The project management software from Microsoft is called MS Project. The program is designed for planning, monitoring and controlling projects, but it is also quite expensive due to its wide range of functions. The standard version of MS Project costs € 849, the professional version € 1,509. Therefore, it makes sense to look at alternative software, especially for private use or small companies. We'll show you which programs are worthwhile when it comes to project management issues and why they are real alternatives to Microsoft Project.
Project Libre
Project Libre (formerly: Open Proj) is free of charge and, according to the company, is the leading alternative to Microsoft Project. With this software you can display your project processes as GANT diagrams and tables and you also have the option of opening and editing files from Microsoft Project. The built-in ribbon surface, which is also known from other Microsoft programs, makes it easier to use. With the help of schedules and schedules, the allocation of resources and the calculation of project costs, you can keep track of the individual work packages of your project.
GanttProject
Another free alternative software is GanttProject. It is particularly suitable for projects with few participants or for private use. Because compared to Microsoft Project and other project management tools, the range of functions is limited. The possibilities of time recording are missing here, for example. However, you can plan and manage the scheduling of tasks and the corresponding distribution of resources. You can also display deployment plans as a bar chart, structure tasks hierarchically and link them to human resources. The overviews generated in this way help to keep an eye on the workflows of your projects. The integrated export function also enables you to save your data as a PDF,CSV file or HTML file for further use in other programs or on the Internet..
Open Workbench
With the project management software Open Workbench you get another free Microsoft Project alternative. You can also display dates, resources and projects here as a GANT diagram or network plan. If you have saved your former MS Project files in XML format, you can continue to use them in OpenWorkbench without any problems. The operation, which initially appears complex, convinces after some training period due to the large range of functions and the possibility of tackling larger projects with the help of Open Workbench. Compared to GanttProject, you can also work with cost estimates, working hours and costs in controlling. Unfortunately, the software is currently no longer in further development. However, it is still available as a free download.
Rillsoft Project
If you have already worked with Microsoft Project, switching to Rillsoft Project should be easy for you. The reason for this is the high similarity of the user interfaces. Thanks to the wide range of functions, you can configure the management of your projects individually. For example, you can approve people from different hierarchy levels within your organizational structure for their respective areas. The shifting of relationships in the bar diagram can also be done here in the usual way with the mouse. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, you can only display sub-projects and processes in Rillsoft Project. Collective and accompanying processes are not supported. The secure handling of confidential data guarantees you the authentication and identification of every user.Rillsoft Project is only available free of charge as a 30-day trial version. The cheapest version ("Single Seat Light") is available for € 249, but only includes the basic planning functions. The planning of teams and resource management are not yet included..
