Microsoft Project Viewer Using ValleySpeak Project Server as a Microsoft Project Viewer Introduction Sharing Microsoft Project schedules with team members is a huge challenge for Project Managers. Since Microsoft Project licenses are costly and most team members use only a small subset of the functionality of Microsoft Project, using an Microsoft Project viewer (MPP file viewer) is a possible cost saving measure. ValleySpeak Project Server can be used as a Microsoft Project viewer and more. Not only can the team members see Microsoft Project schedules, they can also submit updates for their tasks on the schedules. This allows the Project Manager to get real-time feedback about task status from their teams while still allowing the Project Managers 100% control to approve or disapprove the changes submitted by the team. Most Microsoft Project viewers only allow the team members to read the project schedule, but not to give real time updates back to the Project Manager. In most cases where such read-only viewers are used, the Project Managers and Team Members have to rely on unstructured emails to communicate status to the Project Manager. Comparing ValleySpeak Project Server with Microsoft Project Viewers Microsoft Project Viewers
1. Read-Only view for Team Members with no real-time status reporting from the team members back to the Project Managers. 2. Generally require setup since each team member must install a separate instance, creating associated headaches of maintenance and upgrades. 3. Customers are locked into the Vendor once a perpetual software licenses are purchased Usually charge extra for upgrades and software maintenance. 4. Generally support single projects which can only be viewed one at a time. ValleySpeak Project Server
1. Project Managers and Team Members can have structured two-way interaction in real-time. 2. Provides comprehensive features like Issue Tracking, Risk Management, Document Management which are essential to professionally manage a project. 3. Free and automatic upgrades so that you are always using the latest and greatest features. 4. Hassle free Pay as you grow model, free of large upfront costs . 5. View and operate on unlimited projects at the same time. 6. No vendor lock, your project data resides on your desktop and is under your control at all times. 7. Web Based with support for all major browsers for team members.
Conclusion Although Microsoft Project viewers do help in one-way communication between Project Managers and Team Members, such viewers do not provide the essential tools for two-way structured communication. Customers using such viewers quickly come to realize the limitations of one-way communication. ValleySpeak Project Server on the other hand provides two-way communication in real-time between Project Managers and Team Members with powerful additional tools to track project issues, risks, documents, etc.; all the while keeping the hassle of managing software away from the users, hence making ValleySpeak Project server as the most comprehensive Microsoft Project Viewer in the market. For more information please visit http://www.valleyspeak.com ValleySpeak, Inc. 2947 Rubino Circle, San Jose, CA 95125 USA +1 408 264 3836