Project management software covers different software, including budget management, scheduling, collaboration software, communication, cost control, administration or documentation systems, resource allocation and quality management. This software is generally used to manage big projects.
Functions of Project Management Software
Scheduling
Project management software is commonly used for scheduling a series of tasks or events. The complexity of schedule can differ considerably depending on the way the tool is used. Some common challenges include:
- Events the depend on each other in different dependencies or ways
- Scheduling resources required by different tasks, and people to work on
- Dealing with doubts in estimates of each task duration
Calculating Critical Path
In a number of complex schedules, there will be an important path, or a chain of events that rely on each other. Also, their duration will directly decide the length of entire the project. Some software applications can also highlight crucial tasks for optimizing efforts.
Offering Information
Project management software can help to provide information to stakeholders or people associated with the projects. It can also be used to justify or measure the level of effort required for completing the projects.
Different Approaches to Project Management Software
Web-based
You can use project management software as a web application, which can be accessed through an extranet or intranet using a web browser.
Advantages of Web-based Project Management Software
- Can be accessed from any computer
- Ease of access-control
- Multi-user
- Only one software version to install and maintain
- Some solutions enable users to copy the data offline
Desktop Application
Project management software can be used as a program to run on users’ desktop. Typically, this type of program offers a graphically-intense and responsive style of interface. While some desktop applications store their data in a file, others store the data in a central database.
