Construction management software in the Microsoft Cloud
4/5 (8 reviews)Pros
The biggest pro is the ability of VPO to be customized to work with a company's internal project management and accounting systems,
VPO also allows a very good level of security so that people outside the company can only see select information.
Cons
I have found working with the Simplex Team that there are not any Cons regarding the use of VPO. VPO can be as productive as the end user wants it to be.
Keep it simple. In regards to dates - do you ultimately need start and end dates? Or just end dates (because after you end something, you're onto the next phase - correct)? It's an extra step we have to add - and update when schedules slip.
Pros
Could have been linked to my previously created Microsoft account - but for my coworkers and I - a completely different user name was created - simplification is key.
Cons
Every week the software features are changing as they become apparent and applicable. It's internet based and has tendency to be sluggish - when trying to save data via the original procedure. The updated procedure makes it easier to update project data - but selecting cells and moving the window around on the screen are tedious.
I haven't gone through a project close-out using VPO and I'm curious how all of this documentation will be transmitted to us (the client) for our records.
Pros
It's great to be able to look up all sorts of project documents and not to have to rely on saving attachments from emails. The ball-in-court features are helpful, as are the notifications when something is posted or changes.
Cons
It doesn't work well on Windows 10. Sometimes directories of documents get truncated to just what will fit on a single page, leaving no way to access later documents. Many of the sorting features do not appear to work in Windows 10. Clicking on them doesn't do anything. While many aspects of VPO are intuitive, I did not find editing review comments to be at all obvious. Buttons were not where I expected them to be and someone had to show me where they were so I could add comments.
For software that wants to increase efficiency, there are a lot of small bugs that make it the exact opposite. On a grand scale, I can see this being great, however after the first few interactions I was left more frustrated than impressed. After consulting with a few fellow employees, this seems to be the consensus.
Pros
The accessibility of information is very useful. Though I have not been a user for long, I can see how this would enhance efficiency (when the software is working correctly). Ultimately, it should result in a quicker turn around time.
Cons
The program thus far has not been very user friendly. I, myself, have run into various issues after only using the software for approximately a week. The customer service has been great with addressing our needs, even if not immediately. Simple tasks that would usually take only a few minutes end up taking much longer. For example, copying and pasting multiple emails should take seconds, however with VPO we are restricted to adding emails individually. Another task such as moving documents from one folder to the next was an issue, where VPO would only allow me to move the documents to folders nested within the folder I was trying to extract them from.
Overall this is a great value for the costs and the system much more manageable than the larger systems of this type.
Pros
It is relatively easy to learn and get around in the system. The graphical nature of the screens help a lot in using it.
Cons
The methods for reporting or creating a report is a challenge, but it isn't insurmountable. I have found sometimes it is hard to follow the logic behind the process.
Pros
Access of Drawings and Project information for accountable time record and from remote workers to field supervisor, easy to upload work order, customization and track of it, making it life easy.
Cons
Reduce flexibility while using in Different OS, and system itself has repot-making feature which is some of the most redious process to follow.
Pros
Easy to use, navigate, log in to. The search bar is invaluable to me. I love that I can store and sort my documents and grant permission to whoever I want or not grant permission.
Cons
Takes awhile to load but not always an issue. Since I use this program everyday, my response to my questions is that it is on VPO. My client seems to be afraid of going in.
Pros
VPO gives us information about progress in construction that we did not have earlier. It is easy to use.
Cons
We have come a long way. We still need some information in financial (funded, expanded, committed, balance etc.), change orders so that we can discard JOBS.
If you are running projects today without a Collaborative Project Management System, you are wasting valuable human resources.