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Oracle solutions experts upgrade Oracle Primavera P6 applications & provides custom configurations, eliminates manual reporting processes.
Challenge:
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) was grappling with significant challenges regarding visibility into project performance and resource management across its engineering department. A critical pain point was the department’s inability to generate essential reports in real time, which directly impacted the effectiveness of resource allocation, staffing assignments, and the timely redistribution of project budgets. This lack of timely information hindered operational efficiency and jeopardized the ability to make informed decisions during various stages of project execution.
Project Partners was employed to carry out a thorough assessment of business processes and technology. The evaluation identified several key operational issues, including the absence of standardized reporting frameworks and frequent process delays. These shortcomings led to a limited understanding of project performance metrics and the effectiveness of resource allocation. The reliance on manual reporting and the cumbersome data consolidation process further exacerbated these challenges, leading to significant inefficiencies. Additionally, critical information was frequently dispersed across multiple software applications, making it difficult to extract timely and actionable insights for strategic decision-making.
In response to these challenges, MWD recognized the urgent need for a robust solution to streamline operations by automating manual processes. This would allow staff to access actionable information and generate comprehensive reports. This transformation is essential for enhancing decision-making capabilities throughout the lifecycle of their projects. Consequently, MWD developed a Request for Proposal (RFP) and selected Project Partners to continue to assist in their project controls and reporting needs.
Solution:
MWD aimed to implement an automated reporting solution that would effectively leverage their existing applications, specifically Oracle Primavera P6 EPPM, Primavera Data Warehouse, and IBM Cognos. To facilitate this transition, they partnered with Project Partners to upgrade and configure Oracle Primavera P6 EPPM from Release 6.2.1 to version 18.8.
This comprehensive upgrade process included several critical components:
1. Conversion and Creation of Project Schedules: The initiative involved converting and creating over 1,000 project schedules, which included closed, ongoing, and planned projects. The project schedules were constructed using predefined templates established by MWD, ensuring consistency and adherence to organizational standards.
2. Development of a Cognos BI Reporting System: A robust Cognos Business Intelligence (BI) reporting system was developed, featuring an intuitive user interface, dynamic dashboards, and detailed reports. This system included the design of a data warehouse that centralizes project data and the implementation of custom Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) processes, allowing for smooth data transition and integration.
3. Installation and Configuration of OP3: The upgrade process featured the installation and configuration of Project Partners' OP3™, a tool designed to integrate Oracle E-Business Suite’s Project Accounts and Grants Management (PAGM) application with Primavera P6 EPPM. This integration ensured seamless data flow between the two systems, enhancing operational efficiency.
4. Integration with IBM Cognos: MWD sought to enrich its reporting capabilities by integrating Primavera P6 EPPM with IBM Cognos. This integration included creating custom ETL code to facilitate seamless data transfer, providing comprehensive reporting tools that improved decision-making processes.
5. Deployment of P6 Team Member: To streamline communication and project tracking, P6 Team Member was deployed. This feature enabled team members to easily provide status updates, enhancing progress reporting and ensuring that all stakeholders remained informed on project developments.
This structured and detail-oriented approach facilitated MWD’s objective of achieving an efficient and automated reporting system that reinforces project management practices while maximizing the potential of existing technologies.
Additionally, Project Partners has provided ongoing comprehensive managed services to support the management of MWD's current Primavera P6 EPPM instance. This collaboration aims to meet the organization’s operational needs by offering expert support, ensuring optimal performance, and facilitating effective project management practices. The scope of managed services includes both functinal and technical support.
Testimonial:
Our PCRS project has enjoyed exceptional services and unwavering support from Project Partners. Their consultants have a profound understanding of our business priorities, processes, and the software, seamlessly integrating with our team and empowering us to achieve our goals. Their expertise is very impressive.
Jeff Wingate, Senior Engineer
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern CaliforniaOutcome:
The Project Control Reporting System (PCRS) project successfully developed and implemented a comprehensive reporting and project controls solution designed to empower MWD managers, project managers, engineering resource managers, and project administrators with streamlined processes and direct access to critical data. PCRS serves as MWD’s all-encompassing suite of application solutions and integrations. This includes advanced tools such as Worktech, PAGM—which integrates with PeopleSoft for human resources management, a new TaskTable for project tracking, and a Role View to assist with accurate time reporting—and Primavera P6 for project management.
Additionally, the PCRS Data Warehouse consolidates essential data for comprehensive analysis, along with Cognos Analytics Reports and Dashboards that enable in-depth business intelligence and reporting. Together, these components ensure a seamless flow of data across systems, enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities.
This transformative advancement of PCRS with Project Partners has resulted in several notable improvements:
- Enhanced Processes and Data Accessibility: The solution has dramatically improved access to resource demand analytics and projected cost data, making it easier for teams to anticipate needs and allocate resources effectively.
- Increased Visibility into Project Performance: The enhanced system provides real-time insights into project performance metrics, enabling teams to make informed decisions and refine forecasting methodologies.
- Seamless and Accurate Reporting Outcomes: The tool offers an intuitive interface for generating reports, ensuring stakeholders receive timely and precise information without the usual complexities.
- Seamless and Accurate Reporting Outcomes: The tool offers an intuitive interface for generating reports, ensuring stakeholders receive timely and precise information without the usual complexities.
Key Highlights of the PCRS Project Include:
- Single-Point Data Entry System: By establishing a centralized entry system for all project data, the PCRS project significantly enhances operational efficiency, reducing redundancy and potential errors associated with multiple data entry points.
- Advanced Reporting Capabilities: The solution generates detailed cost and progress reports across various platforms, ensuring that all stakeholders have access to high-quality insights tailored to their specific needs.
- Improved Visibility and Consistency: The project has fostered greater visibility into project data and adherence to timelines, resulting in fewer discrepancies and more reliable project tracking.
- Streamlined Project Updates and Schedule Management: The P6 Team Member application integration has optimized project updates and schedule oversight, allowing team members to collaborate more effectively and track progress in real-time.
- Enhanced Budget Oversight: Project administrators are equipped to manage 50-75 projects each, facilitating effective oversight that contributes to timely execution and adherence to budget constraints. This rigorous management process has led to a more responsible allocation of resources.
- Diverse Reporting Tools: The utilization of 26 different reports for labor forecasting and essential project metrics ensures that managers have the necessary tools to analyze trends, evaluate resource allocation, and make proactive adjustments.
By implementing this comprehensive project management solution, MWD has significantly elevated the organization’s operational standards, paving the way for more efficient project delivery and enhanced overall performance.
