PENTA Construction ERP Software

Overall, PENTA does what we need it to do. It isn't sleek and sexy like other software, but their support staff is always available if we have any concerns.

Pros

PENTA is a true ERP. The functionality of the software met our needs for project management, accounting, as well as payroll. Our IT department is able to create reports very easily based on what our needs are.

Cons

I wish there was a more in depth HRIS system to utilize. It is important to know that what you put into the system is what you will get out so if you are not utilizing all aspects then you will be missing pertinent information to analyze. I also wish there was a way for the user to create their own reports outside of the workbench so I did not have to rely so heavily on our IT department.

Pros

Penta Project management module is a real time database updates, project reviews, timelines and the list goes on. I recommend this for medium and large enterprises.

Cons

The software price is on the higher side and proper training and knowledge is required to operate and get good results.

Lots of options to use in this program, fairly easy to use.

Pros

Lots of options!!

Cons

Might get blowback from users who struggle with technology

Advice to Others

Research is the best, get some demos to see what you are getting into.

Likes Best

What I like best about this product is that it is pretty intuitive to use. I do not get confused with new setup tools, and that PENTA is consistent from product to product on how they label and identify items. PENTA has always been willing to work with us to develop new products and make upgrade to our system as we need them which is great.

Likes Least

The only issues I have had is that PENTA has not always been ready to implement there products with new technology, for instance service management on tablets. I know this version is coming out on the next upgrade, which will help us out greatly.

Recommendations

Make sure you understand how you want to use the end product of your data collection. Like most financial and job tracking systems, the systems are only as good as the data that is entered and collected. You also need to understand how to export your data, in order to utilized it for internal reporting.

Likes Best

PENTA has a solid product that is well-engineered. Their staff is very experienced and knows the industry.

Likes Least

The current UI is somewhat dated. It is usable, but it needs to be updated, made consistent, and made to work on both PC and mobile platforms.

Recommendations

As with any ERP evaluation, get past the hype and sales and into the details. Define your "must-have" processes and then evaluate the software. Be open to process modification to fit the software. Do not modify the software. Make sure you have solid buy-in from the top down for the project.

Likes Best

The vendor was extremely helpful when we transitioned from our old system to our PENTA one. They are professional and easy to work with. The product has been extremely helpful to the business.

Likes Least

The dates are inconsistent, which is frustrating to the users.

Recommendations

Take the time to evaluate your needs and whether or not PENTA meets those needs. If you think there is a business process that the product does not meet, then talk to the vendor and see if it can be added.

Likes Best

The thing I like the best is the ease of use in producing rapid checks. We have a large number of union employees that have to be paid on demand. Another good thing is the number of options of reports that are available.

Likes Least

We need to work on certified payroll reports. I like the options of only using the last four digits of the social security number or printing it with no addresses. I have problems when a union employee works in another area and the result is a confusing report.

Recommendations

It has a very wide scope so look at each area. For payroll, it works well.

Likes Best

The integrated applications that specifically address the construction industry and its support of union payroll and reporting.

Likes Least

Ability to easily facilitate workflows within the application and between other external applications.

Recommendations

Make sure you a have fully documented your functional requirements and key process flows prior to any software selection.

Likes Best

We are a company with multiple entities in various types of construction industries. PENTA offers the versatility to adapt to different types of construction industries such as telecommunication, outside plant, private network and electrical contracting industries. The flexibility within PENTA allows us to use the job costing and service management software in various ways to meet our accounting and job costing needs in each of our organizations.

Likes Least

In the past, getting information out of PENTA electronically was difficult. However, PENTA listened to their customers and has created a new product enhancement that is currently available that allows users to get information out of the software and in a downloadable format into Excel.

Recommendations

PENTA is continually evaluating and adapting their software in attempt to keep up with ever-changing technology. Since we converted to PENTA software, they have added several value-add products to stay current with technology changes. A few of these added products or enhancements include Mobile Field reporting, Workflow Processes, Document Imaging, & Workbench. It is important to evaluate whether a software company is growing and attracting new customers by staying current with technology and the current market.

Likes Best

That is is very detailed for both a service and contract company in one package.

Likes Least

While the product is good for the field transactions, it has some limitations on the actual accounting side.

Recommendations

Be flexible. There is no one out-of-the-box product that is going to work for everything that you have to do. You just have to pick the one that works for "most".

Likes Best

Fully integrated software and good tech support.

Likes Least

The data cannot be downloaded into Excel to create an easy functioning spreadsheet.

Recommendations

Keep an open mind. Once you learn the ins and outs, it is relatively easy to work with each day.

Likes Best

Support!

Likes Least

Platform is Linux and Oracle-based. This requires more expertise that can normally be found in small enterprise.

Recommendations

Virtualize! Whether you're using Hyper-V or VMWare. This product should be virtualized for business continuity and disaster recovery.

Likes Best

Tailored to the individual customers needs and helps organize the data I need.

Likes Least

I don't have any dislikes. Always works fine if I don't make an error.

Recommendations

Take it for a test drive. It works. Once a person has a chance to see how it works on a day-to-day basis, it becomes apparent that it's easy to use and works well in the field of endeavor.

Likes Best

Easy to use, good reports and easy to modify. Most reports download into Excel easily. Good inquiry function. Their customer service is very responsive to our needs.

Likes Least

I really do not have any complaints about PENTA. It works well for us.

Recommendations

This software puts a tremendous amount of information at your fingertips, and all modules work seamlessly together. It is much more than accounting software. Our construction field staff very much like the PM Workbench. I have been using PENTA for 15 years now, and it just gets better every year

Likes Best

PENTA is very user-friendly and most errors can be corrected easily. Also, the customer service is excellent.

Likes Least

Things are often hard to locate in the PENTA menu. If there are things you don't use often enough to add to your hotlist sometimes it can be quite time consuming to try and locate them.

Recommendations

I would recommend having a user from each department within a company evaluate the software.

Likes Best

Support is good, and the system seems stable.

Likes Least

Some of the features could be more user-friendly and intuitive.

Recommendations

Spend the time to learn the product well before making the evaluation.

Likes Best

It's an integrated system. It's user-friendly. It handles multiple companies. There is always someone available in Customer Support to handle any system issues as they arise. The system can be customized for your needs. They are always upgrading the system with new features. They take an interest in their clients and ask for recommendations for changes that may be on our Wish List to be put in place in the new upgrades. The initial training that you get before you put the product in place is thorough.

Likes Least

It would be nice to copy/paste entries from Excel directly into PENTA.

Recommendations

Check out PENTA Technologies, Inc. You'll be glad you did.

Likes Best

The PENTA team is great to work with. They are very attentive and responsive to us and always eager to help with solutions. They definitely are the best in the business to work with.

Likes Least

There isn't much not to like. Great to work with.

Recommendations

Don't overlook the value of a strong service team.

Likes Best

Ease of use. Easy to install. Great support.

Likes Least

Performance and latency. No cloud-based version yet.

Recommendations

Give it a shot and explore the options. It has worked well for us.

Likes Best

We have developed a very good relationship with PENTA and feel like they are always working on new enhancements to the software that will help us be more successful. They have done a great job helping us use the software better.

Likes Least

I have not run into anything that I do not like about PENTA. They are quick to address any concerns I may have.

Recommendations

I would recommend carefully examining how the different modules fit together. Some vendors I looked at rely on standalone third-party solutions to supplement their offerings, and these solutions usually seem to be very different from the rest of the software, even though they may carry the same brand name as the main package. Also, make sure you understand the needs of all of your users, especially non-accounting folks who are sometimes overlooked in the software buying process.