Microsoft Project

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Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project (2019 – present) .svg
Basic data

developer Microsoft Corporation
Publishing year 1984
Current  version Project 2019 (Win)
(2018)
operating system Windows
category Project management software
License proprietary
German speaking Yes
Project website

Microsoft Project is software for planning, controlling and monitoring projects . The current German version is Project 2019.

Single user vs. Database connection

In addition to the single-user version Microsoft Project Standard, there is also the Microsoft Project Professional version for connection to the Microsoft Project Server .

The connection to the Microsoft Project Server means that a large number of enterprise project management requirements (EPM requirements) are met.

This includes requirements management, portfolio management, multi-project management, time recording, central resource planning, risk management, document management, access management, reporting or even access using a web client.

The Microsoft Project Server uses the Microsoft SQL database for central data storage.

integration

Microsoft Project is part of the Office family and can be integrated into other IT systems on both the server and the client side with third-party software, e.g. B. in ERP software such as SAP PS or groupware such as Lotus Domino or Exchange . For the server use, however, Microsoft SQL Server and SharePoint are still required to enable the Project Web App.

The projects are managed decentrally in Microsoft Project Client. Microsoft Project Server or Project Online or another integration platform is required for the central management of projects and resources . Central administration has the advantage that dependencies and evaluations are available for several projects. Another advantage is that the project teams can be involved. This simplifies the distribution of information and feedback such as progress status and actual times. Web app or other tools can be used for team involvement.

Working with MS Project

The basis of MS Project is the network plan technology . The "processes" in MS Project are a flexible term. A process can represent an individual task from a work package, a summary of tasks or even a separate project. Depending on the level or importance of the process, these can be divided into collective processes. Milestones (significant control points) are processes that do not extend over time; H. Dates already set in the planning, by which defined, significant sub-goals are to be achieved.

Appointment management

As a result of the scheduling, Microsoft Project delivers dates based on the defined processes. End dates (based on the start date) and start dates (based on the end date) are possible. Further determinants can be: due dates, deadline or resource restrictions, public holidays, buffer times. In addition, special date calculations are possible:

  • Latest situation ("When do you have to start at the latest?")
  • Time reserves ("How much buffer is there?")
  • Postponements due to delays ("How does the delay of a task affect the overall date and which other tasks and milestones are postponed because of dependencies?")

Resource management

In addition to schedule management, MS Project also offers the very extensive area of ​​"resource management". Here, on the one hand, the costs incurred in a project are looked at and, on the other hand, the question of capacity utilization is presented. In Microsoft Project, 'resources' are divided into “work”, “material” or “costs”. The 'work resources' (= generally the employees in the project) result from the allocation to the corresponding processes, the effort to be performed (in hours) and thus the costs incurred. With 'material resources' the individual processes can be assigned their respective consumption. With 'cost resources' (e.g. travel expenses) individual costs can be assigned to the individual processes. From the entire combination, the project manager sees which costs arise at what point in time and at what point in time individual employees (resources) are overloaded.

Project monitoring / reports

After the planning phase, a so-called "basic plan" is saved in Microsoft Project, to which a target / actual comparison is then made while the project is running. So monitors z. B. the project manager the completion value by entering the times used in Microsoft Project. The aim is to give the project manager an overview of any deviations that have arisen and their effects on the project goal. In addition to the graphic options for Gantt charts , network plans and calendar displays, a large number of ready-made report templates are available for documentation and presentation , which the user can also change and expand. The "Graphic reports" function with the export of the data to the Microsoft products Microsoft Visio and Microsoft Excel gives you the opportunity to use their range of functions for further documentation that can be presented.

Versions

  • MS Project 95 (v7.0)
  • MS Project 97 (v8.0)
  • MS Project 98 (v8.0)
  • MS Project 2000 (v9.0)
  • MS Project 2002 (v10.0)
  • MS Project 2003 (v11.0)
  • MS Project 2007 (v12.0)
  • MS Project 2010 (v14.0): u. a. Introduction of ribbon menus
  • MS Project 2013 (v15.0)
  • MS Project 2016 (v16.0)
  • MS Project 2019

literature

  • Renke Holert, Microsoft Project 2016: Project management with Microsoft Project, Project Server and Project Online. The manual for project leaders, project staff, resource managers and executives, Holert, 2019, ISBN 978-3-9821251-1-4
  • Klaus Oberbörsch, Microsoft Project 2019: Introduction, Basics, Practice, Amazon, ISBN 978-1790640270
  • Renke Holert: Microsoft Project 2010 - The professional book. Microsoft Press, Unterschleißheim 2010, ISBN 978-3-86645-448-4 .
  • Josef Schwab: Project planning with Project 2010: The practical book for all users . Hanser Verlag, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-446-42397-8
  • Steffen Reister, Peter Hirschkorn: Microsoft Project 2010 - The manual . O'Reilly Verlag, Cologne 2011, ISBN 978-3-86645-754-6 .
  • Jürgen Rosenstock: Microsoft Project 2013: The comprehensive manual . Galileo Computing, ISBN 978-3-8362-2024-8 .
  • Jürgen Rosenstock: Microsoft Project 2016: The comprehensive manual - Organizing projects professionally . Rheinwerk-Verlag, ISBN 978-3-8362-4111-3
  • Klaus Oberbörsch, Microsoft Project 2016: Introduction, Basics, Practice, Amazon, ISBN 978-1539948438

Web links