I started this assignment by looking at the Microsoft
Project 2010 website. I like PC's, so Microsoft is normally the first place that I look for software and templates. The software
package seems to have everything a Project Manager could need in planning,
tracking, and adjusting the budgetary and scheduling concerns of a
project. The only problem with Microsoft
Project is that it is very cost-prohibitive for a lone Instructional Designer. The site does offer some sound advice for preparing
a project budget here. Although advice is valuable, so are
tools. I started to look for more
pocket-friendly varieties of software and downloads.
Bright Hub has created several templates for Project
Managers to use for free. The templates
are written in Microsoft Excel, which saves PMs from downloading or purchasing
expensive software packages. The
download includes an overall budget, a monthly budget, and a task project
budget page. There are no instructions
or tutorials to help complete the sheets, but the template designs are clear
and easy to read. I was very glad to
come across this resource, as estimating and calculating cost for work-hours is
a new skill that I am learning. This
template would save me some of the frustration of setting up digital tables,
charts, and calculations.
Smartsheet does have a small monthly cost for a single user,
but it is much more reasonable. There is
also a 30-day free trial. The web-based
system limits the users to the number of sheets (templates/forms) and the size
of the files (in Gigabytes). The
Smartsheets product includes many features that PMs would find useful,
including Gantt charts, calendars, and collaboration between team members. The product could help PMs with prioritization
of tasks, budgets, performance reviews and task lists.
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