in Access?
- Does everyone who receives reports from the system have to have Access installed?
- Will PA run over the Web?
- Do I need Administrator rights, or have to get a system administrator to install Project Administrator
Customisation
- Can I write my own reports?
- Can I link people's names in PA to Microsoft Project
- Can I modify the screens?
Licensing and Cost
- In terms of licensing, are users concurrent (i.e. people using the system simultaneously) or named (each person has their own logon and password)?
- Is there a cost to upgrade from the version for Access 2000 to Access 2007?
- What about future releases? Is there an upgrade cost?
- Is there a maintenance charge?
- I have been looking at other Project Management Software. Why is PA so cheap?
Functionality
- The amount of functionality is overwhelming. I will never use everything?
- Does the information in the time sheets automatically update the budget with resource costs?
Support
Q. Will PA run on Access 2003 or 2007?
A. PA runs on Access 2000, 2003 and 2007.
When using Access 2003, you need to ensure that you set “Tools”, “Options”, “Advanced”, “Default File Format” to “Access 2000”. This setting is the factory default for Access 2003 but we have had some situations where it has been changed and will cause problems.
For Access 2007, there are some security issues. Read the Quick Start guide that comes with the trial to ensure your security settings in Access 2007 will not cause problems.
Q. Can I use a Microsoft SQL Server database as the back end?
A. Yes you can. We sell a SQL Server database that can be used with Project Administrator. You can convert your existing data or start with a fresh database. For more details click here
Q. How does the real version differ from the trial version?
A. The real version comes with the database (or tables) in a separate file. This allows you to store the data on a server where it is backed up regularly, and run the application on desktops. It reduces network traffic and also makes your application more secure.
In addition, the real version has two sets of tables. One is a blank set for you to enter your own information, and the other a set of example tables that illustrate how the application can be used. The example tables have the same sample data as the trial version.
The version you purchase also has a User Manual which is over 120 pages and a 60+ page System Administrator Manual.
Q. Is it a limitation that Project Administrator is written in Access?
A. There is no simple answer to this. The benefits of Access are that it is integrated with Microsoft Office and so an Access application is simple to set up. There is little effort required to install the application. Also it can usually be installed without going through an approval process to have it installed on your standard operating environment. It does not require the setting up of a new server and database. There are less problems in standard functions such as printing and exporting to other Office applications.
In terms of performance, we have yet to have a client reach a limitation in terms of concurrent users or data volumes. There are limitations in Access that may restrict performance but we are not even half way there in terms of the way in which PA is constructed.
On the downside, it does not have web enablement. You cannot run it over the Internet. The security within Access is far from bulletproof. If someone does know the security model well, they can probably access the data, and there are tools you can download to break into an Access database.
Many 'serious' developers are dismissive of Access as 'just a toy'. I suspect it is because many non IT people can actually develop their own database applications. Some do it well, and some, because of their lack of understanding of basic database principles, do it badly.
In reality, Access is a robust application that is finding increasing use in organisations. Microsoft have continued to improve the product and move it to more of a mainstream development tool. Many of the functions in Access are not even available within more industrial strength products such as .NET or VB. As long as proper programming principles are applied to development in Access, it is a solid product which is in use in many organisations.
Q. Does everyone who receives reports from the system have to have Access installed?
A. No. There are a number of options.
- Microsoft provide a free download called Snapshot Viewer to enable people without Access installed to view Access Reports
- Reports can be saved as PDF files and distributed. This is our preferred option as information cannot be changed by the receiver. There is a free PDF creator called Primo that we can recommend. Go to http://www.primopdf.com/
- Reports can be output to Word RTF files or Excel. This is not recommended as the Microsoft conversion facility has some 'undocumented features'
Q. Will Project Administrator run over the Web?
A. No. PA is an Access based product and will not run in a browser. There is another possible solution if it is critical to allow people to access it via the net. You can use a program such as LogMeIn or AnyPlace Control to link into a PC remotely (we have used the latter). Both products allow you to access a computer remotely and control the PC from your browser. There are wider corporate security issues that you may need to investigate before you go down this path.
Q. Do I need Administrator rights, or have to get a system administrator to install Project Administrator
A. No. The installation package will normally run without impacting any of the areas that are locked down by your System Administrator. The one area we do find difficulty occasionally is adding PA to your menu. There is an option in the install program to just set it up as a desktop icon rather than include it in your Start Menu. If you do for any reason purchase PA and have trouble installing it because of your SOE (Standard Operating Environment) we can provide assistance to manually set up the product.
Q. Can I write my own reports?
A. PA comes with over 100 standard reports. If the exact report you want is not available there is another option. You can create your own. One of the big advantages of running under Microsoft Access is that it allows you to produce custom reports and screens with only a minimal understanding of Access.
When you purchase PA it comes as one file for the data (Access tables), and another for the PA Main Application (screens, reports, code). You link the main application to the data. This is different to the trial version which has both Screens, Reports, Queries and Code in the same file as the Data. The trial version is slightly less complicated to set up which is why we created it in that way. The other thing that is relevant is that the PA Main Application is a compiled Access database so you cannot write your own reports in that database.
We also provide a separate but linked Access Database (in both trial and purchased versions) which you also link to the data in PA. This PA Custom Reports database is opened from a button on your Reports Menu in the PA Main Application ("Custom Reports" on the top right of the screen) . In the PA Custom Reports database you can create all your own reports as it is an uncompiled database.
You need to set up the path to your PA Custom Reports database in the Administration function in PA. The Administration function is accessed from the Home screen when you log on as sysadmin.
Q. Can I link people's names in PA to Microsoft Project
A. Resource names are set up within Project Administrator. They are not linked to resource names in MSP for a number of reasons.
In MSP, anyone can enter any name. If we were to try and link names in MSP to names in PA, the only way to do it would be a one on one manual basis. You then have the following problems:
- If a name is deleted in MSP, it leaves orphan records in PA
- If a name is deleted and re-entered in MSP, you have the same problem. Record 'X' in PA is linked to record 'Y' in MSP. If 'Y' is deleted and re-entered as 'Z', PA is still looking for 'Y' and cannot find it.
- You have one resource name in PA for all projects. In MSP, unless you use a resource pool, you have the same person entered as a new record in every project.
- Every time a new name is entered in MSP, you have to make a decision as to whether you link or create a new name in PA
In PA, the system administrator can elect to allow people to enter new names, or restrict new resource names to the sysadmin to enter. The names can be tightly controlled so that you don't end up with J. Smith, John Smith, and John J Smith all being the one person.
For these reasons, we decided not to try and link the two resource name sets.
Q. Can I modify the screens?
A. The design of the screens cannot be modified unless we do a customisation for you. We can quote on any specific changes you require.
Many of the fields can however be customised. Most selectable fields can be configured by the System Administrator. For example if you want to set your priorities for Issues to 1, 2 and 3 the System Administrator can do this through the Administration function. In terms of reports, you can create your own reports. See Q3 above
Q. In terms of licensing, are users
- Concurrent (i.e. people using the system simultaneously) or
- Named (each person has their own logon and password)?
A. The answer is neither. PA is licensed for the number of logons. A single user license allows one logon. A five user license allows five logons.
- A logon can be used by more than one person concurrently. For example, if you had a single user license, with a logon of User1, you can have as many people as you want logged onto the system as User1 at the same time. They must all use the same password.
- A logon is configured to a certain security profile.
- A security profile determines what projects you can view, what screens you can see, and whether you can add, change or delete information on each screen. For example, a security profile might be that you can only see projects 1 and 4 (not 2 and 3); You cannot view the budget or expenditure information; you can only view risks, not add change or delete etc.
- In addition, for all licenses, there is a logon for the system administrator. This is the only logon that will allow configuration changes such as determining the naming of priorities on risks and issues (High, Medium, Low or A, B, C, D), which people can view which projects, who can add new names. The administration button on the home screen is only visible to the sysadmin logon.
Q. Is there a cost to upgrade from the version for Access 2000, to Access 2007?
A. No. We provide a single version compiled in Access 2000 which works on all versions up to and including 2007
Q. What about future releases? Is there an upgrade cost?
A. Our policy is to provide minor releases free of charge to existing users. For example the “3” series is now up to version 3.3 (in beta release at December 2004). All “”3” series users get the upgrade for free. In August 2004, we released Version 4 which was a major upgrade. There was an upgrade charge which was around 12% of the purchase price.
Q. Is there a maintenance charge?
A. No. We did offer a maintenance option when the product was released, but the number of people who needed to make use of it was insignificant. Most technical support questions – and they are very few – relate to installation issues.
Q. I have been looking at other Project Management Software. Why is PA so cheap?
A. We get this a lot. Some customers have looked at other software costing tens of thousands of dollars which does not have the functionality of PA. There are a number of reasons aside from the fact we might not be as greedy as other vendors.
- When we first did some financial modeling on the pricing structure in the late 90s, we looked at the Internet as the way of the future. We decided we would not support a sales force or distributor network. We would only use the Internet to market the product. In retrospect it was a wise decision. The cost of supporting a sales force, and paying commissions of up to 50% of what you pay would have meant our selling price would be 2.5 to 3.5 times what we charge now - just to break even.
- By using Access, we get all that built in functionality such as printing and security so there is less to develop and test.
- We use a pool of top Access developers. These guys know Access inside out and their productivity is fantastic. In fact we have recently started working with one of the top Access people in the world. He is one of 70 Microsoft MVPs and has written a book on Access.
- Because we had a pool of experienced Project Managers involved in the design, we got it right first time. There was not a lot of redesign of the product involved.
- Since then we have enhanced the product based on what users told us they needed. It takes the "R" (research) out of our "R and D" (research and development).
Q. The amount of functionality is overwhelming. I will never use everything?
A. None of our clients use everything. Typically people start off using Issues and Risks and move on from there in different directions. For example, one organisation may have their own time sheeting system. There is no good reason to use something else. Another may have a project budgeting system so they don’t use the budget and expenditure functionality of PA. Typically they will never use more than 60% or 70%.
PA has been designed so that as soon as you enter a project name, you can use any other part of the application without interdependencies. Use some, and not other parts.
Think of it as a toolbox. Only use the tools that suit your situation. If it makes sense, use it. If not, don’t use it.
Q. Does the information in the time sheets automatically update the budget with resource costs?
A. We have dabbled in the area of extrapolating time to cost with a number of clients and have backed away from it for a number of reasons. The main one is the diverse arrangements people have for charging. For example, in one organisation we looked at some of the conditions they wanted us to cater for were:
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Some contractors were paid a flat daily rate regardless of the time they worked
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Others were paid an overtime rate that was time and a half for the first four hours and double time after that
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Others were paid only if they worked more than 10 hours in a day
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There were limits on the amount of overtime for some people in a calendar week
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We had to cater for flexitime where people could make up 40 hours between certain hours of the day
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Weekends and public holidays were different rates for different people
Q. Can I expect any Installation problems?
A. We have yet to find an installation that we couldn't complete. About one in twenty or thirty installations results in us receiving a request for help. Typically the problems are:
- Incorrect or incomplete installation of Microsoft Access
- As well as a standard Access installation someone has a runtime version installed. May need to change the desktop shortcut to point to the real version
- Security in Access 2007. The problem is usually resolved by following the instructions in the Quick Start guide.
- Restrictions imposed by Standard Operating Environments. We can provide guidance as to how to manually install the product
- And of course, people not reading the Quick Start Guide
After thousands of installs, there is not much we have not seen. Our technical FAQs also provide assistance if required.
Q. Do I need Training?A. We designed the software specifically for sale over the Internet so spent a lot of time and effort to get the design and documentation right. A lot of effort has gone into getting the screen design both intuitive and modular. Each function is designed to be standalone as much as possible and not rely on other screens to input data. For example, if you want to enter an issue, there is a single screen to use. On that screen you can record all the details of the issue. You do not have to open any other screens. It is very much follow the flow of the screen to record - or choose not to record - all the information you need. You even enter all the actions related to the issue on the same screen.
We constantly receive compliments for the documentation. It has been prepared using a technique called Information Mapping. Information Mapping is a technique for laying out information in a way that has been proven to make it easy to follow. For more information go to the Information Mapping site In fact we are great supports of Information Mapping and believe all organisations could benefit from the technique.
Our user manual is 120 pages with lots of screen shots. It is designed so that you can quickly go to the section you want and follow the pictures. For example if you are using the Issue function, you look at the three or so pages related to Issues in the manual and can see every field and an explanation of how to enter the issue. Similarly there is a 60 page System Administrator Manual which walks you screen by screen through every configuration item.
In summary, we designed the product so that you don't need training. In fact, to our own financial detriment, we have talked a number of companies out of running training courses. We ask them to look at the software, and read the manual first. Usually, they see how simple PA is and decide not to do any training. If however you decide training would be of benefit, please send us an email and we can discuss your training needs.
Q. What happens if I have a problem?
A. We provide 24 hour turnaround on emails during business days. In fact we usually do it in less time depending where in the world you are. Most problems relate to the setup of Access on your computer. We have seen most of them before so can usually point you to the solution straight away.
