Microsoft Project 2000 [OLD VERSION]

Technically, there weren't too many surprises. While we did have to restart more than once in order to make it through the full installation, in the end, it wasn't too problematic. (In typical heavy-handed fashion, though, the installation resulted in having Internet Explorer reinstalled as a desktop shortcut.) The interface is the same as any product in the Microsoft Office suite--a boon to new users. As an added plus, the accompanying user's guide is topnotch, presenting beginning- to advanced-level documentation on how to get the most from this product (and in turn, become a truly skilled project manager).

For those unfamiliar with Project, here's the general course of events in using the application: in working with the software, you--as the user--have to thoroughly think through the consequences of your priorities. This can have myriad benefits to the people working under you, as you're asked to quantify resources, deadlines, tasks, and costs. At a critical juncture--if, for example, the project just won't be finished according to schedule--Project 2000 will provide resources and data to decide between tradeoffs: Do you limit the scope? Add more resources? Push the timeline back? Most importantly, you can cut through the veil of darkness surrounding some projects by publicizing your progress on company intranet space. You can even create circles of e-mail correspondence with the help of the brand-new Microsoft Project Central.

More advanced users will appreciate the options that allow you to consolidate multiple projects easily (and link resources or tasks). But Project 2000 can really be used by just about everyone. Styled to be used by professional managers, this tool will make a variety of business people--or even someone managing something like a home renovation!--more efficient. A way to keep track of the big picture by seeing all the details within it, Project 2000 is highly recommended. --Jennifer Buckendorff

Amazon.com Product Description
Microsoft Project 2000 provides you with the flexibility needed to collaboratively plan and track projects and deliver the results your business demands. With Microsoft Project 2000, you can group, sort, and filter your data based on the specific needs of your project, allowing you to create exactly the views and reports you need. You can improve your organization's collaboration by involving everyone in project planning and tracking. This single planning tool for everyone in an organization increases your project team's productivity. Microsoft Project 2000 has new features to increase Team, Planner, and Organizational productivity and represents a new milestone for Microsoft's project-management offerings.

Project management is inherently complex; this software reflects that fact. In practice Project Management is part science, part practice, part communication and part art form. I am convinced the pre-project planning saves countless hours of frustration during the project specification and production phases. No software will ever help with those negotiations.

However, once the project is underway, Microsoft Project proves its mettle. One of my biggest struggles with on-going projects is communication - with team members, sponsors and management. Here Microsoft Project 2000 is invaluable. It offers Project Central, a Web-based portal, which empowers team members to input their daily work time on each task, and have it automatically update Project. In the past the project manager was required to input this data.

There is a module for Earned Value calculations, which can be used to provide sponsors and management an early warning of project slippage.

My only complaint is that it is difficult to roll a sub-project up into a master-project. If anyone has a solution to this problem that carries all the data with it, e-mail it to me. I will be forever indebted to you.


Needs Patching   October 24, 2001
 11 out of 13 found this review helpful

Helps get projects moving, a great piece of software until around the 50th time you run it when it shuts down. I cant find any patches to repair this problem.


Microsoft Licensing Problem   September 1, 2001
 39 out of 41 found this review helpful

It's a shame Microsoft doesn't trust it's customers. This product requires one to eMail, call, or connect to Microsoft through the Internet to register. If you don't, you can't use the product after starting it 49 more times. If that's not bad enough, I wasn't able to register this product because the software key was outside the range Microsoft had in their database and because "I purchased it through an Internet store" (I purchased it from Amazon), they refused to assist me in any way. This is a new directive from Microsoft I confirmed after escillation. Apparently Microsoft doesn't trust any internet store as well as it's customers.


Hard to set up, but...   June 21, 2001
 18 out of 20 found this review helpful

I have to agree with the other review about the difficulties to install Project 2000. In fact at my office we've yet to have it completely set up to my entire satisfaction.

However I would not give it two stars. I'd rate it three starts, because of the following:
ON THE POSITIVE SIDE:
-It allows for a very nice way to keep track of projects on a distributed environment, such as we have back at the office, where two developers (for example) work from their homes in distant cities. Project Central, the feature Project 2000 includes, which allows for a web-based project management interface is definitely the largest plus it comes bundled with.

ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE:
-The way to update the original Project files by means of the web-based update is very convoluted for the project manager: it generates one individual update per project where the person reporting back is working on, which can be very cumbersome if the person works in several (3-4) activities at the same time.
-There is no way to make comments about the progress of each of the specific activities, in the form of a log, or something similar. So, an update from a person working on a project has to be coupled with a status report, which is not exactly what you'd call one of the best implemented features of Project.

However, overall, I HAVE to acknowledge that it has helped me as Project Manager to have a better tracking of projects occurring left and right.