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Microsoft Project Online or Project for Web: Which Is More Suited To Your Organisation?
The newest member of the Microsoft Project collection, Microsoft Project for Web has left many users wondering how it differs from the original Microsoft Project Online. Below we explore what each one can bring to your business.
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As the demand for Project Managers rises, so does the need for a good project management solution. With many options on the market, it can be hard to assess which solution is the right fit for your business. Even a consistent leader in this space, Microsoft, has multiple solutions available.
A more recent addition to the Microsoft Project collection is Microsoft Project for Web which has left many users wondering what exactly is the difference between Project for Web and the already established Microsoft Project Online and which one is more suited to their business needs. Below we explore the two project solutions and what each one can offer your organisation.
Microsoft Project for Web
Project for Web is the most recent addition to the Microsoft Project Family offering cloud-based work and project management. It provides simple yet powerful capabilities that can be used by project managers and their teams to thoroughly plan and manage work of any size. Built on Microsoft Power Platform, Project for Web includes Project Home, Roadmap and a new project management experience that is web-based, easy to use and is tailored to the occasional or informal project manager.
This lightweight solution is great for brainstorming, managing activities and tracking progress with simple project timelines. Project for Web is also built on Microsoft 365 groups meaning that each new project made in Project for Web will trigger the creation of a new group making for easier collaboration across teams. The newer interface of this solution often reminds users of Microsoft Planner which is familiar to many. However, Project for Web allows users to view the tasks in the Timeline or Grid as well as other information such as terms, dependencies, and investments. Users can easily organise and track their team’s activity and progress.
Project for Web enhances collaboration, each time a task is assigned, the user is notified by email. Project data such as the project start and end date, team members involved and percentage completion is also easy to share and edit. Similar in ways to Project Online and Microsoft Planner, Project for Web allows working teams to develop and organise projects as well as assign tasks. It can be used for individual work and for team collaboration. Although there is more functionality than Planner, it is still a lightweight interface that is easy to use for everyone of every skill level to use.
Microsoft Project Online
Project Online is Microsoft’s enterprise-level project and portfolio management solution which offers a complex layer of functionality in a number of aspects of project management. Some key features that differentiate it from Project for Web.
Project Online’s time management capabilities allow for scheduling based on project specifics, project optimisation by specific terms, resources or cost. The cost management capabilities such as project cost estimation, budget management and integration with other budgeting solutions and easy accounting of the resource costs. Additionally, resource management capabilities are also available allowing users to create a resource pool and manage the 3 types of resources: materials, cost and labour to assist workload balancing. Microsoft Project also offers more options for custom reporting.
While Microsoft Project for Web and Microsoft Project Online both address project collaboration and teamwork, they both do so in different ways. While Microsoft Project for Web is considered easier to use and adopt, it can for some organisations not offer the level of functionality required. Project Online is the more advanced in this case, catering for the extra functionality. In the general sense, if your team is equipped with occasional project managers and working teams, Project for Web could offer all you need whereas if you have an organisation that is project-based in nature or even equipped with professional project managers, they may prefer the detail offered by Microsoft Project Online.
If you would like to explore which project management solution is best for your business, contact us to speak to one of our specialists or read some of our clients Microsoft Project case studies here.
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