Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users
reviewer2014785 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
Real User
Tight integrations with other Microsoft products such as SharePoint and Power Automate
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to check project costs in the solution."
  • "The setup and scalability can be somewhat difficult for new users until they gain knowledge."

What is our primary use case?

Our company uses the solution for project management. We monitor work progress or activities to ensure they are completed. We get a full view of start dates, end dates, and all dependencies required for actions. 

We store many things on Teams. We can make objections or put things in SharePoint. 

Nine team members in our department use the solution. Previously, we used only on-premises but now we are using both on-premises and the cloud service.

What is most valuable?

The solution is tightly integrated with other Microsoft products such as SharePoint and Power Automate and also integrates with Google.

It is easy to check project costs in the solution. 

Notifications provide alerts of new outages so you can move your project as needed.

What needs improvement?

The setup and scalability can be somewhat difficult for new users until they gain knowledge. 

Ongoing education would motivate users to learn and take advantage of the solution's many features. 

The price could be more flexible. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for three years. 

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Project
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Project. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
832,138 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable so I rate stability a nine out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. 

If you are familiar with Microsoft tools, then it is easy to understand the scalability. If you are a new user, then scaling may be difficult because you have to spend some time understanding Microsoft chronologies first to scale the solution. 

How are customer service and support?

I have not used technical support. 

How was the initial setup?

When we started working with the solution, the setup was somewhat difficult. Once you gain knowledge, you slowly see that the solution is easy to use. 

What about the implementation team?

We implemented the solution in-house. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The licensing model is somewhat complex. Initially, the price is low but scales up because you pay for consumption and usage. 

Pricing is okay if you have one or two users. If you add everyone in your company as project managers, then the price is high. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

The solution is better than Jira. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
BaidyTHIONGANE - PeerSpot reviewer
Engineer at BNP Paribas
Real User
Top 5
Stable, and scalable, but is complex to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of the solution is planning."
  • "The licensing cost is expensive and has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of the solution is for in-house IT projects such as network projects, and system projects.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of Microsoft Project is planning.

What needs improvement?

The licensing cost for Microsoft Project is expensive and has room for improvement.

The initial setup is complex and has room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for several years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Microsoft Project is complex.

The deployment took one day.

What about the implementation team?

The implementation was completed in-house.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The license for Microsoft Project is a one-time payment but it is expensive.

What other advice do I have?

I give the solution a six out of ten.

We have 20 people using the solution in our organization.

Two people are required for the maintenance of the solution including one manager and one engineer.

I recommend the solution to other users.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Project
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Project. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
832,138 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1863798 - PeerSpot reviewer
Solutions Manager, Support Analyst at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Real User
The interface is intuitive, so anyone can jump in and start, but reporting could be better
Pros and Cons
  • "Microsoft Project integrates well with the Microsoft Office family of applications. It has plugins that interact with it and you can use it with Microsoft Teams. We can use plugins to communicate with JIRA, Projectplace, and Planview. It's not widely used in the company, of course, but it's something that can interact with the official tools that we have."
  • "Planview FLEX licensing gives us a central repository where all the projects are stored so you can check the finances, resources, etc. It's quite useful to have everything connected. We don't have that for Microsoft Project. It's disconnected. The reporting capabilities could also be better, especially with finance and resources. Everybody complains about reports. That's why we need another tool."

What is our primary use case?

Microsoft Project is one of the main tools our teams abroad use for planning, and it's very flexible. Local teams use it to manage small projects locally. It's also a repository for storing financial information that we don't want to track down. 

Teams use Microsoft Project for tracking tasks, managing requests, assigning resources, and following up. Workers can submit work to managers for approval and then it's submitted to the main process. 

How has it helped my organization?

Microsoft Project provides a starter tool that project managers can learn before moving on to solutions that are more convenient or widely used in the company. The interface is intuitive, so anyone can jump in and start planning. 

It's also a tool that is common among many companies, so if I take a new job at another firm, there's a good chance they will be using Microsoft Project, too. When we hire a new person, they can usually start working right away without any training. We only need to teach them how to apply that knowledge to the other tools we use.

What is most valuable?

Microsoft Project integrates well with the Microsoft Office family of applications. It has plugins that interact with it and you can use it with Microsoft Teams. We can use plugins to communicate with JIRA, Projectplace, and Planview. It's not widely used in the company, of course, but it's something that can interact with the official tools that we have. 

What needs improvement?

You can do a lot of stuff with Microsoft Project, but the licensing is for individual computers, so it's not connected to a central platform like the one that we have in Planview. 

Planview FLEX licensing gives us a central repository where all the projects are stored so you can check the finances, resources, etc. It's quite useful to have everything connected. We don't have that for Microsoft Project. It's disconnected. The reporting capabilities could also be better, especially with finance and resources. Everybody complains about reports. That's why we need another tool. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've only been using Microsoft Project for a year. I have more experience with Planview Projectplace, but we use this as well. I'm primarily responsible for Projectplace in my role. I do onboarding for other teams, create the workflows, and work with use case scenarios for various teams worldwide. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's an on-premise solution. It's never going to break down because it's installed on a local computer. It's highly stable from that point of view, but our use case is also limited. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

A project management application is only as powerful as the information you put inside. Projectplace is available to time reporters, developers, engineers, resource managers, and financial controllers. It is a powerful tool that provides a centralized way to gather information. 

A director can access Projectplace and see every project involving their teams. You can create custom reports. We have teams that design new reports for the various needs we have. That's the most powerful feature a project management solution can have—the ability to pull out information. That's something we don't have with Microsoft Project.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Microsoft Project seven out of 10. Better tools are available. Microsoft Project is a decent tool for small startups and medium-sized projects, and it's widely used. 

We work with customers to develop products from scratch. The process involves multiple design teams, financial controls, and planning. Each project is part of a larger program, and we have to follow up on that. There are tons of tools that can do this way better. Microsoft Project, in my opinion, is for small and medium-sized projects.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Engineer at Advanced Military Maintenance Repair & Overhaul Center (AMMROC)
Real User
Offers comprehensive project overviews but could improve its consultant support for setup and integration features
Pros and Cons
  • "Microsoft Project offers comprehensive project overviews and the ability to rate down what we have and what we need in terms of software."
  • "I would like Microsoft Project to better align with our business needs, with improved consultant support for setup and integration features that show all relevant aspects at the top level."

What is our primary use case?

We use Microsoft Project to capture customer requests, explore details like function and performance, and consider operational and maintenance aspects. Then we mix this with the budget and the customer's mission.

How has it helped my organization?

Using Microsoft Project benefits our company by providing necessary insights such as SKU and manpower requirements, estimated project costs, and critical paths. It helps identify critical tools and events of communication, aiding in problem-solving and avoiding threats to project success.

What is most valuable?

Microsoft Project offers comprehensive project overviews and the ability to rate down what we have and what we need in terms of software.

What needs improvement?

I would like Microsoft Project to better align with our business needs, with improved consultant support for setup and integration features that show all relevant aspects at the top level.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Project for ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Microsoft Project has always been stable for us.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Microsoft Project is scalable enough for our needs.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate the technical support as a seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

Setting up Microsoft Project in our company was relatively straightforward, taking a short amount of time.

What other advice do I have?

We integrate Microsoft Project into our project management processes to handle both technical and business aspects.

Integrating Microsoft Project has been challenging, particularly regarding harmonization across departments. While integration is beneficial, achieving harmonization is essential for seamless collaboration.

Microsoft Project's reporting function helps decision-making by offering clear insights.

My advice is to use Microsoft Project along with other tools for capturing detailed requirements, not just focusing on function but also considering performance, operations, maintenance, and certification. This ensures project success and timely completion.

Overall, I would rate Microsoft Project as a six out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1991439 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Program Manager at a government with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Integrates with Visio and allows us to have a milestone schedule and a breakdown of work
Pros and Cons
  • "Being able to get a milestone schedule or a breakdown out of it is valuable. It can integrate into Visio, which is helpful."
  • "Its user interface could be a little bit more intuitive. Not everybody has the luxury of going to training and understanding which button does what and the functionality. The user interface should be improved to make it a little bit more intuitive. It is not user-friendly. I've dealt with it for a number of years, so it is not hard for me to figure it out, but you would need a quick reference guide or something to say, "Here are the basics. This is how you do X.""

What is our primary use case?

We use it for the Gantt functionality. We can do project schedules and use the WBS piece to break down the work. We are able to generate reports for leadership to show project schedules, milestone schedules, etc.

It is installed on the desktop. It is not connected to the project server or anything like that. 

What is most valuable?

Being able to get a milestone schedule or a breakdown out of it is valuable. It can integrate into Visio, which is helpful.

What needs improvement?

Its user interface could be a little bit more intuitive. Not everybody has the luxury of going to training and understanding which button does what and the functionality. The user interface should be improved to make it a little bit more intuitive. It is not user-friendly. I've dealt with it for a number of years, so it is not hard for me to figure it out, but you would need a quick reference guide or something to say, "Here are the basics. This is how you do X."

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for about five or six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable.

How are customer service and support?

I haven't contacted them.

How was the initial setup?

It takes a while to build, but it will probably depend on the project size and all the dependencies. So, it isn't exactly straightforward, but it also depends on the size of the project or the scope of the project.

What other advice do I have?

It is pretty straightforward. There isn't anything heavy about it.

I would rate it an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Kati Arndt - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Partner - Cognitive Process Automation Practice Leader at IBM
Real User
Good performance and a useful Gantt char view but does not work well on a Mac
Pros and Cons
  • "The Gantt chart view is great."
  • "I find the setup a little bit cumbersome."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for project management. For example, IT implementation projects. 

What is most valuable?

The Gantt chart view is great. It shows all activities, and the planning of durations is very easy. We can see our suppliers and everything. 

The solution is stable.

It's scalable.

What needs improvement?

It doesn't really work too well on a Mac.

The initial setup was a bit complex. I find the setup a little bit cumbersome. Sometimes there are certain rules that automatically update something else, and it's not always visible. When that happens, you are left with a surprise.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for six years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution seems to be stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

With some assistance, it is possible to scale the product.

We have around 1,000 people using it in our company.

How are customer service and support?

I have not used technical support and therefore cannot speak to how helpful or responsive they would be if you needed help.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used other products in the past.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was a bit complex. It wasn't overly simple. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The licensing is handled centrally within the company. I don't have any visibility on the pricing aspect. I can't say how much it costs our organization precisely.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have evaluated other products. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm not sure which version of the solution we're using. I don't know the version number off-hand. 

I'd recommend the solution. I find it to be quite useful, especially for waterfall-type projects.

I would rate it seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Vishnu Ramachandra - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Engineer at Suraksha
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Along with an excellent GUI and high scalability, the solution also ensures that its users experience a return on investment
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that the product's GUI is very good...The product's scalability is good."
  • "The stability of the solution is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement."

What is our primary use case?

I have used Microsoft Project for mapping out projects and stuff like that. Though I am not heavily involved with Microsoft Project, I can say that it helps with project management purposes in my company.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that the product's GUI is very good since it is very visual in nature. If you are in a project meeting and the customers want estimates of when the project will be done, I think they get the point instantly.

What needs improvement?

The stability of the solution is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Project for a couple of years. I use the solution's latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight or nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product's scalability is good. We have been using it in our company for quite some time. In our company, we have done many project plans with the help of the solution and haven't found issues yet with the solution.

Microsoft Project is a solution used by three or four people from the senior management in our company.

My company does not have plans to increase the solution's usage.

How are customer service and support?

I have not dealt with the solution's technical support team directly. Some of my team members who have dealt with the solution's technical support team directly told me that Microsoft's technical support is good.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Microsoft Project was straightforward.

Microsoft Project's installation process took around two hours.

The solution is deployed on-premises.

Only one junior engineer is required to deploy and maintain the solution.

What about the implementation team?

A consultant carried out Microsoft Project's installation process.

What was our ROI?

Microsoft Project's ROI has been good so far since we have had no issues in our company, because of which the company plans to renew the licenses whenever they expire.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I am not aware of any additional costs apart from the standard licensing fees of the solution.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend this solution to those planning to use it.

Microsoft Project's potential users should plan their projects well enough before planning to use it. In general, Microsoft Project is one of the best tools available in the market.

I rate the overall solution somewhere between eight and nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1548543 - PeerSpot reviewer
SVP, Emerging Data Platforms at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Good project planning features, good charts, and good at doing what it is supposed to do
Pros and Cons
  • "The standard project planning features and charts are most valuable."
  • "When a project plan becomes huge, it is painful to arrange and structure the project in Microsoft Project. Currently, you require a separate product for managing agile projects, and people are using Jira and Rally to manage stories in agile. Primarily, on the software development side, people are kind of moving away from Microsoft Project."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for IT project management. It is mainly used for managing tasks.

What is most valuable?

The standard project planning features and charts are most valuable.

What needs improvement?

When a project plan becomes huge, it is painful to arrange and structure the project in Microsoft Project.

Currently, you require a separate product for managing agile projects, and people are using Jira and Rally to manage stories in agile. Primarily, on the software development side, people are kind of moving away from Microsoft Project.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable but not for huge project plans.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I am using its desktop version. They also have an online version where you can collaborate and do things like that. It is Office 365, which I don't use. 

In terms of users, around 10,000 people might be using it. Its users include service delivery managers, project managers, and business analysts.

How are customer service and technical support?

I never had to use tech support for Microsoft Project.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used a competing product that was free and open-source, but it didn't have as many features as Microsoft Project.

We are kind of migrating to Jira for the agile model because we mostly have agile-based developments. All task stories and other things are managed in Jira. We are not using Microsoft Project that much now. It is only being used for project planning and for creating task dependencies.

How was the initial setup?

In my organization, it is already packaged and available. 

What other advice do I have?

I would advise others to learn about project planning. There is good enough information available online on Microsoft's website.

I would rate Microsoft Project an eight out of ten. It is good at doing what it is supposed to do. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Project Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2025
Product Categories
Project Management Software
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Project Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.