The Many Versions of Microsoft Project : Which Do You Really Need?

The latest release of the software is Microsoft Project 2007. The major benefit it offers compared to the 2003 edition is its scalability. In testing, Microsoft has successfully sustained a user base of 40,000 with the 2007 software while the 2003 version struggled to accommodate 10,000. In addition, Microsoft boasts of new features such as the ability to handle multiple levels of undo, enhanced visual reporting through Visio and Excel, and change highlighting, which, when you change one element in the project plan, will immediately and clearly the demonstrate the follow-on consequences of that change for the project as a whole. Cost tracking facilities are also included in the new version. Accounting software can even be hooked up to Project to help manage the project budget.

The vanilla flavour of Microsoft Project is the Standard edition. It boasts the familiar array of features that have come to be standard in the world of project management software including Gannt charts and work breakdown structures.

Its major limitation is that is sits on a single desktop only. No serious data sharing is possible except through the primitive method of emailing attachments to your co-workers who can then open them up in their isolated versions of Microsoft Project too. Of course, this requires that they do have Microsoft Project installed on their computers.

This is where Microsoft Project Professional comes in. Designed for a team-based environment, each user has a desktop interface to a common project database. The Professional edition also includes many features designed to facilitate team collaboration such as timesheet management.

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Microsoft Project Server and Microsoft Project Web Access

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