What is Project Controls Software?
To answer the question of what is a Project Controls Software you must first ask.
What is Project Control?
In laymen terms; Project Controls is a subset of the overarching disciple of Project Management. Project Controls usually involves 3 cores areas.
1. Project Cost Accounting
2. Project Scheduling
3. Project Risk Management
It is not unusual for Risk Management to reside in the Operations department, but proper Risk Management immediately touches Project Cost and Project Scheduling.
There is one other term that is often used interchangeably with Project Controls. That term is Project Services. Interchanging Project Services and Project Controls is not correct.
While the term Project Services is commonly used with Project Controls there is a difference. Project Services includes one more department/discipline, and that is Document Controls. To sum up what is Project Services the below bullet points are the areas involving Project Services.
1. Project Cost Accounting
2. Project Scheduling
3. Project Risk Management
4. Project Document Control
What does all this mean for selection of Project Controls Software?
To implement the proper Project Controls software the decision maker has to understand which areas they need the most help with.
Next it would be beneficial for your organization to run a cost benefit analysis. The types of questions that should be asked are as follows:
What is the cost of NOT selecting a software?
What are the cost benefits of selecting the proper system?
What is the break-even point for selecting a software?
Is the “juice worth the squeeze?”
If the proper Project Controls software is going to be outside your organization's cost benefit analysis budget, then it maybe best to continue using internal methods. If your organization has not conducted a cost benefit analysis then it may be advantageous to hire a corporate project consulting services firm like PE4U.
Written By:
Chris Rhodes
Editor’s Notes
Chris is a regular contributor to the JanusERP blog and a certified implementor of JanusERP.
Learn more about Chris by visiting his LinkedIn Profile
