ProjectOffice.net: Getting Started – Part 2

For the second installment of this “getting to the know the software” series, we’ll be looking at the Projects & Tasks tab and what we can do from there with this web-based project management and collaboration tool.  Some of the text I post will be information straight from the site tour and some will be my own findings and interpretations. 

Projects & Tasks

The Projects & Tasks tab is the starting point for your projects organization.  This module allows you to add projects, and tasks within the project as well as create your resource pool.

The first step is to invite new users to create their ProjectOffice.net space.  This will allow you to have resources in the system to utilize in creating your resource pool, which will become your assigned resources on projects.  Afterwards, you can create projects manually; import projects already created in Excel or create projects from predefined templates. At the end, you can add tasks, assign tasks to team members and track the task progress through the Gantt chart 

There are 3 main sections in the Projects&Tasks Menu: Projects; Tasks and Resources. By clicking on each you will be redirected to that particular section.

Projects

This is the place to officially start to manage your projects. This section offers you core project management functionalities needed to effectively manage your projects.

By clicking Projects in the Projects&Tasks menu you can import projects from Excel and create projects from templates, along with the standard Create new projects option.

Tasks

After you have created your project, the next step is to assign tasks to your team members. 

Tasks are the work elements that are required to deliver the project as a whole.  No task can exist without being attached to a project.  This is the case in the real world as well as all project management software you have likely ever utilized.

Resources 

Before you create projects and tasks you must have resources that will work on your projects and tasks.  Resources on your project must be authorized/licensed users of the ProjectOffice.net software.  That way they will be part of your resource pool and can be assigned to tasks in the project.

Resources in the Projects&Tasks menu allow you to invite people to join your team i.e. to create your resource pool.

In my next installment, we’ll begin to look more in-depth at setting up an actual first project.

Related posts:

1. What does ProjectOffice.net Offer?
2. ProjectOffice.net: Getting Started – Part 1
3. Getting the Project Planning in Motion
4. Taking Steps Toward Better Resource Management
5. Project Management and Startups: How Can PM Help? – Case Study 2