New to Project

[Ryan]

Hello,

I am currently demoing Project 2003 and have called Microsoft to get exactly
what I need so that I can present it with accurate costs to our IT dept.
Basically what I need to know is what exactly we need.

I want to be able to setup projects and assign resources and have emails or
alerts sent to the resources telling them of projects or tasks that were
assigned and have them be able to update etc.

Microsoft customer service stated that I would need Microsoft Project
Professional as well as Microsoft Project Server and that I could install the
Professional edition on the server and deploy as needed or have the users we
need go direct to the server say through a terminal client to use it without
purchasing additional licenses.

Please let me know if this is correct and if this is the only software we
will need.

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[John]

Hello,

I am currently demoing Project 2003 and have called Microsoft to get exactly
what I need so that I can present it with accurate costs to our IT dept.
Basically what I need to know is what exactly we need.

I want to be able to setup projects and assign resources and have emails or
alerts sent to the resources telling them of projects or tasks that were
assigned and have them be able to update etc.

Microsoft customer service stated that I would need Microsoft Project
Professional as well as Microsoft Project Server and that I could install the
Professional edition on the server and deploy as needed or have the users we
need go direct to the server say through a terminal client to use it without
purchasing additional licenses.

Please let me know if this is correct and if this is the only software we
will need.

Thanks,
Ryan

Ryan,
Well to be honest, it sounds like whoever you talked to at Microsoft
pointed you in the direction of the most expensive installation. Unless
your company is large and you have a need for all the whistles and bells
offered by the Server version (your modest description doesn't point
that way), you can actually get by just fine with any of the Project
2XXX versions. That's right, even Project 2000 will meet your needs (as
described) although it is no longer actively supported by Microsoft.

Now that I've probably ired my fellow MVPs who work with Server, I'm
sure you will receive more responses.

John
Project MVP

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi John and all,

As you know, I'm not a Server specialist either but in all fairness, when
you specifically ask for these collaboration features, I understand the
direction towards Server.
Especially the "able to update" requires some VBA if you don't use Server,
and I'm not sure whether this will always be the least expensive solution.

Greetings,

 

[Ryan]

John,

Thanks for the reply.. Do you have an email address that I can discuss this
further with you? You can email me at: (e-mail address removed) if you
want.

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[John]

John,

Thanks for the reply.. Do you have an email address that I can discuss this
further with you? You can email me at: (e-mail address removed) if you
want.

Thanks,
Ryan

Ryan,
I personally think you would be better off keeping the discussion in the
public newsgroup. If you and I correspond directly, you will get my
opinion only and I'll tell you that I am a minimalist when it comes to
recommending software applications (heck, I think Project 4.x has all
the functionality that 90% of the Project user community needs).

I don't use Server but I know it has a lot of whistles and bells for
enterprise project management. But from what I understand, (and that may
not be much), it is also not trivial to set up and implement properly.

Whether your company should get the full blown Project Server installed
or whether a more modest version would be fully adequate has a lot to do
with the details of what you want to do with project management and how
large your deployment base will be. For example, the "needs" you mention
(setup projects, e-mail alerts and have the ability for users to update)
are rather modest, and can be implemented with a basic installation of
Project 2000 or 2003 Standard. However, if the specifics behind your
modest description really get into full enterprise wide interaction of
Project users, then maybe the Server version would be better in the long
run.

Here's what I suggest. We have a separate newsgroup for Server
(microsoft.public.project.server). If there is more detail to your needs
than you expressed in your original post, why not post a more complete
"specification" back to this newsgroup and to the server newsgroup
(normally we don't like to see duplicate posts, but in this case it may
be appropriate). I won't guarantee you will get more or better responses
but at least it will give the newsgroup an opportunity to better help
you with your decision.

John
Project MVP