Vishnu Ramachandra - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Engineer at Suraksha
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Along with an excellent GUI and high scalability, the solution also ensures that its users experience a return on investment
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that the product's GUI is very good...The product's scalability is good."
  • "The stability of the solution is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement."

What is our primary use case?

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.

What is most valuable?

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.

What needs improvement?

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

For how long have I used the solution?

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

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

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

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

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.

How are customer service and support?

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.

How was the initial setup?

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.

What about the implementation team?

A consultant carried out Microsoft Project's installation process.

What was our ROI?

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.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

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

What other advice do I have?

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.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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BaidyTHIONGANE - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer at BNP Paribas
Real User
Top 5
Stable, and scalable, but is complex to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of the solution is planning."
  • "The licensing cost is expensive and has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

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

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Microsoft Project is planning.

What needs improvement?

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

The initial setup is complex and has room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for several years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Microsoft Project is complex.

The deployment took one day.

What about the implementation team?

The implementation was completed in-house.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

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

What other advice do I have?

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.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Microsoft Project
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Project. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
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Student at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Good for project management, easy to work with, and straightforward to implement
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is stable."
  • "It has a bit of a learning curve since there are a lot of features in it, and we haven't really gotten a chance to train through the whole product."

What is our primary use case?

I'm using it to prepare a project schedule, budget the project, and handle resource allocation. I'm checking on if the resources or the tasks are completed and if they're on time and to see if I have any backlogs with tasks.

What is most valuable?

I'm using it just for my academics, and it does the job as far as I'm concerned for this use case. We are just using what is relevant to the course, and that's it.

The setup is straightforward.

Once you understand the solution a bit, it becomes easy to work with.

The solution is stable.

It can scale. 

What needs improvement?

It has a bit of a learning curve since there are a lot of features in it, and we haven't really gotten a chance to train through the whole product.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for just two months. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is quite stable. There's no huge amount of data that is being used on it and even the simplest of computers can use it. It doesn't consume much data. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability isn't a problem with Microsoft Project. It's just a scheduling tool and the only people who will be using this tool will be the managers, and there are not many managers. There's not much data processing on it.

You can share the dashboard too, so the number of users doesn't really matter. You create a project and you schedule it. You can share it with others and scalability is not an issue.

How are customer service and support?

I've never dealt with technical support. My college provided me with the solution, and I haven't had to troubleshoot anything. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. You download, install, and use the product, and you get set up your projects. That's it.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I'm using the solution for free via my college. I can't speak to the pricing or aspects of the licensing. 

What other advice do I have?

I haven't used it extensively. If I had used it in the environment where I was working, and I was responsible for the task I was doing, I would've experimented more on it and figured out something. However, that's not the case.

We are aware of how to install certain processes exactly and how to use those processes in Microsoft Project. However, you'll have to spend at least a week or two days at minimum to see how everything works and what kind of allocation works best. There are a few things that you need to be specific about. With Microsoft Project, it becomes easy to use when you know what you're doing.

Using the product will not be a big challenge if you are comfortable with project management. 

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten as it was easy to learn and a very useful tool in general. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Kati Arndt - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Partner - Cognitive Process Automation Practice Leader at IBM
Real User
Good performance and a useful Gantt char view but does not work well on a Mac
Pros and Cons
  • "The Gantt chart view is great."
  • "I find the setup a little bit cumbersome."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for project management. For example, IT implementation projects. 

What is most valuable?

The Gantt chart view is great. It shows all activities, and the planning of durations is very easy. We can see our suppliers and everything. 

The solution is stable.

It's scalable.

What needs improvement?

It doesn't really work too well on a Mac.

The initial setup was a bit complex. I find the setup a little bit cumbersome. Sometimes there are certain rules that automatically update something else, and it's not always visible. When that happens, you are left with a surprise.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for six years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution seems to be stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

With some assistance, it is possible to scale the product.

We have around 1,000 people using it in our company.

How are customer service and support?

I have not used technical support and therefore cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they would be if you needed help.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used other products in the past.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was a bit complex. It wasn't overly simple. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The licensing is handled centrally within the company. I don't have any visibility on the pricing aspect. I can't say how much it costs our organization precisely.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have evaluated other products. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using. I don't know the version number off-hand. 

I'd recommend the solution. I find it to be quite useful, especially for waterfall-type projects.

I would rate it seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Head of IT at ssofin
Real User
Top 5
Easy to use, great for project planning and very reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "It's an easy solution to set up."
  • "We'd like the solution to have better integration with other third-party and open-source solutions."

What is our primary use case?

I primarily use the solution for project planning. 

What is most valuable?

The product is very easy to use. It makes it easy to present projects as well. 

It's an easy solution to set up.

The solution can scale.

It is stable.

What needs improvement?

We'd like the solution to have better integration with other third-party and open-source solutions. We have trouble importing and exporting to other tools. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for two to five years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a stable solution. It's reliable. We haven't had any problems with it. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution scales well. It is very easy to extend it. 

We have about five to ten users on the solution. At this point, we do not have plans to increase usage. We might in the future. 

How are customer service and support?

I have not used technical support. I've never needed assistance. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used a different solution previously.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very simple and straightforward. 

It is quick to set up. It took about an hour to deploy.

We have five people that are able to handle deployment and maintenance tasks. Typically, we have two or three available. 

What about the implementation team?

We handled the deployment in-house. We did not need any outside assistance. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay a monthly licensing fee for the solution. I'm not sure of the exact cost of the product.

What other advice do I have?

I am not sure if we are using the latest version of the solution. 

I'd recommend the solution to others. 

I would rate it eight out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Shashank Balooni - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Manager at HCL Technologies
Real User
Top 10
Definable timelines, stable environment, with simple delegation of tasks for members
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to define timelines with Microsoft Project."
  • "I would like to see an entire baseline, like in JIRA."

What is our primary use case?

It is easy to define timelines with Microsoft Project. You can get a clear picture of the model, you want to create.  You can create inside an agile or waterfall model. Microsoft Project is easy to delegate tasks to different members where you want to put the task and who you want to work on it so that you have a clear path.

What needs improvement?

Right now you can create a timeline with the major up tasks, but there's no real way to mark it. When you are planning, you usually have resources on board for a single task.  Microsoft Project has no way to mark it because it is based more on agile methodology. Many times you want to take it by the resource count and that is where it becomes tricky. 

 I would like to see an entire baseline, like in JIRA. It is like project planning in JIRA, but there's a whole story building that you can do. Microsoft Project needs to incorporate some points of story-building and epic building, which are currently missing. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Microsoft Project for the past month.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Microsoft Project is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There is no problem with Microsoft Project's scalability.

How are customer service and support?

I do not use Microsoft technical support because our company has its own technical support team.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I only use a login feature for Microsoft Project. 

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Microsoft Project an eight and a half out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Ugochukwu Ndukuba - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at 9mobile
Real User
Helpful in tracking projects but not a user-friendly solution
Pros and Cons
  • "The daily tracker is valuable."
  • "Could be more user-friendly, and forecasting could be better."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for this solution is to track our projects. The solution is deployed on cloud.

How has it helped my organization?

The solution has allowed us to monitor our projects in real time because it is tracked based on what has been prepared and executed.

What is most valuable?

The daily tracker is valuable because once you set it up, the dynamic teams can go and implement the project. Additionally, we can track the progress of what is being done. We can know the dates of tasks, when, and if there are deployment issues.

What needs improvement?

The product or service could be more user-friendly, and forecasting could be better. For example, a few things were added to the Microsoft Office standard software and the project online standard software. It screwed up our forecast and implementation, and we advised them to revert to the standard to fix the issue. Microsoft made some changes, and we're trying to figure out what was implemented and how to use it. We don't use the focus anymore, and we use Microsoft Project to try and drive it.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for over 15 years and are currently using the most recent version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. There are over 300 people currently using it in our organization, and we intend to increase future usage.

How are customer service and support?

We have not had any contact with customer service and support.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I cannot comment on the licensing costs for this solution.

What other advice do I have?

I rate this solution a seven out of ten. I advise new users of this solution to understand what their company needs. I think it's better to implement the standard software when you've understood what is required, as it is scalable and can be gradually adopted.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
SVP, Emerging Data Platforms at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Good project planning features, good charts, and good at doing what it is supposed to do
Pros and Cons
  • "The standard project planning features and charts are most valuable."
  • "When a project plan becomes huge, it is painful to arrange and structure the project in Microsoft Project. Currently, you require a separate product for managing agile projects, and people are using Jira and Rally to manage stories in agile. Primarily, on the software development side, people are kind of moving away from Microsoft Project."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for IT project management. It is mainly used for managing tasks.

What is most valuable?

The standard project planning features and charts are most valuable.

What needs improvement?

When a project plan becomes huge, it is painful to arrange and structure the project in Microsoft Project.

Currently, you require a separate product for managing agile projects, and people are using Jira and Rally to manage stories in agile. Primarily, on the software development side, people are kind of moving away from Microsoft Project.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable but not for huge project plans.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I am using its desktop version. They also have an online version where you can collaborate and do things like that. It is Office 365, which I don't use. 

In terms of users, around 10,000 people might be using it. Its users include service delivery managers, project managers, and business analysts.

How are customer service and technical support?

I never had to use tech support for Microsoft Project.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used a competing product that was free and open-source, but it didn't have as many features as Microsoft Project.

We are kind of migrating to Jira for the agile model because we mostly have agile-based developments. All task stories and other things are managed in Jira. We are not using Microsoft Project that much now. It is only being used for project planning and for creating task dependencies.

How was the initial setup?

In my organization, it is already packaged and available. 

What other advice do I have?

I would advise others to learn about project planning. There is good enough information available online on Microsoft's website.

I would rate Microsoft Project an eight out of ten. It is good at doing what it is supposed to do. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Updated: March 2024
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