What do I need?

[TomJunior]

Hi,

We have 5 users here, and we want to implement a project management software that we can all work in collaboration with. Best I can tell, we would need 5 copies of Project Professional and one copy of Project Professional Server. But the Microsoft site was pretty sketchy on what I needed. Can anyone tell me how they are using project in their workgroup environment, and what they purchased to make it happen?

Thanks!
T

 

[PDQBach]

Project does not work "in collaboration" -- and that's a major benefit. Whoever opens the file owns the file and makes the updates to it ... there are no "shares".

You've got a small department. Avoid Project Server -- it's way more than you need. In fact, the mere fact that you have mentioned it suggests to me that whoever is responsible for looking at Project Server in your organization does not understand what benefits project server brings. (Here's a hint: the whole reason for project server is to provide corporate oversight on a broad range of projects by bringing in a whole range of processes to track the resource allocation/usage, costs, etc. of the *corporation* -- it has virtually *nothing* to do with project schedule and cost tracking.)

All you need are five copies of Project Standard and a standard folder in your lan where those project files are kept. Or, at least, from your brief comment, that would appear to be all you need.

Me? I'd keep my project files in my folders and only copy them occasionally to the lan folder. I'd never copy them from the lan folder back to my folders because I don't know who has been in them nor what changes the others have made. The last thing I want, as a PM, is to be held accountable for a file whose contents are not controlled by me.

 

[TomJunior]

Thanks. That's a big help. That's what we'll do.