Updated May 24, 2023

Difference between Primavera vs MS-Project

Primavera is a project management software like MS-project software. Like MS-project, primavera software consists of portfolio management, product management, collaboration management, and various other controls related to project management. Primavera software integrates with other enterprise soft wares like ORACLE, ERP, etc. Primavera software is best suited for project planning, reporting, progress updating, and tracking. Both are commonly known as project management software used for project planning and execution to reduce project management’s hustles and bustles and increase productivity and efficiency. Primavera and MS-Project are the greatest inventions of technology in project management to eliminate unnecessary waste from the business process.

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Head To Head Comparison Between Primavera vs MS-Project(Infographics)

Below is the top 19 difference between Primavera vs MS-Project

Key differences between Primavera vs MS-Project

Both Primavera vs MS-Project are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the significant Difference Between Primavera vs MS-Project:

The key difference between Primavera and MS Project software is that the Primavera software is database-based, whereas the MS Project is a file-based software. Primavera is more powerful software when compared to MS Project software as it reduces project risks. As the inconsistencies, defects, and flaws are already scheduled and analyzed with the help of project management software, the excess costs can be cut down. Primavera project management software was created as enterprise software from the beginning. In contrast, the MS Project software was earlier created as a desktop application. Then it was migrated to the project server, and the enterprise capabilities were added to the Microsoft project software to serve the enterprise project management purpose.

Primavera P6 is now planning and slowly migrating to function out of the Windows-based operating system to explore the functionalities and to increase the number of platforms on which it works. Both the software, Primavera vs MS-Project, are project management software; however, they possess minor differences between them and hence can be used for different types of projects based on the nature of the project. Choosing enterprise project management software depends on the organization’s requirements and the nature of its projects.

Primavera vs MS-Project Comparison Table

Below is the topmost comparison between Primavera vs MS-Project

S.No	Primavera Software	MS-Project Software
1.	It supports unlimited baselines.	MS-Project supports 11 baselines.
2.	In Primavera, multiple users have the capability to collaborate on a single project and utilize specific features.	Multiple User Access MS Project doesn’t allow multiple users to work on a single project.
3.	Primavera allows issue and disk recording.	MS-Project lacks the feature of project issues and risk tracking.
4.	In Primavera web, support information like the planning and documentation of the project can be converted into HTML directly from the software without the help of any third-party software.	MS-project does not provide any feature to convert data from one format to another directly from the software. Third-party software can be used for this purpose if you are using MS project software.
5.	It allows the creation of sub-activities of activity by breaking the main activity into different steps with its start and finish date.	MS-Project does not provide any such functionality for creating sub-activities.
6.	Primavera allows you to create a blank custom field. However, it does not set formulas in the fields. Thus, users have to set the formulas in each column field manually.	MS-Project allows the creation of custom fields with complex formulas and additional values to the field, reducing the user’s manual effort.
7.	Primavera supports multiple activities relationships in which more than one type of relationship can be created between the activities.	MS-Project software does not support multiple activity relationships. It allows for establishing only one type of relationship between activities.
8.	Primavera supports the feature of creating a Website. This project website allows the creation of a website comprising details like project issues, risks, resources, etc. which has been fed as input to the Primavera project management software.	MS-Project does not provide any feature for creating the project website.
9.	Primavera software supports multiple project creation, tracking, and viewing. It allows tracking multiple projects or Work Breakdown Structure comparisons, cost, and unit calculations.	MS-Project allows multiple project creation, but it does not allow other functions in various projects like tracking multiple projects, cost, other calculations, and comparisons simultaneously.
10.	Primavera software P6 supports unique ID features and is helpful in projects using activity ID systems.	MS-Project does not support a unique ID feature; the activity ID depends on the activity’s position.
11.	Primavera allows activity sorting by different fields like sorting by date, activity id, etc.	Microsoft Project allows flexible activity control in which the individual activities can be moved from their positions to the position you want them to display.
12.	Primavera allows adding different project expenses like training costs, traveling costs, etc., in addition to the project expenses.	MS-Project does not allow the calculation of other expenses.
13.	It supports up to 200 columns, including custom columns, each column giving helpful information.	MS-Project, on the contrary part, supports up to 40 columns only.
14.	In Primavera, users can create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and add activities to it.	In MS-Project, activities emulate or function similarly to WBS.
15.	Primavera supports a more significant number of activities.	MS-Project supports less number of activities when compared to Primavera.
16.	Primavera supports the shuffling of on-screen activities using sorting, grouping, etc.	MS-project lacks on-screen activity shuffling.
17.	Primavera software is best suited for developed countries.	MS-project software is best suited for developing countries.
18.	Primavera is a database-based project management software.	MS-Project operates as file-based project management software.
19.	Primavera supports a feature known as Progress Spotlight to highlight table rows in a particular color.	MS-Project does not support any such direct feature; instead allows you to create filters for the same.

Conclusion

After analyzing both the project management software, it is concluded that P6 is best suited for larger projects involving multiple users, large project structures, and organizations where most projects are part of a larger project and integrated into networked systems. In contrast, MS-Projects are most suitable for single projects that do not require extensive recording of details and for corporations with fewer projects that heavily rely on external resources.