At its core, Microsoft Project is project planning software with its advanced resource management, automated task management and pre-built reports. It includes all the basic features you need for project management, such as:
Role Assignment Features
In Microsoft Project for the web, you can easily create a group for each project and add members to the group. Then set permissions for how users can interact with the project, whether they can only view or edit tasks and project details. In the older Microsoft Project Online version, you need to choose whether the person who has access is a user or a resource. Active users need to be added along with their license number. And for on-premises versions of Project, you need to use the share option via SharePoint to add people to the project.
Timelines
All versions of Microsoft Project offer a timeline view, so you can see how a project is faring from a bird’s-eye perspective. You can see task dependencies along with a task list on the side in Project for the web, so you can home in on a specific part of the project for a clearer view. Slide any task bar on the timeline to a different date and all other tasks related to it will adjust dates.
In Microsoft Project Professional, the timeline view is a static look at your project. It’s a good way to simply see what’s coming down the pipeline and helps you plan accordingly if you’re off track.
Gantt Charts
In the on-premises version of Microsoft Project, the Gantt chart is where you’ll find the most functional view. You can adjust tasks and all related tasks adjust dynamically as you extend or reduce a task’s time. In this version, you can add a multitude of parameters to track on your Gantt chart, from baselines to costs to percentages complete.
Although Microsoft Project for the web doesn’t have a Gantt chart specifically, the timeline view works similarly to Gantt. You can’t track even close to the same number of parameters in a project as the desktop versions, but it’s also easier to use than the more complex versions of Microsoft Project.
The Gantt chart view in Microsoft Project (desktop version)
Software Integrations
Most of Microsoft Project’s integrations are with other Microsoft products. Microsoft 365, Teams and SharePoint are standards that can help extend the functionality of your project management software. Overall, there are fewer integrations compared to other mainstream project management software.
Dependencies
Every version of Microsoft Project allows you to set task dependencies, which helps immensely with project planning. In Microsoft Project for the web, you can choose a task from a drop-down menu to create the connection between it and another task. This will be reflected in the timeline view with an arrow. The program even gives suggested tasks using machine learning and historical actions.
In the on-premises versions, linking tasks is a little more complicated and requires more steps. From the Gantt chart, you need to choose the tasks you want to link by clicking and holding Ctrl, then navigate to the task menu and choose the link icon.
Budgeting
Desktop versions of Microsoft Project allow you to create custom cost fields so you can track budgets. Combine this with resource management and you’ll have a solid way to track finances and allocate the resources needed and allowed for a project.
