Is Project Server needed for collaboration?

[Art Saffran]

A client wants to buy 5 copies of Project so they can manage projects in the
office. I think they expect to collaborate among themselves on a variety of
projects. Does Project Standard or Professional offer project collaboration
on a network or is the Project Server required for multiple users to share
tasks and timelines on shared projects?

Thanks.

--Art

 

[Dave]

You have to be clear about exactly what it is you want to do.

Without Project Server you can create a resource pool and have a common
view of resource usage and ensure that work is realistically distributed.

Using a resource pool is a bit clunky and it becomes rapidly unwieldy as
the number of users increases. You need to work out how often
simultaneous access to the pool is likely to be required because only
one person can open the resource pool file for writing at any one time.

With both routes, only one person can have write access to any give
project file (and hence any particular task) at any moment in time.

With Project Server there are other elements of functionality that may
be useful such as the ability to get resources to submit timesheets so
that actuals are recorded (of course these can be imported into the
standalone version but the integration isn't so neat), or the ability to
create and run customised reports in a way that you can't with the
standalone version.

The overhead of managing Project Server is also far greater than that
for the standalone version although that is partially offset by the
discipline that using a resource pool requires.

If you buy the professional version you can get started with a resource
pool and see how that goes. You can then upgrade later. Setting up the
desktop version and a resource pool is something that can be done
without any outside assistance (although training on the tool is
worthwhile if you haven't used it) whereas implementing Project Server
is a serious undertaking and is probably something you will have to buy
outside expertise in for.

If your clients haven't used Project yet, they probably need to use a
trial version of it and see what it can do for them. They also need to
define better what they mean by "project collaboration".

 

[Art Saffran]

Hi Dave,

Thanks. This is helpful. I'll follow up with my client to get a clearer
definition of their needs.

Two questions for now:

1. If they define collaboration as: "Ability of five staff to view a common
set of projects and their tasks, timelines and assignments and to updated
those tasks (mark as done, change tasks, etc.) so everyone can be on track on
each project." Under this definition, will Project Standard work for them or
is the minimum Project Professional using the resource pools you mentioned?

2. They have Small Business Server...will Project Server live and work well
on that type of server? It's a dual processor, brand new system.

Thanks.

--Art

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

First this: as long as you do not use Project Server, there is no difference
at all between Standard and Professional. The resource pool option works
just as well in Standard.
Only, if they later might want to move to Server, the Standard licences are
useless.
This being said, I personally think that Server is overkill d-for such a
smaal amount of project leaders.

OTOH, reading your requirements, I want to re-state Dave's words:

With both routes, only one person can have write access to any give project
file (and hence any particular task) at any moment in time.
Simultaneous read/write access to Project files is impossible even with the
Server solution.
Your requirements can be met without Server as long as your users are aware
of this limitation.

Hope this helps,
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[Dave]

Hi,

First this: as long as you do not use Project Server, there is no difference
at all between Standard and Professional. The resource pool option works
just as well in Standard.
Only, if they later might want to move to Server, the Standard licences are
useless.
This being said, I personally think that Server is overkill d-for such a
smaal amount of project leaders.

OTOH, reading your requirements, I want to re-state Dave's words:

With both routes, only one person can have write access to any give project
file (and hence any particular task) at any moment in time.
Simultaneous read/write access to Project files is impossible even with the
Server solution.
Your requirements can be met without Server as long as your users are aware
of this limitation.

Hope this helps,

I agree that server would be overkill. Really the costs of setting up
Project Server far outweigh any considerations about whether or not the
platform itself is up to the job.

I infer that these users are not experienced on Project and they should
at least try the application before embarking on any decisions. They
should be getting a couple of trial versions and seeing how they get on
with that before taking things any further - to do otherwise would be
reckless.

I understand that the trial period for Project 2007 is a generous 6 months.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Agree!

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf