Print - What You Need to Know About Microsoft Office Project 2003

Microsoft's popular project-management application, Microsoft Project, now includes a server component that helps enterprises manage projects across the country. With the most current release, Microsoft Office Project 2003, the company is also selling a package called the Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management (EMP) Solution, which combines Microsoft Office Project Professional 2003, Microsoft Office Project Web Access 2003, and Microsoft Office Project Server 2003 together as a cohesive solution. Here's what you need to know about Project 2003.

On the server side, the new Project Center tool lets executives and project managers track the status of their projects and the resources required at each step. Project also provides a Web-based front end so that users can use a Web browser to add project resources. Dubbed Project Web Access, this interface lets managers check on projects quickly, even while traveling.

One of the biggest advances in Project is its deep integration with other products in the Office suite. Project time line views now show up in the appropriate users' Microsoft Outlook calendar, providing one point of entry for checking on a project's status. But this functionality isn't view-only: Users can also report on their progress directly from a new Project tab in Outlook's Calendar view, and any changes they make through Outlook immediately cascade back to Project Server. (One caveat: If you want to take advantage of Project's client integration features, you'll need Office 2003.) Also, thanks to integration with Windows SharePoint Services (WSS), every time a new project is created on the server, Project Server creates an associated project Web site as well, giving users a place to collaborate and view the status of various milestones from one Web-based interface.

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Project is an interesting upgrade that offers deep integration with other Microsoft products. Some of Project's features are dependent on Windows Server 2003, so companies will need to carefully evaluate the true cost of rolling out the EMP solution. For example, you need Windows 2003 to take advantage of Project's WSS-based collaboration features. Conversely, most of Project 2003's server-based features will run on Windows 2000 as well. Take extra care to evaluate which features you need before you deploy Project Server.

CAN I GET A DESCRIPTION OF THE CAPABILITIES OF PROJECT 2002/2003. IN PARTICULAR, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT YOUR NEW PRODUCTS HAVE AN EARNED VALUE MANAGEMENT CAPABILITY.

dear Sir, We have query regarding the EMP solution: Could you please elaborate on the EMP solution customization ? Do we need to have the EPM solution ?

how is it tailored to be effective in follow up and evalaution of on going projects in third world countries?

I would kile to implement a large international construction project management, using MS Project. My problem is the effective and efficient transfer of informations from Excel and Access files to MS Project. Could you tell me if this is really possible and well done ? Thanks of your help.

I am completing a preliminary review of Project Server 2003 for possible implementation of an EPM solution for a client. The client has not implemented Project 2002 Server, but they have more than an ample number of Project Professional 2002 Server CALS. I'm trying to determine whether there is any justification of implementing Project 2002 Server vs. Project 2003 Server. Is there any product comparison information that addresses features between the two product versions, or deficiencies/short-comings that would suggest it is not worth implementing Project Server 2002.

I stumbled upon this page when researching what it takes to use Project's server based capabilities. Very useful info but could be more useful if it explained a little more in terms of what it would take to get the system to work. It passes the need of Windows Server 2003 but I am not clear in how much work it entails. Does one just run Project Server as an app running on a Windows Server, or is it supposed to be a dedicated machine? Does someone offer third party ASP type solutions, for smaller projects (less than 5 people) where the cost of buying and installing a Windows Server and Project Server would be too high to justify but an ASP based model would be more practical? Thanks.

Does MS Project Server 2003 have a backward compatibility with MS Project Prof. 2002? Maybe some features will be lost in this case. Is there are some KB articles around this?

How to build a web site that has some additional toolbar items in addition to the documents, risks and issues tool bar items, using WSS

Kindly arrange give the Comparision between Microsoft Project Server and Project Scheduler (PS7 or PS8)

Is there an ability to add an object that has nearly the same features of issues and risks in MS project 2003 from wss? from my readings i found that Risks is derived from issues.

Is ms project 2003 standard compatible to lotus notes? can we use lotus notes as a channel to do updating or must we use only microsoft explorer or web access only. please advise. thanks.

A very interesting feature could be if Microsoft Project 2003 would be oferred to SMBs by ASPs to allow reduced cost while maintaining new microsoft Web access for project. You have not mentioned any such ASPs in your article, can you do it now for me? I am evaluating Microsoft ASP versus other ASPs like Onproject or project desk.

I have installed Project Server 2003, Project 2003 and am having trouble after publishing it to have user's go in and make changes on the website under % finished, cost etc.. It will not allow me to make any changes on the web page at all even though all securities are in place and I'm also an administrator.

i want to know if ms project and ms project profesional are basically the same, and that they can both be used individually, but the difference is that the later needs the ms project server2003 for its EPM capabilities? another question, is there a backward compatibility between project 2002 and project 2003?

Good high level overview for someone who has never heard of Microsoft Project Enterprise capabilities; however, it doesn't really say anything.

I am currently evaluating which of the project products I need to purchase for my company. We are a small company with three principals and company net worth of about $60 million. The question I have is what additional products need to be purchased in conjuction with Office Project 2003. Does it require an additional server purchase, or is this an included feature in the package? I'm not totally clear on this issue. Thank you for the help.

When installing Microsoft Project Server 2003, the installation procedure allows you to enter the database server information, where Project Server stores its information. If I changed the database from one machine to another how do point Project Server to the database on the new machine? Kirk Barham Bank of Jamaica. http://www.boj.org.jm