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Traditionally, many corporations have relied on Microsoft Project as a useful resource for venture planning on a good or nonexistent price range. Nonetheless, this Microsoft device doesn’t supply lots of essentially the most superior venture administration options that many customers have come to anticipate from their enterprise software program. How can smaller corporations steadiness budgetary realities with software program necessities?
The venture administration software program discipline has grown astronomically, even for customers that need free and open supply choices. Whether or not you’re a person, a small enterprise or a bigger group that wants a greater system for managing venture workflows and duties, these Microsoft Undertaking options are nice choices for a variety of budgets and desires.
SEE: Hiring kit: Project manager (TechRepublic Premium)
Soar to:
8 greatest options to Microsoft Undertaking
monday work administration
monday work management is a web-based suite that helps milestone monitoring, analytics and workflow automation, which provides it the sting over smaller venture administration open supply apps. A desktop model can be obtainable. monday work administration runs on Home windows and macOS and helps iOS and Android cellular units. It additionally works with Microsoft Groups, Google, Slack, Dropbox, Zoom and Outlook.
monday work administration helps many customers and initiatives. As you may anticipate, it helps Gantt charts in addition to kanban and dashboarding. Analytics instruments present real-time knowledge for reporting budgets and prices. Collaboration and communication are simple with team-level help.
The browser-based interface is colourful and enjoyable, as you’ll be able to see in Determine A. It gives entry to every thing you want, like buyer help, which incorporates nice consumer documentation and movies.
Determine A
monday work administration gives 5 most important pricing plans: Free, Fundamental, Commonplace, Professional and Enterprise with a 14-day free trial. The total package deal could also be overkill for the common small firm, however the venture administration element of monday is free.
ClickUp
ClickUp is one other web-based venture administration all-in-one package deal that may run on Home windows, macOS, Android or iOS. It integrates with Slack and Zoom, and it will possibly sync your cloud storage, calendars and messaging apps.
Its venture administration options work as anticipated, however ClickUp additionally helps workforce collaboration, documentation administration, whiteboarding and kanban.
The enjoyable interface, proven in Determine B, gives fast entry to venture administration and different parts.
Determine B
ClickUp gives a fundamental free plan that’s ample for customers that require easy venture administration performance. In case you want extra, ClickUp gives Limitless, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus and Enterprise plans, starting at $5 per thirty days per consumer. ClickUp provides 24/7 around-the-clock help.
Asana
Asana is a web-based venture administration providing that runs on Home windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It’s simple to study and use, which is its greatest benefit. Its easy interface, proven in Determine C, makes it easy for customers of all talent ranges to maneuver from activity to activity. Their on-line documentation and energetic consumer group are added bonuses for ease of use.
Determine C
Asana’s venture administration options simply combine with collaboration, charting and reporting. For a small enterprise that wants solely venture administration, this software program could also be an excessive amount of, which is why Asana gives a free plan devoted solely to venture administration.
Its free plan is likely one of the most strong of the various free venture administration software program choices obtainable. Paid plans begin at $10.00 per thirty days per consumer, with specialised pricing choices for nonprofits. Its paid plans are greatest suited to small to medium-sized organizations.
ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is an open supply desktop venture administration answer that payments itself as the most effective alternative for MS Undertaking, and with over six million downloads in 193 international locations and translations into 29 languages, they could be proper.
This software program runs on a number of working techniques, together with Home windows, Solaris, Linux, BSD and macOS, and it is usually appropriate with Microsoft Undertaking. A cloud model of ProjectLibre is at present in beta testing.
From the consumer’s perspective, the product is straightforward to make use of and does a lot of the be just right for you. The interface hasn’t modified a lot over time, as you’ll be able to see in Determine D. Maybe most significantly, ProjectLibre has an enormous group for consumer help.
Determine D
This program is free and lives as much as its advertising and marketing hype. Its on-line consumer documentation and busy consumer group are excellent. Definitely, this software program has stayed its course over time, and it’s that longevity and group help that places this software program excessive.
GanttProject
GanttProject is open supply desktop venture administration software program with an final declare to fame of simplicity. The consumer interface, proven in Determine E, resembles ProjectLibre and different conventional Gantt-type, grid programs.
Determine E
GanttProject runs on Home windows, macOS and Linux. After downloading, you could be up and working with no further setup, and the device additionally now contains venture price help.
Set up is a bit rudimentary, nevertheless it’s secure. GanttProject doesn’t supply lots of bells and whistles, nevertheless it’s nice at what it does — venture administration. It’s additionally free and gives a big on-line help group with open supply customizability.
Microsoft Planner
Microsoft Planner is a web-based venture planning app. It’s an amazing little device and straightforward to make use of for easy monitoring and collaboration, as you’ll be able to see in Determine F.
Determine F
The device can be free with a Microsoft 365 enterprise subscription and integrates properly with different 365 instruments. If you have already got 365, begin your search right here. Chances are you’ll discover every thing you want.
SEE: Checklist: Microsoft 365 app and services deployments on Macs (TechRepublic Premium)
Microsoft Planner lacks charting capabilities, which is a big drawback, however an extension might help. To study extra, you’ll be able to learn How to create a Gantt chart when your project data is in Microsoft Planner.
Please be aware that this extension is a part of an enterprise-level set of paid extensions. In case you’re going to purchase the extension suite only for charting, you may need to evaluate the prices of different packages that embody charting first, particularly the free ones.
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a versatile cloud-based venture administration system that runs on Home windows, macOS, Android and iOS. You’ll start with a easy grid for getting into duties and milestones that render simply into three completely different views: Gantt, calendar and card. Customers can be up and working inside minutes, with the usage of the guiding interface proven in Determine G.
Determine G
Past venture administration, Smartsheet gives collaborative, workflow and content material administration parts that help dashboards, reviews and types for knowledge enter. Smartsheet integrates with Microsoft Groups, Google and extra.
The Professional plan gives fundamental instruments that may fulfill most venture administration wants. The Enterprise degree expands choices with no limits on the variety of customers. The large package deal, Enterprise, will swimsuit massive organizations with lots of customers and desires that transcend venture administration.
The Smartsheet free trial lasts 30 days. Not like a lot of the tiered packages, Smartsheet doesn’t supply a free model that’s capable of create new initiatives and duties. Pricing info isn’t publicly listed; potential consumers might want to attain out to the Smartsheet workforce straight.
Trello
Trello is a full-package cloud-based venture administration answer that runs on Home windows, macOS, Android and iOS. It integrates with Slack and plenty of different enterprise purposes.
It’s potential that Trello will develop into your favourite activity tracker, because of its massive leaps towards customization. Customers can manipulate their duties inside a kanban interface that makes it simple to make use of, even for learners.
On the easiest degree, Trello is a activity tracker. You create the cardboard, you add a guidelines, invite others and also you’re off. All the things is in a single place, and you’ll see with a fast look what stays and what’s been accomplished.
As a venture’s standing modifications, the cardboard modifications and strikes via a wide range of personalized lists: To-Do, New, In Progress, Ready, Executed and extra. For a lot of, this visible course of is way simpler to observe than the extra conventional charts, resembling Gantt charts. Trello charts should not higher than Gantt charts; they’re merely completely different, as you’ll be able to see in Determine H.
Determine H
Trello gives 4 most important plans: Free, Commonplace, Enterprise and Enterprise. The least costly metered plan begins at $3 per thirty days per consumer, however Trello will invoice for the total yr upfront. Trello gives a 30-day free trial for his or her Premium plan.
Is Microsoft Undertaking outdated?
Microsoft Undertaking maintains a big share of the venture administration market, so it isn’t actually correct to say it’s outdated. Quite the opposite, Undertaking has developed into the straightforward most important venture administration window you see in Determine I. It not resembles the standard grid you’ll see in most venture administration software program. It seems extra like a typical Microsoft web-based product, which is an effective factor in the event you’re a faithful Microsoft consumer.
Determine I
Undertaking helps a desktop and on-line model, runs on Home windows and integrates properly with different Microsoft merchandise. In case you’re already aware of Microsoft merchandise, particularly Microsoft 365, Undertaking is likely to be your most suitable option. It has each fundamental function it’s essential to handle your initiatives.
SEE: Google Workspace vs. Microsoft 365: A side-by-side analysis (TechRepublic Premium)
Then again, the brand new consumer will want a little bit of time to study Undertaking, and it’s lacking some bells and whistles that the others help, resembling chatting inside the software program.
Microsoft Undertaking gives a 30-day free trial for as much as 25 customers. Due to Microsoft’s subscription and licensing mannequin, setup is a bit tedious however not troublesome. Pricing begins at $10 per thirty days per consumer.
Why seek for a Microsoft Undertaking various?
Though Microsoft Undertaking gives a lot of useful fundamental PM options to customers, it’s actually not the correct match for each firm and tech stack. Listed here are three potential explanation why an organization ought to search for options to Undertaking:
Lack of familiarity with Microsoft merchandise
In case you’re not working lots of Microsoft merchandise already, you’ll doubtless discover a product that’s simpler to your new customers to study and grasp. It’s additionally necessary that your chosen answer integrates properly along with your present tech stack.
Curiosity in free and open supply choices
There are a lot of free, open supply venture administration merchandise that add layers of developer flexibility and customization. Customers who’re focused on open supply choices have to have the right developer skills to handle these instruments successfully.
Curiosity in free options of bigger software program suites
A number of of the bigger venture administration suites supply some model of their software program — normally the most straightforward venture administration options — at no cost. That is an particularly advantageous choice for corporations that need to check out the free options earlier than committing to a extra superior PM suite.
Different venture administration options for bigger enterprises
It’s exhausting to speak about venture administration apps with out mentioning two main merchandise: Oracle NetSuite and Basecamp. Each transcend the suites that different PM options supply. They’re full-fledged platforms that do every thing an enterprise-level enterprise may presumably want, together with venture administration.
Basecamp doesn’t have a free model, however it’s at present providing a full free yr. Costs start at $11 per consumer, per thirty days. NetSuite is likely one of the high cloud-based enterprise software program platforms, and it dominates the tech market. Undertaking administration is certainly one of dozens of apps that the platform gives; nonetheless, pricing info isn’t publicly obtainable.
How to decide on the most effective Microsoft Undertaking various for your online business
Selecting the most effective venture administration software program is not any completely different than selecting some other software program. The most effective choices come from weighing the professionals and cons after spending a little bit of time with every product you’re contemplating.
Can your group afford the software program? Not one of the bells and whistles matter in the event you can’t afford them. Begin your decision-making course of by figuring out the prices that may include licensing all your related customers; these prices can add up shortly.
If all you want is venture administration help, search for the next options and assess their ease of use on every answer:
- Managing duties and scheduling: Customers ought to be capable of see with a fast look whether or not they’re on tempo with their day by day and greater objectives.
- Collaboration options: In-app chatting is a well-liked choice that’s normally obtainable in a higher-tier package deal.
- Doc administration and storage: These options are additionally primarily obtainable in higher-tier packages.
- Buyer help: For the most effective general consumer expertise, search for good consumer documentation, help communities and technical help companies.
- Safety: Most of those merchandise are very safe, however particularly in the event you work in an trade that processes lots of delicate info, it’s necessary to get particular about what you want.
Investing in the right project management software will prevent cash in the long term. You desire a package deal that meets your organization’s present wants but additionally permits for development with out breaking the financial institution. This listing of Microsoft Undertaking options is a useful place to begin in the event you’re not sure about what is going to work for your online business wants.
Learn subsequent: The 10 best project management software and tools (TechRepublic)
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