Microsoft Project Reviews

Our company uses the solution to get realistic estimations to properly distribute resources. We have a huge portfolio and use the online premium version. One current project is with a client who has 150 users. 

The solution estimates workflow for concurrent activities, links dependencies, and automatically modifies plans based on date updates. The plan is assessed based on different criteria such as the schedule or budget. 

Built-in dashboards provide an overview of our portfolio, programs, and projects. There is a general work view and an overall progress view that combines all projects. 

The integration between Teams and the solution is fantastic. Previously, the cloud version was not available so we kept standalone files on our PCs. Now, everything is in the cloud so we can ask Teams to update their activities in the plan which automatically reflects on everyone's plan. Team effectively cooperates with the plan without every user needing licenses for the solution. 

The built-in dashboards are powerful because they show both project and overall progress. 

The solution could offer waterfall options for agile and sprint planning. Agile is available but is still maturing. We want to clear project backlog and would like different views for sprints. It would be easier to choose the type of project at the beginning and have different layouts or mechanisms that are specific to it. Jira offers something completely different than the solution. 

Popups for allocated resources would be helpful. Currently, allocated resources or activities are listed on the left side. Activities that are big or are being performed across 100 to 200 days should include tips, advice, and alerts as popups to keep us on track. 

I have been using the solution for fifteen years. 

The solution is very stable so I rate stability a nine out of ten. 

The scalability is dependent on licenses. For that reason, I rate scalability a five out of ten. 

I have only contacted support a few times in my entire career. I was trying to receive a backup of previous plans because I lost the current plan. 

Based on my experience, I rate support a seven out of ten. 

Neutral

The setup is pretty easy and might take one week.

Resource education is sometimes complicated. The most difficult thing to do is control or assign resources and it is especially complex for very long projects. If you have many resources for the same activity or concurrent activities with  overlapping resources, then fixing the allocations is very difficult. Some users avoid assigning resources because of this issue but resource assignment an important step. 

I rate setup a seven out of ten. 

We implemented the solution in-house. Ongoing management is handled by four team members. 

Customers might not realize their ROI because they are immature in using the solution. They have the license so their users have to work with it. Most of the time, they just rely on the access sheet. They don't often realize how the solution could improve their work flow. 

The pricing is based on a licensing model and is reasonable. I rate pricing a nine out of ten. 

The solution is a very extensive software that has many features, capabilities, and functionalities. Training and knowledge are important because most users are not aware of even the most basic things. Awareness is important and will have an impact on long-term use. 

I rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

We use Microsoft Project for any project executions, like assigning the resource, listing out the task, and following up on the timeline. Microsoft Project is used to track the project delivery and the project management.

It would be better if the solution is integrated with other communication platforms like Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Project has a separate license from Microsoft 365 and has not collaborated with Microsoft Teams.

I have been using Microsoft Project for five to six years.

Microsoft Project is a stable solution.

Around 30 users are using the solution in our organization.

The solution’s initial setup is straightforward.

We implemented the solution through an in-house team in one month.

We have seen a return on investment with Microsoft Project because it allows us to track and execute the project successfully without much delay. Since projects are executed on time, it's always beneficial to our business.

The solution has a decent annual license subscription cost, which is not high.

I would recommend Microsoft Project to other users. As an end user, Microsoft Project provides many features like tracking the team task, checking whether the task has been completed on time or there is any delay, tracking each task, and resource allocation.

Overall, I rate Microsoft Project an eight out of ten.

I have used Microsoft Project for mapping out projects and stuff like that. Though I am not heavily involved with Microsoft Project, I can say that it helps with project management purposes in my company.

The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that the product's GUI is very good since it is very visual in nature. If you are in a project meeting and the customers want estimates of when the project will be done, I think they get the point instantly.

The stability of the solution is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement.

I have been using Microsoft Project for a couple of years. I use the solution's latest version.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight or nine out of ten.

The product's scalability is good. We have been using it in our company for quite some time. In our company, we have done many project plans with the help of the solution and haven't found issues yet with the solution.

Microsoft Project is a solution used by three or four people from the senior management in our company.

My company does not have plans to increase the solution's usage.

I have not dealt with the solution's technical support team directly. Some of my team members who have dealt with the solution's technical support team directly told me that Microsoft's technical support is good.

The initial setup of Microsoft Project was straightforward.

Microsoft Project's installation process took around two hours.

The solution is deployed on-premises.

Only one junior engineer is required to deploy and maintain the solution.

A consultant carried out Microsoft Project's installation process.

Microsoft Project's ROI has been good so far since we have had no issues in our company, because of which the company plans to renew the licenses whenever they expire.

I am not aware of any additional costs apart from the standard licensing fees of the solution.

I recommend this solution to those planning to use it.

Microsoft Project's potential users should plan their projects well enough before planning to use it. In general, Microsoft Project is one of the best tools available in the market.

I rate the overall solution somewhere between eight and nine out of ten.

The primary use case of the solution is for in-house IT projects such as network projects, and system projects.

The most valuable feature of Microsoft Project is planning.

The licensing cost for Microsoft Project is expensive and has room for improvement.

The initial setup is complex and has room for improvement.

I have been using the solution for several years.

The solution is stable.

The solution is scalable.

The initial setup of Microsoft Project is complex.

The deployment took one day.

The implementation was completed in-house.

The license for Microsoft Project is a one-time payment but it is expensive.

I give the solution a six out of ten.

We have 20 people using the solution in our organization.

Two people are required for the maintenance of the solution including one manager and one engineer.

I recommend the solution to other users.

We're using Microsoft Project on multiple tiers to perform inventory optimization, production planning, and purchasing.st built the project a week ago using Microsoft Project from start to finish. We built in all the functionality we have to cover. All the updates, action items, etc., are in there.

In my previous position with a leading 3PL, the provider of our warehouse management system, Blue Yonder, used Project. Nevertheless, it was seamless to integrate a Project file because Smartsheet offers the ability to upload MPP files. But at the same time, we would make changes and adjustments with Project. I'm currently using Microsoft Project for all my projects. 

Microsoft Project's integrated timeline is tied to the project plan almost seamlessly, and you add whatever action item or milestone you choose. All you have to do is set up a column and click on the timeline. It will automatically put it in there and allow you to choose the type, whether it's a bar or if it's a milestone, just pointing out that single milestone.

With Smartsheets, we can easily integrate and allow users outside the company to access our files. We can manage their access directly inside the project plan. I can allow my customers to jump on there to see the project while limiting their access to certain sheets or views. If I want I can allow them to view, edit, or share it. 

Microsoft Project has similar functionality, but I can't just give them a link. We have to bring them into using a company server because that's where we have it stored. There are more steps and assigning permissions is more convoluted.

The stability is generally good, but it's affected by the sharing aspect because you have to utilize OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint. The stability is heavily tied to how quickly it saves the MPP file. If there's a processing gap when you're saving the project, it'll end up creating another edition. It typically uses your user ID  and tags it, but the original will still be there, and it may not have the changes. When you start to use it with additional users, the stability in terms of saving is reduced. It's maybe a five out of 10 for stability in that sense. 

Project is not as easy to scale. It isn't a cloud-based solution where everybody can utilize it at the same time without version issues when you save your file. We use it at the enterprise level, but you have to share the files with others within your organization through Teams or SharePoint. One improvement would be to transition to cloud-based functionality. However, that might limit the functionality in other ways. 

I haven't used Microsoft support for Project because I have enough experience that I don't need to. However, I have contacted Microsoft support recently to as questions about Excel. You can't pick up a phone and call them. Instead, you initiate a chat session on their website, and they will call you back in some cases.  

It may be because Smartsheets doesn't have the same global user base, but their problem-solving is fantastic, whereas Microsoft support seems a little convoluted.

The installation is easy. Setting up a project takes a little bit longer. It's not as intuitive as Smartsheets, but it's relatively easy. You have to have a base knowledge to use either product, but I would rate Smartsheets eight out of 10 for ease of use, while Microsoft Project is maybe five out of 10 because it's not as intuitive. 

It depends on the scale, but in some instances, the licensing was around $600 per user.

I rate Microsoft Project seven out of 10. 

I am using the Microsoft Project App in Teams and I use it mostly for project scheduling. We don't use it for reports or anything else.

Microsoft Project has helped improve my organization by providing transparency. Everyone can see what they're assigned and other information.

The most valuable features of Microsoft Project are the availability of being online and within Teams. My entire team can use it and see it, versus the full Microsoft Projects, such as Project Professional, you need to have a license.

All the versions of Microsoft Project could use improvement one way or another, but the specific version that I'm using, the reporting capabilities, and/or being able to link think other projects to it could improve. If I have a portfolio of projects that I'm working on, I want to be able to see a dashboard of all of my projects in one place. I haven't been able to do that in this particular version without using coding or PowerBI or anything similar.

In a future release, the dashboard should improve because there isn't one, I had to create my own.

I have been using Microsoft Project on and off for approximately 20 years.

The stability of the Microsoft Project is good.

We have not scaled Microsoft Project, it is only our 25-person IT departments using it. We have desktop analysts, project managers, and directors using the solution.

We do plan to roll out Microsoft Project to our business professionals on the business side of the organization, in the next three or four months.

We have not had any issues using the solution to contact the support from Microsoft.

We used LiquidPlanner previously. It was more of a time-keeping tool versus a project management tool. If I only want to build a schedule, I couldn't do that in LiquidPlanner without my team tracking their time.

LiquidPlanner is only good for timekeeping, and I couldn't get my staff to keep their time, it wasn't practical for us. I needed to be able to build a schedule and be able to track it on my own, versus what was done, versus people having to go in and track the time they work on a specific task. Whereas LiquidPlanner doesn't give me the opportunity to build a project plan without using timekeeping.

The initial setup of the Microsoft Project is straightforward. However, it was a Team's deployment and Microsoft Project is part of that suite. It took us approximately six months for the complete deployment.

We did use a consultant to help us deploy Teams and we were involved too. The consultant has been very helpful, we use them for all kinds of different deployments.

We have two systems analysts who are in charge of keeping Microsoft Teams up updated which includes Microsoft Project.  

We're managing projects a little bit better, we're a lot more transparent, and Microsoft Project is easier to report on, versus LiquidPlanner, which we spent a lot of money on. We saved all that money not having to use LiquidPlanner.

You only need a Team's license in order to use Microsoft Project within Teams, which is very helpful.

If an organization already has Teams, they already have access to Microsoft Projects, or at least Microsoft Project Online. There's no reason to buy separate project management software, at least for a smaller company like ours.

We did not evaluate other options. We used what we had, and tried to save money. We already have Microsoft Project, and we decided to use it.

My advice to others would be to do extensive training and tutorials and create QRGs. It's new and not a lot of people know how to use it. Training is the most important.

I rate Microsoft Project an eight out of ten.

We primarily use the solution for portfolio management, project management, and program management. It is also used for reporting to leadership on a portfolio level.

It gives the enterprise and leadership the visibility of what's going on with their enterprise. It provides visibility to all the projects that are going on within the company.

The integration between SharePoint and Power BI has been great.

The stability is good.

You can scale the solution as needed. 

We need more integration with Microsoft Teams and other collaboration tools.

The product could be more user-friendly in some areas. 

I've used the solution for a while. I've used it over the last 12 months at least. 

The stability is pretty good. It's easy to use and reliable. 

The solution can scale. It can scale for a company that's dealing with a medium-size company dealing with 10 to 20 projects, all the way to the large companies dealing with hundreds of projects it's very scalable.

We've got the technology department using the product. We also have businesses using it as well. We have a total of 100 plus people that are using it today in our company.

The solution is being used extensively. We do have plans on working with a third party to potentially make the solution even more user-friendly.

I haven't used their technical support, however, I've partnered up with Microsoft Partners to come up with potential future solutions.

Before Microsoft Project Online, we just used Microsoft Project Desktop and we utilized Microsoft SharePoint to create lists in order to create portfolio trackers and project trackers that way. We needed a more robust solution that can track risk management, budgetary prioritization, et cetera. Microsoft Project does that for us.

The setup can be both complex and easy. I'd rate it 3.5 out of five, with five being an easy setup.

Deployment involves usually implementing the new tools and then adopting and having people use it. Implementation took about three months and then the adoption took another six to eight to nine months of training and making sure people use the tool.

We have admins and that's one or two folks that can handle any maintenance requirements. It's not a high-maintenance product.

We had a consultant assist us with the implementation.

We've seen an ROI from the aspect of efficiencies and having information in one central location. We've cut time in reporting. We've cut time in the administration portion as well, of setting up projects so there's been efficiency. We hope the ROI might expand as we use it more.

I'm not aware of what the licensing costs are. There might be extra costs associated with maintenance. 

While it is my understanding that we did look at other solutions, I was not part of that tendering process. I don't know which ones were vetted.

We're a customer and end-user.

I'd advise potential new users to make sure they select a tool that will be useful to the end-user. This tool is really catered to project managers, while the majority of the folks who are executing projects are not what I call professional project managers.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

We use Microsoft Project for creating the implementation projects for IT, such as anything from infrastructure through application deployments. In the current project, we are using it for the cybersecurity measures that we're implementing.

Microsoft Project has helped our organization by tracking the capabilities of when we can deliver a solution.

The most valuable features of Microsoft Project are you can create critical paths pretty easily, and you can import from an Excel spreadsheet to your task list as you create it during your working sessions with your team.

Microsoft Project could improve the interface, it should be more intuitive. It could be adjusted a little bit to make it a little easier to use and more user-friendly. It is a very powerful tool and it takes people a while to get used to it.

I have found that when you're saving your project plans to a SharePoint site it does not work well. I am not able to check it out and check it in as I would on the Microsoft Project's server. If you have multiple people trying to edit tasks in the project plan for the completion or status, it doesn't give you abilities to check the project in and out. It limits who makes changes to a project plan if multiple people are trying to do it at the same time. You can potentially overwrite someone else saved changes. There is not a lock on changes to the project plan. If I'm trying to change something, it's whoever saves first, then the changes go in. If you're working and extensively updating a lot of things in the project plan, then somebody else comes in and updates one line, they could potentially override everything that you've changed.

There are some accessibility issues that could be fixed. 

I have been using Microsoft Project for approximately 15 years.

Microsoft Project is scalable. I've used it in the server mode where I ran multiple projects under a program, which were very large project plans with up to 1,000 lines, and I didn't have any problems with performance or managing projects.

We have approximately 1,000 users using this solution in my organization. They are typically project managers. 

We are using Microsoft Project extensively on some projects. However, it depends on the type of project, it doesn't lend itself well to non Waterfall type activities.

I have not contacted the technical support.

Our IT department handles the deployment of the solution. I can tweak it on a per-project basis. However, the implementation or installation of the software is done quickly.

My organization is pushing to move to the Jira platform or to use Scrum instead of Waterfall.

I would recommend others to buy a Microsoft Project book that has tips, and a lot of them have templates for different types of projects.

I rate Microsoft Project a nine out of ten.