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The Advantages of Planning Using Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project has been round in a single kind or one other for the reason that early '90s, however its utilization amongst professional challenge managers remains to be not as widespread as you may think. There are a variety of reasons for this, even if it is thought-about by many as being the trade normal benchmark for venture administration software.

One of the most important reasons for challenge managers' apparent reluctance to embrace Microsoft Project is a lack of knowledge in respect of how the software program works. It's notoriously troublesome to successfully self-train MS Project, largely due to a lack of knowledge in respect of defining and linking mission tasks. The problem is that the Process Sheet seems to recommend that one should enter task start and end dates. This is actually exactly the mistaken factor to do as amongst other issues, it imposes what MS Project refers to as a 'constraint'. The flawed kind of constraint reduces flexibility and might forestall MS Project from re-scheduling duties ought to there be a change to the plan.

The proper way to define to tasks is in fact to specify solely durations and permit Microsoft Project to set begin and end dates via its system of process linkage. Linkages outline a dependent relationship between duties and enable a fluid schedule to be planned. If as an example a activity is delayed, the impact on any dependent tasks will be displayed on the Gantt chart giving the venture supervisor forewarning of possible scheduling issues. This is maybe the least understood aspect of Microsoft Project, particularly for the inexperienced person and very difficult to show one's self.

One more reason for project managers' reticence is a lack of understanding of the true scope of the software's capability. In the precise fingers, Microsoft Project is an immensely highly effective scheduling device, enabling the challenge manager to experiment with various 'what if' scenarios. The Gantt chart is the traditional manner of representing the mission's timeline and have long since been thought-about a extremely useful visible tool. Historically Gantt charts could be drawn out by hand and a posh venture might take some considerable time to plan on this manner.

One downside with the hand-drawn plan is the problem of re-scheduling ought to it turn out to be necessary. There is where Microsoft Project scores closely against conventional methods. With a simple click on of the mouse, duties could be re-scheduled and the Gantt chart immediately up to date by the software. This could doubtlessly be a giant saving in time and leaves the venture supervisor free to do what they do best.

A further reason for some venture managers' prejudice is probably a foul expertise with the software program in the past. Project 2010 is a a lot improved tool in contrast with earlier variations and most, if not the entire known issues, have been successfully addressed by Microsoft. For instance, the relatively poor financial reporting functionality of Microsoft Project was dramatically improved in 2007 with the advent of 'Visible Reports'. These are graphs which are created from information which Project exports to Microsoft Excel. Excel automatically creates a PivotTable primarily based on the information and eventually converts it into PivotChart format. All this is completed with out the user requiring any detailed knowledge of PivotTables and PivotCharts however the result's a really comprehensive and user-friendly reporting package.

There are various causes then why challenge managers have grown fluctuate of Microsoft Project through the years, however I hope we've got shown on this article that perhaps it is now time to take one other look.

MS Project 2010