Texim Project for Windows

Prepared by:
Welcom Software Technology (WST)

Prepared for:
Public purchase

Application:
Financial analysis:
Environmental impact analysis: ---
Waste management/P2:
Environmental cost listing/database: ---
Cost estimation: ---
Alternative product/process comparison: ---

Low-end project management. Users can design their projects to incorporate environmental costs. However, no additional cost categories can be defined in Texim.

Elements of control:
Cost control
Resource control
Estimating control ---
Schedule control
Scope control ---
Risk control

Development date and updates:
Texim was earlier released by another company, which was purchased by WST. The Windows version was released ~1991. WST features at least one update per year. Texim is going to be replaced within about a year with another low-end project management system, Open Plan Professional-Desktop version. Texim version 2.0 was released in 1994.

Public availability:
Available

Purpose and current use:
WST has supplied project management software to different industries such as construction, engineering, oil and gas and also to government bodies and universities. WST has a client list of over 150.

Cost information:
Texim has a single-user price of $995.

System requirements:
The minimum system requirements are a 386 SX CPU, mouse or other pointing device, and any NETBIOS compatible network. For MS Windows 3.1 in enhanced mode, the requirements include 4 MB memory, WIN 32s included. For MS NT, the requirement is 8 MB memory.

Software summary

Size and complexity of projects:
Small to large projects with limited complexity.

Other compatible systems offered:
Other products supplied by WST include Open Plan (DOS) and Open Plan Professional for high-end project management, Texim Project for low-end project management, Opera for risk analysis, and Optic for information management.

Nonquantifiable information:
Note writing capability (limited).

Texim Project is designed for lower-end project management and includes features such as time analysis, resource scheduling, cost management, and risk evaluation. Texim is built on Windows and Windows NT. WST suggests that Texim Project may also be used as a Windows front-end to feed data into Open Plan. The system can also be used for developing proposals, after which detailed development can be done in Open Plan. Some features of Texim project include the following:

Texim can generate graphs such as resource and pool histograms and cost and schedule index curves. What-if analysis can help users analyze alternative project scenarios.

Life-cycle stages covered

Raw material acquisition ---
Manufacturing stage
Use/reuse/maintenance ---
Recycle/waste management ---

The system has not been designed to consider more than one life-cycle stage, which typically would be the manufacturing stage of the life cycle. The limited number of activities may make incorporating life-cycle cost information difficult. The WBS levels can also be utilized to input life-cycle information.

Type of costs considered

Conventional
Potentially hidden ---
Contingent ---
External ---

Texim project has been designed to consider only conventional costs. Users can design their projects to incorporate other costs as well. However, no additional cost categories can be defined in Texim. Costs will need to be entered by adding activities. Data sorting and filtering options may also be used for segregating information on different types of costs.

Method of cost estimation

The system is not meant for cost estimation.

Generation of financial indicators

Net present value (NPV) ---
Payback period ---
Internal rate of return (IRR) ---
Benefits cost ratio ---
Other ---

Ability to include environmental costs

User friendliness and flexibility

Texim has an on-line help system and a menu-driven Windows environment, which make tasks simpler for inexperienced users. It is possible to customize screen-views and reports. Resources and work can be scheduled using graphical year or month calendars. Texim also features automatic cost and schedule aggregation. Data can be sorted, filtered, or highlighted according to users' requirements and data roll-up options help manage multiple projects.

User-support

WST offers training, consulting, and technical support to assist users in implementing their projects. They provide press reviews, and references upon specific request. Maintenance support is provided free of cost for the first year with the option for annual renewal at a cost of 20% of the (current) retail price thereafter. The support includes technical support, enhancements and updates, and access to the bulletin board where users can exchange information. No demo software of offered for Texim.

Limitations

Texim is designed for low-end project management but features seamless data integration with Open Plan, which provides an option for future expansions or the need for advanced features. However, WST does not offer modular options, which afford greater flexibility and can be more cost-effective for some users. Because Texim is designed for low-end project management, it does not come with the same functionality and flexibility of the higher-end tools. Texim is not built around a relational database, and the proprietary nature of the system limits customization by users. There is no limit on the time horizon of projects, but the number of periods may be limited. Thus, the limit depends on the manner of scheduling (by day, month, etc.).

WST will be replacing Texim Project in about a year with another product called Open Plan Professional-Desktop version. This product will have the same source code as Open Plan Professional and limited functionality.

Basis for evaluation:
Based on information received from WST in February 1995.

Contact information:
Welcom Software Technology (WST)
15995 North Barkers Landing Road
Suite 275
Houston, TX 77079-2494

Joyce Janda (National Sales Manager)
713-558-0514
713-584-7828 (FAX)
800-247-4WST

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