Project Management Resources

XL-EasyGantt

2011-11-01T05:22:00.000-07:00

A very useful free project scheduling and gantt chart product that runs within Excel.
We give it a cool category rating of 4.5/5

XL-EasyGantt by www.xleasygantt.com is by far the best free Microsoft Excel based project project scheduling and gantt chart tool that we have come across. Its strength lies in that there is no installation required and the schedule created by XL-EasyGantt is very easy to distribute.

It has a very user friendly design, easy to use and comes with useful common functions that allows a PM to create a project schedule quickly and easily. The Gantt Charts are plotted in real time as you enter the start and end dates of the project tasks using a date-picker.

Though already very easy to use, there is also help pages available by clicking on the help button.

It also allows you to track your non-working days and you can even download the holiday calender from www.xleasygantt.com website.

It is one of the tool that has caught much attention and has gained a lot of popularity in the short few months since its first release.

The current version is version 3. Follow the link to download.http://www.xleasygantt.com/default.asp

2010-05-19T02:44:00.000-07:00

Project Management is described in the PMBOk as: "Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements."

For a Project Manager to function effectively, he needs a good set of tools to assist him with his tasks of planning, managing and control to ensure a successful delivery meeting his time, cost and quality targets. Here we explore the tools that can help a PM to do his job effectively.

Project Manager

2010-02-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

Project manager is a web based project management solution for managers. It is a creation of Jason Westland who has himself been in the project management industry for the past 16 years managing projects of up to 2 billion dollars. Jason has created project manager as a software he himself would find useful to use and relevant for all types of projects. Project manager offers a gantt chart, project planning facilities, time tracking and project scheduling. This software also includes a free 30 day trial in which you will be able to begin to use all of it's many functions and features.

Zoho Projects

2008-06-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

Zoho Project is an online project management services provided by Zoho.com.
It is based on subscription model, but provides 1 project free with unlimited users.

Zoho Projects helps to make project collaboration between team members easy by allowing Internet access to the project database that and comes with handy features that include:

Tasks, Document Sharing, Forums, Milestones, Calendar and Time Tracking.

Online demo is available at http://projects.zoho.com/jsp/home.jsp

We give it a rating of 3.5/ 5

PM MindMap

2008-05-24T12:58:00.001-07:00

http://www.xleasygantt.com/pmmindmap/index.asp

If you are working towards getting your PMP credential or if you are already a PMP looking for a quick reference for the PMBOK processes and knowledge areas, the PM MindMap is an Excellence tool that you will find most useful.

With all the processes and knowledge areas, inputs, tools & techniques and outputs of each process clearly listed in the mindmaps, all you need to do is just click and navigate through the mindmaps to get a quick reference or revision.

jxProject

2008-03-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.jxproject.com

Rating 3.5/5

jxProject is a Java application that comes with an adverstisement supported free version and a commercial version. It is a simple project / gantt chart tool. This software requires the latest JRE from Sun Microsystems.

Main features include:

Supported task link types: Finish to Start, Finish to Finish, Start to Finish, Start to Start,
Resource User with positive/negative lag.
Arbitrary constraints: Start After, Finish After, Start Before, Finish Before.
Full Undo/Redo and Cut/Copy/Paste functionality.
Full time resource leveling with user ability to enable/disable.
A resource optimizer which automatically identifies gaps in resource schedules and moves tasks into those gaps.
Tasks may be of fixed work, fixed duration, or fixed span. Task schedule driver is clearly indicated in the table.
Familiar hierarchical parent/child task structure: summary task/task
No limit to the number of links per task.
Resource Assignments: Any combination from none, one, multiple or partial resources.
Clear and traceable circular constraint violation messages allows user to locate dependency problems.
Drag and Drop to move/copy tasks in the table/chart.
Drag and Drop resources onto assigned tasks. [Multiple resources to multiple tasks in a single operation]
Fully supports shift work scheduling such as first, second, third and/or swing shifts. Four day, ten hour days 4x10s.
Resources inherit schedules from their parent calendars, overriding of parent schedules is fully supported.
Each calendar has a timezone which is used consistently throughout all scheduling calculations.
Supports scheduling of work time, time off, or paid time off.
The user can define Full Time Equivalent (FTE) work hours for display/edit of actual work of resources.

BlueDoc - Document Management System

2007-11-07T01:23:00.000-08:00

http://www.blueproject.ro/bluedoc

Rating 3.5/5

BlueDoc is a multiple users document management system. It access by user group controls for saving and accessing documents. Comes with it is a graphical tool to chart document workflow between users.

A good document process management tool and allows fast and easy full-text search of Word, PDF, PowerPoint and other document formats.

Click here to view other features http://www.blueproject.ro/bluedoc/features.

A good tool, however, we feel that the fee by per user could be a little high and if we are not wrong, it is lacking of the web interface to allow access through web broswer which would definitely make the tool very much more elegant.

WorkTime

2007-11-07T01:19:00.001-08:00

http://www.nestersoft.com/worktime/index.shtml

A simple program that can be handy if your project is very much PC based and deskbound. Especially for tracking of time spent by programmers.

From the developer's site:
WorkTime is a versatile and easy to use utility that tracks the time spent working with the PC. WorkTime gathers statistics about projects you work on, applications you use, documents you work with, web-sites you visit and time spent for every of these activities.

Concept Draw Project 3

2007-09-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

http://www.conceptdraw.com/en/products/project/ap-gantt-charts.php

Concept Draw is a beautifully designed project management application that can run both on the Windows and Mac platform and make use of Microsoft Project XML for data interchange between Concept Draw and Microsoft Project. The user interface is intuitive and very appealing.

The latest UI features include Smart Multi Selection, Task Link with Drag and Drop, Colour and Filtering, Information Sorting, Filter Toolset, Network Diagram and Critical Path Management.
(read more at http://www.conceptdraw.com/en/products/project/whats_new.php)

The application is designed to allow for easy management of multiple projects with the Multi Project Workspace. Advance Editing and Powerful Reporting System makes it a good project worth looking at. (read more at http://www.conceptdraw.com/en/products/project/overview.php)

We give it a colourful rating of 4/5.

AccuPlan

2007-07-09T19:46:00.001-07:00

It seems that the developer has discontinued the software. However, you can still download a copy from

http://download.cnet.com/AccuPlan/3000-2076_4-10338223.html

Accuplan is a straight forward project planner that provides standard features like tasks, resources, budgets and timelines. It also allows you to view graphs, calendars, WBS view and reports.

It is a commercial product but quite affordable. However, as a commercial project, probably Accuplan should include more unique features to make it stand out from the rest.

We rate it 3.5/5

Accuplan is quite easy to learn and it is useful for experienced and new project managers.
Some features:

Share project data among all stakeholders on any network.
Build your project in Gantt view or as a spread sheet like grid.
Free WBS (Work breakdown structure) view lets you visually create Task Hierarchies
New Free integration with Ms Outlook mail and Reminder/Calendar
Visually track of budgets and costs.
Drag and drop to easily create task dependencies in any direction
Automatically reschedule dependent tasks.
See on-screen constraints, milestones, and deadlines that give a clear picture at a glance.
Automatically calculate task and project durations based on number and availability of associated resources.
Automatically adjust to skip holidays, weekends, and other downtime.
View graphs of your resource allocations to identify under- and over-allocations.
Resolve allocation conflicts with a "Resource Gantt View."
Get up to speed fast with an intuitive interface that makes Accu Plan quick and easy to learn.
Exchange data with other Windows applications.
Import schedule data generated by other project management software, including MS Project.
Print out presentation-quality reports to any Widows-supported printer or plotter.
Output to a large selection of formats, including XML, Excel, MS Access, MS. Word, and HTML.

You can read more of the feature comparison at their web site:
http://download.cnet.com/AccuPlan/3000-2076_4-10338223.html

Basecamp

2007-06-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Basecamp (http://www.basecamphq.com/tour) comes with some common but really useful features like Colors & Logos, Dashboard, To-dos, Files, Messages, Milestones, Time tracking, Overview and Comments. It is simple yet addresses the collaboration needs of many projects.

Thus we are giving it a rating of 4.5/5.0 for the hosted application category.

Basecamp is a hosted project collaboration platform with different pricing packages that cater to different organisation needs. The tools that it provides help to solve communication problems by allowing the project teams to work effectively through the web. One thing that we really like is the simple and clean user interface that we believe users would be able to use fairly easily without much help.

If you are looking for a web collaboration projection management software and do not wish to spend too much time in maintaining a system, Basecamp is a product that we think is suitable.

Project in a Box

2007-06-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

Project in a Box (http://www.projectinabox.org.uk/default.asp) community edition is a free standalone application that can be useful for PMs who follow the PRINCE 2 methods. Commercial editions for P2 Guidance Module and Professional versions for both PRINCE2 and customer methods are available.

We rate it 4/5.

The community edition has an easy user interface and you can naviate the processes in a tree structure. Based on authentic material licensed from the OGC (the owners of the PRINCE2™ manual) the applications provides easy navigation and understanding of the processes.

FreeMind

2007-05-21T23:45:00.000-07:00

Freemind (freemind.sourceforge.net) is an open source Mind Mapping software. It is easy to use, and comes with a whole load of functions.

We rate it 4/5.

At times, Gantt Charts may not be the best way to map out the project tasks and some project managers like to view their activities in the form of mind maps. This is useful for high level initial project planning when the PM just want to sketch down his plans and key tasks and activities. Free mind is espcially useful for this aspect.

You can create multiple branches, link within the mindmap and create external URL or document links. You can also add in icons and even put the mind map up as Flash on your web site.

Personally I like this tool very much. I wish they have a Windows Mobile or Symbian version.

Cool.

dotProject

2007-05-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

dotProject is built using free open-source applications and is produced and maintained by a small, but dedicated group of volunteers. It is programmed in PHP, and utilises MySQL for a backend database.

We give it a web based rating of 4/5.

dotProject aims to provide the project manager with a tool to manage tasks, schedules, communication and sharing.

It is used in a huge range of applications and environments, from small offices, single people trying to manage their own workload, companies, government departments, not for profit organisations, schools and so on.

dotProject is used to manage the day to day activities of project progression. It is for managing a defined workload, with a defined resource base who are co-operating to deliver a project.

read more>

KPlato

2007-05-17T23:16:00.001-07:00

KPlato is a standalone desktop project scheduling software that is provided free.

We provide a desktop category rating of 3/5.

Typical functions included are:

Gantt chart with task list and resource allocations per task.
Resource view with task allocations per resource.
Accounts view showing planned cost with configurable cut-off date and periodicity.
Tasks are organized in a work breakdown structure (WBS).
Resources are organized in a resource breakdown structure (RBS).
Accounts are organized in a cost breakdown structure (CBS).

Important features not included:

Resource leveling. Resources are just allocated to the requested task even when allready booked to other task(s). The resulting conflict must be resolved manually by adding task links or constraints to avoid parallel scheduling of the tasks.
Network view. In general.
Project execution and follow up.

TaskJuggler

2007-05-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

TaskJuggler (http://www.taskjuggler.org )a really nice and well presented interface. The best part is that it is Open Source and you save from having to pay huge license fee for products like MSP.

We give it a rating of 4.5/5

A good tool for project managers and it not only supports gantt charts, but cost management and what-if scenerios.

It is a modern and powerful project management tool with a new approach to project planning and tracking beyond what commonly used Gantt chart editing tools. It covers the complete spectrum of project management tasks from the first idea to the completion of the project. It assists you during project scoping, resource assignment, cost and revenue planing, risk and communication management.

You also have the options of doing your own coding and it comes with exporting to CSV files.

Microsoft Project

2007-05-17T22:18:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Project (www.microsoft.com/project) seems to to be the de facto tool that both new and experienced project managers will use for their project planning activities.

MSP creates critical path schedules, and third-party add-ons are available for critical chain and event chain methodology . Schedules can be resource levelled, and chains are visualized in a Gantt chart.

Serious project based companies may further implement Project Server for better collaborations among the team members and for better resource management.

Most project managers love this product. Unfortunately, its strong points may also be its weakness as it is a heavy application that requires some learning. There is no simple ways of distributing the project plans created using MSP especially to the high level management, project sponsors or staff members who are not very computer savvy. Though MSP does provide a few ways of exporting the schedules like web access, export as html or capture as image; they are not very ideal, and though there are some MSP viewers out there, it still requires the users to download and install some applications which often is a hassle. In addition, the license cost of MSP is not cheap.

Open Workbench

2007-05-16T05:43:00.000-07:00

A free open source alternative to Microsoft Project.
Allows you to connect to a database for central management.

We give it a cool category rating of 5/5

Open Workbench (www.openworkbench.org) can be used and distributed free of charge. It is a stand-alone desktop application that provides robust project scheduling functionality. Thus it requires installation.

Open Workbench provides the unique ability to generate project schedules based on resource constraints. It can also be used in a fully integrated fashion with CA's Clarity solution.

This tool is good for project managers but a new user would require some form of training to fully appreciate the product.

Creating Gantt Charts Using Microsoft Excel

2006-05-19T02:46:00.000-07:00

A typical Gantt Chart would consist of the tasks column, start-date and end-date of each task and calendar with horzontal bars for each task row representing the duration of the tasks across the calendar in a graphical form.

A more extensive gantt chart would also consists of lines connecting the tasks showing the dependencies of each task.

While we can use readily avaiable project tools to plot out the gantt charts, sometimes, we just need a avery simple high level gantt chart and it seems the easiest ways to do it is using Microsoft Excel as the charts can be easily distributed and Microsoft Excel provides many features for you to format the chart. Unfortunately, to do it manually takes time and we would like to look for easier to do that.

There are a few methods that one can use to create a Gantt Chart using Microsoft Excel. You can eithe user the Charting tool in Microsoft Excel to do it, or another very popular way of doing it is to use condition formating and some simple Excel formula to automate this task.

To create a gantt chart like the above in Excel is very easy. All you need is to use the condition formating for the gantt chart area. The formula would check if the cell date falls within the start and end dates of the task. So for example in Cell G 1, the formula would be:

=IF(AND(G$1>=$C2,G$1<=$D2),1)

That's all that you need to enter in the condition formating window for this cell. After that just duplicate this formula across to all the cells.

Of course there are tools that are available to help you plot this easily with many added functions. One such free too is XL-EasyGantt.

You can check out these sites for other methods:

http://www.xleasygantt.com/excelmacros.asp

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HA010346051033.aspx

http://peltiertech.com/Excel/Charts/GanttChart.html