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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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