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Karmen vs Steelray Delay Analyzer

Two tools that work on Primavera P6 schedules from opposite ends of a project. Karmen is an AI scheduling co-pilot that reads drawings, specs and historic schedules to build new CPM schedules, update them with time-impact fragnets and track changes between updates, exporting to P6 and Microsoft Project. Steelray Delay Analyzer is desktop software that runs an automated half-step delay analysis on a series of P6 XER updates to identify and quantify the delays that moved the finish date, following AACE RP 29R-03. Not like-for-like: Karmen builds and updates schedules going forward, Steelray explains delays that already happened. Desk research from vendor sites read Oct 30, 2026; no winner.

DESK RESEARCH FROM VENDOR SITES. Compiled from vendors' public websites (accessed Karmen Nov 1, 2026; Steelray Delay Analyzer Nov 2, 2026). Vendor claims are not verified by Means & Methods Lab. No scores or rankings.

In short: Karmen (AI scheduling co-pilot; no public prices (quote / sales)) vs Steelray Delay Analyzer (Forensic delay & critical path analysis (Primavera P6); vendor publishes prices). Facts last checked Karmen Nov 1, 2026; Steelray Delay Analyzer Nov 2, 2026. No winner declared; desk research from vendor sites.

Side by side

Karmen vs Steelray Delay Analyzer: vendor-published facts side by side
Sheet rowKarmenSteelray Delay Analyzer
CategoryAI scheduling co-pilotForensic delay & critical path analysis (Primavera P6)
AI role (our label)AI-firstNot AI-first
What it doesAI scheduling co-pilot, steered in natural language, that reads project documents to build new schedules, update existing ones and analyze changes. It reads drawings, specs, historic schedules and templates in P6, MSP or XER; new schedules include WBS, activities and CPM logic links; updates include time-impact analysis with structured fragnets; and analysis tracks float and critical-path movement between monthly updates. Exports to Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project. Vendor says it learns from your historic schedules and reads thousands of pages in minutes (vendor claims, not verified). Security: vendor says SOC 2 reports are shared on request, data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and project documents are never used to train shared models. Y Combinator batch: Fall 2024 (YC company profile). Customer quotes are not used.Desktop delay-analysis software for Primavera P6 schedules that automates half-step analysis to find and quantify delays. Vendor says it runs a fully automated half-step analysis using the Daily Progress Method, following AACE RP 29R-03 (MIP 3.4), on any number of XER update exports, and identifies and quantifies delays that moved the finish date, including concurrent and but-for delays. Outputs listed: an Overview Report splitting delays and accelerations into progress-related changes and schedule revisions per period, Period Detail Reports naming the activities that drove impact, schedule revision summaries showing float before and after each change, longest-path change analysis, a contemporaneous critical path for each window, a progress-only schedule export, near-critical thresholds, delay overlays and filters, an Excel export, and a 3D Gantt where you drag the data date. The page offers Purchase, Request a Demo and a Screenshot Tour. Steelray also sells Project Analyzer (MS Project quality), Analyzer for P6 (Steelray and DCMA checks) and Project Viewer. The site does not describe AI. Expert-witness and days-saved lines are vendor claims and are not used.
Who it's forSchedulers, superintendents, and general and specialty contractors who own a project timeline (vendor quotes a GC scheduling director and superintendents).Scheduling professionals, delay analysts and claims consultants working with Primavera P6 updates (vendor wording).
Pricing (as publicly stated)Not publicly listed. The vendor site has no pricing or plans link, and /pricing and /plans return a not-found page. The site offers Book a demo and Talk to us. Confirm pricing with the vendor.Per user, unlimited projects, tech support and updates included: annual subscription $3,990 per user per year, or monthly subscription $390 per user per month, both auto-renewing. Confirm current pricing with the vendor.
User reviewsNo reviews yet. Read or writeNo reviews yet. Read or write
Vendor links
Sources

Facts last checked: Karmen Nov 1, 2026; Steelray Delay Analyzer Nov 2, 2026. Prices change; check the vendor page before relying on them.

Where the vendor descriptions differ

  • Starting point: Karmen says it reads project documents (drawings, specs) and historic schedules and templates in P6, MSP or XER, then builds, edits and analyzes schedules steered in natural language. Steelray says it takes any number of P6 project update XER exports and compares successive updates.
  • Delays and time impacts: Karmen describes creating structured fragnets to model time impacts as scope evolves, ready for client or claims review. Steelray describes a fully automated half-step analysis using the Daily Progress Method per AACE RP 29R-03 (MIP 3.4), separating progress-related changes from schedule revisions in each period, and calculating concurrent delays.
  • Tracking change over time: Karmen lists monthly update analysis of float movement and critical-path shifts. Steelray lists an Overview Report of delays and accelerations per period, Period Detail Reports naming the activities that drove the impact, longest-path change analysis, a contemporaneous critical path for each window, near-critical thresholds, an Excel export, a network diagram and a 3D Gantt where you drag the data date.
  • Output: Karmen exports schedules to Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project. Steelray exports a progress-only schedule and critical path and an Excel report, and works as a desktop application for P6 schedules.
  • Who it's for (vendor wording): Karmen says it is built for whoever owns the timeline on a project. Steelray says it is used by professionals who conduct delay analyses and serve as expert witnesses in claims disputes.
  • Data handling (vendor statements, not verified): Karmen says SOC 2 reports are shared on request, data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and project documents are never used to train shared models.
  • Pricing (checked Oct 30, 2026): Karmen publishes no prices; its site routes to Book a demo and Talk to us. Steelray lists $3,990 per user per year (annual) or $390 per user per month (monthly), both auto-renewing, with unlimited projects, tech support and updates included.
  • AI tags: we tag Karmen AI-first and Steelray Delay Analyzer Not AI-first; the Steelray pages we read do not describe AI.
  • Not used here: Karmen's customer quotes and speed claims, and Steelray's "gold standard" and "choice of the industry experts" wording and its before-and-after timing claims (vendor material). Facts for both tools come from vendor websites (desk research).

Paraphrased from the sources listed above. Vendor claims are reported as claims.

What users say

The facts above come from vendor websites. Whether either tool is any good for your work is something only people who use them can say. These are member reviews, all ratings shown, never edited or removed for being negative.

Used either of these? Share your take

Good or bad, an honest review from an estimator, PM or super helps the next team more than another vendor demo. You post under a handle; your email is never shown.

Questions to ask in your review

  • Whether you need schedules built and updated with time-impact fragnets (Karmen) or a retrospective half-step analysis of delays across past updates (Steelray), or both on a disputed job
  • How Karmen's time-impact analyses hold up next to an AACE-based forensic method in a claim
  • What Karmen costs for your number of projects and schedulers
  • What did you use it for, on what kind of work and project size?
  • How long did setup and training take, and who on your team did it?
  • What does it cost you in practice, compared with what the sales call said?

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