Buyers Guide
 

White Pages Index
Computer System
Data Entry and Control
Scheduling Functions
Progress Reporting
Multi-Project Features
Project Reporting
Product Support Services

When writing a specification for your Project Management Software system and evaluating competing software, you may find the check list below helpful.

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Computer System

Essential Features
  • Operate under Windows 3.x, 95, 98 and NT environments
  • System supports use across a network system
  • Project data can be loaded across a network
  • Project data can be linked to other applications and databases
  • Year 2000 compliant
Desirable Features
  • Password protection on access to the system
  • Control access to projects by individuals and groups or teams
  • Customise standard installations to suite corporate requirements
Optional Features
  • Configure access to the system at different levels for different users
  • Configure access to different project data values for different users
  • Be able to set screen displays to suit individual requirements

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Data Entry and Control

Essential Features
  • Integrated and interactive data grid and bar chart display
  • Topic related help on data values
  • Full validation of data values when entered
  • Automatic setting of default values when adding new tasks
  • Support for all standard logic link types with optional logic delays
  • Recognition of all standard date formats
  • Ability to drag, stretch and link tasks directly on the bar chart grid
  • Creation and storing of diferent views of project data
Desirable Features
  • Be able to colour code tasks
  • Enter and display logic links in a tabular format
  • Support both numeric and alpha style task numbering
  • Be able to display several tasks on a single display line
  • Support for multiple level coding for selection and sorting of tasks
  • Support for headings within the project data for use on displays and reports
  • Record links to other folders and files for each task
  • Maintain a diary of notes and comments against each task
  • Support milestone and group summary type tasks
Optional Features
  • Global editing of several selected tasks in a single action
  • Be able to switch colour coding of tasks between different settings
  • Add text annotations and symbols to tasks

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Scheduling Functions

Essential Features
  • Calculation based on full critical path methodology
  • Identification of critical tasks, total float and free float values
  • Identification of any logic loop in project data set
  • Support for all standard logic links with optional logic delays
  • Support both labour and non-labour type resources
  • Clear recognition of 'stretched' or 'intermittent' type tasks
  • Allow task durations to be defined as elapsed duration as well as by work content
  • Support for scheduling within resource limits
  • Global scheduling across a series of sub-projects
  • Vary task duration to maximise resource usage
Desirable Features
  • Identification of all start and finish tasks within project logic
  • Highlight tasks that have been progressed out of sequence
  • Support for Time Limited and Resource Limited type schedules
  • Support for resource based calendars
  • Be able to specify resource used/resource remaining on each task
  • Be able to vary the availability of a resource over time
Optional Features
  • Highlight tasks that have over-run required completion dates

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Progress Reporting

Essential Features
  • Be able to record actual progress on project tasks
  • Allow tasks to be progressed out of logical sequence
  • Revised schedule to reflect past actual worked programme
  • Record actual resource usage (either cost, labour or materials)
  • Support rigorous Earned Value Analysis calculation
Desirable Features
  • Support for either remaining duration or percentage complete on tasks
  • Be able to store a series of project baselines
  • Produce comparative schedules of planned versus actual programme
  • Enable progress reporting on both task completion and resource usage
Optional Features
  • Support for partial revision of baselines to reflect changes in project schedule
  • Be able to quantify advanced progress and delays on sections of the project

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Multi-Project Features

Essential Features
  • Allow for simultaneous scheduling of at least 500 projects
  • Allow resources to be scheduled over multiple projects
  • Produce global summary or roll-up reports across all projects
  • Support for reports that extract data across all projects by responsibility
  • Allow definition of individual staff calendars for holidays/availability
  • Cost control reports on both a global and single project basis
  • Support resource input on tasks in fractions of a day
  • Provide unlimited capacities on projects, tasks, resources and calendars
Desirable Features
  • Be able to record management responsibilities against projects
  • Be able to extract a single project for detailed scrutiny/re-schedule
  • Provide resource and cost summaries on daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis
Optional Features
  • Include tools for copying, renaming and deleting projects

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Product Reporting

Essential Features
  • Wide suite of standard reports including:
    • Bar Chart or Gantt Chart reports
    • Resource Histogram reports
    • Network Diagrams or Pert Chart reports
    • Tabular project data reports
    • Web enabled HTML reports
  • Report Wizard for building non-standard reports
  • Full task selection/sorting functions on all reports
  • Support the ability to produce roll-up summary reports and include headings
  • Comparative and progress reports to be supported
  • Scale bar chart/histogram report timescales to fit a single page
  • Histogram reports to allow multiple resource to shown together
  • Support for s-curve style histogram display of resource/cost values
  • Support for paper sizes at A4 and A3
  • Full use of colour and font styles on reports
Desirable Features
  • Support for larger paper sizes up to A1 and A0
  • Be able to vary the time-scale across the page on a Bar Chart report
  • Use of grey scales for printing on non-colour printers
  • Be able to save report settings for subsequent use without re-entry of values
  • Reporting Macro language to allow creation of customised report styles
  • Tabular reports to include listing of task precedents and/or successors
  • Logic trace tabular report for tracking inter-relationship between tasks
Optional Features
  • Allow inclusion of company logos on report headers
  • Include project revision details and notes in report footers
  • Support Network Diagrams in both Precedence (AonN) or Arrow (AonA) style
  • Be able to adjust the style, colour and size of key report elements
  • Ability to add corporate custom reports to the system menus

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Product Support Services

Essential Features
  • Access to support service by telephone and e-mail
  • Annual maintenance service for new product releases and patches
  • Access to tutorial and training materials
  • Provision of on-site training on the product for new and established users
  • Consultancy service providing guidance on how to get the best from the system
  • Development service for creating custom report suites and product implementations