Do I need MS Project 2000?

Introduction
The current version of Project is now MS Project 2000. This is a brief outline on the features of the product and the main differences between MS Project 2000 and MS Project 98. The purpose of the update is to enable you to decide on whether or not you should consider upgrading.

I have been using most of the product during beta test for the last 9 months and it appears very stable. I have not used Project Central (see below) to any great extent and it appears to be an area in need of further testing and use. I have given my own biased opinion on which features and changes are of most benefit to you. The value is on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 = "why did they bother?" and 10 = "wow! Project is finally becoming useful".

This is not a detailed description of the new and changed features. It is not even a complete picture, as there are other small changes that I have not mentioned (or even not spotted!). It will however enable you to examine the new product in a more focused and objective manner.

Overview of MS Project 2000 features

MS Office 2000 look and feel
Adaptive menus – great if you like it (4)

Single document interface - wonderful, now you can see all open documents on the status bar (8)

Autosave – standard (4)

HTML help - standard, the structure is excellent and very easy to use (7)

Hyperlink manipulation – much easier to use and change, now works well on networks (5)

Install on demand – what can I say! (2)

Roaming user support – somebody must have wanted it (3)

Open – a huge improvement. Can predefine frequently used folders and web servers. Enables MPT templates to be finally used productively. (9)

WBS
Outline Codes – You can define your own outline codes that are automatically applied to tasks. This is essential for some industries. (6)

Grouping – You can categorise tasks by group. This allows different WBS structures to be applied to the same project e.g. group task by major deliverable. Tasks can be members of more than 1 group. This is really sexy and could be of huge benefit where you (or others) need to view a project from different perspectives. Different groups can be rolled-up and the totals reviewed. (8)

Tasks
Task Calendars – Makes scheduling much easier and removes the need for various workarounds. Most useful, I think, for scheduling tasks that can’t happen on certain days of the week. This makes What-if analysis and resource levelling easier. (6)

User defined formula fields – Most other Project Management tools have these so why did Project take so long! Can set up Excel type formula in custom fields and display values, or graphics, based on a combination of other values. These are automatically updated when values change. (9)

Graphical indicators – can be used in conjunction with formula fields. This would enable "traffic light" reporting for tasks. (7)

Task Outlines can now be displayed like Outline view in MS Word. (4)

Task priority can have value between 1 and 1000. This is useful for gaining more control over resource levelling. (6)

Clear Baseline – This can now be done with one command. (5)

Save as template – Baseline and actual data can be automatically removed to provide a ‘clean’ template. (6)

Resources
Grouping – same as with tasks. Not yet sure as to best use of these. You still cannot assign a group to a task. (4)

Contoured Resource availability – At last, reality in resource scheduling. Can now indicate that 3 programmers are available in July, 2 in August and 4 in September. Essential for enabling proper What-if analysis and resource levelling. (10)

Material resources – can now define resources, and the use of them, in terms of materials. This is essential for costing in certain industries. (8)

Views
Rollup Gantt – display all subtask Gantt bars as the summary task Gantt bar. This is a display change that solves a problem that many users have. (7)

PERT chart is now called Network Diagram – major changes in format to the PERT chart. Still nowhere as good as some of the 3rd party add-ins. (3)

Copy Picture has improved functionality and is easier to use. The quality has been improved and there is now no excuse not to include an overall Gantt view in status reports. (6)

Multiple Projects
Project priorities – a standard in most other project management tools. This now allows you to level resources across projects and is another contribution to making What-if analysis and resource levelling easy to use (7)

Multi-project critical path – you can now view a single critical path across multiple linked projects (5)

Performance – using a resource pool on a network is very much faster. Using inserted projects is also faster. (6)

Development
There are many changes to the MS Project Object Model which makes it easier to use with VBA. COM add-ins are now supported which will enable organisations to develop small secure add-on functions for MS Project. The database structure has changed and been simplified. The data can be thus exported to corporate databases easily. (6)

Deployment
This version is easier to install and support. There is a single executable and then the user can install the language interface required. It is optimised for use on a terminal server, which gives administrators great flexibility. The COM add-ins allow easy customisation for organisations.

Overview of Project Central
Project Central is a totally new separate application to MS Project. It appears to be focused at those who don’t need the full heavy-duty functionality of MS Project but do need to partake in projects or review project status. It can be considered as a Portal to the Organisation’s projects database.

It resides on a server and is accessed using a Web Browser. It displays project information for different types of user in preset views similar to MS Project views and some users may input date e.g. timesheet data. It is very much a vehicle designed to enable communications and is closely tied in with MS Outlook.

Planning functionality
Users can personalise their view to show all their tasks on all the projects they are working on. They can also include their non-project tasks contained in their Outlook task list. They can add tasks for approval by their managers, delegate tasks to others in the team and identify non-available time such as holidays.

The project managers have the ability to re-assign task easily, to add or delete tasks from a project and to update the display of data that the users see.

Tracking functionality
Users can update their actual hours worked and submit them for approval by their manager. Managers can apply updates and re-publish the project.

Viewing functionality
Different views can be defined for use by different categories of user, for example, senior management, customers, team members.

Contacto:

Renato Lopes
DHV
FBO - Consultores, S.A.
Dept. Project Management
Tel. 214 127 400
Fax. 214 127 490
E-mail. renato.lopes@fbo.pt
Rua Dr. António Loureiro Borges, 5 - 6º
Arquiparque
Miraflores
1495-131 Algés - Portugal

renatolopes.50megs.com
Email : rll@clix.pt
Tel. 934 408 347