Difference between Project Server 2003 and 2007 2

[f0rg3tfu1]

Hey all,

Just doing a quick report here at work and had a few questions that someone who knows more than I can probally answer rather quickly.... Here they are in a nutshell:

- Server requirements (hardware/software required to run the product…itemize for each version [2003 & 2007])

- Differences between 2003 and 2007 versions (list)

- Limitations between the versions (can 2003 client connect to 2007 server?) (list)

I owe someone coffee if they can help!

 

[PDQBach]

System requirements (Pro, Server, Portfolio Server)

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/projectserver/HA101945401033.aspx

Differences

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/projectserver/HA102053431033.aspx#13

and search for the word "new". The first 4 hits are what you need.

Limitations
P2003Pro cannot connect to P2007Server and vice versa.

Coffee
You owe way more than a coffee. ;-)

 

[matmit]

I have just stepped into a new role of "Scheduler" for our company. The Project Managers used P2003 Std for Gantt Charts only. I have done the intro course etc and bashed my head against a brick wall for the last 3 months trying to get P2003 Std to produce the required reports, charts etc. and only found the software to have limitations.

We are now testdriving P2007 Pro to see if this is better for Resource Pools, reports, analysing our construction crews etc.

Is there anything else worth testdriving that may be better than MS Project 2007 Professional? I have looked at the differences of Pro and Server...we dont need Server.

Thanks, I am all ears/(eyes).

 

[PDQBach]

Unless you are using Project Server, you do not need ProjectPro -- Standard Project will be sufficient.

I haven't played with P2007 yet but unless the reports are different from P2003 then you won't have any additional advantages in going to P2007. Click on View | Reports and then step through the various reports and make a list of the names for each and then compare them with those in P2003 and let us all know if there are any new ones.

As for custom reports, I think you'll find that the best way is to learn some VBA and then stick the code into every project file to open an Excel spreadsheet for output and to then loop through the project schedule pushing appropriate info to Excel.

As for other products ... there's lots of them. As of a year or so ago (according to numbers I was told), the sum total of all competitors was about 1/10 the size of MS Project. I'm sure there's a reason for that.

 

[f0rg3tfu1]

Yes project integrates well with all other microsoft softwares. I think thats why microsoft retains such a hold on software... they are very easy to integrate together.

I know P3, Primevera and maximo are also other options, but they are much more expensive.

I guess it all depends on how far you want to go... Like Bach said, if you are only using project standard then its like killing a fly with a machine gun to use Maximo or Primevera.

 

[matmit]

Thanks PDQ.

P2007 does have Visual Reports, not sure if it was Std or Pro that I was testing??

Thanks.
Tam