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Any business looking for a way to improve their project planning, help control their operational costs, manage their budget, allocate their resources, and much more should begin utilizing project management software. This type of software can address all these issues and more no matter how small or large a business may be. From simple issues to complex issues, project management software makes business operations flow in smooth processes.
Every project conducted within a business includes planning aspects, managing aspects, and execution aspects. With an effective project management software program these aspects can be easily controlled, always being compatible with budget and time constraints.
Having an effective manager supervise business operations is the key to making sure organizational projects are carried out in efficient manners; however, project management software often becomes a manager’s best friend. The software is a great management tool that managers find very helpful in making sure the projects are carried out in the most efficient manners possible.
There is a wide range of project management software programs available on today’s market. Some are web-based software programs, hosted software programs, or desktop applications. Web-based programs easily allow all members of an organization to access information stored in program no matter what location the member is located within. Most times a desktop application is only utilized by a single user, while web-based programs are utilized by multiple users.
Choosing the correct project management software is essential when it comes to meeting an organization’s needs and wants. An effective program can complete almost all basic management functions from start to end. An effective program is also very easy to use, user-friendly, and can bring a project’s issues that need to be addressed immediately to a user’s attention.
The most advantageous aspect of using project management software is it increases effectiveness in team work, while at the same time increasing positive collaboration between team members.
What Project Management software can & cannot do for you?
What Project Management software can & cannot do for you?
Can DO / Capabilities
· Do the calculations accurately for you. Imagine doing the forward pass using calendar working days, taking into account national and company holidays!
· It makes visible the parameters it needs (have I forgotten something?) and any problems (like unacceptable circular logic).
· Identify scheduling conflicts: It allows "what-ifs?" to make changes to the project and see the effect of those changes before finalizing your plan and committing it to work.
· Once your plan is in action, it allows progress to be tracked so that you can make adjustments to keep on target.
· Identify critical areas and bottlenecks.
· Proper resource utilization.
· Ensure project precedence & dependence.
· Determine delivery date.
· Communicate the plan to team members
· There are built-in reports to print.
· You can export to PowerPoint for presentations, to Word for detailed reports, to Excel to do intricate cost analyses, and to Access for manipulation of project data.
· You can send information by e-mail.
· You can pass information over networks and the Internet
Cannot DO / Limitations
· Identify project tasks
· Establish task dependencies
· Assign resources to tasks
· Does not know duration of each task
· Evaluate employee skills
· Eliminate task times
Types of reports in MS Project software
- Overview reports
- Current reports
- Costs reports
- Assignment reports
- Workloads reports
- Custom reports
Overview Reports
- Project summary
- Top-level tasks
- Critical tasks
- Milestones
- Working days
Current reports
- Unstarted stasks
- Tasks starting soon
- Tasks in progress
- Completed tasks
- Should have started tasks
- Slipping tasks
Costs Reports
- Cash flow
- Budget
- Overbudget tasks
- Overbudget resources
- Earned value
Assignment Report
- Who does what
- Who does what when
- To do list
- Overallocated resources
Workload Report
- Task usage
- Resource usage
Custom Reports
You can make a variety of reports, depending on your needs. Drop down menu allows you to make your selection as per requirement.
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