Microsoft Project Server Reviews

My organization handles IT consulting and services. That's primarily how the organization is managed. The use case for this solution was to set up the resource development unit and manage the investment cost, scheduling, budgeting, and some of those new initiatives that were supposed to happen in the R&D division. That was why we were looking for a portfolio management product. We found that Project Server could be a way to visualize and govern the entire program for the client.

The solution has improved the organization primarily due to the transparency between each individual team. There is a productivity benefit. I've likely seen a 20% to 28% increase in productivity benefit over a year's time. From a cost perspective, I'm less sure of how to comment. That said, productivity and transparency are definitely the two benefits I've witnessed so far.

The most relevant feature is its collaboration capabilities. Users can easily collaborate, for example, on Sharepoint or Microsoft Teams. If there is a lot of heavy usage of Microsoft tools, it's easy to share and collaborate across apps.

The Excel interface is very good. 

The stability of the 2019 version is quite good.

The deployment aspect of the product is a bit tedious. That's something I personally see of my organization. Deploying Project Server from an infrastructure perspective is not an easy thing. It takes a week sometimes to set it up. 

From a features perspective, the insights around the cost and budget could be improved. Competitor products are more robust. Project Server has a very limited feature in terms of reporting. Specifically, the features around the cost control are weak. The built-in reports and the built-in analytics for Project Server are very minimal. The competitors are way ahead than what Project Server is offering us.

The initial setup was complex.

The integration to an employee engagement platform probably would make more sense and integrations with other products like SAP would be useful.

Users of Project Server need to write some amount of custom integrations to the DLP product innovation site. If you wanted to have resource analysis, you want to create invoices based on resources working on a project, that integration is still not there. Integrating with some of those invoice management systems would make more sense now based on the way enterprises are working in terms of automation.

The solution needs multi-language support. The tool primarily supports English as a primary language. If someone wanted to make it Arabic, the Project Server does not work well. The characters sets, the dates, and other things create a lot of mess.

We've been using the solution for around six years or so. We started using it in 2016.

When I was using the Project Server 2016, that was creating a lot of problems in terms of performance, in terms of export, input, the content. However, when we moved to Project Server 2019 three years ago, I would say it was an improved version. It's quite stable now. There have been a lot of technical advancements, and feature announcements. 2019 is a much more stable version.

Primarily the solution has been handled by the PMO team which is comprised of 20 users. They are mostly portfolio managers, program managers, and solution architects as well as an executive who usually uses it from a governance perspective.

Since this has been used by the portfolio managers, so it's basically bread and butter for the PMO team. It's used day in, day out and it's tracking a single source of truth from a program management perspective. In terms of expanding the portfolio, likely, the business will grow, and that's when we may add more users. By 2022, we might add five more users. That is what I foresee.

We go through a CSP partner for Microsoft due to the online nature of the deployment. Our CSP partner is quite helpful. We are pleased with the support quality they provide. I would rate them four out of five stars. 

The initial setup was complex. Any type of guidance or user training or helpful documentation and materials were not available.

The deployment took around seven to ten days. Deployment took really a long time. 

I will not be able to properly quantify what went wrong. I'm not sure if it was the infrastructure or the capacity planning or if the partner just wasn't quite capable. There could have been multiple issues. The general perception was that was supposed to happen within a day, maximum. It took around seven to nine all working days to just set up the environment.

We used partners. They were a Microsoft partner.

Since I was not managing the process, I can't give feedback in terms of how the partner was to work with, or their capabilities. 

The solution offers a subscription-based pay-as-you-go model.

Now that everyone has moved to the online version, it is my understanding that the approximate cost comes to around $350 to $400 USD per month. I see or close to $4,000 to $5,000 USD per annum.

We are simply a customer and an end-user.

Although we began with the on-premises version, we've recently started using the online version of the solution. That is primarily how we access it now.

From an advice perspective, for any enterprise that has an existing investment around Microsoft, it makes more sense in terms of moving to a Project Server to manage in a more structured way. However, if you do not use SharePoint, if you do not use Microsoft Teams or any sort of solution that is the real value of Project Server it's not necessary to use Project Server. This solution is best for those companies planning to have a commitment to Microsoft technology. It brings more value. 

I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. It's lacking some features around budget cost and portfolio management. There are a few areas that could use improvement still. 

We use the tool in our IT-related projects. All IT efforts are managed using the Microsoft Project Server. Every week, we have a project status meeting where we demonstrate the project's status using the tool. We track tasks and progress, assign owners, and monitor milestones and all project-related work using it. 

We sometimes need support from the IT department for installing and deploying the Microsoft Project Server. It is not user-friendly, and users cannot install it themselves.

I have been using the product for four to five years. 

I rate the tool's stability an eight out of ten. 

My company has 30-35 users. 

We contact local partners for support, and their support is okay. 

The tool's deployment is not difficult. We centrally deploy the Microsoft Project Server for the project owners, and we manage projects in our data center using it. 

Our ROI is good. 

We have an enterprise agreement with Microsoft, and our licensing is based on the agreement. 

I would recommend the tool to others and rate it a ten out of ten. We use Microsoft Teams for collaboration. 

Currently, we are helping a government entity with their PMO portfolio. They have many departments and streams. The main Microsoft Project Server use case for them is managing the planning for all the projects within the workflows, monitoring the projects inside the dashboards of the PMO and processing all the workflows for the project initiation, charter, and deliverables.

There are many valuable features of this solution. It is very advanced and once you understand and learn how to use it, it can be quite powerful. The whole package can be quite powerful. Inside of Microsoft Project Server, you not only have in-house development solutions, but also the workflow engine. You can create templates, pages, and users. The web part is very straightforward and even without any development knowledge, you can create any page you want aside from the workflows. This is fantastic.

The solution should be made more collaborative. Currently, we are using Microsoft Project Server alone, without the involvement of a team. In other words, we are not collaborating with the whole team within the solution and that is a minus. 

I would also like to see an integration with Amazon's project management solution. As of right now, there is no integration. We have a link only between the Amazon project management solution and the planner activities. This is very basic and we need some advanced cooperation options.

I have been using Microsoft Project Server for four years.

I would rate the stability of this solution an eight, on a scale from one to 10, with one being the worst and 10 being the best. My opinion is that the cloud version of this solution is quite stable.

I would rate the scalability of this solution an eight, on a scale from one to 10, with one being the worst and 10 being the best.

The main problem with this solution is collaboration between teams. If you want to involve the other teams you'll have to buy Project Light servers or enable the project team members to collaborate inside the plan itself. This is an extra cost to the standard license. We also have a license for the planner and the teams, but we need some integration between all of them.

The professional and premium licenses are quite expensive.

The solution can be very slow. Sometimes, it takes minutes to open a page that shares the dashboards. 

In addition, there is no training material and there needs to be more awareness training. There's no online help to aid users through the process.

The first thing I would say to anyone trying to use this solution is that you need to understand its capabilities and functionalities before trying to use it. If you are not aware of the capabilities and features, you are using a Bugatti like a normal car. You need to get the right training and educate all of the project managers on how they can utilize the main functionality and services of the solution.

Overall, I would rate this solution a seven, on a scale from one to 10, with one being the worst and 10 being the best.

I use Microsoft Project Server to develop project plans and share them with some of my customers. For the last eight months, I've been using it actively.

Over 14 years, there have been many instances where I needed to develop a project plan and share it with a few of my customers, aiding in project management.

The level of customization is significant, and there are ample resources available online about how to use it. The ability to export project plans and share them with team members is one of the valuable features.

The reporting in the desktop version is not highly customizable or professional compared to other solutions. The lack of collaboration capabilities on the desktop version, unlike the cloud version, is a limitation. Also, exporting in the cloud version as an Excel sheet doesn't reflect the project plan file format well.

I have been using Microsoft Project Server for over 14 years. Recently, I've been using it actively for eight months.

The stability of the desktop version depends on the stability of the Windows operating system. If the operating system is stable, then Project Server is stable as well.

The desktop version does not have scalability. Scalability would refer to the cloud version, which I have not personally used.

When I related to another issue, the ticket was duplicated among two teams, which led to communication with two people. One was knowledgeable while the other was learning, causing a delay in problem resolution.

Positive

Installation is generally easy, one of the best features of Microsoft.

One engineer or technician is usually enough for installation.

Since Microsoft dominates the market share for PCs and laptops, having their solution is almost mandatory, making it difficult to straightforwardly assess ROI.

Microsoft's products are expensive for individuals. For enterprises, there is more flexibility in licensing, but high-end solutions require significant investment.

Microsoft Project Server is a powerful tool I've used for years. However, development is moving towards the cloud version. There might be potential for a hybrid approach that combines desktop capabilities with cloud features.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

I use Microsoft Project Server for basic product deployments involving API.

The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is stable to use, especially since I work with Microsoft for an extended period. Microsoft Project Server is pretty convenient for me to use since I don't have to pay for it.

There are certain shortcomings in the documentation part where improvements are required. Microsoft should release some basic documentation on use cases to the public so that anyone who wants to learn more about the product can learn about it through the documentation available on Microsoft's websites.

I have been using Microsoft Project Server for a week or two.

It is a stable solution.

It is a scalable solution.

Around 100 people use Microsoft Project Server.

The initial setup of Microsoft Project Server is easy.

If the codes and everything else related to the deployment process are ready, then the completion of the deployment phase would hardly take 20 to 25 minutes.

The solution is deployed on the cloud.

Microsoft Project Server provides users with all the tools necessary for deployment, so you don't need to seek any external help to install it.

There are some payments related to the licensing cost of Microsoft Project Server.

I recommend the solution to those who plan to use it.

I rate the overall product an eight out of ten.

Everyone in the company has projects, and everyone needs approvals from everyone in the company. They need to handle approvals, rejections, cost estimates, project timelines, et cetera. This is an investment company, and all of the projects and related items are handled by Microsoft Projects and Power BI. This solution allows the CEO to see what's happening in subsidiaries in the company. 

The solution has lots of features, and they are used by various people. They are all useful and important. 

It's a stable, reliable product.

The solution scales well. 

Technical support has been helpful and responsive.

The initial setup is complex. 

There need to be more tutorials available to users. It's very robust software with lots of features. If you don't know the shortcuts or the application, it's more difficult. Having training and tutorials would make learning it and accessing features easier. 

I've been using the solution for one year.

It's stable and reliable. The performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

It is a scalable solution. It's not an issue at all. 

We've used Fast Track. The Fast Track in Microsoft is a very good service. Their support is also very good. There are partners here in Egypt, and they are good partners. We have been satisfied with the level of service on offer.

We have a hybrid setup, which makes the implementation a little bit more complex. It took us a while to set everything up.

I'd recommend the solution to others. We've been happy with the solution in general. I'd rate it eight out of ten.

The main use case was related to task management, involving the assignment of tasks across departments. It provided visibility into individual performance, allowing for team member invitations, and monitored key performance indicators.

Our experience with Microsoft Project Server wasn't very positive, and due to high demand, over 70% of employees requested to stop using it. They encountered technical difficulties and faced challenges with the customer helpdesk. Getting in touch with a representative for assistance was a prolonged and frustrating process.

One notable positive aspect is its effective project-tracking capabilities.

Remote usage and tracking pose challenges, requiring navigation through numerous technical details and troubleshooting. This inconvenience sometimes leads to abandoning the task on the device and waiting until the next workday to resume operations. Improvements are needed in the technical support process, aiming for a better user experience. The current process, when encountering difficulties, should be more user-friendly, streamlined, and efficient. Quick and accessible customer support is crucial, especially when seeking assistance during work hours.

I have been working with it for eleven years.

The stability was consistently problematic and we experienced frequent ups and downs with the MS Network, encountering issues like lagging and having to restart the system. At times, the problems were more severe, requiring a full computer restart due to the software freezing and affecting the entire computer screen. While these issues didn't occur daily, they were a recurring problem, happening quite often. I would rate it four out of ten.

I would describe it as moderate for my team. It's manageable, but it doesn't meet our expectations fully. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate it a five. We have approximately three thousand users working with it.

Our experience with its customer support services wasn't satisfactory at all. I would rate it two out of ten.

Negative

Asana and monday.com provide faster customer service responses compared to MS Project. Among them, monday.com stands out for its promptness, while both surpass MS Project in responsiveness. This highlights the need for MS Project to enhance its support system and streamline the user experience in handling technical challenges. MS Project's speed falls below expectations; it's notably slow and often requires reloading. The dashboard is not user-friendly, leading to considerable time spent on training people to use it effectively. In contrast, Asana and monday.com stand out at the top of the league in terms of speed and user-friendliness.

The initial setup was notably complex, in contrast to Asana and monday.com, which offer more simplicity and user-friendliness.

For those looking to work in real-time and seeking a faster and more accessible project management solution, I strongly recommend considering top project management software. Opting for cloud-based solutions with features for both project and portfolio management is crucial. There are several options available, such as monday.com and Asana, and even tools like Trello and others. Overall, I would rate it four out of ten.

We are using the solution for our security and infrastructure projects.

The product is user-friendly.

The price of the product must be improved.

I have been using the solution for three years.

I rate the tool’s stability a seven out of ten.

The tool has a high scalability. I rate the scalability an eight out of ten. Around ten people, including project managers, portfolio managers, and engineers, use the tool in our organization. We use the solution once a month.

I rate the ease of setup an eight out of ten. The deployment took us months.

We deployed the product with the help of a reseller.

I rate the pricing a seven out of ten. It is a bit costly.

Overall, I rate the tool an eight out of ten.