Primavera P6 Licensing Fundamentals
Oracle Primavera P6 is licensed on a per-named-user basis. Every individual who accesses the software — whether daily or once a year, whether directly or through an integration — requires their own licence. There is no concurrent-user, floating, or device-based licensing option. One person equals one licence, and licences cannot be shared between individuals regardless of usage patterns.
This named-user model creates a deceptively simple surface that hides significant compliance complexity. The challenges emerge when organisations try to determine exactly who counts as a "user" — a question that extends far beyond the people who log into the P6 interface directly.
🎯 Core Licensing Rules
- Named User = one individual: Each licence is tied to a specific person. Generic accounts ("planner1", "admin") are prohibited — Oracle will count every individual behind a shared login as requiring a separate licence.
- Access, not usage, determines compliance: If an employee has a P6 account, they require a licence — even if they never logged in. Inactive accounts count. Remove or disable accounts for departed employees immediately.
- Modules are licensed separately: Purchasing a P6 base licence does not cover add-on modules (Risk Analysis, Progress Reporter, Portfolio Management). Each module requires its own per-user licence for every user who accesses it.
- Indirect access counts: Users who view or interact with Primavera data through third-party dashboards, BI tools, ERP integrations, or automated reports may require P6 licences under Oracle's multiplexing rules.
- No licence transfer: Licences cannot be freely reassigned between individuals. When an employee leaves, disable their account and create a new account for their replacement under the same licence entitlement — but confirm this with your contract terms.
P6 Editions and Modules: What Requires a Licence
Oracle offers multiple Primavera products, each with its own licence requirement. Understanding the distinction between editions and modules is critical for right-sizing your licence portfolio and avoiding over-purchasing or under-licensing.
| Product | Licence Type | List Price | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| P6 Professional | Perpetual, per user | $3,520/user | Desktop scheduling application. Full planning and scheduling capability. Requires a P6 database (Oracle DB or SQL Server). |
| P6 EPPM (Enterprise) | Perpetual, per user | $3,850/user | Enterprise suite: includes P6 Professional desktop client plus web-based interface, dashboards, and enterprise-level project management. Most organisations choose this edition. |
| Progress Reporter | Perpetual, per user | $1,320/user | Limited functionality for field personnel who only update task progress and timesheets. Requires base P6 EPPM infrastructure. |
| Risk Analysis | Perpetual, per user | $10,450/user | Monte Carlo simulation and risk assessment module. Extremely expensive — licence only users who genuinely need risk modelling capability. |
| Primavera Cloud — Scheduling | Annual subscription | $1,320/user/yr | Full scheduling in Oracle's SaaS. No infrastructure management required. Includes updates and support. |
| Primavera Cloud — Team/Progress | Annual subscription | $144/user/yr | Lightweight status updates for field teams. Minimum 5-user purchase. Subscription includes support. |
| Primavera Cloud — Portfolio Planning | Annual subscription | $2,640/user/yr | Portfolio-level planning and analysis. Premium cloud module for executives and portfolio managers. |
"Risk Analysis at $10,450 per user is one of Oracle's most expensive application licences. Many organisations purchase it for 5–10 users, then discover during an audit that 30 people have accessed it through the P6 interface. The compliance gap can exceed $200,000 overnight."
On-Premises vs Cloud: Total Cost Comparison
The choice between perpetual on-premises licences and Oracle Primavera Cloud subscriptions depends on your time horizon, infrastructure capabilities, and user population stability. Neither model is universally cheaper — the optimal choice depends on your specific circumstances.
One-Time Fee + 22% Annual Support
You own the licence indefinitely. Annual support at ~22% of the licence cost provides updates, patches, and Oracle technical assistance. After approximately 4.5 years, cumulative support fees equal the original licence price. Best for stable, long-term deployments with internal IT capacity. Includes restricted-use licences for Oracle Database and WebLogic — but these are strictly limited to Primavera use only.
Annual Subscription — All Inclusive
No upfront licence fee. Annual per-user subscription includes infrastructure, updates, support, and hosting. Simpler compliance (you cannot exceed subscribed user count without purchasing more). If you stop paying, you lose access — no perpetual rights. Best for organisations without Oracle infrastructure expertise, short-term projects, or rapidly changing user populations.
| Cost Component | On-Premises (20 EPPM Users) | Cloud Scheduling (20 Users) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $77,000 (licence + support) | $26,400 |
| Year 2 | $16,940 (support only) | $26,400 |
| Year 3 | $16,940 | $26,400 |
| Year 4 | $16,940 | $26,400 |
| Year 5 | $16,940 | $26,400 |
| 5-Year Total | $144,760 | $132,000 |
| Year 6 onward (annual) | $16,940/yr (support only) | $26,400/yr (subscription) |
| Break-even point | On-premises becomes cheaper after approximately Year 6 — perpetual licences are already paid, only support continues | |
For deployments expected to last 5+ years with stable user counts, perpetual licences are typically 20–40% cheaper over the full lifecycle. For shorter engagements (2–3 year construction projects with temporary teams), cloud subscriptions avoid stranded licence costs when the project ends.
Restricted-Use Components: The Hidden Compliance Trap
When you purchase Primavera P6 EPPM on-premises, Oracle includes restricted-use licences for the underlying technology stack: Oracle Database, WebLogic Server, and BI Publisher. These components are essential for running P6 — but the restrictions on their use are absolute and strictly enforced during audits.
🎯 Restricted-Use Rules
- Oracle Database: The included database licence covers only the Primavera schemas. You cannot create additional schemas, host other applications, or use the database for reporting outside of P6's native functionality. If you need a database for other purposes on the same server, you must purchase a separate full Oracle Database licence.
- WebLogic Server: The restricted-use WebLogic licence covers only the P6 application. You cannot deploy non-Primavera applications on the same WebLogic instance. Advanced features (clustering, load balancing) may require a full WebLogic licence depending on your configuration.
- BI Publisher: The reporting engine included with P6 is restricted to generating Primavera reports. Using BI Publisher for non-P6 reporting requires a separate licence.
- Consequence of violation: If Oracle discovers restricted-use components being used for non-Primavera purposes, they will require you to purchase full licences for those products — Oracle Database Enterprise Edition at $47,500/Processor, WebLogic at $35,000/Processor, BI Publisher at $4,500/NUP. A single server violation can generate $100,000+ in unexpected licence costs.
Engineering Firm: $340,000 Restricted-Use Violation
Situation: A Middle Eastern engineering firm deployed Primavera P6 EPPM on a server with the included restricted-use Oracle Database. Over time, the DBA team created additional schemas on the same database instance to host a custom project reporting application and a document management system — both unrelated to Primavera.
Audit finding: Oracle identified the non-Primavera schemas during an LMS audit and required full Oracle Database Enterprise Edition licensing for the server: 2 sockets × 12 cores × 0.5 Core Factor = 12 Processor licences × $47,500 = $570,000 at list price.
Takeaway: Never co-locate non-Primavera applications on the restricted-use Oracle Database or WebLogic instances. The convenience of using existing infrastructure is not worth the six-figure audit exposure. Isolate Primavera's technology stack completely.
Indirect Access and Multiplexing
Indirect access is the most contentious and financially dangerous aspect of Primavera P6 licensing. Oracle's position is clear: any individual who benefits from Primavera data or functionality — regardless of whether they log into P6 directly — is a user who requires a licence.
In practice, indirect access arises in several common scenarios that most organisations do not anticipate when planning their P6 licence budget:
BI and Dashboard Integrations
Project data exported from P6 into Power BI, Tableau, or Oracle Analytics dashboards. Every person who views these dashboards is potentially an indirect P6 user. If 50 executives access a project status dashboard built from P6 data, Oracle may require 50 additional P6 licences.
ERP System Integrations
Primavera P6 integrated with SAP, Oracle EBS, or other ERP systems for cost tracking, resource allocation, or procurement. Users who interact with project data flowing through the ERP may be considered indirect P6 users — even if they never see the P6 interface.
Automated Reports and Notifications
Scheduled reports generated from P6 and distributed via email or SharePoint. Oracle takes the position that recipients of these reports are benefiting from P6 functionality. Static PDF reports distributed to a known list of recipients are the lowest-risk format — but Oracle's interpretation can still extend to these scenarios.
Subcontractor and Client Portals
Construction and engineering firms frequently share project schedules with subcontractors and clients through web portals. If the portal pulls data from P6 in real time, every portal user may require a P6 licence. The cost implications for projects with hundreds of subcontractor users can be enormous.
The safest approach to managing indirect access is to architect integrations so that P6 data is aggregated and transformed before distribution — removing the direct link between the viewing user and the Primavera system. However, Oracle's interpretation of "indirect access" is expansive, and no technical architecture guarantees compliance. Always disclose your integrations and have a clear licensing rationale for each data flow.
Common Compliance Pitfalls
| Pitfall | What Happens | Typical Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Inactive/departed user accounts | Former employees' accounts remain active in P6 | Each counts as a licensed user — $3,850/user at list |
| Shared generic logins | Multiple people use "planner1" account | Oracle counts each individual = full licence per person |
| Unlicensed module usage | Risk Analysis or Portfolio Management enabled without licences | Risk Analysis at $10,450/user — 30 accidental users = $313,500 |
| Restricted-use violations | Non-P6 applications on included database or WebLogic | Full product licences required — $100K–$500K per server |
| Indirect access via dashboards | 50+ executives view P6 data in Power BI | 50 additional P6 licences at $3,850 = $192,500 |
| Over-purchasing (shelfware) | Buying 200 licences when only 120 are used | 80 unused licences × $847/yr support = $67,760/yr wasted |
Negotiation Strategies
Right-Size Licence Types
Not every user needs full EPPM functionality. Field personnel who only update task progress should use Progress Reporter ($1,320) instead of full EPPM ($3,850) — saving $2,530 per user. For 50 field users, this saves $126,500 in licence costs. Conduct a user role analysis before purchasing.
Leverage Volume and Timing Discounts
Oracle routinely discounts Primavera licences by 10–30% for volume purchases. Negotiating at the end of Oracle's fiscal quarter (October, January, April, July) or bundling P6 with other Oracle purchases (database, middleware, ERP) can yield additional discounts. Never pay list price for more than 10 licences.
Consider Hybrid On-Prem + Cloud
Purchase perpetual licences for core schedulers and planners (stable, long-term users) and cloud subscriptions for field teams and temporary project personnel (variable user counts). This hybrid model optimises cost: the fixed core avoids compounding subscription fees, while the cloud layer scales with project activity.
Negotiate Support Fee Caps
Oracle's standard 22% annual support fee can be negotiated. Request: a cap on annual support increases (Oracle typically increases support by 3–4% annually), a reduced support percentage for large deployments, or a multi-year support rate lock. Over a 10-year lifecycle, a 2% reduction in support percentage saves tens of thousands.
Clarify Indirect Access in the Contract
Before signing, negotiate explicit contract language defining what constitutes "indirect access" for your specific integrations. If you plan to feed P6 data into Power BI for 50 executives, negotiate a carve-out or a discounted indirect-access rate. Oracle's standard position is strict, but contract terms override policy — get favourable terms in writing before deployment.
Construction Group: $890,000 Saved Through Licence Mix Optimisation
Situation: A large European construction group had purchased 200 P6 EPPM perpetual licences at $3,850 list for all project personnel. Internal audit revealed that only 45 users needed full scheduling capability — the remaining 155 only updated task progress or viewed reports.
Assessment: Redress Compliance recommended converting 155 EPPM licences to a combination of 80 Progress Reporter on-premises licences ($1,320 each) and 75 Primavera Cloud Team subscriptions ($144/yr each). The 45 core schedulers retained EPPM perpetual licences.
Takeaway: The most impactful Primavera cost optimisation is matching licence types to actual user roles. Most organisations over-license field teams with full EPPM when Progress Reporter or Cloud Team subscriptions cover their needs at 35–95% lower cost per user.
Audit Defence Essentials
Oracle License Management Services (LMS) actively audits Primavera P6 deployments — particularly at organisations in construction, oil and gas, utilities, and government infrastructure where P6 is widely used. Audit defence for Primavera requires specific preparation beyond standard Oracle database audits.
🎯 Primavera Audit Preparation Checklist
- Maintain a current user register: A live document mapping every P6 user account to the licence entitlement that covers it. Include user name, role, account status (active/disabled), licence type (EPPM/Progress Reporter/Cloud), and last login date.
- Document all integrations: List every system that sends data to or receives data from P6 — ERP, BI tools, portals, email distributions. For each integration, document the number of users who access P6-sourced data and your licensing rationale.
- Verify module access: Confirm that only licensed modules are enabled. Run P6 user privilege reports to check whether any users have access to Risk Analysis, Portfolio Management, or other add-on modules they are not licensed for.
- Isolate restricted-use components: Verify that the included Oracle Database and WebLogic instances are used exclusively for Primavera. No additional schemas, no non-P6 applications, no shared infrastructure.
- Conduct a self-audit annually: Compare your user register and module access against purchased entitlements at least once per year. Identify and remediate any gaps before Oracle discovers them.