Comparison of Project Management Software - Schedules

A project schedule in tools like MS Project or Vertabase is different than in project collaboration tools like Basecamp.

The main idea behind a schedule in project management software like Vertabase is to create a detailed workflow for a project.  The schedule is the roadmap of the project and its successful completion.  It creates visibility and gives people the tools to do their work.

For example, documents and discussions that people need to work on on the project can all be connected directly to project schedules or even to specific tasks. 

Also, project budgets and time estimates can all be connected to the project schedule (though access to this information can be easily controlled).  In fact, actual time can be posted directly to tasks on a schedule.

Here are three benefits of using project schedules.

1. It centralizes project information in one spot in the software -this makes a huge difference when you are working on a large number of projects.
2. Timelines of multiple schedules can be aggregated and seen from a single report.
3. You can see tasks across all projects -no matter how many projects are going on. 

Further, a project schedule captures all the knowledge that goes into getting a project done so you can:

• Re-use schedules as project templates;
• Improve on your processes  so you can do things better and;
• Create more accurate estimates on projects in the future since the history is saved and accessible as a whole.

Their are numerous project management case studies available on the kind of impact using schedules can have on a company or department.

          

This entry was posted on Monday, December 24th, 2007 at 3:17 pm and is filed under Project Management Software, Project Management. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.