P M S C

Specialists in Resource and Project Planning


Comparison between PROJECT COMMANDER and MICROSOFT PROJECT

Contents
General
Facility summary
Task bars
Layout
Non-working time
Progress reporting
Resource reporting
Cost reporting
Export to Excel
.. Word/Powerpoint
Plan distribution


Major differences between Project Commander and Microsoft Project
Illustrated examples follow on later pages.

General

Project Commander Microsoft Project 2003/7
Multiple levels of UNDO Only one (and on a limited set of functions). 2007 multi undo.
WYSIWYG - what you see on screen is printed exactly You have to go to Print Preview to display output
Shift project facility - one click to move all or part of the project forward or backwards in time Not possible
Consolidation of individually resourced projects Resource information can only be consolidated using a resource pool
Reports combining chart and cost/resource graph Not possible
Over 50 views No
Each view defaults to an appropriate table No
A large selection of watermarks on printouts No watermarks
Facility to insert graphics file/clipart anywhere on page Not possible

Presentation - Bars

Project Commander Microsoft Project
Multiple bars/symbols per line Nothing more than split bars
Colour multiple bars/lines separately Not possible
Automatical colouring by resource All bars would need to be coloured manually
Critical path calculation Not possible
Risk durations Not possible
Sub task colours/text rollup to summary level Not possible

Presentation - Layout

Project Commander Microsoft Project
Border facility Only the basic header/footer
Task headings Only summary bar headings
Cell colouring No facility
Numbering of tasks only No facility
User-defined legends No facility
User text at 90° angle No facility

Presentation - Non-working time

Project Commander Microsoft Project
Show weekends and holidays on weekly charts Not possible
Show weekend and weekday working on weekly charts Not possible
On daily charts exclude non-working days Not possible
On hourly charts exclude non-working days Not possible

Progress task reporting

Project Commander Microsoft Project
Comparison of actual % to scheduled % progress No facility
Comparison of actual % to baseline % progress No facility
Progress line Not a clear jagged progress line
Task days ahead/behind No facility

Resource reporting

Project Commander Microsoft Project
Stacked histograms No facility
Multiple histograms No facility
Combination of chart and resource data No facility
Viewing of tasks by resource No facility

Cost reporting

Project Commander Microsoft Project
Combined chart and cost data Not possible
Cost totals st bottom of chart Not possible
Actual cost vs baseline graph Not possible
Resource costs on graph Not possible
Progress reporting Not possible
Cost per day Not possible
Cost analysis Microsoft Project has User Cost fields – but these do not add up into Total Cost
Actual cost Microsoft Project calculates Actual Cost as the % Complete of the Total Cost and has no Forecast Cost option

Export

Project Commander Microsoft Project
All task data to Excel in a click Not possible
All resource assignment data at a click Not possible
All periodic cost data at a click Not possible
Paste report to Word or Powerpoint Not possible

Distribution

Project Commander Microsoft Project
Free viewer Not available  

Note: This list is not comprehensive and was compiled by PMSC to show clearly areas of superiority. We do not accept any responsibility for any inaccuracies or deficiencies. The comparison is with Microsoft Project standard version.

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