It was a wild year for everyone, to be sure, but our Contruent team did its best to pivot to support our loyal customers and continue delivering a quality product in spite of all the 2020 pandemic chaos. We would certainly be remiss if we did not mention COVID-19 and all the great efforts taken to ensure the safety of our employees, clients, and future clients. Check out our greatest 2020 achievements:
ARES PRISM’s 25th Anniversary!
This year marked our 25th anniversary! We are thrilled to celebrate 25 years of project management success with so many wonderful clients and so many outstanding projects.
Back in 1995, the first rendition of Contruent (fka ARES PRISM) was created for use on an LANL project. Over the past 25 years, we have become a leading, best-in-class project management solution for every major project industry.
Learn more about the legacy behind our software and milestones accomplished through the timeline of our 25-year history.
For Our Customers
Contractor Portal
Our new Contractor Portal was introduced this year! This innovative new release provides external contractors with secure access to client data. It replaces manual entry and speeds up claim processing. Now, designated vendors (i.e. Suppliers & Contractors) are able to update progress of Contract Pay Items in the PRISM Contract module. And that’s just the beginning! View our webinar exploring the Contractor Portal here.
Version 4.7
ARES PRISM Version 4.7 is available and we encourage all PRISM customers to upgrade to the latest version. In an effort to deliver the highest quality product, this release delivers incremental updates to existing functionality and introduces many new areas of functionality, including these highlights:
- New time-phased data curves for the Cost Management and Engineering modules and two new percent methods added to the Cost Management module.
- Reporting Updates: New “Budget Type” option available on the Variance Analysis form, the Calculation process and the Variance Analysis report, providing greater flexibility for calculating and identifying variances based on set threshold levels. We also added a new Time-Phased Currency Analysis report that calculates the difference, by Period, between Costs based on the original (Budget) Exchange Rates and the updated (Actual/ETC) Exchange Rates.
- Wonderful updates made to the Change Management module, including enhancements made to the Change Management Risks Data Pane and Sub-panes, including Risk Type, Risk Impact, Likelihood, Risk Score, and more.
Training
Due to COVID-19, we pivoted our Contruent Enterprise training courses so that they occurred virtually instead of in our office in Houston, Texas, USA, or on-site at client locations to help keep everyone safe and well. These courses help customers make the most of their software investment. It is a great asset for those looking to add Contruent Enterprise to their skill set and resume since participants earn professional development units (PDUs) for course completion.
Humble Bragging
Award Nominations
In 2020, we were excited and honored to be finalists for the following major industry awards:
- British Construction Industry Awards 2020; Productivity in Construction Initiative of the Year Shortlist
- Off-Site Construction Awards 2020; Infrastructure Project of the Year Finalist
Customer Spotlight
We love bragging about our fantastic customers! This past year we got to highlight some truly great projects, customers, and partnerships by featuring them in case studies and press releases!
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- Covestro AG – 90% Time Savings & Increased Reliability through Digital Transformation
- IHI E&C International – Time Savings and Change Management Reporting
- Highways England – Cost Certainty, Increased Accountability, Dependable Reports & Improved Organizational Project Maturity
- GULF Companies – 10% Reduction in Estimating Man-hours, Improved Productivity and Standardization
- ARTC Inland Rail Implements ARES PRISM Project Controls Solution
- ARES PRISM Project Controls Software Breaks into Biotech Industry with Industry Leader Genentech
- Mott MacDonald forms global strategic alliance with ARES PRISM
Events
While our team usually attends many in-person events across the globe, these types of events were canceled due to COVID-19. But ARES PRISM found other ways to network and share with the project controls community including virtual events and our very own live webinar series.
Our Most Popular 2020 Content
We updated our Resource Center to make searching for content by project management topic or category even easier for our readers. We also introduced our helpful project management guides in 2020!
White Papers
- The Construction Industry Needs More Than Collaboration in Project Management: This white paper discusses how while collaboration is a great tool for construction project management, it is not enough to help deliver projects successfully.
- Project Procurement vs. Operational Procurement: This white paper explores how many project organizations treat the procurement phase of projects similar to general corporate procurement– using the same tools, systems, and processes to handle both– and why that is detrimental.
- PMI Standards & Importance of Project Management Software Alignment: This white paper discusses the importance of having project software that aligns with industry authorities such as the Project Management Institute (PMI).
COVID-19 Industry Related Content
- WEBINAR The Construction Industry in the Post-Pandemic World: This recorded webinar discusses how the Coronavirus pandemic could be the disruptive event that transforms the construction industry.
- BLOG POST How Covid-19 Has Impacted Construction in 2020: There are many ways the global pandemic has affected the global construction industry, we cover the highlights in this blog post.
- WEBINAR Project Portfolio Management & The Resilience of Organizations During Uncertain Times: This webinar discusses the importance of project portfolio management for organizations, especially during uncertain times, with Dr. Saeed Shalbafan and Iulia Amariei.
Webinars
- Why Project Organizations Need Hosted Project Controls Software: This webinar recording discusses five key advantages of hosted project controls software and the benefits of moving from on-premise to the cloud.
- Coding Structures in ARES PRISM: Organizations use cost codes that are oftentimes defined by one group within a company, causing frustration for everyone else on the project. Learn how to create your own coding in Contruent Enterprise and still report information to other stakeholders per their requirements.
- The Importance of Integrated Cost and Schedule: This webinar discusses the power of integrated cost and schedule and the benefits of a time-phased budget vs a cost loaded schedule.
- Progress Management and Performance Measurement: This 30-minute, 2-part webinar explores both progress and performance measurement in Contruent Enterprise.
We are looking forward to the new year, and hope everyone stays safe and well in 2021!