Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is a software to plan, control and monitoring of projects. Writing, the current German -language version is Microsoft Project 2013.

Single use vs. Database connection

In addition to the single-user version Microsoft Project Standard are available for the connection to the Microsoft Project Server, Microsoft Project Professional version.

The connection to the Microsoft Project Server to a variety of enterprise project management requirements (EPM ) requirements will be discussed.

These include requirements management, portfolio management, multi-project management, time management, centralized resource planning, risk management, document management, access management, reporting or even the access by 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 both server- and client- side integration with third-party software into other IT systems, such as ERP software such as SAP PS or groupware such as Lotus Domino or Exchange. However, are for server use nor the Microsoft SQL Server and Windows SharePoint Services is required to enable the Project Web Access.

In Microsoft Project client projects are managed in a decentralized. For centralized management of projects and resources Microsoft Project Server or other integration platform such as CoP.Track is required. A central administration has the advantage that dependencies across multiple projects and evaluations are available. Another advantage is that the project team can be integrated. This simplifies the distribution of information and the status response as progress status and actual times. For the integration team can Web Access or other tools, such as used, for example CoP.Time.

Working with MS Project

Based on MS Project is critical path analysis. The " operations" in MS Project is a flexible term. A process can map a single task from a work package, a summary of tasks or even your own project. Depending on the process level or meaning they can be divided into summary tasks. Milestones (significant control points ) are processes without temporal extent, that is already defined in the planning appointments, defined to be those important sub-goals to be reached.

Time management

As a result of scheduling Microsoft Project provides based on the defined processes appointments. Are possible end dates (based on the start date ) and start dates (based on the end date ). Other determinants may include: dates, date or resource limitations, Holidays, buffer times. In addition, specific date calculations are possible:

  • Latest situation ( " When to start at the latest ?")
  • Time reserves ( "How much buffer is present ?")
  • Postponements due to delays ( " How does the delay of a task on the overall schedule, and what other tasks and milestones shift due to dependence characterized with ?")

Resource Management

In addition to the schedule management MS Project also offers the very extensive area of ​​" Resource Management". Here on the one hand, the view is thrown on the costs of a project and on the other hand, presented the issue of utilization. Resources ' are divided in Microsoft Project to " work", " material" or "cost". Those who labor resources ' (= usually the employee in the project) result from the assignment to the appropriate tasks to cover expenses expenses (in hours ), and thus the costs. With, material resources ' can the individual activities, their respective consumption are differentiated assigned. With, cost - resources ' (eg travel costs) can the individual operations unit costs are assigned. From the total combination of the project which costs (resources) provides congestion occur at what time and at what time of individual employees are present.

Project monitoring / reports

After the planning phase is in Microsoft Project a so-called " baseline " saved, then a target-actual comparison is made to that during the current project. So, for example, the project manager monitors the earned value by entering the elapsed times in Microsoft Project. The aim is to enable the project manager an overview of deviations and their resulting impact on the project goal. For documentation and presentation in addition to the graphical capabilities Gantt charts, network diagrams and calendar are a large number of pre-built report templates are available which can also modify and expand the user. Through the " Visual Reports " with the export of the data in the Microsoft products Microsoft Visio and Microsoft Excel gives the opportunity to use their functionality for more präsentierfähige documentation.

Versions

  • MS Project 2003 ( v11.0 )
  • MS Project 2007 ( v12.0 )
  • MS Project 2010 ( v14.0 ): among others, Introduction of Ribbon menu
  • MS Project 2013 ( v15.0 )
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