Challenge administration professionals know the great, unhealthy and ugly of Microsoft Challenge Server. On the one hand, it has highly effective mission administration capabilities, however then again, Microsoft Server could be costly, troublesome to make use of and never collaborative. Nonetheless, MS Challenge Server integrates seamlessly with different Microsoft merchandise, comparable to Microsoft Workplace, SharePoint On-line and Microsoft Challenge.
However is Microsoft Challenge Server the most effective mission administration software program? Let’s put it to the check. We’ll discover its advantages and options, record the place it falls brief and evaluation among the finest Microsoft Challenge Server alternate options available on the market. After studying this thorough rundown of MS Challenge Server, potential customers may have the knowledge they should determine whether or not Microsoft Challenge Server or one of many MS Challenge Server alternate options is the most effective match for his or her initiatives.
What Is Microsoft Challenge Server?
Microsoft Challenge Server is an enterprise mission administration (EPM) answer that integrates with Microsoft SharePoint Server. It offers customers a complete suite of options for managing and delivering initiatives and packages throughout organizations. It’s ideally suited to companies that want superior mission administration functionality, comparable to mission scheduling, useful resource administration and portfolio administration in a collaborative setting.
Nonetheless, organizations which are searching for a extra versatile mission and portfolio administration software program at a aggressive worth level that doesn’t require the funding in infrastructure will discover themselves available in the market for a Microsoft Challenge Server various. ProjectManager is award-winning mission and portfolio administration software program that gained’t break the financial institution and nonetheless offers the highly effective mission administration options wanted to ship on time, and inside price range whereas prioritizing high quality.
Our software program has strong Gantt charts that hyperlink all 4 activity dependencies, filter for the important path and set a baseline to trace mission variance in actual time. That’s considered one of a number of mission views, together with activity lists, kanban boards and calendars. Actual-time dashboards present a high-level overview of mission metrics, whereas customizable reviews supply worthwhile perception and could be shared with stakeholders to maintain them up to date. There are useful resource administration options to set availability, steadiness workload and extra whereas automated workflows with approval settings preserve high quality management. Roadmaps handle a number of initiatives in a single place for portfolio and program administration. There’s a cell app for iOS and Android, plus our software program is suitable with Apple merchandise. Add to {that a} extra collaborative platform and our Microsoft Challenge Server various is the way in which to go. Get began with ProjectManager immediately without cost.
MS Challenge Server Advantages & Options
There’s a motive Microsoft Challenge Server is a well-liked Microsoft project management tool. It has many advantages and superior mission administration options. Let’s check out these key options and advantages to raised perceive how MS Challenge Server may help ship initiatives efficiently.
Challenge Scheduling
Microsoft Challenge Server can create detailed project plans with duties and milestones and hyperlink some, however not all dependencies. It has Gantt charts and might do important path evaluation and baseline administration. This advantages initiatives via extra exact mission scheduling and monitoring.
Useful resource Administration
Useful resource administration options embody allocation, leveling and capability planning. There’s additionally monitoring of useful resource availability and utilization. The good thing about resource management is that it prevents overallocation, which might result in burnout, and offers mission managers instruments for efficient useful resource planning and administration.
Portfolio Administration
Organizations managing a program or portfolio can prioritize, align initiatives with enterprise objectives, assess mission efficiency and optimize project portfolios. This helps with strategic planning and alignment of organizational aims.
Collaboration
In contrast to Microsoft Project, Microsoft Challenge Server has collaborative options via integration with SharePoint and different Microsoft merchandise. This enhances teamwork and sharing of knowledge to supply higher mission outcomes.
Reporting
Reporting options enable for the monitoring of mission efficiency, which helps mission managers make extra knowledgeable selections. This monitoring of project metrics ends in the optimization of mission outcomes.
Cons of Microsoft Challenge Server
Now that we’ve given Microsoft Challenge Server its due, let’s take a extra important have a look at what it does and doesn’t do. The next is an inventory of the place MS Challenge Server falls brief.
- Excessive price of licensing and implementation, particularly for giant organizations
- Advanced options and configuration choices imply a steep studying curve, not best for small initiatives or groups
- Requires substantial IT sources for deployment, configuration and upkeep
- Customizing and integrating with different enterprise programs is complicated and time-consuming
- Bigger knowledge units or complicated initiatives can produce efficiency points, comparable to sluggish response occasions
- Interface isn’t user-friendly or intuitive in comparison with fashionable mission administration instruments
- Restricted cell performance in comparison with Microsoft Project alternatives
- Integration with non-Microsoft instruments is difficult and will require further customization
- Dependant on SharePoint integration for collaboration, which provides expense
- Restricted customization won’t meet all group necessities
- Implementing updates and modifications is complicated and might disrupt ongoing initiatives
MS Challenge Server Pricing
Regardless of the professionals and cons, typically the underside line in whether or not to decide on Microsoft Challenge Server is cash. Microsoft Challenge Server requires a separate setup and licensing in comparison with Microsoft’s extra consumer-oriented mission administration instruments.
MS Challenge Server could be bought via a quantity licensing settlement. It’s not normally out there by month-to-month subscription and pricing can differ relying on the particular settlement, variety of customers and degree of customization or further providers required.
It integrates with SharePoint, due to this fact, the price of licensing this utility might also apply. SharePoint could be licensed through completely different plans, which can have an effect on the associated fee.
Usually, the associated fee for Microsoft Challenge Server licenses ranges from just a few thousand {dollars} per yr per server, however that worth can differ relying on the contract and negotiation.
Finest Microsoft Challenge Server Options
Contemplating the worth and limitations of Microsoft Challenge Server, customers will understandably hunt down Microsoft Challenge Server alternate options. Let’s have a look at a few the most effective and see why customers have chosen them over MS Challenge Server.
1. ProjectManager
ProjectManager is award-winning mission and portfolio administration software program that has a number of benefits over Microsoft Challenge Server. It’s a extra versatile instrument and user-friendly answer. It options an intuitive and fashionable person interface that’s straightforward to be taught, not like the steep studying curve related to most Microsoft mission administration software program.
The web software program offers customers a totally collaborative platform with out having to subscribe to different instruments. Plus, it delivers real-time knowledge for dashboards, customizable reports, useful resource administration and different options. Customers can share recordsdata, remark on the activity degree and keep updated with e mail and in-app notifications.
The subscription-based mannequin is extra simple, with predictable month-to-month prices, which makes it simpler to price range and scale, not like MS Challenge Server with its greater upfront prices and funding in setup, customization and upkeep.
ProjectManager is a extra versatile instrument that may serve all mission administration methodologies and even customers who work on Apple merchandise. There are a number of mission views together with strong Gantt charts, sheet view, activity lists, kanban boards and calendars. Plus, time-tracking options to assist initiatives keep on schedule.
What customers discover most interesting exterior of the higher worth, fuller collaborative options and ease of use is the simple implementation and minimal setup required. ProjectManager is able to handle initiatives instantly, whereas Microsoft Challenge Server has a protracted and intensive deployment, which includes important effort.
2. Microsoft Challenge Server Viewer
For these searching for a Microsoft mission, there’s Microsoft Project Server Viewer, which offers particular functionalities for viewing and interacting with mission knowledge from Microsoft Challenge Server. Whereas not a full Microsoft Challenge Server various, it’s designed to enrich the software program.
It does this by permitting customers to view mission knowledge from Microsoft Challenge Server with out having the complete suite of Microsoft Challenge Server’s complicated functionalities. It could possibly view MPP files, generate reviews and entry knowledge.
This makes the Microsoft Challenge Server a more cost effective answer in comparison with Microsoft Challenge Server for customers that solely want viewing capabilities. It’s additionally easier to make use of and offers entry to mission knowledge from Microsoft Challenge Server in a format that may be considered and interacted with via a web-based interface.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t present full mission administration capabilities and requires Microsoft Challenge Server to operate. Due to this fact, it’s nice for customers who simply wish to view mission knowledge however is usually a drawback for individuals who want extra performance.
How one can Import MS Challenge Server Recordsdata Into ProjectManager
If the group is wedded to Microsoft Challenge Server, however customers wish to get the pliability and ease of use supplied by ProjectManager, there’s an answer. That’s as a result of ProjectManager can import MS Challenge Server recordsdata, the place they are often edited after which exported again to Microsoft. First, start a free 30-day trial after which comply with these steps.
1. Import MPP File
Launch the Gantt chart and click on on the import button, which could be discovered on the highest proper of the display screen. It seems to be like a field with an arrow pointing down from the highest of the field.
2. Choose MPP File
A window will ask which file to import. Navigate to the MPP file to be imported. It can have an MPP file extension.
3. Make Import Choices
Select whether or not to import the MS Challenge Server file to an current mission or open it as a brand new mission. There’s additionally an choice to both change the information or hold it.
4. Import All the pieces or Only a Process Checklist
At this level, select the right way to import the file. One possibility is to import all the information, one other is to only import the task list.
5. End Up & See Microsoft Challenge File On-line
When a window that claims, Success seems, customers can now share the file, edit it after which export the file again to MS Challenge Server. It’s that straightforward.
Extra Microsoft Challenge Server Options
There are greater than a few Microsoft Challenge Server alternate options that customers can select from. Listed here are just a few extra Microsoft mission administration software program choices that may assist run initiatives with out the pitfalls of Microsoft Challenge Server.
1. Microsoft Challenge for the Internet
Microsoft Project for the Web is a cloud-based Microsoft Challenge Server various and a part of the Microsoft 365 suite. It has a contemporary and intuitive design that helps customers plan, handle and collaborate on initiatives. It has Gantt charts, activity administration options and a board view to accommodate completely different mission administration methodologies.
2. Microsoft Challenge On-line
Microsoft Project Online is one other cloud-based Microsoft Challenge Server various that may deal with each mission and portfolio administration. It’s additionally a part of MS 365 and has Gantt charts, useful resource administration and collaboration instruments. There are reporting and dashboards that enable mission and portfolio managers to investigate knowledge in addition to custom-made templates to assist customers get began.
3. Microsoft Challenge Skilled
Microsoft Project Professional is a desktop Microsoft Challenge Server various that’s utilized in superior mission administration. Options embody Gantt charts, some activity dependencies and significant path evaluation. It has useful resource administration instruments to allocate, degree and monitor sources in addition to activity and value administration options. There are built-in customizable reporting and collaborative instruments.
Microsoft Challenge Server FAQs
To finish the article, let’s accumulate some often requested questions on Microsoft Challenge Server to assist readers select whether or not this mission and portfolio administration someplace is an effective match for his or her group.
Is Microsoft Challenge Server Free?
No, Microsoft Challenge Server just isn’t free. It’s a paid product that requires licensing charges.
Is Microsoft Challenge Server the Similar as Microsoft Challenge for the Internet?
No, Microsoft Challenge Server just isn’t the identical as Microsoft Challenge for the Internet. They serve completely different functions and supply completely different functionalities.
Is Microsoft Challenge Server Included in Microsoft 365?
No, Microsoft Challenge Server just isn’t included in Microsoft 365. It’s a separate, enterprise-level answer that requires a definite licensing settlement.
Associated Microsoft Content material
For many who are nonetheless on the fence and wish to dig somewhat deeper into Microsoft merchandise and the way they evaluate to different mission administration instruments, listed below are a bunch of hyperlinks to free articles that may assist one determine the most effective instrument for them.
ProjectManager is on-line mission and portfolio administration software program that connects groups whether or not they’re within the workplace, out within the discipline or wherever else on the earth. They’ll share recordsdata, remark on the activity degree and keep up to date with e mail and in-app notifications. Be a part of groups at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who’re utilizing our software program to ship profitable initiatives. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.
