9 Microsoft Project Alternatives for Professional Project Planners: Best Options for Your Needs

Although there are other options outside Microsoft Project, it is a fantastic program for project planners. In truth, numerous Microsoft Project substitutes can serve your needs just as well. This blog post will look at 9 of the top Microsoft Project alternatives for expert project planners.

We’ll review each program’s features and why they make it a smart choice for your project planning requirements.

Let’s look at 9 Microsoft Project alternatives for professional project planners.

1. ProjectLibre

Microsoft Project can be effectively replaced with ProjectLibre. It is an open-source project management tool comparable to Microsoft Project regarding features and functionality. One of its key benefits is that ProjectLibre is free to use. Because of this, it’s an excellent choice for individuals on a tight budget who nevertheless require a robust project management application. The fact that ProjectLibre is compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS gives it another benefit.

2. GanttProject

Another open source project management tool that compares favorably to Microsoft Project is GanttProject. The fact that GanttProject is so user-friendly and simple to use is one of its key benefits. It also contains several capabilities similar to Microsoft Project for those searching for a more user-friendly option. The fact that GanttProject is compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS is another benefit.

3. OpenPro

Another open-source project management tool comparable to Microsoft Project is called OpenProj. One of its key benefits is that OpenProj includes many features and functionality. It also supports various operating systems, making it a fantastic substitute for individuals requiring a more powerful project management application. The fact that OpenProj is free is even another benefit.

4. Smartsheet

A cloud-based project management tool with many features and capabilities is called Smartsheet. The fact that Smartsheet is so user-friendly and simple to use is one of its key benefits. It also offers many powers similar to those of Microsoft Project, making it a fantastic substitute for people seeking a more user-friendly choice. As a result of its many software integrations, Smartsheet is also an excellent option for anyone who requires a more flexible project management solution.

5. Zoho

Another cloud-based project management tool with a ton of features and capability is Zoho Projects. The fact that Zoho Projects is so user-friendly and simple to use is one of its key benefits. It also contains several capabilities similar to Microsoft Project for those searching for a more user-friendly option. Zoho Projects’ interfaces with numerous other software applications are another benefit, making it a perfect choice for anyone requiring a more flexible project management solution.

6. Projectplace

Another cloud-based project management tool with many features and capabilities is called Projectplace. One of its key benefits is that Projectplace is user-friendly and simple. It also contains several capabilities similar to Microsoft Project for those searching for a more user-friendly option. Projectplace interfaces with many other software applications are another benefit, making it a perfect choice for anyone requiring a more flexible project management platform.

7. Podio

Podio, another cloud-based project management tool, has many features and functionalities. One of its key benefits is that Podio is user-friendly and simple. It also offers many capabilities similar to those of Microsoft Project, making it a fantastic substitute for people seeking a more user-friendly choice. Podio is also very adaptable, making it a perfect option for those looking for a more comprehensive project management solution.

8. Asana

Another cloud-based project management tool with many features and functionalities is Asana. One of its key benefits is that Asana is user-friendly and straightforward. It also contains several capabilities similar to Microsoft Project for those searching for a more user-friendly option. Asana has numerous software integrations, which is another benefit. This makes it a perfect choice for anyone who requires a more flexible project management platform.

9. Meistertask

Another cloud-based project management tool with many features and capability is Meistertask. Meistertask’s ease of use and user-friendliness are two of its key benefits. It also contains several capabilities similar to Microsoft Project for those searching for a more user-friendly option. Meistertask has a lot of different software integrations, which is another benefit. This makes it a perfect opportunity for anyone who requires a more flexible project management application.

Several excellent Microsoft Project alternatives can give you the tools and functionality required to manage your projects successfully. There are many more possibilities than just these nine, so do your homework to locate the one that best suits your unique requirements. There’s no need to choose anything less than the best when so many excellent options are available! Gratitude for reading! Best Options for Your Needs: 9 Microsoft Project Alternatives for Professional Project Planners.

Microsoft Project has long held the top spot in project portfolio management software. Microsoft Project’s success can be attributed to several things, including its user-friendliness and the widespread use of Windows products in commercial settings. Despite its popularity, Microsoft Project doesn’t meet all project management requirements, which is why many firms are looking for alternatives.

Conversely, the desktop version of Microsoft Project, which is only compatible with Windows PCs, delivers the complete feature set. You can access a browser-based version with limited functionality using Office 365 Cloud. Our list of Microsoft Project alternatives contains several solutions that deal with various problems, including Gantt charts, iOS compatibility, and overall system performance.

Gantt-Enabled

-Mavenlink

You can create and edit your projects using Mavenlink’s dynamic Gantt charts. Keep track of your project’s finances, including the hours worked and the required billing, which is helpful if you’re providing IT as a service. The complete platform is available to you and your team members online, from any place or device.

Additionally, Mavenlink’s templates accurately replicate successful projects, so yours will be too! Dashboards display metrics for projects, portfolios, people, and groups. Connect your Google apps to have all your collaboration tools in one location. Alternatively, you can use the API to connect to various apps.

-Wrike

Windows and Mac operating system users can access the cloud-based software Wrike. The program, which includes features like a Gantt chart view and progress dashboards for an overview of the entire project or individuals, is fully accessible by simply opening a browser.

A project duplication feature, time tracking and analysis, and budget tie-ins are some of the features offered by Wrike. With the help of these features, you may connect Wrike to several external applications like GitHub and Zapier. Additionally, Wrike may be linked to other Atlassian products, allowing you to continue using the software your team wants, even if your organization utilizes Jira but Wrike.

-SmartSheet

A single project can be edited collaboratively using SmartSheet, which provides real-time updates, notifications, and a history of previous changes. Dashboards known as “Sights” give you status data, including time, cost, and more. SmartSheet allows you to make Gantt charts as well. Resource management solutions can prevent you from providing tasks to already overworked individuals and help you manage your budget by displaying how busy your staff is.

-Atlassian JIRA and Confluence

Atlassian products are ideal for teams requiring practical tools but may find alternative options overly complex. With Atlassian, you can use Confluence to collaborate on documents before moving those projects into JIRA processes. Additionally, you can link BitBucket and HipChat to other Atlassian products to build an entire ecosystem for software project collaboration. JIRA uses visual workflows and cards in the kanban paradigm to guide your team through tasks with notifications and automated updates. Gantt charts are not included in this option, but the kanban and process boards give teams overviews that aid in staying on task.

iOS-Friendly Solutions

-Merlin Projects

Merlin, a desktop-only Gantt chart program that works with Macs, powers this program. Compare your timetables and open projects to your budget while keeping track of actual expenditures. Instead of starting again whenever you need a replica, store templates in your library for quick access. For a more specialized experience, you may also visualize projects as Net Plans, Mind Maps, and Organizational Charts, each with its unique dependencies, timeframes, and budget options.

Your projects can be shared with mobile devices via Merlin Project Go. Using the accelerometer on your mobile, Merlin Project responsive’s amusing function converts project listings into Gantt charts. The Kanban board, grouping, simple reporting, iPad version, and their patented feature: synchronization to DropBox, are some other benefits of this program. Try out the 30-day free trial of Merlin Project if you’re not sure whether to upgrade or not.

-OmniPlan

OmniPlan is a desktop and mobile Gantt chart and construction project management tool. It only works with Mac products; therefore, all versions have features like support for the new Mac Touch Bar. It has two price tiers: Standard and Pro, and both allow you to use processes, dependencies, budgets, and collaborations to manage your data. The latter includes more advanced capabilities like multi-project dashboarding and Monte Carlo Simulation to quantify risk.

Gantt-less Project Management Solutions

Plenty of dashboards and features, such as task dependencies and notifications, liven up your workday in the Gantt charts. Project views include both a person and a temporal basis, allowing you to monitor the progress of the individual and the project as a whole. Other graphs demonstrate your progress in terms of task completion. You may see your progress or concentrate on the current conversations and files by viewing project roadmaps in a list or calendar format. With built-in sprints and several suitable connectors, such as GitHub, Slack, and Google Apps, Asana was developed with Agile.

-Basecamp

Basecamp can help you manage your communications, files, and tasks. Basecamp is a project management powerhouse for a good reason. You can access your open jobs on the platform’s main page, which groups users based on their forthcoming projects. Click on a project to view its to-do list, activity feed, and campfire conversation area.

You can ask a new question to group members every day using the automated questions option, and they can respond at their convenience. By doing this, everyone is kept informed of what is happening. Examples of queries include “What was the most crucial thing you accomplished today? Your calendar displays due dates for individual and group tasks and each project’s central document-sharing location for simple access by all team members.

-Trello

Because I use Trello for professional and personal use, I adore it (our groceries list and “honey-do” lists are in Trello). Trello still provides unique functionality, even though you won’t receive the overviews that Wrike or Basecamp provide. The people working on your boards identify tasks and where they are in the process.

Additionally, you may click on each task card to view comments, recent activity, checklist progress, and other information. Trello is a platform that many teams use to organize their projects (including the ones at TA). Who knows what additional features will be added due to the merger because Atlassian just bought Trello?

What exactly is a Gantt chart?

Gantt charts, which depict tasks as horizontal bars, aid project managers in understanding how much time has been allotted for each activity. The longer the bar, the longer the time for that particular activity.

How to choose project management software

Software for project management could make your team more productive, or it could simply take longer to complete routine tasks. How can you decide which of the various tools will be effective for your team?

I’m a freelance writer who has developed a specialty in project management software due to the range of clients I work with. My desktop is constantly inundated with programs like Trello, Basecamp, Asana, and others competing for my attention because most of my clients already have a product they prefer to utilize. In addition, I’ve had the chance to speak with the creator of one such company over the previous seven years while researching and writing about various SaaS solutions.

Here are the steps to follow to get what you’re looking for;

-Identify your challenges and constraints

Various project management solutions address different problems. It is crucial to determine your unique difficulties before choosing project management software. To simplify your life, integrate your project management software with other programs.

Project management tools are prioritized differently by different teams. Others are searching for a way to communicate about work still in development, while some are focused on keeping the workflow orderly and on schedule. Others require a budgeting or scheduling component in their workflows.

You should identify your limits or limitations on the kind of job you can undertake. For instance, one company might have money set aside for the app. Another person might require a specific group size for the program to function. Another business might demand an app that integrates with particular software.

Make a note of all the difficulties you are presently experiencing. Be as descriptive as possible to make it simpler to distinguish between options that might solve your problem and those that won’t. Here is a list of possible beginning points for the criteria on your list.

Criteria for selecting project management software

Establishing a budget is one of the most efficient ways to save money. You can decide how to effectively use your resources by keeping track of your income and expenses. Although this approach can be challenging and time-consuming, it is ultimately worthwhile.
The capacity of the product to expand along with your team size
Platforms with which Proof can interface
approvals and authorizations
The Value of a Comfortable Visiting Experience for Visitors
The volume of information that a file can hold
requisites for security

-Create a list of top options

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, you can create a list of alternatives that fall within your given budget.

For small organizations, project management software is essential. It can assist you in managing your projects, given tasks, due dates, and other things. Keeping your functions within your projected budget will save you money, time, and effort.
The top open-source project management tools

Look through numerous lists (mainly those with evaluations written by people who have actually used the apps) to locate the finest software for your company, then make a shortlist of candidates for testing with your team.

-Test each app yourself

Picking the finest project management software for your needs is impossible without testing it beforehand. If they don’t offer a fully functional free trial, request one or sign up for one. If a company won’t let you try the entire package out, it’s a sign that you should look elsewhere.

Here are a few other things you should be sure to test as you pick your project management software:

The screen’s top view presents facts and numbers gathered from various sources.
Developing tasks
When your order is sent, you will receive an email notification.
You should go to the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) to find what you’re looking for online.
It is considerably more pleasurable to work when you may customize your workspace or assignment objectives.
These integrations might be helpful for other programs you use.
the ability to submit bug reports
skills for scheduling
Financial management tools

-Test each app with your team

Make sure everyone is aware of purchasing new software for your team. An analytics company advises testing a tool’s collaboration capabilities with a small, committed group of people on your team. This kind of pilot study may attract attention to some disadvantages and advantages that won’t become apparent on a wide scale unless you apply them in the real world. Utilize your options as closely as possible in typical working situations with your staff to assess them successfully.

Here are some of the tasks you’ll want to tackle so you can see how they work in the app you’re testing:

To guarantee security, members might have varying levels of permission.
Put team members in charge of tasks and subtasks (use actual tasks for a more realistic experience)
The notifications that inform you when your favorite apps are updated are modifiable.
To assist everyone in staying on task, create several shared views (calendars, Kanban boards, or anything else accessible).
Make a list of things you need to get done and give each the due date. Check off or cross off items as you finish them from your list.

Expose as many team members as you can to the technology you’re thinking about, so they can weigh their options intelligently when they offer their comments. Encourage them to refer back to your list of difficulties and limitations as they learn more about the capabilities of each instrument.

– Get feedback from your team

Your team’s support is essential if you want the new project management software you choose to catch on and improve the process. Making a product that your team dislikes will not only be a waste of time and resources but could also be detrimental to their morale or teamwork by slowing them down, aggravating them, or interfering with their communication habits. Make careful to acquire their honest opinions before deciding which app to utilize.

There are various options for collecting feedback:

We asked each team member what they thought of each instrument in an interview.
Send out a survey to get their written input.
Meet all team members at once to discuss issues as a group.
Together, walk through the tool to get feedback.

Regardless of your strategy, ask team members how they found the app and which features or functions they liked and didn’t. Did they experience tranquility and organization with one program while feeling unpleasant and confused with another? Pay attention to their feelings as much as their feedback on technological specs since their feelings will significantly impact whether they accept the product in the long run.

-Calculate and justify the cost

Finding a solution that suits your project management process will save you money and time in the long term, even though adopting new software may initially be expensive.

A time and bother-saving tool’s ability to save money depends on several factors, chief among them being its actual cost. A corporation may need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to adopt enterprise-level solutions fully. However, specific toolkits, which cost only $50 per month, are sufficient for others.

A product manager’s objective is to charge a price lower than the value delivered or equal to the value of the other goods it replaces. Given that this kind of app is a continual process that includes looking at more delicate topics like business culture and employee pleasure, there is no simple way to calculate how much it might return. But to ensure that your pricing is reasonable, it’s imperative to pay close attention to the value it offers.

What are the key features of project management tools?

Web-based project management software often provides the following functions in addition to managing basic tasks:

-Project estimation

The secret to a project’s success is constantly assessing its development and predicting future performance based on its current achievements. This can be achieved through monitoring baselines, EVM, and budget projections.

-Budgeting

It’s essential to take the time to estimate your financial requirements early on in the process. Keep track of expenses, the actual cost to bill clients and pay personnel, compare planned and exact prices, forecast spending, find opportunities for cost reductions or revenue growth, and predict the cash flow situation at the end of the month to stay within a budget.

-Resource allocation

Ensuring that the proper people are assigned to the relevant tasks. Utilize the resource utilization chart to stop your team from being over or underworked. Top project management tools also make it easier to assign tasks by employee workload and availability.

-Collaboration

Keeping all parties involved in the project informed. It’s important to realize that collaboration involves more than just two people chatting while seated face-to-face. Technologies for virtual communication like chat, online conferences, and forums are excellent resources.

-Quality management

By consistently keeping an eye on the quality of your project, you should always aim to provide your best work. Tools for tracking and resolving issues greatly aid in this. It’s a beautiful touch to automate the process of escalating and handling errors.

-Project administration

When integrating your staff, clientele, and organizational structure into a tool, it’s crucial to keep several factors in mind. Project management solutions can help you manage projects in various ways, from templates tailored to your business to different third-party interfaces.

-Risk management

Additionally, people schedule tasks to meet various deadlines, manage multiple projects concurrently as part of a broader objective, and manage their uncertainty in job length estimations using online project management software.

The benefits of using a project management tool

They can assist you in keeping track of deadlines, finances, and advancement. They can also aid in your communication with stakeholders and team members. What if Microsoft Project isn’t the best option for your requirements? The following nine options are provided.

Anyone organizing complicated projects needs project management tools. They provide project managers with access to all project-related information from the beginning to the end. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and that nothing slips through the gaps.

If Microsoft Project doesn’t seem the ideal fit, many other project management solutions are available; therefore, it’s crucial to pick one that will meet your unique needs.

Conclusion

There are many different solutions for project planners regarding project management software. Although Microsoft Project is a fantastic tool, many other options can be just as useful for your purposes. This blog post looked at 9 of the top Microsoft Project alternatives for professional project planners. This should assist you in selecting the best program for your upcoming assignment. Have you tried any of these programs? What did you think of it? Tell us in the comments section below.