Microsoft, Netoffice, ACE Project Management Tools - Research Paper Example

 Contents Contents 2 Overview 3 Microsoft Project 5 Netoffice 8 Ace projects 11 Recommendation 13 Part 2 15 Comparison 15 References 35 Overview In current few years, a multiplicity of business activities and transactions on the internet and business management software trends has augmented and go on to rise rapidly. Ecommerce and business management soft wares have been transformed from uncertain and perilous business adventures into legitimate and sophisticated business carry outs (Chamoun, 2006). At the same time as the traditional ways of doing business are up till now in existence, but the incorporation of new technology in business management and planning provides lot of facilities. They have opened up a fresh frontier for individuals and companies to connect in economic, business, and trade activities. Different industries face diverse challenges while managing projects (Kwysocki, 1997). For instance software development organizations have to tackle with elevated technology hesitation, though construction organizations are typically additional troubled with engineering or finance troubles. Furthermore, similar processes may have diverse boundaries in a number of industry categories. These dissimilarities finish with as much as 30 percent in project cost and schedule among industries (Kerzner, 2003). If we concentrate on the planning phases of the project then we can save lot of time and money because it provides us a roadmap by which we can have better implementation. This whole discussion shows that the good planning has good affect on the project development. By the development of new technology the project planning and management field has also grown up. And new in this era we gave project management software and planning tools those have the ability to streamline all the management and planning activities in such a way those can facilitate the planner and manager to handle the project more efficiently (Kenneth, 1998). In this report I will analyze the three project management and planning tools. Project management is a chain of procedures and techniques those are useful to complete the project. These actions, techniques, and process comprise planning, estimates of cost and resources, and work activities for getting the necessary results (Kenneth, 1998). Three project management tools that will be compared for their working and performance are. 1. Microsoft Project 2. Netoffice 3. ACE projects Microsoft Project In this section I will present the Microsoft Project details regarding its working and performance. Microsoft Project is the most usable planning and project that covers a very large market place “it’s researched that in the year 2006 Microsoft has sold 20 million user licenses” (Mühlbauer et al. 2008). Fig. 1: Client Overview (Image is designed with MS Project software) Above I have presented the image of the Gantt chart view of the MS Project. We have the task view that presents itself as more enhanced and clean as one would expect from a professional software vendors product. There is better, user friendly and effective view of each project or action that we have to take for the management of the whole project (Mühlbauer et al. 2008). However after working through by the variety of views and input dialogs, one recognizes the reality that MS Project has similar working environment as other office products and any user can easily adjust with this new tool. So the new user that got chance to use the MS Project will not feel any hesitation during its use. Here we get the facility of handling the accidental failure of input data that is not taken care of a number of states (Mühlbauer et al. 2008). We can handle the mass input of data that is effectively hold up by the disallowance of worthless data in fields. I got another important feature of the MS Project that is its availability in several other languages. Fig. 2: Project Server Web Access (Designed with MS project tool) If we go to the Microsoft then we would be able to get the MS Project latest version with the price of license for the existing client version of Project 2007 Professional in $999. If we want multiple language collections then we have to pay some extra that is $25 for every language [12]. If we want to have a Server licenses then we have good news that server lenience advertises as Client Access Licenses (Mühlbauer et al. 2008), which are obtainable on a per-user or per-device license. Microsoft has also provided the facility of demo version. We can download this DEMO version for the practice and knowledge that is also know as trial version that can be downloaded from the Microsoft Web site. There are also helpful and technical supports available for the use of this toll. On the web site we can also have useful tips and manuals for MS Project working help. So I think that it is very effective for the students and non-professionals or sparse usage of the software. Netoffice Next project management tool which I will discuss is NetOffice. This application provides us the facility to handle the business and the communication regarding the business anywhere, anytime with just one single number on a business card. I have seen that this application works in the same way as a virtual personal assistant. NetOffice provides us the facility to eliminate the need to bring out numerous telephones, mobile and fax numbers and allows users to deal with incoming calls, faxes and messages anytime via the internet. We have information regarding the incoming calls and faxes are automatically forwarded anywhere in the world with a simple mouse click. Both voice and data messages can be easily downloaded as e-mail messages [13]. I have researched and presented below the following project management functionalities: [13] NetOffice provides us the facility of the sharing any information with other users / groups: NetOffice provides also facilitate us to use Internal Messaging with Notification on changes of any interrelated information We can also use it like a Corporate Address Book We can have facility of the commercial Calendar (Events, Tasks, and Notes) Here in NetOffice we have Corporate Messaging (Email, Fax) We can also arrange the Document Management System (Document Archive) Here we have an Extra Modules of ERP Integration, Web I have got additional project management functionalities of the NetOffice like: (Net Office, 2008) NetOffice can also hold our Related Contacts We can embed our related tasks / Events / Notes for any project There is also facility for the related eMail / Fax Messages from Archive for any project We can place the related Documents from Archive for any project Figure 1 Multi purpose toll Source [http://81.178.21.2/netoffice.php] I have analyzed that NetOffice facilitates organizations and telecom companies the power to make available a value-added service, offering customer loyalty and generating new traffic. [10] Changing in office and out of office call priorities can easily be administrated with the intuitive user interface (net Office, 2008). Below I have presented the main view of the NetOffice that is showing all the main contents of this tool. Figure 2 Main Interface Source [http://81.178.21.2/netoffice.php] NetOffice functions During my search on the NetOffice functions I have got that NetOffice offers an enhanced place of functions to route and answer messages. User administration can be done via an intuitive interface. Ace projects Now in this section I will discuss the AceProject latest version that is AceProject 4.5. “This project management tool provides us the facility to manage our projects easily, without the system getting in their approach. AceProject was developed to diminish the time project manager’s requirement to spend in their account, while still being up-to-date on the project’s movement,” explains Daniel Raymond, CEO of Websystems” (Ace Project web site, 2008). Below I have placed the main interface of the AceProject 4.5. Figure 3 Main Interface Source [http://www.aceproject.com/] As I have researched, “AceProject was released for the first time in 2001; AceProject is a principal in web-based project management software solutions. AceProject is helpful for the organizations to bring their people together to become more proficient and manage their projects better. AceProject also provides us the facility as the web-based project management software within which numerous users can administer multiple projects, from multiple locations. Thus, all corporate doings are stored and shared in one central place only” (Ace project Web site). Regardless of how many branches, collaborators or telecommuters work in scattered remote offices, AceProject is the solution to stay in touch. AceProject is on hand as software as a service (SaaS) or as a system installed on the organization's web server. People from more than 50 countries use AceProject. So many small and large organizations reliance on AceProject because websystems have continuously given attention to their needs and demonstrated them that they can trust on their way out, no matter how decisive their projects could be [1]. The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network offers a standing by setting for professionals to create, share and apply knowledge on managing elections. The products accessible through ACE help practitioners and academics: [1] • get to the bottom of problems in election management by leveraging and giving out proportional data; • pick up the professionalism of those affianced in electoral actions through capacity-development initiatives; • encourage and disseminate guiding principles, options and best practices; and • facilitate in building public trust in electoral processes. AceProject is toolboxes that can facilitate organizations in managing the multiple projects within one single account. Each project can be structured in an exclusive mode. It consents to numerous types of projects to be organized in a different way, in a central place. Moreover, projects can be copied or transformed into templates to be reused afterward [1]. AceProject lets we manage numerous users within single account. Users can be employees, subcontractors, clients, telecommuters, or workers working at other branches. These users can all access our account concurrently, from different locations, at any time, with their explicit admittance rights. Managing many tasks can turn into laborious if project managers are not equipped with the proper tools. [14] Recommendation In this section I will present few recommendations about these project management tools. Here the main point of discussion is which one is best? The answer lies in the deep analysis of these tools. We have to see if any project management tool would be able to accomplish our company’s project management requirements. It has been analyzed that a tool has enough capabilities to handle all working. The main point we also have to see is “if this project management tool matches to our organization environment”. By analyzing all these points we will decide which one is better and which will create problems for us. Here for all this type of analysis I have a detailed study of above mentioned tools. I have analyzed them in different scenarios. So let’s see the section: Part 2 Comparison In this section all three project management tools will be compared against different criteria. Which contain creation of meetings, mission and notes and how easy they are to explore creation of meetings, task and notes, Different Phases of project, Calendar facility, Email notifications, Message centre (Chatting or internal message service), credentials Control , Client Restricted Access and etc. In this section through out a strategy is applied in which a project is taken from zero and starts is comparison with others. Here in this approach next section is development only if previous section is completed. We can only draw a chart when the data about the chart is in the task folder. Each point will be taken against performance and working of all three projects will be seen. First tool I am going to discuss is MSProject. Like many other Microsoft products, it benefits from the extensive installation base of their operating system Windows throughout all industries and the incorporation with other broadly spread products, such as Microsoft Outlook and Excel. Thus mounting their domination from the current point Microsoft Project 2007 is the product’s topical version and it is available as client-standalone software or with an optional server product - Microsoft Project Server 2007 to centralize data and integrate with other server systems, such as a Microsoft SharePoint portal [6]. First of all task creation task will be analyzed in this section first of all MS Project will be used to create a sample task. Figure 4 Project Main window Source [http://www.msproject.com/] Here we will provide the task name start and end date. This interface will show us a time line of project in form of graph. From where we can view more better the project progress. Then the next process comes for adding resources and different notes for this process a very simple interface is available form there we can add all theses things. Figure 5 Resource Adding Source [MSPproject] Next we will see the AceProject for the process of task adding and resource initializing. This software provides a relay simple approach for this thing. We shall get all things at the same place. Like project description its required resource. It its gives the feel of ease. Here in screen shot there is demonstration of adding new project resources in the ACE-Project: Figure 6 Source [http://www.aceproject.com/] Compatible this interface is more users friendly then the MS Project interface; it offers all preliminary project information at one place [6]. There is no need to run between pages to enter data. Now its turn of NEToffice that has motto “take your office anywhere”. Here I will perform a simple take entry in it and compare its working with other two tools. For new project entry we have to log in to Net office and at Home tab, where we will got all information about the project. Like its recourses, time line and etc. Like in image below: Figure 7 Source [http://81.178.21.2/netoffice.php] NetOffice features [10] Administration - From their personal web-based supervision segment, business it can re-route calls, forward faxes, and admittance voice and data messages or organize NetOffice to meet their needs. We have also complete access to their NetOffice account from any touch-tone telephone. By using a pin code, they can make calls, access voice messages, transmit voice mail and faxes to the internet or change their personal greeting message. Unified messaging – It provides the facility of the Voice mail and fax messages can be received from the internet, at anytime. Voice and data messages can be repeatedly forwarded to an e-mail address or downloaded from the user's personal NetOffice web page. One number – We no longer have to furnish our business relations different telephone numbers for office, fax, home and mobile phone. With NetOffice, a caller needs only one telephone number to reach a user, leave a message, or send a fax. The customers administer when and where they can be reached. Personal Assistant - NetOffice answers calls, receives messages, accepts faxes, places calls, and distributes messages 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call screening gives the capacity to the user to hear who is calling before you give response to the call. The call can be accepted or redirected to NetOffice. Receive faxes - NetOffice automatically distinguishes when a fax is coming in. NetOffice presents us with one single number to be given telephone calls or faxes. Documents can also be forwarded to any fax machine in the planet or downloaded from the internet anytime. Secured system - The user-administration is password-protected, avoiding fraud or not permitted access and use. Open system NetOffice is a Windows NT based state-of-the-art setting. It is an open system that can communicate with other applications in order to route voice, data and fax message to the desired destination. Here we got a little bit multifaceted interface as compared to other two tolls. Here we have different pages for tasks and there resources. So I have concluded that ACEProject is best, MS Project is good but NetOffice is not, so better as compared to other in case of creation of meetings, task and notes and adding resources. Here next step we take to check for different phases of project management tools. In this section it will be analyzed that how each project behaves in handling of any task. Then we will conclude, which one is better than others. So let’s begin form the MS-Project, here as we see after adding new project we have to set and define its resources such as time and other working related resources. Then next is to divide project in steps or sub projects and assign them all resources. Setting time line to each part and viewing there progress criteria. As shown in image below I have added a project, then set its recourses then here there is process of assigning recourses to each sub task. In MSProject we are tacked on that invalid field startled by pop up message boxes until we correct or cancel the whole field. Another general problem is opacity: no information is presented, why some task cannot be moved. Counterintuitive symbols require extensive searching of the documentation to learn their meaning. This guarantees a learning curve with frustration points. On the other side of the coin the mostly coherent Windows and Office user interfaces with standardized toolbars and icons, provides some familiarity for the operation of software. Figure 8 Source [MSPproject] Now let’s see the ACEProject the same process is repeated and prgress is viewed. Here we got pop down manues for each thing that simplifies task and make it faster. This type of facility is missing is the MS Project. Here we can have to apply data by typing it. More user friendly interface is that one that provides the user more facilities. That is done by ACE-Project. Figure 9 Source [http://www.aceproject.com/] Now it’s turn of NEToffice for all those things that have been checked for other two. Here we have different sections for each process. We have to navigate form one page to other for adding resources and all other information and thing increase more stress on the user. This thing can all affect the performance of the user; here we have no such better user interface as we seen in other two. So it is concluded that NEToffice is not even better than other two. It has least performance than other two. Figure 10 Source [http://81.178.21.2/netoffice.php ] Now this section discusses the Charts of project progress. Now again all three tools will be compared. Now first tool I will discuss is the MS Project in which we have already added data for some project then we analyze its progress chart for this purpose. Why chart is important? Because its give a quick view to the project performance. In MS Project such facility is provided very efficiently. In the image seen below the chart shows the project progress that have completed and the remaining project deadline [6]. Here by seeing such type of view we can estimate more efficiently the current events that are going on and also take decision to increase or decrease the project working speed. Figure 11 Source [MSPproject] Next tool for chart view discussion is ACEProject. Here we see the chart that is showing current progress. There is task against each date and current progress is shown through this chart. But here we can view on task at a time on the chart, as compared to MS Project that is showing all tasks at the same time that provides better view of project. But in the NEToffice theme is totally different. In it we got a chart of dates and by clicking on each date we can view its current status. This approach is really tedious. There is no direct feature tat can able to show the performance as a whole. So here in this type of comparison MS project has better interface then ACEproject and the NEToffice has some difficult approach of this process. Figure 12 Source [http://www.aceproject.com/] Below the image of NEToffice in which I have demonstrated the chart of current progress All little bit tedious approach. Figure 13 Source [http://81.178.21.2/netoffice.php] Automation is the most fundamental job of soft wares so the tools which provide this facility more proficiently that will be more acceptable among public. Creation of meeting unswervingly from calendar and encourage people for meeting is key automatic attribute of project management tool, this type of capability is available in all three tools [6]. They collect data form the calendar and according to specification arrange meeting for the company workers. For this we have to specify while entering the data in the project task calendar. According to that specification the tools will predict and inform all participants for the meeting. Documentation Control is a position in which we talk about possibly inbuilt word pad and diagram viewer, also team restricted access. Here MS Project and NET office could not provide such facility for building Word pad. But ACEProject allows us to switch and process text data surrounded by the tool. There is a build in Word pad in it that allows editing and processing the data. Figure 14 Source [http://www.aceproject.com/] Client Restricted Access or security level at client end is presented by two tools those are Aceproejct and NEToffice. They have an online password based system in which a person with valued password and username have right to use the data base. But MS Project has not provided such facility to user. There is some security level but it is not same as client server security level type system. Reporting Functionality is really good in all three project management tools. They all offer a great deal of litheness and effectiveness in this scenario because report creation is one of main task in these systems, So designers of all three systems have to work hard for providing better and better facilities and freedom to user for this type of working. If we view the report generation wizard of ACEProject in the below image, there we can see that it has been a really simple and efficient way to take input from the user to generate report. There are drop down manes from where we can set time and other parameters. So after analyzing all three projects reports generation process it is finalized that ACEProject have better report generation and creation mechanism. 0 Figure 15 Source [http://www.aceproject.com/] Next point of this discussion is resource organization of project tools with other tools like first we take example of MS Project in which the product incorporates into a Microsoft software background: Microsoft Exchange for chart and human resource synchronization, SharePoint for combining web access with a project web portal, SQL Server as server back end and so on. On the client face, export for Excel and Access are among the properties. Vendor independent incorporation properties include exporting to plain text, HTML and XML, where XML schemata and credentials are accessible for programmers and more stylish automation or incorporation into other systems, a Software Development Kit (SDK) with hold up for the client and the server version can be downloaded for free of charge [9]. A special note to bring up: there exists a connector for synchronizing project with Microsoft’s development background Visual Studio Team System. This might of interest for Software project managers. Figure 16 Microsoft Project Comparison Source [http://www.msproject.com/] While an entirely functional versioning system could not be made out, an intricate functionality to weigh up two project files is accomplished, that should be able to handle all issues that come up when synchronizing a project plan. In addition on the client side, associations between different project plans can be customary, though that characteristic could not work as anticipated during the tries that have been carried out. Also, resource pools can be fashioned, by keeping those in one project file and referring to them from other files. Together with the server version, potentials expand [9]: The server can be used for central storage of comprehensive project plans with an uncomplicated locking system. Through backups of the server back end, implicit versioning could be carried out too, as there are tools to bring back single project from backups. Furthermore it can take action as centralization peak for resources, documents, links between projects on the server, etc [9]. In regards of data handling, it has to be pointed out, that Project Server supports the production of a so called OLAP cube to be stored in an backing Microsoft SQL Server and to be processed by its accompanying Analysis Services, to quote Microsoft. Comprehensive web access to projects stored on a Microsoft Project Server is offered, devoid of the client’s full functionality, but given that a higher level indication of projects, such as risk indication, links between projects and status report management [6]. Ace Project also has application coordination we can connect it with MS Outlook for mailing and messaging purposes. We also have built in mailing capacity in it. We have a simple mailing automate in it that allows writing mail, receiving and check sent items. The image below shows this service more plainly [9]. Figure 17 Source [http://www.aceproject.com/] But no such facility was present in MS project or NEToffice, so messaging and mailing support capability is more superior in Ace Project. It gives lots of features as compared to other two. We can have our own personal mailing service that is safe and only concerned to our business prospective. NetOffice provides an account configuration where the numbers and priorities can be set as well as mailbox options and password settings. NetOffice repeatedly routes the call to the selected target depending on call priorities, time and date. Next point will be discussed here is the Documentation facility on these tools. First take a look at MS Project. Documentation is incorporated into project and offers offline and online information. It help out keeping it up to date, but also rises privacy issues, appreciating that Microsoft is able to bring together personalized usage data and that the software has an integrated association to Microsoft, where it cannot be determined, what is being transmitted. Thus one has to trust the vendor for not retrieving internal project information or lock-down the software with firewall systems [9]. The documentation itself seems adequate, not too well planned, but covers most topics and is also contained. The German online version for case in point presents all entries that are on hand in the English version and the translation has of course been done proficiently. Some webcasts are on hand, that can be noticed and set up again through the help system, as well as wide-ranging web resources like the homepage of project-related products. So the integration of online and offline resources has been finished adequately and accumulated the information into one help center at the client side. Ace project also has capability of Documentation. We can produce reports; we can insert (upload) project related files and denote them with the crossholding job. But NEToffice offers such capability in an imperfect manner. User management is also a great test in project management tool. Offering assistance to an innovative user offering it more facilities him so he can be able to do well. Ace project helps fresh users and also old one by giving them better help and assistance facility. We have help on each issue associated to this tool, in different forms. See image below that demonstrate ACEproject help facility. Figure 18 Source [http://www.aceproject.com/] MS Project also offers a superior help system to help out the user. It also provides more simplified helping and assistance material for user management. But this point is little bit weaker in NEToffice. Conclusion In this paper three project management tools have been analyzed their merits and de-merits have been studied. All tools have better qualities and project handling facilities. But if one facility is better in one toll then other one lacks that one. But overall all are good. During this analysis we have seen different parameters of analysis. At the end the tools the have qualified more for these parameters is ACEProject. It has passed almost all quality parameters. So I suggest for this project management tool. References 1. Ace Project. 2008, Retrieved on September 02, 2008. Retrieved from: www.aceproject.com 2. Chamoun, Y. 2006, ‘Professional Project Management The Guide’; 1st.Edition, Monterrey, NL MEXICO: McGraw Hill. 3. Kenneth C. Laudon. 1998. Management Information System, Sixth Edition; New York. Addison Wesley Publishing Company. 4. Kerzner, H. 2003, ‘Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling’; 8th Ed., Wiley. 5. Kwysocki, 1997, ‘Effective Project Management’; McGRAW Hill. 6. Microsoft. Microsoft product support, 2007. http://support.microsoft.com/ gp/services. 7. Microsoft. Office project 2007 sdk, 2007. http://msdn2.microsoft.com/ library/ms512s767.aspx. 8. MS Project. 2008, Retrieved on September 02, 2008. Retrieved from: http://www.msproject.com 9. Mühlbauer, R. Klambauer, T. Ruprechtsberger, W. Schaitl, J. 2008. ‘Comparison of Project management-Software’; Seminar Projektorganisation. Institut für Bioinformatik Arbeitsgruppe Informationssysteme (IFS): Available at: http://klambauer.info/pms.pdf 10. Net Office. 2008, Retrieved on September 02, 2008. Retrieved from: http://81.178.21.2/netoffice.php 11. Portfolio Project Management. Microsoft project 2003, 2003. [Online; accessed 28-November-2007] http://www.portfoliopm.com/Proj%202003_Soln.htm. 12. Microsoft Corp: http://office.microsoft.com/en us/products/FX101754511033.aspx?ofcresset=1 13. Available online at: www.contarra-systems.com/docs/DS-NEOF.pdf 14. http://www.aceproject.com/Press2008_AceProject_4.5_Brings_Even_More_Flexibility_to_Project_Management.htm Read More