Philip: Your needs sound relatively simple compared to those requiring actual project scheduling/management software. Have you tried playing with data filtering in an Excel spreadsheet or Google Docs? I'm thinking of something with columns for project, task, start, due, and assigned to. For dependencies, create formulas with the duration added to the completion date of the prior task, or whatever gets you there. With that, you could:
- Sort on any of the columns to group things by project or by who a task is assigned to.
- Hide tasks that won't start until next month.
- Limit the display to certain projects or things due this month, etc.
I'm working with another architect right now who uses Google Docs to log submittals and RFIs and track response progress. They have it set up to automatically color code an entry based on who's court things are in. They have also created saved data filters for each consultant so we can all access the log online and filter it with two clicks to find out the status of any item. It works out nicely and does not require any back end customization or heavy duty contract management software.
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Steven Hovland AIA
Associate Principal
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Emeryville CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-05-2018 09:31
From: Philip Kabza
Subject: Project Schedule Software
I will keep watching this thread in hopes that someone can suggest a project scheduling software that will create a working summary of multiple projects. I understand this can be done by "tricking" MSProject, but we have no need for something as complex as that. We frequently have 20 projects under contract (as specifications consultants); we want to track their phase schedules and deliverables deadlines, of which there are typically only 5 to 10 separate activities per project, very linear, with simple dependencies. Of course, the deadlines always change.
Our hope is to be able to at least see, if not "manage," our entire workload. Am I dreaming to hope there is something out there like this?
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Philip Kabza AIA
Principal
SpecGuy Specifications Consultants
Mount Dora FL
Original Message:
Sent: 03-04-2018 10:36
From: Michael Clark
Subject: Project Schedule Software
David,
My advice is to develop your own based on the way you run your projects. You can use an out of the box program if it works for you, but customize it to your firm.
Years ago, I purchased an out of the box program, and it just did not work the way I wanted it to. So, I threw it away and looked at how documents were produced in my company. I spent some time developing a process for producing construction drawings based on "Theory of Constraints", "Lean Construction" techniques, and a few other types of process publications.
I have attached one of the end products of the process I use and you are welcome to use it. Every task entry was placed for a reason. It is not perfect, but it worked for me.
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Michael Clark AIA
Director Of Design
H&H Design-Build
New Albany IN
Original Message:
Sent: 03-01-2018 17:55
From: David Cameron
Subject: Project Schedule Software
Any advice out there on project scheduling software. We are a 50 person firm who has used a variety of gantt style schedule software, but have not found one that works very well. Cheap software does not have the options we need, and Microsoft Projects is expensive, cumbersome, and quite frankly does way more than we need to do.
We need a mid-range price, gantt style, project scheduling software.
Any suggestions?
Thanks