Compare
Primer reads the same files, shows P6's own dates and adds cost, risk, contracts and reporting on the same links.
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Primavera P6: Builds and updates the programme of record
Primer adds: Reads the same XER or P6 XML, with calendars, codes, resources and baselines
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Primavera P6: Schedules the plan
Primer adds: Shows P6's own dates, exactly, and simulates a change against the plan when you ask Coming soon
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Primavera P6: Layouts and filters for planners
Primer adds: Opens P6 layouts in a fast web Gantt anyone can use, with free viewers
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Primavera P6: Reports by export or add-on tools
Primer adds: Critical path, look-ahead, DCMA checks, S-curves and chart packs, ready each period
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Primavera P6: Baselines
Primer adds: Compares any two updates and shows why the finish moved
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Primavera P6: Risk and cost fields on activities
Primer adds: Full risk and cost on the same links, sent back to P6
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Primavera P6: Contracts kept elsewhere
Primer adds: NEC4 contracts, compensation events and payments, linked to the programme
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Primavera P6: Takes the plan back in
Primer adds: Send a scenario back to P6 as an updated XER, with a change log Coming soon
Check it yourself
Reports that match P6 because they are P6's numbers. Check it on your own programme.
Coming soon On its way. Book a demo to see it early.
Other project controls tools
Contruent (formerly ARES PRISM) and Octave Sequence (formerly Hexagon EcoSys) are established project controls products. Here is how they compare on the points customers ask about most.
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| Point | Primer | Contruent | Octave Sequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEC4 contracts | Built in: early warnings, compensation events with time bars, Contract Data, Options A, B, C and E, Defined Cost, PWDD, pain and gain. | No native NEC support found in its public material. | No native NEC support found in its public material. |
| Scheduling and P6 | Reads XER and P6 XML, with what-if on a copy of the plan. Sends risks, costs and the control account code back to P6. P6's own dates as the default, and scenarios sent back as an updated XER, are coming soon. | A P6 link that is mostly one way: activities roll up to control accounts and dates drive the cost spread. | A P6 connector, licensed separately, with a wide read. Write-back to P6 is narrow. |
| Risk and cost in one model | One model for schedule, cost, risk and change. Quantified cost and schedule risk sizes the contingency. | Contingency phasing and drawdown. No quantitative risk analysis found in its public material. | Contingency drawdown with a warning band. No quantitative risk analysis found in its public material. |
| Portfolio funding | Funding, stage gates, prioritisation and scenarios across the portfolio. | Portfolio and scenario planning not prominent in its public material. | Strong: portfolio planning, prioritisation, capital budgeting and fund management. |
| UK regulation and practice | Ofgem RIIO cost views, ICMS 3, NRM, CESMM4, estimating in the style of IPA guidance. | Ofgem RIIO views not found in its public material. | Ofgem RIIO views not found in its public material. |
| Carbon | Carbon budget, actuals and forecast on the same cost lines. | Carbon alongside cost, including PAS 2080, in its public material. | Not found in its public material. |
| Where it runs | Hosted by us, or Primer Cloud in your own Azure tenant. Primer for Fabric installs in your own Fabric. | Available through G-Cloud. | Not stated in the public material we reviewed. |
| Where they are stronger | Primer is newer and comes from a smaller company. It does not yet have direct ERP connectors. | A long UK rail and infrastructure track record, ERP connectors (SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards, Dynamics), a contractor portal and a large report library. | Very configurable, with no-code screens and workflows, deep forecasting methods and an AI assistant. |
From public material and published reviews, October 2026. Where we found nothing we say so; that does not prove a feature is missing. Products change, so check with each supplier. Contruent, Octave and Sequence are trademarks of their owners. If you spot an error, tell us and we will correct it.
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