MS Project 2010 - Making Your Projects Run Smoother Than Ever

Many project managers will know that the job is made easier and runs more smoothly with the use of specialist software - and the most popular and best-known is the aptly named Microsoft Project. Since its initial launch in 1984, it has offered an ever-expanding range of project management tools for any project large or small. As Project has become more sophisticated, it hasn't become any more complex to use, allowing anyone from experienced project managers to individuals working alone on their first tasks (or even those planning projects at the home rather than in business) can get the most from the software and their work.

The launch of Project 2010 offers exceptional functionality and versatility to project managers who have hitherto avoided using software to enhance their work. It also provides an ease-of-use that's much enhanced, hoping to sway IT novices and doubters. But if you're already using an earlier version of Project in your management, why step up to the latest edition?

Easier planning

New for 2010 is a timeline view of projects. This view provides a great deal of assistance to project managers, clearly identifying tasks, milestones and phases between commencement and completion. Key points along the way can be easily highlighted in any colour, formatted to plainly distinguish between different stages, or to show associations. Project also provides a straightforward means to place timelines into emails, so current and future progress can be illustrated to all concerned.

Another new addition is the Task Inspector. This tool automatically assesses your plans, and highlights any conflict of resources or schedules. With just a simple click, Project can not only show where the conflict is, but what is causing it, and what can be done to address the issue.

The software can also be simply instructed to automatically fix any problems that come up, leaving your hands free for more complicated issues - this can be very useful if the adjustment of one task has a knock-on effect on many others. If you want to monitor how individual tasks impact upon the availability of resources, details of pre-existing tasks can be examined simply by hovering over them, making it easy to keep an eye on how resources are being used across the board.

The actual process of entering data and creating a plan has been made easier, too. There's no longer any need to choose the type of data and manually define columns to fit them into - Project 2010 creates the most suitable format automatically and arranges the columns to fit. Meanwhile, any data you've already created in another Microsoft Office application, such as Excel or Access, or information that you've received in an email, can be copy-pasted directly into your plan. Alternatively, Project details can also be copy-pasted out into other applications.

More effective cooperation

The 2010 incarnation of Project also offers substantial benefits for team collaboration. The new Backstage View, common to all 2010 Office applications, allows you to see all the information about a document in a single place, and to share, print or publish it at the touch of a button. Project can also work in tandem with Microsoft SharePoint; by synchronising your project with SharePoint, stakeholders and colleagues can view your task list and project information, or you can view those of others. Alternatively, task lists can be set up on SharePoint by anyone with access to the project, and converted automatically into schedules within Project.

If you're used to working with Microsoft Project, you're probably well aware that it offers a great deal to help your project along. However, you may also be very comfortable with an older version of the software. That's understandable, and there's certainly nothing wrong with Project 2007, 2003 or earlier releases. But the latest edition can make a real difference to you and your organisation - and a short training course could be very useful in helping you to take advantage of the new and improved tools. Today's Project really can offer a brighter future for project management.