The result is always the same: inconsistent schedules, cost surprises, limited visibility, and avoidable risk.

Whether you run a PMO, lead a programme, manage cost and risk, or oversee planning and controls, this guide explores how construction organisations can strengthen both project management and construction management by adopting a modern Microsoft-based approach supported by TPG ProjectPowerPack.

Microsoft Power Platform – Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and TPG’s advanced scheduling technology – this approach brings cost, schedule, governance, and reporting into a single enterprise solution.

TPG offers the ability to integrate multiple line of business systems, which is beneficial for managing complex construction projects.

This article explores the following topics:

• Why construction projects need digital project management
• Core challenges in construction project delivery
• How Microsoft tools support construction project management
• Microsoft Project vs. construction-specific software
• Integration with ERP and financial systems
• Best practices for enterprise construction PMOs
• When to adopt a Microsoft-based project management framework
• FAQs

Key Takeaways

• Construction organisations benefit from a single integrated Microsoft framework for project, portfolio, schedule, and cost management.
• TPG ProjectPowerPack adds enterprise scheduling, cost planning, governance workflows, risk and change management, and over 40 Power BI reports to Microsoft 365.
• A Microsoft-based approach improves schedule control, document governance, subcontractor coordination, cost visibility, and change management.
• Optional out-of-the-box integrations with line of business systems including SAP, Oracle, and Dynamics 365 streamline financial controls and portfolio reporting.
• Build a roadmap for adopting Microsoft tools across complex project management and construction management programmes.

Why Construction Projects Need Digital Project Management

Construction delivery operates within rising complexity, regulatory pressure, and stakeholder expectations. A key part of this shift is the move toward a Microsoft-based delivery environment.

TPG builds on Microsoft’s project management tools as the core platform, adding proven methods, governance, templates, and integration capabilities to deliver an enterprise-grade PPM solution. This helps enable a shift from fragmented processes to a consistent, scalable project delivery model.

Growing Complexity and Regulatory Requirements

Today, construction faces a web of regulatory obligations: CDM, BIM mandates, environmental compliance, labour requirements, planning controls, change-order governance, and extensive client reporting. Traditional manual methods cannot keep pace with:

• Multi-discipline coordination.
• Thousands of scheduled activities.
• Supply chain variability.
• Real-time commercial change.
• Safety and regulatory documentation.
• BIM model updates and versioning.

A modern digital system gives construction teams a consistent way to capture, track, and report the data needed for safe, compliant, and predictable delivery.

Why Traditional Spreadsheets and Standalone Tools Fail

Construction teams often use a combination of Excel, PDF, email, file servers, and discipline-specific products. These tools are helpful in isolation but problematic when used together:

• Schedules become misaligned between planners, QS teams, and delivery managers.
• Data is duplicated across systems.
• Cost forecasts do not match programme baselines.
• Subcontractor changes sit in email threads rather than structured workflows.
• Document versions drift, creating compliance risk.
• Reporting takes days rather than minutes.

Benefits of Adopting a Microsoft-Based Framework

A Microsoft-aligned construction delivery environment centralises schedule, cost, risk, change, and reporting. Benefits include:

• One version of the truth for all project and portfolio data.
• Standardised governance using Power Automate workflows (for changes, approvals, and project requests).
• Power BI reporting packs that give executives real-time visibility.
• Integration with the wider Microsoft ecosystem, such as Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook, and Dynamics.

Low-code adaptability, enabling PMOs to shape governance without bespoke development.

Our tip: Many contractors find value in using Microsoft Teams as the single entry point for project delivery, to simplify communication and document management.

Core Challenges in Construction Project Delivery

Major construction programmes face recurring delivery barriers that erode predictability and margin. These challenges are often made worse by disconnected tools and isolated systems. Many organisations run multiple planning, cost, resource, and reporting tools that do not communicate with one another, making it difficult to maintain data quality and visibility.

This fragmentation is one of the biggest barriers to construction performance and a strong reason to adopt a unified Microsoft-based project environment.

Let’s unpack the most common issues:

Cost and Schedule Overruns

Mega-projects and infrastructure programmes often suffer from:

• Late design information.
• Contractor delays.
• Materials price escalation.
• Resource shortages.
• Uncontrolled change.
• Misalignment between cost forecast and schedule progress.

Without centralised planning and cost visibility, overruns become difficult to predict or correct.

Managing Change Orders and Subcontractor Dependencies

TPG ProjectPowerPack provides built-in change request logging, evaluation, approval workflows, and portfolio-level analysis, meaning commercial teams can quantify the cumulative impact of changes.

This supports:

• Faster subcontractor change assessments.
• Transparent approvals.
• Stronger claims preparation.
• Better forecasting accuracy.

Built on the Microsoft Power Platform and tightly integrated with Microsoft 365, TPG ProjectPowerPack gives teams a modern, centralised PPM environment that is simple to roll out and easy for users to adopt.

Document Control, Compliance (CDM, BIM), and Versioning Issues

Construction documentation is extensive: method statements, RAMS, BIM models, drawings, permits, design packages, quality forms, inspection records, and safety files. Without structured governance:

• Teams work from outdated documents.
• BIM federation becomes inconsistent.
• CDM documentation is difficult to track.
• Audits become reactive rather than proactive.

Using SharePoint and Teams, integrated directly with TPG ProjectPowerPack, centralises document libraries, tracks version history, and links documentation to schedule tasks, risks, and changes.

Lack of Integration between PM, Finance, and Field Data

Commercial teams, planners, and site managers often operate with different tools, making alignment challenging.

With TPG PSLink, organisations can synchronise SAP, Oracle, and Dynamics 365 data (alongside other systems) with project schedules, cost plans, and forecasts. This provides real-time visibility of cost performance across programmes.

How Microsoft Tools Support Construction Project Management

The Microsoft ecosystem offers comprehensive coverage of all major PPM areas, including scheduling, resource planning, cost control, portfolio management, workflows, and reporting.

Dataverse provides centralised data storage, while Teams, Scheduler, and Project deliver a modern interface, enabling organisations to access a flexible platform that is powerful and easy for teams to adopt. TPG builds on this foundation with industry-specific methods, templates, and governance models tailored for construction environments.

Microsoft 365 provides a powerful foundation for modern construction delivery. TPG ProjectPowerPack, the company’s PPM Project Tool for Microsoft 365, expands native Microsoft capabilities with governance, scheduling, cost planning, and reporting designed for enterprise construction teams.

The following sections outline how each component contributes to the overall system.

Our tip: TPG also supports fast rollouts through its QuickStart packages and multi-project visibility through TPG ProjectLink.

TPG Scheduler and Primavera: Portfolio Visibility and Scheduling

Construction teams can choose between:

• TPG Scheduler, a premium enterprise scheduling engine with critical path, extensive task links, baselines, resource utilisation, constraints, and inter-project links. The powerful TPG Scheduler tool allows for more streamlined projects, providing detailed project and task planning within a unified project management ecosystem.
• If you use Primavera P6 or other scheduling tools, PSLink can be used to integrate these tools into TPG ProjectPowerPack.
• This approach allows organisations to scale over time, beginning with core scheduling and gradually adding resource planning, multi-project coordination, risk and change management, or financial controls as maturity increases.

Planning can take place in the table, board, or Gantt view, directly within TPG ProjectPowerPack.

This flexibility supports:

• Workface planning.
• 4D sequencing.
• Multi-discipline coordination.
• Portfolio-level critical path visibility.
• Scenario analysis with project variants (optional).

Power BI: Cost, Earned Value, and KPI Dashboards

TPG’s integrated reporting pack contains more than 40 Power BI reports, covering:

• Portfolio and programme status.
• Cost and forecast performance.
• Risks and issues.
• Change impact.
• Resource demand and capacity.
• Drivers and priority scoring.

Because all your project, cost, and resource data live in Dataverse, Power BI operates from a single source of truth. This eliminates the inconsistencies that arise from spreadsheet-based reporting and provides the real-time visibility that construction PMOs require for portfolio-level decision-making.

For a deeper look at the types of dashboards construction organisations rely on, see TPG’s overview of the Key PPM Reports used across complex portfolios.

Power Platform: Automate Site Workflows and Approvals

Low-code flexibility helps construction businesses adapt governance without heavy IT involvement. Using Power Apps and Power Automate, PMOs can digitalise:

• Project intake and approvals.
• Permit workflows.
• Design package submissions.
• Change requests.
• Variation approvals.
• HSE checklists.
• Commercial sign-off steps.
• Risk and issue escalations.

SharePoint and Teams: Document Control and Collaboration Hub

• Microsoft Teams provides the entry point for projects.
• SharePoint stores your documents and other project artefacts.
• Power BI offers reporting in the same interface.
• TPG ProjectPowerPack connects the formal PPM data model.

This creates a unified workspace for project managers, planners, QS teams, and subcontractors.

Microsoft Project vs. Construction-Specific Software

Choosing the right project management technology depends on the needs of your portfolio, governance model, and tool ecosystem. Legacy solutions, such as Project Online and SharePoint workflows, are nearing end-of-support, making the move to a Power Platform-based PPM environment an important next step for many construction firms.

The following sections compare Microsoft Project with specialist tools like Primavera P6 and Procore. We outline when Microsoft is the stronger choice for enterprise-level delivery and highlight the governance and flexibility advantages of the Microsoft environment enhanced with TPG ProjectPowerPack.

How Microsoft with TPG ProjectPowerPack Compares to Primavera and Procore

• Primavera P6 is a specialist scheduling tool, widely used in civil and infrastructure projects.
• Procore provides strong field management, quality, and document control.

Microsoft, combined with TPG ProjectPowerPack, offers a broader enterprise ecosystem:

Our tip: If your organisation is already Microsoft 365-first, Microsoft-based PPM accelerates adoption and reduces change cost.

When to Choose Microsoft Solutions for Enterprise-Level Delivery

Microsoft plus TPG is a strong choice when:

• You need tight integration with Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Power BI.
• You want to manage portfolios, programmes, and governance in one place.
• You need flexibility, rather than a rigid construction point solution.
• Field teams already use Microsoft apps.
• You want a scalable PPM solution, without heavy custom development.

For organisations already working within Microsoft 365, the Microsoft approach reduces friction and drives adoption because teams remain in familiar tools, such as Teams and Project. This usability factor is key to achieving widespread adoption, especially in construction environments with diverse digital skill levels.

Flexibility and Governance Benefits of the Microsoft Ecosystem

TPG ProjectPowerPack supports:

• Project lifecycle governance.
• Stage gates.
• Portfolio prioritisation.
• Risk and change management.
• Action tracking.
• Stakeholder management.
• Time capturing.

These capabilities allow PMOs to shape governance around NEC, FIDIC, EPC, or bespoke organisational frameworks.

Integration with ERP and Financial Systems

Financial accuracy is crucial to construction performance, and integrating project and ERP systems is often the missing link.

The Microsoft approach integrates with ERP, CRM, Jira, DevOps, and more through standard connectors or ProjectPowerPack middleware, such as TPG PSLink, allowing the entire project environment to operate as a connected system.

Connecting Project and ERP Data (SAP, Dynamics)

Construction cost control relies on accurate, timely financial information. By connecting enterprise schedules with SAP or Dynamics, organisations gain:

• Budget visibility.
• Approved changes.
• Actual cost updates.
• Forecast alignment.
• Commitments and accruals.

Synchronising Cost and Schedule Data with TPG PSLink

TPG PSLink provides:

• Automated data exchange.
• Mapping of cost codes and WBS structures.
• Bi-directional synchronisation.
• Robust performance for large data volumes.

This removes manual reconciliation and improves cost predictability.

Benefits of Automated Data Exchange and Unified Reporting

With unified cost and schedule data:

• QS teams work with real-time figures.
• Forecasts are more accurate.
• PMOs gain consistent data across all programmes.
• Reports refresh automatically in Power BI.
• Executive dashboards show true performance, not manually compiled snapshots.

Best Practices for Enterprise Construction PMOs

High-performing construction PMOs rely on consistent structures, reliable data, and predictable governance. Because TPG ProjectPowerPack works directly inside Microsoft Teams, adoption is high, users work in tools they already know.

Don’t ignore these best practices:

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Critical Path Method (CPM) Optimisation

WBS and CPM remain essential for controlling large construction schedules.

TPG Scheduler provides:

• Extensive task links.
• Critical path visibility.
• Constraints and calendars.
• Resource utilisation views.
• Baselines and Gantt comparisons.

Using Risk Registers and Governance Workflows

Project management and construction management organisations benefit from a unified approach to:

• Risk capture.
• Probability and impact scoring.
• Assigning mitigation actions.
• Overseeing risk escalation.
• Integrating risk into status reports.

Governance workflows using Power Automate standardise reviews and approvals.

BIM Integration via SharePoint for Document Versioning

Although TPG ProjectPowerPack is not a BIM tool, it complements BIM processes by:

• Hosting controlled document libraries.
• Managing version history.
• Linking documents to project tasks, risks, and changes.
• Providing clear audit trails.

This supports ISO 19650-aligned information management.

Reporting and Executive Dashboards in Power BI and Viva

Reports can surface in Power BI, Teams, SharePoint, and Viva, meeting stakeholders where they work. Executives can access KPIs such as:

• Earned value.
• CPI and SPI.
• Cost and schedule variance.
• Risk exposure.
• Change impacts.
• Resource capacity.

Portfolio performance.

Reading tip: Capacity Planning in Project Management – 4 Success Factors

When to Adopt a Microsoft-Based Project Management Framework

Adopting a Microsoft project management environment becomes a strategic advantage when legacy tools begin to limit performance.

Here’s how project management and construction management planners can identify the signs that their toolset is reaching its limits and outline a practical roadmap for Microsoft-first adoption. You can also share example success metrics from TPG clients who have already made the transition.

Signs Your Current Toolset Has Reached Its Limits

Your organisation is ready for modernisation if you experience:

• Repeated schedule slippage.
• Data discrepancies between cost, schedule, and procurement.
• Inconsistent reporting across divisions or regions.
• Heavy reliance on spreadsheets.
• Difficulty coordinating subcontractors.
• Lack of portfolio visibility.
• Inefficient document control or compliance gaps.
• Growing pressure to standardise governance.

The Microsoft Power Platform supports a staged adoption path. Organisations can start with essential functionality and then expand as their PPM maturity grows, adding features such as resource planning, multi-project dependencies, ERP integration, or advanced reporting. This flexibility enables teams to adopt the platform more easily without feeling overwhelmed.

Roadmap for Adoption: Pilot, Rollout, Integration

A typical adoption roadmap includes:

1. Discovery and PMO assessment: Understanding current tools, reporting needs, governance maturity, and ERP integration requirements.
2. Pilot project: Implement TPG ProjectPowerPack for one programme or functional area.
3. Scheduling integration: Decide whether to use TPG Scheduler or Primavera.
4. Portfolio and reporting setup: Deploy Power BI reporting packs linked to governance processes.
5. ERP and finance integration: Use TPG PSLink to synchronise cost data.
6. Organisation rollout: Train project managers, planners, QS teams, and field supervisors.
7. Optimisation and continuous improvement: Expand governance models, automation, and reporting

Example Success Metrics from TPG Clients

Although client names are confidential, typical outcomes include:

• 50–70% reduction in manual reporting effort.
• Faster change request turnaround.
• Improved forecasting accuracy.
• Higher PMO stakeholder satisfaction.
• Better resource planning visibility.
• Centralised document and compliance management.

Consistent portfolio-level decision-making.

FAQs

What’s the difference between project management and construction management?

Project management focuses on planning, scheduling, cost control, and governance across the lifecycle of a project. Construction management concentrates on site delivery, subcontractor coordination, safety, and quality control. Together, they form two sides of the same delivery framework.

What are the main advantages of project management in construction?

Key advantages of project management include better schedule predictability, improved cost control, structured change governance, stronger risk management, and more consistent reporting. A modern system like TPG ProjectPowerPack strengthens all these areas.

Can Microsoft Project integrate with my ERP system?

Yes. Using TPG PSLink, Microsoft Project, and TPG ProjectPowerPack, you can integrate with SAP, Oracle, Dynamics 365, and other ERP systems to synchronise costs, budgets, actuals, and commitments.

Does Power BI support construction KPIs and earned value reporting?

Yes. Power BI provides dashboards for earned value (CPI, SPI), cost variance, schedule variance, risk exposure, resource utilisation, and portfolio performance. TPG’s reporting pack includes over 40 predefined construction-relevant reports.

Can Primavera P6 integrate with My ERP System, like SAP?

Yes. Primavera P6 can integrate with ERP systems, which often requires specialist middleware or custom development. By comparison, Microsoft plus TPG PSLink offers out-of-the-box ERP connectivity for many organisations.

Our final tips

Get to know the individually adaptable “PPM Paradise” – the optimal environment for your enterprise-wide project, program, portfolio and resource management. Download the eBook now (just click, no form).

And sign up for our bi-weekly blog newsletter to make sure you receive all our updates.

Is there anything you would like to add regarding construction and project management with Microsoft tools? We’ll be happy to respond to your comment below.

Achim Schmidt-Sibeth
Senior Marketing Manager

After earning his engineering degree in environmental technology, he gained many years of experience in project management through his work at an engineering office, an equipment manufacturer, and a multimedia agency. Achim Schmidt-Sibeth and his team have been responsible for marketing and communication at TPG The Project Group for many years now.

Read more about Achim Schmidt-Sibeth on LinkedIn.

Der Beitrag Project Management in the Construction Industry: Enterprise Delivery Guide erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.

In this article, which includes many practical tips, you will learn about the fastest way to achieve functional and accepted project portfolio management in your company using our 7-step guide. A strong PMO plays an important role in this.

The following topics will be discussed:

• Project portfolio management definition
• Why implement project portfolio management? Important arguments
• The 7-step guide to optimizing your project portfolio management
  • Step 1: Define criteria for projects
  • Step 2: Define a process for project initiation
  • Step 3: Define a method for prioritization
  • Step 4: Start with a complete overview of running projects
  • Step 5: Compare the planned new projects with the remaining capacity and budget
  • Step 6: Keep a constant eye on project handling
  • Step 7: Close projects with a regulated project closure process
• Conclusion: Project portfolio management 7-step guide

Let us start with the definition of project portfolio management:

Project Portfolio Management Definition

Project portfolio management (PPM) ensures that you work on the right projects as a company – i.e., you have the optimal mix of projects to achieve the company’s goals. The project portfolio management process encompasses:

• Assessing the project pipeline
• Selecting projects based on their urgency / importance
• Allocating resources
• Monitoring the progress and goal achievement of all projects.

Portfolio management is a regular task that is usually supported by a PMO.

Why Implement Project Portfolio Management? Important Arguments

The five most important reasons to implement project portfolio management are:

• Focusing on “feasible” and “economically viable” projects
• Having a complete overview of your portfolio
• Benefitting from a clear preparation for selecting the projects
• Making your decisions based on priorities in accordance with corporate strategy
• Planning your capacities ahead of time

To be able to quantify the benefits of a new PPM tool, try ROI calculation.

Often, another question comes up:

What Is the Difference between Project Portfolio Management and Multi-Project Management?

In our view, project portfolio management addresses the strategic aspects of the enterprise-wide project portfolio. The motto for this is: “Do the right projects.”

Multi-project management, on the other hand, encompasses only a subset of all enterprise-wide projects, e.g., those included in the project list of one organizational unit and not assigned to a program (cf. program management). The corresponding motto for each individual project is: “Do the projects right.”

There is no one universally applicable definition of both terms, however.

The 7-Step Guide to Optimizing Your Project Portfolio Management

To be able to assess a portfolio of projects, you must first have information on every individual project. Based on these factors, you subsequently rate your projects.

For each project, ask the following questions to begin with:

• What is the strategic relevance of the project?
• What is the cost?
• What are the resource requirements?
• What deadlines must be met?

The challenge of project portfolio management is to determine the optimal combination of your projects in the portfolio, usually using strategic criteria (business drivers). Thus, you decide:

• Which projects to implement next
• Which ones are less important and will have to wait

In the subsequent 7 steps, you will learn in detail how to implement the project portfolio management process to set up a successful portfolio environment.

Step 1: Define Criteria for Projects

Not all initiatives are projects. Much can be handled as part of operations. With a project-worthiness analysis, you can determine the threshold at which an initiative should be treated as a project at your company.

You can differentiate projects based on the project type (minor / normal / major project). This will allow you to define the methods to be used.

The project-worthiness analysis determines when an initiative should be treated as a project

Simply use this approach to determine when an initiative should be considered a project. Only then is it to be added to the project portfolio selection process.

Design your individual project-worthiness analysis according to your requirements. Possible criteria for this could be:

• Number of departments involved
• Size of the project team
• Staff costs
• Amount of investment
• Duration
• Inherent complexity
• Novelty for the project team
• Quality risk
• External effect

Our tip: Download the free Excel template for your project-worthiness analysis. You can easily adapt the template to your needs.

Step 2: Define a Process for Project Initiation

At any rate, you should ensure one thing when selecting the portfolio: incorporate all projects requested internally or externally. Therefore, define a standardized process for initiating projects.

It is best to use central idea management software for the standardized recording of tasks, ideas, and project requests. Specify a methodical approach including:

• Workflows
• Permissions
• Criteria for the steps of approval

Reading tip: How to implement idea management – benefits and success factors.

And see to the appropriate quality of planning for new projects.

Find answers to the following questions in your project portfolio process:

• How do we collect project proposals or ideas?
• In what way do we assess potential projects?
• How do we approve them? And who is involved in this?
• Which PPM tools do we employ?
• How do we ensure that all involved know about the process and actually live it?
• How do we guarantee the quality of the new projects’ rough planning?

Our tip: Make sure the project portfolio process you design is as simple as possible. This will ensure acceptance and is especially important if you are performing project portfolio management as PMO members. Additional change management will further increase acceptance.

Read article on the importance of Change Management in Project Management.

Step 3: Define a Method for Prioritization

The next project portfolio management task is the prioritization of projects. Prioritization is not a one-off activity. Whenever the circumstances change, you must adapt your priorities. You can determine the strategic relevance of the projects by assigning business drivers proportionally.

These drivers must be clearly separated and distinct in meaning. Possible drivers can be:

• Increasing product quality
• Achieving a higher customer satisfaction
• Increasing staff satisfaction
• Achieving higher cost efficiency
• Expanding into new markets

What is more, the drivers need to be complete from a strategic perspective. In this case, complete means that the drivers should be as few as possible but as many as necessary.

Subsequently, you define the drivers’ importance among themselves.

Our tip: Choose at least 3 strategic drivers but fewer than 10. This will ensure good handling and a meaningful overview on a sensible basis.

Step 4: Start with a Complete Overview of Running Projects

First, you record all running projects with their essential information. To do this, use a central, database-assisted list in your project management software. The required project information should include at least:

• Start
• Finish
• Effort
• Cost
• Sponsor
• Project manager

Assign the relevant strategic business drivers to each of the existing projects.

Proceed by checking whether the most effort actually goes towards the most important projects. To this end, compare the importance of the drivers with the corresponding efforts of the assigned projects.

Identify unimportant projects it might be best to stop. This can free up resources for more important new projects.

Our tip: It is hard to present the financial value of a project that does not produce direct revenue. So it is best to put the initial focus on the importance resulting from the strategic drivers. You can always add a financial evaluation later. You can also divide the project portfolio into projects with revenue and those without.

Reading tip: Microsoft Project Management Tool Overview

Step 5: Compare the Planned New Projects with the Remaining Capacity and Budget Available

In the next step, you add your new list of desired additional projects to the portfolio of running projects. Appropriate portfolio management software provides optimal support for this task through a transparent overview of projects and resource utilization over the relevant period.

Compare the new projects’ effort and cost planning with the remaining capacity and budgets available. This is about finding out which project could start when.

It will be necessary to plan all new projects roughly. Thus, the resource requirements along the timeline become apparent. Planning should not be down to the level of individual people but to skills. This will keep the effort lower for you.

Learn why to use skills management in this article.

Of course, you will have to assign the new projects to the strategic drivers. Otherwise, it will be difficult to prioritize the new projects with the highest strategic contribution.

Only include small projects with low strategic contribution at the end, to fill in the gaps.

Our tip: Make your plans as rough as possible but as detailed as necessary. This step requires very little. The following principle applies: it is better to make a complete and rough plan than an incomplete and overly detailed one. In other words, it is preferable to have ALL projects show up in the overview, at least roughly. Leaving the list incomplete is not advisable. In that case, an overall statement on feasibility would become impossible, as the data would be incomplete.

Step 6: Keep a Constant Eye on Project Handling

The penultimate project portfolio management task is constant control. You should ensure at all costs that the data for all projects is:

• Regularly updated.
• Reported back to the central PPM solution.

The current data is the basis you need, if you ever want to determine:

• Whether new projects can be started in the future.
• When these projects should be started.
• What kind of projects these could be.

You should monitor the portfolio continuously. Also, keep checking the priorities of running projects.

Whenever strategic guidelines change and ongoing projects are not in line with the new strategic direction, you should not rule out a project termination.

Our tip: Arrange for a monthly project portfolio meeting. The latter has to be prepared well by the PMO. As for projects that need to be stopped: rather a calamitous end than an endless calamity.

Step 7: Close Projects with a Regulated Project Closure Process

You should have every project undergo a closure process. The latter includes a final project review with a target-actual comparison of costs and results.

In addition, you should:

• Communicate the Lessons Learned
• Archive the project properly
• Officially discharge the project manager responsible (relieve him or her of the responsibility for the finished project)

After that, everyone is aware that a project has been declared closed. And that the staff can now be assigned to other projects.

Our tip: In the interest of good company culture and communication, consider this: successfully completed projects could be a reason to celebrate. Alongside the results and successes, you would be able to present Lessons Learned. This occasion would give you an opportunity to increase the responsible project managers’ motivation for future projects.

PPRM Tools for Modern Portfolio Management

There are several powerful products for advanced (multi-) project, portfolio and resource management (PPRM) – in the cloud or on premises. These will make your work in a multi-project and portfolio environment much easier.

Our recommendation: take a look at TPG ProjectPowerPack, our tool based on Microsoft 365 and Power Platform. This modern environment provides you with:

• Different portfolios with any number of projects and key performance indicators
• A customizable overview of projects with predefined views for your own, ongoing, completed and all projects; a bar chart for each project’s duration; you can also create and save your own views
• Priorities for portfolio compilation calculated from driver values that can be individually defined; priority dashboard for projects and drivers; the option to sort project and project proposal lists by priority, even in portfolios and programs

Der Beitrag Project Portfolio Management: 7-Step Guide + Download erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.

What you will learn here:

• How to identify, assess and actively manage risks at an early stage instead of merely reacting
• Risk management is a continuous process – not a one-off event.
• An open risk culture within a company increases the success rate of projects.

Look forward to the following chapters with important practical tips:

• Risk management definition
• What are examples of risks in projects?
• Risk management example
• What are risk attitudes for projects?
• Risk management example, risk analysis and key tasks
• Risk measures for risk response in projects
• Conclusion – Risk management in project management

First, we will start with the definition of risk management and the assessment of what makes risk management in project management important.

Enjoy reading.

Risk Management Definition

Risk management is a management task in which the risks of an organization are identified, analyzed and later evaluated. To this end, the organization’s higher-level objectives, strategies and policies for risk management must be defined. In detail, this concerns the definition of criteria according to which the risks are classified and evaluated, the methods of risk identification, the responsibilities for risk decisions, the provision of resources for risk defense, internal and external communication about the identified risks, and the qualification of staff for risk management. (Source: German-language Wikipedia)

The worldwide professional association Project Management Institute (PMI) defines “risk” as events with uncertain occurrence. Hence, besides threats the term also includes chances.

Risk management in project management is meant to increase the chances of achieving the project goals. At the same time, the aim is to minimize the risk of project failure. Professional risk management is an iterative process. It requires the constant review of realities, the reassessment and adjustment of measures and plans.

What Are Examples of Risks in Projects

For instance, the following risks might have to be managed in the project environment:

• Economic losses
• Damage to company reputation
• Dangers for health and life of product users
• Schedule delays
• Technical problems
• Definition of project scope
• Resource scarcity
• Quality problems, etc.

Yet, in everyday project management the opposite effect can occur only too quickly: possible high-impact risks go undetected, are forgotten or ignored. Better not to think about what could happen.

Does that sound familiar?

Practical experience has shown that overlooking risks in the project environment is dangerous. This applies even if risk management is not mandatory in your organization. It can get dangerous if health and life, monetary factors or the company reputation are at stake in a project.

The well-conceived establishment of risk management helps lead projects to success.

Good project managers try to identify risks and plan how to handle them.

To what extent project managers actually implement measures and which measures they decide to use depends on the industry and the individual company culture.

By the way: the uncertainty inherent in a project can be a risk factor in itself.

Risk management in projects should take place during the kick-off workshop.

Risk Management Example

Often, undesirable long-term effects are lurking in the shadows, even in cases with seemingly manageable project risks. Here are two short risk management examples:

• Example 1: Essentially, the project for the new development of customer satisfaction surveys was not a big thing. However, later, it became apparent that important questions had been forgotten and now data for evaluation is missing…
• Example 2: The online form generates errors and brings more frustration than satisfaction to customers. This results in more and more of them turning elsewhere…

With risk management and a more mindful approach beforehand, the project participants might have avoided these kinds of risks after all.

For this reason, there are means and methods of effective risk management. In some cases, their use can make or break the success of a project.

Learn what makes projects successful in our article about project success.

What Are Risk Attitudes for Projects?

You can ask yourself this: as a project manager, am I rather:

• Risk-averse (unwilling to take risks)?
• Risk-tolerant (not likely to dwell on risks)?
• Risk-oriented (taking risks consciously)?

Studies have shown that many project managers as a rule are rather risk-averse – except when they have to navigate their project through an acute crisis. Pressure to succeed and be on schedule often do the rest.

In principle, there is nothing wrong with acting cautiously. However, it is important not to miss out on big opportunities for this reason.

The better approach is to analyze risks closely before taking a decision on how to deal with them.

Example: “Is our only reason not to roll out the new software throughout the company that we are unsure about the effects? Or have we assessed the risks carefully and drawn up an appropriate schedule – in other words, do we know what we are doing?”

Our tip: Be aware of both your company’s and your own risk attitude. This should be clear before you plan your risk management in project management. And make sure you communicate any deviations from the standard process actively and with a sound justification for the respective project situation.

Risk Management in Different Industries

Naturally, your industry also plays a vital role in risk management. Highly regulated and often risky environments, such as the finance sector, will always tend to be more cautious. They also have to demand a certain approach from their project managers.

There are industries in which the lives of the users could be at risk in projects and with products, for instance the aeronautical, automotive, or in some cases the construction, industry. They tend to involve calculated risk management for this reason alone. In their case, the responsibility is very high.

Likewise, project managers tend to implement projects carrying a high risk of damage to reputation for the company with more caution than those in which the good reputation is not particularly at risk.

Risk Management Example, Risk Analysis and Key Tasks

Project managers looking to handle risks in a professional way must first ensure they have a full toolbox. Below, you will get to know a few of these techniques.

Task 1: Risk Identification

To identify risks, you need techniques that trigger creative thought processes. You can:

• Check project documents
• Call meetings with stakeholders and experts
• Organize brainstorming sessions
• Create checklists

If that is not enough and there is reason to suspect that several important risks might yet be unidentified, the Delphi method can help.

With the Delphi Method, the project manager surveys a group of experts individually and anonymously. Should there be a stark difference between the responses, you communicate them to all involved. The purpose of this is to spur discussion. You repeat the procedure until the statements no longer diverge as much.

The benefit of the Delphi Method is that it helps you ensure that:

• Everyone speaks their mind openly
• No one is swayed too much
• No one takes a backseat either, e.g. because others may appear to be dominant

Nominal Group Technique: The Nominal Group Technique is used for similar reasons: it works in the same way as brainstorming. However, rather than everyone calling out their idea, they take it down on a piece of paper. Afterwards, you collect these notes. This helps you ensure that quieter voices on your team will also be heard.

SWOT Analysis: If you are working in a project with high uncertainties and are breaking new ground as a team, you might find an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) helpful. With the aid of the four dimensions, you consider in which areas you as a company or a project team are good and where you still see potential for improvement. From this, you derive risks for your project.

Pre-Mortem Approach: Another interesting practice has been tried and tested in agile projects: in the pre-mortem, teams imagine their project as failed already and ask themselves what might have happened and why.

As opposed to the post-mortem approach, i.e., the project autopsy after the failure, this event takes place at the beginning of the project. From this, they derive recommendations for action. The intention is to prevent the failure of the project, if at all possible.

Agile, traditional or hybrid? Which method to use for what project. Read now.

Brain scientists were able to prove that the change in perspective (we imagine we were already in the future looking back) leads to participants engaging in scenarios much more closely and creatively than mere predictive brainstorming.

Our tip: Whichever method you end up picking in each particular case: at the end, you should come out with a risk register, i.e., a list of identified risks in your project.

However, be aware that at this stage you may still have unidentified risks. You will not be able to predict all. Use the risk register document e.g. for the communication with stakeholders. Or use it to diminish the risk of losing sight of project risks.

Do not forget to keep checking and updating the risk document at regular intervals. You should also write down strategies for handling each of the risks in the document.

Our tip: To avoid planning redundant measures in risk management, it is worth analyzing the root causes. You may find a common cause for several risks. You could try to fix this and thus master several risks at once.

Task 2: Risk Analysis in Projects and Its Visualization

Your next step in risk management is a qualitative risk analysis in project management.

When Do You Perform a Risk Analysis in Project Management?

Risk analysis identifies risks and opportunities within a project and evaluates and prioritizes them. Analysis takes places after risk identification and is an iterative process which is repeated throughout the course of the project. An effective risk analysis presents all risks threatening the success of a project in a way that is transparent for all project participants. This makes it easier to steer a project in a lower-risk direction.

Thus, risk analysis in projects is a way of evaluating and weighing the identified risks. Thus, you determine their urgency, possible effects and priority.

You can further analyze those risks which you deem to be most dangerous for your project.

For this purpose, there are several detailed diagram techniques, such as:

• The tornado diagram for visualizing the estimated effects
• The Monte Carlo simulation for acting out scenarios with a random generator
• Decision trees for narrowing down possible measures

• With a risk matrix, you visualize active risks in a colored matrix of impact over probability. The risk table makes communication within the project team easier for you. This tool can help you present the risk situation clearly to project sponsors or the steering committee. The graphical visualization in the risk matrix supports project managers in setting priorities and developing response strategies for the risks as will be described further below.

Learn more about reporting and the risk matrix in our project status report article.

Monetary Risk Analysis for Creation of Reserves

When it comes to risks, it is particularly important to keep an eye on possible financial losses and cushion them if necessary. In general, you have the option to calculate the expected value of risks using the formula below. This is the purpose of the monetary risk analysis in project management:

Expected monetary value = probability of a risk (%) * expected financial impact

From this, you can derive possible risk surcharges, i.e. reserves created for identified and analyzed risks.

Top management, on the other hand, maintains more general reserves for anything that might occur without being previously identified.

Our tip: The sooner you address a risk in a project with risk analysis as part of risk management, the more budget-friendly and effective the solution will be. Thus, address risk issues at the very beginning, if a project is of high importance to your company.

Task 3: Planning Risk Measures in the Case of Risk Acceptance

The creation of risk surcharges and reserves is a form of active risk acceptance. You put up with the occurrence of a risk, but not without making provisions.

If the risk does not materialize, the reserves will be released.

Risk Measures for Risk Response in Projects

The following is true of risk management in project management: what type of measure is suited to which project risk will result from the analysis and the actual options in any situation.

Frequent types of risk measures are:

• Avoidance / Prevention (eliminating or evading the danger)
• Mitigation (reducing the probability of occurrence or the extent of the damage)
• Transfer (transferring responsibility to a third party, such as an insurance company)
• Active acceptance (arranging for risk surcharges and reserves)
• Passive acceptance (doing nothing)
• Escalation (asking management for help)

Passive acceptance (outright acceptance without taking action) can be an adequate reaction to some risks for you. Other risks may require the provision of reserves, the purchase of insurance, the involvement of top management or further measures from you.

It is important to make the decisions on the treatment of risks on a carefully considered basis. To this end, you must identify, analyze and judge risks in advance – i.e., live risk management.

Equally important, if not more, is the understanding that it is not enough to look at risks only once at the beginning of the project. Professional risk management is an iterative process requiring constant assessment of realities, reevaluation and adaptation of measures and plans.

Our tip: Give thought to possible risks in your projects on a regular basis. It is not enough to do this only at the beginning! For risks with high impact and high probability of occurrence, you should always have specific measures planned and communicate these openly. And check periodically if these measures are still adequate.

Conclusion – Risk Management in Project Management

This article has outlined why active risk management is useful in projects and which threats it can help avoid. It can get dangerous if health and life, monetary factors or the company reputation are at stake in a project.

In addition, you have become acquainted with several methods for risk identification and assessment, including agile techniques.

Professional risk management in project management is feasible if you know a few tricks and tweaks. And it is worthwhile: if you actively identify, analyze and communicate your risks, irrespective of industry and risk-taking propensity, you will be able to look back on more project success.

Have the courage to approach this topic! It will certainly pay off for you straight away once a theoretical risk becomes reality.

Our final tips

Get to know the individually adaptable “PPM Paradise” – the optimal environment for your enterprise-wide project, program, portfolio and resource management. Download the eBook now (just click, no form).

And sign up for our bi-weekly blog newsletter to make sure you receive all our updates.

Is there anything you want to add on the topic of risk management? What gives you a headache? We’ll be happy to respond to your comment below!

About the author:Antje Lehmann-Benz, PMP, PMI-ACP, PSM expert is a trainer for project management with a particular focus on agile practices and Scrum seminars. Furthermore, she has experience as a software trainer (JIRA, Confluence) and consultant. In addition to teaching frameworks and theory, she is experienced in the use of agile games and practical exercises to reinforce the knowledge gained.

Read more about Antje Lehmann-Benz on Linkedin.

Der Beitrag Risk Management in Project Management – Practical Tips and How to Do It Right erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.

In this article, you will learn how to determine the ROI for a PPM tool using a sample calculation. In addition, you will get a benchmark list of the ROIs of different PPM tools. You will also find out what to pay attention to when presenting your arguments to management. We will cover the following topics:

• What is the ROI of a PPM tool?
• What makes the ROI so important for decisions on PPM tools?
• What added value does a good PPM tool provide?
• Which items should be included in the ROI calculation?
• How to calculate the ROI for your project management tool: A practical example
• Benchmark: According to Forrester, this is how high the ROI of PPM tools is
• Conclusion: Using ROI calculations to make strategic tool decisions
• Frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the ROI for PPM systems

Let us get started.

What Is the ROI of a PPM Tool?

The return on investment (ROI) for a PPM tool measures the ratio between the benefits achieved and the investment costs incurred. The formula is as follows:

ROI (%) = (Total benefit – Total investment) / Total investment x 100

Thus, an ROI of 300% means that investment in a PPM tool creates four times the economic benefit in relation to the investment costs.

What Makes the ROI so Important for Decisions on PPM Tools?

If your company has a PMO, it will probably take care of choosing a suitable PPM tool. Where there is no PMO (yet), another role will be responsible for this. Either way – ROI calculation is particularly relevant if you:

• Must justify the business case for a new PPM tool by presenting arguments in favor
• Wish to evaluate the economic success of the existing PPM solution
• Want to compare various providers based on hard facts

Our tip: The ROI helps you not only to name the benefits of a PPM tool in terms of quality (e.g. better usability) but also to provide reliable figures. Use these figures to convince people, especially when talking to colleagues in finance and IT.

Still, let us start with a brief overview of the qualitative benefits of a modern PPM tool.

What Added Value Does a Good PPM Tool Provide?

An advanced project and portfolio management tool offers you more than functions for project planning, resource management and reporting in a multi-project environment. Above all, it adds strategic and operational value, for example:

• Transparent portfolio overview – all projects, budgets and statuses in one central cockpit
• Real-time reporting & dashboards – automated key figures instead of manual Excel data collection
• Resource planning & capacity management – identify bottlenecks at an early stage and optimize capacities
• Automated workflows – save time by reducing manual routine tasks and speeding up processes
• Prioritization & strategic alignment – weight projects according to corporate objectives
• Proactive risk management – proactively identify risks and plan countermeasures
• Budget & cost control – variances immediately visible, informed financial decisions
• Better collaboration & communication – one central platform instead of isolated e-mail threads
• Compliance & governance support – manage standards, audits, and approvals in an audit-proof manner
• Data-based decision support – what-if analyses and scenario simulations at the touch of a button

All of these benefits have a measurable economic effect. This is where the ROI calculation for PPM tools comes in.

Our reading tip: PMO and PPM Tools Software and Recommendations

Which Items Should Be Included in the ROI Calculation?

To convince the decision-makers at your company with the return on investment calculation for a project management tool, you should consider the following points:

Typical investment costs:

• Licenses (cloud SaaS model vs. on-premises)
• Implementation / Set-up / Interfaces
• Training, support, operational expenses
• Internal effort (e.g. project team)

Typical benefit categories:

• Time saved due to better coordination via the tool
• More efficient meetings thanks to better reports and faster decision-making
• Successfully implemented projects and fewer project delays tie up fewer resources
• Central data storage “single source of truth” prevents time-consuming document searches
• Better resource utilization through the knowledge of who is working on what and still has capacity available
• Faster project launches due to better visibility into resource availability and scenarios in the portfolio
• Improved internal communication prevents costly mistakes and redundant work
• Documentation in the system and central data availability ensure better transparency of decisions and are important for compliance issues
• Elimination of obsolete software licenses (e.g. for outdated desktop tools without a central database)

Our tip: Calculate the payback period in addition to the ROI figure. This shows when the tool will pay for itself – often after only 6 to 12 months.

How to Calculate the ROI for Your Project Management Tool: A Practical Example

To make ROI calculation for a PPM tool tangible, let us take a company as an example. We define this company as follows:

• 1,000 employees, including 150 in project-based roles, who are to use the new tool
• Implementation of an integrated PPM tool (e.g. based on Microsoft 365)
• Observation period of three years (36 months)

The following table shows the investments.

Our tip: Use realistic values specific to your company for salaries, time spent and project size. When in doubt, err on the side of caution – this will keep your business case credible.

The economic benefits of a PPM tool are apparent in the following table, which takes into account various benefits:

According to the formula named above, the ROI is calculated from the net benefit and the investment in our example as follows:

→ Total investment over 3 years: € 582,000
→ Overall benefit over 3 years: € 3,470,900
→ ROI = (3,470,900 – 582,000) / 582,000 × 100 = 496%

Download tip: > Download the Excel file from which the screenshots were taken. Simply enter your values and quickly calculate the ROI of your planned PPM solution.

Benchmark: According to Forrester, this Is how High the ROI of PPM Tools Is

Many software manufacturers commission independent analysts such as Forrester to conduct “Total Economic Impact” (TEI) studies. These are often commissioned by the respective tool manufacturers and hence should be interpreted in the light of the underlying assessment framework.

Still, these studies give an overview of the dimensions of these standardized ROI calculations.

Study / Solution	Author / Organization (Publication)	Calculated ROI*	Link to source
The ROI of Project Portfolio Management Tools	Craig Symons, Forrester Research (2009)	> 250%	PDF
The Total Economic Impact of Microsoft Project Online	Forrester Consulting, on behalf of Microsoft (2018)	387% ROI over 3 years	PDF
The Total Economic Impact of ValueOps by Broadcom (Clarity PPM + Rally)	Forrester Consulting, on behalf of Broadcom (Nov 2023)	471% ROI over 3 years	PDF
The Total Economic Impact of Planview (Tasktop) Viz	Forrester Consulting, on behalf of Planview (Feb 2021)	640% ROI over 3 years	Report page
Total Economic Impact Study – Cora PPM	Forrester Consulting, on behalf of Cora Systems (Sep 2023)	187% ROI over 3 years	Article

Table 3: ROI comparisons from Forrester TEI studies on PPM solutions
(*All ROI figures are based on the Forrester Total Economic Impact (TEI) framework and relate, if not stated otherwise, to a three-year model calculation at a composite company.)

The Forrester Total Economic Impact framework calculates net present values of benefits and costs. In addition, it takes into account risks and discounting. The observation period is usually set at 3 years.

Note: Learn about Project Online Retirement in 2026 and migration options

The range of the ROI in the above examples spans from 187% through to 640%. Assumptions which impact these differences include the assessed scope, implementation costs, company size, licensing model, process maturity, etc.

What these numbers show: ROI calculation for PPM tools delivers impressive results – provided that the tool is implemented correctly.

Conclusion: Use ROI Calculations to Make Strategic Tool Decisions

Implementing or replacing a PPM tool is a strategic decision – especially in times of tight budgets. A structured ROI calculation for PPM tools provides you with a sound basis for demonstrating the economic benefits of your investment in a transparent manner.

The ROI serves as a door opener. However, make sure you also consider the impact on qualitative benefits when arguing in favor of a new tool! This includes for instance greater satisfaction with the tool environment, which also has an impact on the project success rate and faster decision-making cycles.

With the practical example and the > Excel table for download, you can now make your own calculations. To convince your internal decision-makers, also use the independent market studies provided, for example Forrester’s.

Below, you will find frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the topic.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the ROI for PPM Systems

1) How does the project management maturity level of my company affect the expected ROI?

A study by the PMI arrives at the following result: the higher the PPM process maturity, the better the project cost and schedule performance – and the higher the achievable ROI. (Source)

2) How does corporate culture affect the ROI of a PPM tool?

Corporate culture plays a crucial role when implementing a PPM system. A culturally driven resistance to changes can negatively affect the ROI, whereas an open and adaptive culture can maximize the benefits of a PPM tool. (Source)

3) What role do training and change management play in the ROI of PPM systems?

Training and effective change management are essential to ensure employees use the PPM tool efficiently. Without adequate training, the ROI can drop significantly due to inefficient use and lack of acceptance. (Source)

4) How can integrating a PPM tool with existing systems affect the ROI?

Seamless integration of a PPM tool with existing systems such as ERP or CRM can increase ROI by ensuring data consistency and eliminating redundant processes. However, problems with the integration can cause additional costs and decrease ROI. (Source)

5) How does choosing the right PPM tool affect the long-term ROI?

The choice of a PPM tool tailored to the specific needs and processes of a company is crucial for a positive long-term ROI. An ineffective tool can lead to inefficient processes and additional costs. (Source)

6) How do I take qualitative benefits into account when calculating the ROI of a PPM tool?

Demonstrate “soft” benefits such as greater employee or customer satisfaction with rating scores or monetary estimates (e.g. lower turnover costs) and add them as bonus cash flows to the hard, measurable benefits. (Source)

7) What impact does cloud vs. on-premises have on the ROI of a PPM system?

Cloud solutions tend to generate lower initial investments and faster time-to-value while on-premises solutions offer more control but higher CapEx & IT operating expenses – this often reduces short-term ROI. (Source)

8) How often should the ROI be reviewed after implementing a PPM tool?

Carry out an initial post-implementation review (PIR) after 6-12 months and annually thereafter; this helps you record actual benefit effects and identify areas for optimization. (Source)

9) Which financial indicators best complement ROI when evaluating a PPM investment?

Also use net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) to represent the time value of the money and capital expenditure; payback period and cost-benefit analysis will complete the business case. (Source)

10) What are the risks of imprecise ROI calculations for PPM systems?

An imprecise ROI calculation can lead to poor decisions by misrepresenting the actual benefits or costs of a PPM tool. This can result in wasted resources and missed opportunities for efficiency gains. (Source)

Our final tips

Get to know the individually adaptable “PPM Paradise” – the optimal environment for your enterprise-wide project, program, portfolio and resource management. Download the eBook now (just click, no form).

And sign up for our bi-weekly blog newsletter to make sure you receive all our updates.

Please leave a short comment below: what is your opinion on ROI calculation for PPM tools?

Der Beitrag ROI Calculation for PPM Tools: How to Make Informed Investment Decisions (with Sample Calculation and Excel Download) erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.

The good news: whether you still need the full power of Project Desktop, want to modernise your Project, Portfolio and Resource Management (PPRM) environment with the Microsoft Power Platform, or prefer a hybrid solution – there are three clear options we can recommend.

Read on to discover three options for future-proofing your PPRM environment without data loss and without disruption for your teams. These chapters await you:

• Why is Project Online being retired?
• Option 1: Migration to Microsoft Project Server SE with Project Desktop
• Option 2: Migration to PPRM tools based on the Microsoft Power Platform
• Option 3: Migration to a hybrid scenario
• Why choose TPG as your partner for the Project Online migration
• Free consultation on the end of Project Online
• Conclusion on the end of Project Online
• FAQ on the end of Project Online

Let’s get started!

Why Is Project Online Being Retired?

Microsoft is retiring Project Online because the service is based on an older, SharePoint-based architecture. The company wants to consolidate its project and task management solutions on a unified, modern platform centred on the new Planner, based on Power Platform / Dataverse, Copilot / Project Manager Agent, and Microsoft Teams integration. The old foundation limits new features as well as current and planned AI scenarios.

Attention: After 30/09/2026, your projects and data in Project Online will no longer be accessible. Therefore, back up your data in good time and migrate to suitable platforms such as Planner or Project Server SE to avoid data loss.

Microsoft recommends working with experienced partners who already provide mature solutions based on the Power Platform for migrating data from Project Online. TPG ProjectPowerPack is one of them.

Now to the three options for migration to other systems.

Wondering about alternatives? Read Microsoft project management tool overview.

Option 1: Migration to Microsoft Project Server SE with Project Desktop

If you still require the full capabilities of your Microsoft Project Desktop client for schedule, cost and resource management, migrating to Project Server SE (Subscription Edition) is the logical choice.

You can operate Project Server SE on premises, in co-location, or in Azure VMs. This way, your teams retain familiar functionality while moving to a long-term supported platform.

In addition, the TPG PSLink middleware, in combination with the Project Desktop client, enables integration with your enterprise systems, opening up new possibilities for data automation.

Option 2: Migration to PPRM tools based on the Microsoft Power Platform

For many organisations, the Project Online end of life is an opportunity to modernise. TPG ProjectPowerPack is based on the Microsoft Power Platform. This PPRM product is fully integrated into Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365.

With TPG ProjectPowerPack you get:

• Advanced scheduling and resource management with TPG Scheduler and Resource Planner
• Integrated timesheets
• A flexible architecture with Power Apps, Power BI and Teams
• Enterprise integration (SAP, Primavera P6, Oracle, Azure DevOps, Jira and more) via TPG PSLink
• Scalable governance and reporting for PMOs, departments and portfolios
• AI-enabled assistance with Copilot and automation

TPG ProjectPowerPack combines the modern user experience of Microsoft tools with enterprise PPRM capabilities. It can therefore be seen as the natural successor to Project Online – a future-proof solution.

Option 3: Migration to a hybrid scenario with Project Server SE and Microsoft Power Platform

Some organisations need the best of both worlds. For this, we suggest the hybrid scenario. Here, they use Project Server SE for scheduling, cost and resource management. In addition, TPG ProjectPowerPack provides functions such as risk management, issue tracking, timesheets and much more.

This secures continuity for experienced project managers while introducing a modern platform for wider user groups – with Teams, Power Apps and intuitive dashboards.

“The Project Online EOL represents more than just a technological change. It’s a chance to evolve project management practices, remove legacy constraints and adopt tools that are more collaborative, intelligent and future-ready. TPG stands at the forefront of this change.”
Christopher Pond, Head of Client Solutions, TPG UK & Ireland

Why Choose TPG as Your Partner for the Project Online Migration?

TPG The Project Group has been a trusted name in Project, Portfolio and Resource Management for over 27 years. As a Microsoft Partner, our software solutions combine deep Microsoft expertise with proven proprietary PPRM and integration products, plus decades of experience in transformation projects.

We don’t just migrate your data – we advance your PPRM processes, modernise your tools and deliver measurable business value.

Free Consultation on the End of Project Online

Given the significant uncertainty expected among organisations using Project Online following Microsoft’s announcement, we are offering a free consultation with immediate effect. Here we discuss your current individual situation and migration options so that you have a clear idea of how to proceed.

If you are interested, please send an email to info@theprojectgroup.com with the subject “POL Retirement”.

Project Online Migration – Options on Video

Please see below the recording of the webinar from 9 September 2025 on this topic, including technical explanations and details on the migration options.

Der Beitrag Project Online Retirement in 2026 – Now It’s Certain! Options and What Organisations Need to Know erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.

This article will give you an overview of the most important Microsoft PPM tools. We will cover the following topics:

• Microsoft software for project management
• Microsoft To Do – Getting started with work management
• Microsoft Planner Basic – Simple work management
• Microsoft Planner Premium – Individual project with structure and Gantt
• Microsoft Project Standard – The proven standalone solution
• Microsoft Project Server (on premises) and Project Online (in the cloud)
• Project management based on the Microsoft Power Platform (TPG ProjectPowerPack)
• Enterprise-wide resource management (TPG CoReSuite)
• Conclusion – Microsoft Project Management Tool Overview

Let us get started.

Microsoft Software for Project Management

Choosing the right Microsoft project management tool is strategically crucial for your project success. You will find plenty to choose from in the wide variety on offer. It ranges from tools such as Microsoft To Do, a simple individual task overview, to Microsoft Planner, useful for work administration in small teams through to complex solutions such as Microsoft Project and Planner Premium (formerly Project for the Web) for project managers.

When it comes to multi-project and portfolio management, Microsoft Project Server (on premises), its cloud version Project Online as well as solutions based on Microsoft 365 or Power Platform such as TPG ProjectPowerPack are available.

As different projects and teams have very different requirements, Microsoft project management software is rarely a case of one-size-fits-all. An integrated software landscape, that can be connected via Microsoft Teams as a communication hub, for example, is an effective solution that will have high acceptance among users. In addition, it often makes sense to integrate the PPM tool with other systems such as SAP or Jira. This enables a smooth data exchange in the background. At the same time, everyone is working with the latest data.

Our practical tip: Before you go out looking for a new Microsoft project management tool, define the requirements of the different departments and project types clearly.

For comparison, we will start out with an overview of the Microsoft project management tools described in more detail below.

Microsoft To Do – Getting Started with Work Management

Microsoft To Do is a simple task app: you can list and sort all your work items. The tool contains a My-Day list for your daily tasks and enables you to create additional lists to organize your work, projects, groceries, etc. It gathers all tasks assigned to you – for instance from flagged Outlook e-mails and Action Items in MS Teams – in one place automatically.

However, To Do is limited to personal or very simple team scenarios. The tool is a helpful starting point for work management but not an adequate alternative to professional project management tools. This is why Microsoft itself expressly recommends To Do for solo tasks – other more suitable tools should be used for projects. You will learn more about those below.

Microsoft Planner Basic – For Simple Work Management

Microsoft Planner Basic serves as a Microsoft tool for getting started in project management. This tool provides effective support for collaboration in smaller teams as well as personal planning. Often regarded as a good starting point for “small projects”, this tool can be used either as a web app or integrated into Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Planner Basic provides you with several useful views. These include:

• Filterable table view of the tasks as a flat list, without hierarchy
• Calendar
• Kanban Board
• Graphical view (e.g. visualization of the number of tasks per person)

A mobile app enables access from anywhere.

A task in Microsoft Planner Basic can:

• Contain a checklist
• Be added to a bucket (buckets must be defined per plan)
• Have labels (labels must be defined per plan)
• Be assigned to one or more individuals
• Contain comments by different individuals
• Contain documents and hyperlinks

Important limitation: The information only ever applies to the respective plan with the number of tasks that are planned in it. It is impossible to create a joint evaluation of several plans.

In the Task Details, you are limited to set fields. Aside from the Task Name, you can only enter the following information:

• Start / End
• Reminder
• Status
• Priority
• Recurrence

Custom fields for additional specific information, such as additional numeric values, text or flags, are not available in Planner Basic.

Our rating: In its basic form, Planner provides options for a very limited “mini project management”. It enables team collaboration but is used more for personal task planning.

Reading tip: This is where you can learn about integrating MS Project with Planner.

Microsoft Planner Premium – Individual Project with Structure and Gantt

A more advanced Microsoft project management tool, Planner Premium (Planner Plan 1, formerly „Project for the Web“) was designed for collaborative planning in small teams and for individual project management. This browser-based tool is suitable for simple projects whose complexity exceeds the basic options of Planner Basic. Parallel editing of content items is possible without any problems.

Planner Premium is based on the Microsoft Power Platform which makes it easier to integrate into a Microsoft 365 project management environment.

Compared to the basic version, Planner Premium offers you significant enhancements for structured project management. These include for example:

• Board that also support Sprints
• Gantt chart for visual scheduling with a timeline

A hierarchical structure can be mapped, if you use Summary Tasks, individual Tasks and Milestones. You can define dependencies by setting links between Tasks and Milestones.

For tracking changes, there is a Task History. An integrated chat facilitates communication directly in the Task.

For more detailed information, you can create custom fields for tasks and use conditional formatting in the cells in the Task Table.

In the area of resource management, Planner Premium permits a simple definition of capacities for individuals via calendars and the assignment of people to Tasks with working hours.

In addition, you can define Goals and link them to Tasks.

By using Microsoft Copilot, you can create entire project plans with Tasks and Sub-tasks based on AI.

Important limitation: As regards scheduling, you should note that the tool only has a fixed Gantt chart which does not display additional columns directly in the chart. It only shows the names of the Tasks.

Reading tip: Project for the Web Becoming Planner – All You Need to Know

Note: Find another feature comparison for Planner Basic / Premium in table format on this Microsoft page.

Our rating: Planner Premium, based on Microsoft Power Platform, offers collaborative plan editing for small teams and small plans in individual project management as well as simple resource management. The tool is not suitable as the sole tool for enterprise-wide PPM, but it can take on sub-tasks in a PPM solution.

Microsoft Project Standard – The Proven Standalone Solution

In the standard version, Microsoft Project is one of the most widely used tools for complex, traditional project management worldwide. Unlike Microsoft Planner Basic, however, MS Project is not an integral part of Microsoft 365 / Office365 – i.e. each user needs an additional license – either as a subscription to “Project Online Plan 3” or as a purchase license.

As a standalone app, MS Project Standard is used locally on the desktop. In most cases, the project files are saved locally or on file servers in MPP format. This may work well when used in individual project management by one project manager. Yet, in a multi-project environment, this has severe disadvantages.

Some of the disadvantages of local use are:

• No central database
• No consistent project list
• Lack of visibility across projects
• Complicated cross-project resource management
• No standardized reporting
• Versioning problems
• High manual effort for the demonstration of project progress

Working with individual files that are sent back and forth resembles the well-known “Excel chaos”. These are conditions which companies with a higher PM maturity level have left behind by implementing a database-driven centralized PPM tool.

In addition to the standard version, there is also the MS Project Professional (Planner & Project Plan 3) version. It offers the same functionality as the standard, but it can also connect itself as a client to Microsoft Project Server / Project Online. You will get to know these two database-driven PPM tools below.

Our rating: Microsoft Project Professional is a powerful tool for planning individual projects in detail. It focuses on functions such as the Gantt chart and the Task Outline structure. Yet, the tool only unfolds its potential for enterprise-wide project management in conjunction with a server solution, i.e. with central data storage, without the distributed MPP files.

Microsoft Project Server and Project Online

Project Server (on premises)

Microsoft Project Server is installed and operated within your company’s own IT infrastructure. The data is saved on your own servers (on premises). This requires setup and maintenance of components such as:

• Microsoft SQL Server
• SharePoint Server Subscription Edition
• Project Server Subscription Edition

The current version is Microsoft Project Server Subscription Edition (more detail on this Microsoft page).

Access is typically via the Microsoft Project Professional Client (purchase license), the Project Online Desktop Client (subscription) or the Project Web App via browser.

Project Server can be adapted as needed to the requirements of individual companies. Its central database offers many functions for complex project planning. These are, for example:

• Multi-project management
• Portfolio management
• Resource management
• Central project list
• Time tracking
• Complex scheduling
• Plan editing with CheckIn / CheckOut (no parallel editing)
• Plan templates depending on project size
• Many more

Reading tip: Microsoft Project Server – These are the advantages over the MS Project standalone version without central data storage

Though Microsoft is no longer developing Project Server further, it still runs stably and is therefore a reliable solution in your own infrastructure. As so many companies are using it, Microsoft will continue to offer the tool for many years to come.

Our rating: Microsoft Project Server on premises has been a proven and powerful solution for comprehensive multi-project and portfolio management for many years. It can be adapted to all requirements as needed. Compared to the cloud version, Project Online, the solution offers more control, especially when it comes to data security thanks to local data storage. However, this always required more internal effort for operation and maintenance. The tools is well suited for enterprise-wide, complex project and portfolio management.

Microsoft Project Online (in the Cloud)

Microsoft Project Online (Planner & Project Plan 5) is a cloud-based (SaaS) solution. Its functionality for users is largely identical with Project Server on premises. Compared to Project Server, data storage in the cloud reduces internal infrastructure costs.

As with Project Server, access is via the Project Professional Client, Online Desktop Client or the Project Web App.

Some of the benefits of Project Online:

• Easy to get started: You will not incur any expenses for the project and portfolio management infrastructure. Billing for users is on a simple user basis and is available from approx. 50 EUR per user and month, all inclusive! (View current Microsoft prices.)
• Security: Microsoft 365 offers disaster recovery options, redundant back-ups and extensive protection of personal data. Filters prevent spam and viruses.
• Guaranteed availability: Microsoft offers guaranteed system availability and 24/7 telephone support.

Switching from Project Online to the local Microsoft Project Server is possible at any time. In the light or Project Online retirement in 2026 this topic is more relevant than ever.

Our rating: Project Online is a powerful cloud solution for comprehensive project and portfolio management that includes everything and can be set up very quickly. The options it provides are almost identical to Project Server, but its central database is in the Microsoft Cloud. This reduces the internal effort for operation and maintenance. Suitable for enterprise-wide, complex project and portfolio management.

Reading tips:

• Information about the Retirement of Project Online Workflows in 2026.
• Information about Project Online Retirement in 2026 and migration options

Project Management Based on the Microsoft Power Platform (Example TPG ProjectPowerPack)

The Microsoft Power Platform is an integrated no code / low code platform which allows you to create apps, automate workflows, analyze data and develop chatbots. It includes Power BI, Power Automate and Power Virtual Agents. The data is stored in the cloud-based, central Microsoft database (Dataverse).

TPG ProjectPowerPack is based on the modern Microsoft Power Platform. At the heart of the tool is a large collection of proven best-practice methods for project, portfolio, resource and work management. These can be freely combined with your preferred scheduling tool – e.g. Planner Premium, TPG Scheduler, Microsoft Project, etc. – this is the main difference to Project Server / Online.

In addition, it is easy to integrate the tool into the MS Teams collaboration platform.

Depending on the planning tool used, TPG ProjectPowerPack offers functions such as:

• Multi-project Gantt Chart
• Configurable views
• Cross-project links
• Combined project and task planning
• Many PM methods and functions
• Flexible resource management
• Extensive collection of reports in Power BI

The modern interface of TPG ProjectPowerPack means that little training is required. It can also be adapted to new processes quickly via configuration.

The tool can be integrated into Microsoft Teams and uses components such as Power BI for reports.

Our rating: TPG ProjectPowerPack provides a modern and powerful PPM solution based on the Power Platform and uses its centralized data storage. Its low complexity in operation and integration into the modern Microsoft 365 world (Microsoft Teams in particular) offer advantages to companies looking for a quick way to get started as well as high user acceptance.

Enterprise-Wide Resource Management (TPG CoReSuite)

Unlike the tools named above, TPG CoReSuite focuses on enterprise-wide resource management. The explicit focus on this area is designed to increase acceptance. It also makes TPG CoReSuite a specialized solution which is particularly relevant for organizations with major resource conflicts.

Tactical Resource Planning – Coordination Project / Line Management

In the first use case, TPG CoReSuite supports the coordination process for resource assignment between project manager and team leader as team management software. This is done by mapping the request for, and commitment of, resources. Thanks to the consideration of absences and operations, the actual availability of their team members for projects becomes clearly visible.

Capacity and Portfolio Planning

In addition, the tool offers capacity planning and resource planning in portfolios as a second use case. This helps optimize the portfolio from the perspective of enterprise-wide resource availability. It also includes saving scenarios for coordination in decision-making bodies.

TPG CoReSuite can be installed locally in your own environment or in the Microsoft Cloud as required.

Our rating: TPG CoReSuite is a specialized solution for enterprise-wide resource management that supports the complex coordination between project and team management as well as the optimization of the portfolio from a resource perspective. The tool is particularly suitable for companies whose primary challenge is resource planning for which they require a specialized, integrated solution.

Reading tip: Capacity Planning in Project Management – 4 Success Factors

Conclusion – Microsoft Project Management Tool Overview

This article has given you a comprehensive overview of the most important Microsoft tools for project and portfolio management – from simple task apps like Microsoft To Do to team solutions such as Planner Basic and Premium through to the professional PPM solutions Microsoft Project Desktop Client and Project Server / Online. Plus, you are now familiar with the benefits of advanced, integrated platforms such as TPG ProjectPowerPack based on the Microsoft Power Platform and the specialized TPG CoReSuite solution for enterprise-wide resource management.

The article has clearly shown: there are suitable Microsoft project management tools for every project environment and every PM maturity level. It is crucial that you define your requirements and pay attention to integration, scalability and ease of use.

This is how you ensure a successful approach to future-proof project management with Microsoft technology. Do you have any questions regarding tools, implementation of optimization? Then, we look forward to your comment below or to hearing from you through other channels.

Our final tips

Get to know the individually adaptable “PPM Paradise” – the optimal environment for your enterprise-wide project, program, portfolio and resource management. Download the eBook now (just click, no form).

And sign up for our bi-weekly blog newsletter to make sure you receive all our updates.

Are you using a Microsoft project management tool? Anything you would like to add? Let us know your questions in a comment below.

Der Beitrag Microsoft Project Management Tool Overview: Project, Portfolio & Resource Management – Across the Company erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.

No migration or change in licensing is necessary to access your premium plans in Planner. To lessen confusion, Microsoft is simply transitioning all endpoints to Planner.​​​​​​​

In this article, you’ll learn what the transition means for you, the changes to expect in PPM project tools and how to best prepare for them. You’ll find answers to the key questions in these sections:

• Why is Project for the Web being merged into Planner?
• When will Project for the Web transition to Planner?
• What’s changing with the move to Planner?
• Planner licensing models and costs
• Actionable recommendations for businesses
• Want to do more with Planner?
• Conclusion
• FAQ
• Review list: Transitioning from Project for the Web to Planner

Let’s dive in!

Why Is Project for the Web Being Merged into Planner?

Since the launch of Project for the Web in 2019, Microsoft 365 users have had access to overlapping tools for task and project management. To streamline the user experience and enable deeper integration of AI-powered features like Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft is consolidating its platforms.

The goal is to bring To Do, Planner, and Project for the Web together into a single unified solution — under the banner of Microsoft Planner.

From now on there will be one tool for all levels of planning: from basic task management to complex project workflows.

Using Project Online? Read about 2026 retirement of Project Online Workflows. (April) and Project Online Retirement in September 2026.

When Will Project for the Web Transition to Planner?

Starting in August 2025, Project for the Web and the associated Project and Roadmap apps in Microsoft Teams will be retired. From that point on, all users will be automatically redirected to Microsoft Planner.

Note: Your existing plans will remain accessible. You’ll simply continue to access them through Planner. No manual exports or time-consuming data cleanup is required.

What’s Changing with the Move to Planner?

The move to Microsoft Planner brings more than just a fresh interface. You can expect enhanced functionality, deeper integration with Microsoft Teams, and expanded AI support.

Here’s a breakdown of the key changes:

Modern Interface and Streamlined UX

The new Planner features a modernized, unified interface that blends the familiar look and feel of Planner and Teams, while incorporating many advanced features from Project for the Web.

Highlights include:

• Timeline view (Gantt)
• Board view (Kanban)
• Grid view (Table)
• AI-powered suggestions and automations via Microsoft Copilot

One-Click Status Reports

With the new Status Reports feature, premium users can automatically generate project updates directly within the Planner app in Teams. The Project Manager Agent summarizes progress, milestones, risks, and next steps, and delivers the report as a Loop component.

Requirements: Microsoft 365 Copilot + Loop license.

These AI-generated reports save time and can be edited collaboratively in real time using Loop.

Project Manager Agent (In-Preview)

Project Manager (preview) is an innovative AI agent that serves as a collaborator for your plans. It leverages your upcoming deadlines and goals to create a plan, execute tasks to help you get work done, and take in feedback to improve its outputs.

Tasks can be handed off to the agent via drag-and-drop or by assigning them directly. In the People view, the agent even appears as a dedicated team member.

Deeper Integration with Microsoft Teams

The new Planner is now fully embedded in Microsoft Teams. Channel tabs will directly use Planner web components moving forward.

As part of this change, existing “Project” or “Roadmap” tabs will need to be manually replaced with new Planner tabs.

Check out our Microsoft project management tool overview on this blog.

Roadmap Becomes “Portfolios”

The former Roadmap feature is being replaced by the new Portfolios view in Planner. This gives you a consolidated overview of multiple projects, with flexible configuration options to suit your needs.

Copilot Support

With the transition, Planner gains access to Microsoft Copilot. Tasks can be automatically prioritized, schedules generated, and status reports summarized — all powered by AI.

Note: This functionality requires a valid Microsoft 365 Copilot license.

Planner Licensing Models and Costs

Microsoft offers several licensing plans for the new Planner:

• Planner Plan 1: Includes basic features such as task management and simple scheduling.
• Planner & Project Plan 3: Adds advanced capabilities like Gantt charts, resource management, and access to the desktop client.
• Planner & Project Plan 5: Delivers full enterprise-level features for portfolio and resource management.

Note: Pricing will vary depending on your region and contractual agreements.

Actionable Recommendations for Businesses

If you haven’t started yet, now is the time to prepare for Project for the Web retirement. Taking early action will help ensure a smooth transition. We recommend the following steps:

• Communication: Inform your teams about the upcoming changes and provide training on the new Planner.
• Testing: Try out the new Planner and become familiar with its features and capabilities.

You’ll also find a checklist for IT admins at the end of this article.

Want to Do More with Planner?

Microsoft Planner may not meet all your needs in a multi-project environment. If you’re looking to achieve more, TPG ProjectPowerPack – built on Microsoft’s Power Platform – offers a compelling solution for enhanced project, portfolio, and resource management.

TPG ProjectPowerPack enables deeply integrated, scalable control of complex project environments — all within the Microsoft 365 and Power Platform. It’s integrated with Project for the Web / Planner and extends their capabilities with proven best-practice methods.

Your Benefits with TPG ProjectPowerPack:

• Centralised, consolidated data across all projects
• Manage your project lifecycle workflows, risks, issues and more
• Features for PMOs, project managers, and executives
• Powerful reporting with Power BI – ready to use out of the box
• Fast deployment via preconfigured QuickStart best-practice processes
• Expandable via configuration and low-code customisation via the Power Platform

And finally…

The transition from Project for the Web to the new Microsoft Planner is set for August 2025. The updated app delivers a more modern user experience, enhanced functionality, further integration with Microsoft Teams, and built-in AI support (at additional cost).

Microsoft Planner offers a centralized platform for managing tasks and schedules. However, if your organisation needs more advanced capabilities for project, portfolio, and resource management, TPG ProjectPowerPack extends Planner’s foundation with a scalable, enterprise-ready solution built on Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform.

FAQ

1. Is Microsoft Project (Desktop) Being Discontinued?

No, Microsoft Project Desktop Client is not related to Project for the Web or Planner. This tool has been a proven solution for complex project planning for many years and, in its Professional version, can work with Project Online and Project Server. These tools continue to be supported by Microsoft (source). More on Microsoft PPM here.

2. Which Microsoft 365 Apps and Features Are Affected besides Project for the Web?

Alongside the retirement of Project for the Web, the Project app and Roadmap tabs in Microsoft Teams will also be phased out.

Users who try to open the Project app in Teams will be automatically redirected to the new Planner experience.

Roadmaps: These will no longer be supported in Planner. Instead, users can recreate their Roadmaps using the new Portfolios feature in Planner. However, Portfolios will not support Azure DevOps or Project Online integration, and they cannot be pinned as tabs in Teams. Existing Roadmap data will remain accessible in Dataverse.

3. What About My Current Roadmaps?

Roadmaps will not be automatically migrated to the new Portfolio view in Planner. Users will need to manually recreate them. Custom integrations and Teams tab support — will no longer be available. Admins should test any custom fields and configurations during the transition.

4. How Are the New Planner Licenses and Prices Changing?

Microsoft is renaming its Project plans as part of the transition:

• Project Plan 1 → Planner Plan 1 (~$10 / user / month)
• Project Plan 3 → Planner + Project Plan 3 (~$30 / user / month)
• Project Plan 5 → Planner + Project Plan 5 (~$55 / user / month)

In terms of features and functionality, these plans remain equivalent to their previous versions (source).

5. Does Planner Support Multiple Dataverse Environments?

You can manage plans within non-default Dataverse environments with paid Planner SKUs (Planner Plan 1 / 3 / 5) (source).

6. Where Can I Find More Information from Microsoft about the Retirement of Project for the Web and the Transition to Planner?

A helpful overview of frequently asked questions about Microsoft Planner can be found on this page: Transitioning to Microsoft Planner and retiring Microsoft Project for the web | Microsoft Community Hub

Review List: Transitioning from Project for the Web to Planner

Review list for transitioning from Project for the Web to Planner

Our final tips

Get to know the individually adaptable “PPM Paradise” – the optimal environment for your enterprise-wide project, program, portfolio and resource management. Download the eBook now (just click, no form).

And sign up for our bi-weekly blog newsletter to make sure you receive all our updates.

Will Microsoft Project for the Web retirement affect you? Let us know your questions in a comment below.

Author: Christopher Pond, Commercial & Technology Leader

Chris is a seasoned commercial and technology leader with a strong track record across Microsoft cloud technologies and strategic go-to-market execution. He has held leadership roles within high-growth Microsoft Partners and also worked at Microsoft as a Project Global Black Belt, where he supported enterprise customers with complex project and portfolio management (PPM) requirements.

With expertise spanning Power Platform, Microsoft 365, and modern workplace solutions, Chris specialises in developing propositions, building strategic alliances, and driving co-sell success with Microsoft. He is particularly focused on helping organisations scale through cloud services, automation, and intuitive product design.

Chris has successfully launched new service offerings in the UK public sector, driven SaaS adoption in regulated industries, and built high-performing commercial functions aligned to Microsoft’s priorities. Known for combining strategic thinking with practical delivery, he brings together marketing, sales, and product to deliver measurable business outcomes at TPG UK & Ireland.

Read more about Christopher on LinkedIn.

Der Beitrag Microsoft Project for the Web Becoming Planner: What You Need to Know erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.

What does this mean for your organisation – and what steps should you take next? Discover why migrating to a modern, future-ready solution built on the Power Platform is the smart move. You’ll find the answers in these sections:

• The impact on Project Online
• No need to panic: A step-by-step guide to upgrading
• TPG ProjectPowerPack: Your alternative to Project Online
• Conclusion: Planning your upgrade – Your next actions

Let’s get started!

Also interesting: Microsoft Project Management Tool Overview

The Impact on Project Online

The announcement of the end of Project Online, with a relatively short transition period until 30 September 2026, makes it clear: Microsoft continues to focus on modern solutions built on the Microsoft Power Platform alongside other Modern Work tools in Microsoft 365.

Note: To stay up to date, you can regularly check the Microsoft Product Lifecycle.

The retirement of SharePoint 2013 workflows will have significant implications for organisations that rely on them, and it also affects Project Online workflows.

What happens on the 2nd April 2026:

• You will no longer be able to create and manage projects using phase / stage gate models in Project Online
• Any add-ins based on classic SharePoint technology will also no longer be supported

Now is the time to upgrade to TPG’s future-ready platform – TPG ProjectPowerPack – that aligns with Microsoft’s long-term direction.

Reading tip: All you need to know about Project for the Web Becoming Planner

No Need to Panic: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upgrading

TPG The Project Group clients have options and some are opting for a hybrid strategy where they continue to use Project Online as long as possible and Project Desktop for resource and schedule management – combined with modern workflow and portfolio capabilities on the Power Platform.

Interested in integrating MS Project with Planner Basic? Learn more here.

TPG ProjectPowerPack: Your Alternative to Project Online

You want a future-proof solution for your project, portfolio and resource management (PPRM) that offers more than Project Online – that means it’s time to get to know TPG ProjectPowerPack, a PPM project tool that delivers executive dashboards, red-alerts and drill-downs.

TPG ProjectPowerPack is built entirely on Microsoft’s Power Platform and offers:

• Proven methods: status reports, risk & stakeholder management, resource planning, and more.
• Fully configurable, including code-free workflows.
• Supports multiple planning tools: Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Project / Online, TPG Scheduler
• Bidirectional integration with Jira, Azure DevOps, Primavera P6 & SAP – plus other systems on demand
• Reporting via Power BI
• Ready for AI-driven planning and insights

Thanks to its modern architecture, TPG ProjectPowerPack is a logical upgrade from Project Online – offering flexibility to meet future requirements.

Its modular approach, combined with support for multiple planning tools, delivers another key advantage that – depending on your needs, project type, and complexity – you can opt for tools including Microsoft Planner Premium (formerly Project for the Web) and TPG Scheduler.

This means smaller, short-term projects no longer need to be managed in the more complex Project Online / Project Server environment.

Watch the video of our webinar on the topic and learn:

• What the end of SharePoint workflows from 2026 means to you and your organisation
• How to successfully upgrade to the Power Platform
• How to continue using your existing PM environment – without losing functionality
• Why TPG ProjectPowerPack is a Next-Generation PPM app

Reading tip: Optimizing Task Planning in MS Project Environments (Tools)

Conclusion – Planning Your Upgrade: Your Next Actions

Project Online is rapidly approaching the end of its lifecycle. From 1 October 2026 it will be discontinued, as Microsoft aims to move organisations onto the modern Power Platform technology.

What does this mean for you?

Acting now will gain you a strategic advantage. TPG can help you plan and move from your current environment to Next-Generation PPM.

With TPG ProjectPowerPack, you have access to a proven, scalable, and fully integrated solution built on the Microsoft Power Platform. It can be deployed in a hybrid approach alongside Project Online or Project Desktop Client as your planning tool – making it easier to transition quickly to a future-ready project management environment.

Do you have any questions, or would you like to experience TPG ProjectPowerPack live or test it yourself? We look forward to your enquiry. Get in touch with us today.

Our final tips

Get to know the individually adaptable “PPM Paradise” – the optimal environment for your enterprise-wide project, program, portfolio and resource management. Download the eBook now (just click, no form).

And sign up for our bi-weekly blog newsletter to make sure you receive all our updates.

Will the upcoming retirement of Project Online workflows affect you? Let us know your questions in a comment below.

Der Beitrag What You Need to Know about the Retirement of SharePoint & Project Online Workflows in April 2026 erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.

After looking into what makes internal IT projects so particular and providing some general recommendations, we will provide 4 specific tips. The article will cover the following points:

• Specific features of internal IT project management
• Tip 1: IT project portfolio management
• Tip 2: Integrated cost allocation
• Tip 3: Comprehensive team planning
• Tip 4: Work planning for individuals
• Conclusion – Internal IT project management

Let us get started!

Specific Features of Internal IT Project Management

Projects involving changes to the IT landscape are generally handled by employees who do this concurrently with their normal everyday work. What distinguishes internal IT projects from “general projects” is that changes to the IT environment are usually carried out by the same employees in addition to their daily operations. Thus, they must be “squeezed” into the IT project portfolio.

Other unique aspects affecting IT team leaders and their teams are:

• The IT environment is very dynamic with carefully timed processes at very brief intervals.
• New skills are often required on short notice.
• The portfolio tends to include a greater number of small projects and just a few larger ones.
• A clear distinction between operations and projects is often lacking.
• Very often, IT tasks are managed using agile methods, and this has a major impact on project implementation.
• IT is not an end in itself, which is why its costs are almost entirely charged to the departments that benefit from them.
• IT employees normally use a task-oriented planning tool or ticket system. For maximum efficiency, this tool or system should be integrated with the project management tool.

Also interesting: Microsoft Project Management Tool Overview

Before discussing possible solutions, however, we would like to share two important tips for internal IT project management:

1) Define Clear Criteria for Your Projects

In many IT departments, the belief prevails that many assignments – even larger ones – can be handled in addition to the regular daily operations. In doing so, there is the danger that these assignments will miss their deadlines – or will not get done at all.

Find out how agile resource planning can help reduce resource conflicts.

So, it is important to decide each time whether an assignment is an operation or in reality a project with all the related processes.

Our tip: Conduct a project-worthiness analysis to determine under what conditions an IT proposal should be handled as a project and define the types of projects. Doing this increases your chances of success because the assignments will no longer be handled “on the fly.” Classifying something as a project has its advantages: the objectives and roadmap are clearly defined, the necessary resources are allocated, and decisions are made.

2) Keep Everyone in Sync

Agile methodology is very popular in the IT industry. Unlike normal project planning, agile projects involve processes of differing lengths. Resource management is more complicated due to the different durations of the processes. We therefore recommend that you try the following.

Our tip: Try to subdivide your IT project processes into work packages that can be performed according to a fixed schedule of phases.

Allocating a consistent set of resources to each project phase helps ensure that team members are able to seamlessly switch between project work and their normal duties. Doing this will significantly reduce the amount of effort needed to coordinate all the resources.

You might also like: Comparing Project Management Methodologies – Agile, Traditional or Hybrid?

4 Solutions for Greater Success in IT Projects

In the following sections, we present solutions for four areas especially critical for heads of IT. These are:

• IT project portfolio management
• Internal cost allocation
• Comprehensive team planning
• Personalized task planning

Tip 1: IT Project Portfolio Management

Project portfolio management is particularly important for IT. It is not unusual for several hundreds of projects to be handled in one year. This requires a clear strategy, and the projects must be prioritized accordingly.

Benefit: The most important criteria in favor of project portfolio management in the IT environment are:

• Priorities: you ensure that you focus your efforts primarily on the right – and most important – projects.
• Complete overview: you stay informed on all planned and current projects.
• Available resources: you can identify any resources available for initiating and performing additional work on any new projects.
• Strategic foresight: you can anticipate what expertise / skills will be lacking or insufficiently present in your company and can proactively work to develop these.
• Early warning system: you can detect budget / resource bottlenecks in a timely manner and can adapt your corporate strategy accordingly.

Goal: Ensure that you receive a prioritized project list and that most of the resources are allocated to the key projects. There are various approaches and tools for handling this. Please also consult the article outlining 7 steps to implement project portfolio management.

One solution approach: One way to integrate new projects into a portfolio from a resource perspective is depicted in the following diagram. In this solution, the bars used to represent the various projects can be shifted on the timeline.

The histograms depicting each department’s resources show the available capacities and whether the necessary resources are available to handle this project in the specified time frame or if the project should be postponed or the available capacities adjusted. Likewise, it is possible to plan and compare scenarios.

Find out how the internal IT of a large Swiss healthcare facility solved their PM system challenges with TPG’s new and advanced ProjectPowerPack (Case Study).

Tip 2: Integrated Cost Allocation

You should document the actual cost of the IT services accurately and allocate it (as far as possible) to the departments benefiting from these services. Many smaller companies often have no idea how much these internal IT services actually cost. Yet, larger companies are generally aware of the actual costs.

Benefit: Integrating the project management and ERP systems has its advantages, such as:

• Alignment of the PM and ERP system architectures
• Support for planning and monitoring the IT budget
• Allocation of services to the various cost centers
• Avoidance of dual data entry
• Timely availability of data, thereby enabling better control of the IT projects
• Higher-quality data

Goal: Ensure that your key systems are integrated so that as many processes as possible can be automated.

Solution approach: Important use cases involving the integration of PPM and ERP systems plus other systems in the IT landscape are:

• Adding selected projects to an ERP system (such as SAP) from e.g. a SharePoint list and the resulting creation of a project structure in the PPM system (such as Microsoft Project) using a template appropriate for that type of project
• Transferring the PPM system’s project structure to the ERP system
• Transferring the PPM system’s tasks and costs to the ERP system
• Transferring the current work by cost center and type of service from the PPM system to the ERP system for further internal invoicing
• Transferring the actual costs from the ERP system to the PPM system for reporting to the project manager

Our tip: Use short interval processes to track the IT services. Ensure that this work is charged to the right cost centers.

The volume of projects has a significant effect on data quality. Projects exceeding a certain size therefore require a PMO to coordinate the efforts and maintain an overview to ensure the project’s success.

Read about Microsoft Project Online Retirement on this blog.

Tip 3: Comprehensive Team Planning

For IT in particular, handling the many operations associated with daily operations while simultaneously managing projects involving the same staff is a major challenge. This is only possible if the entire team is working at full capacity. PPM project tools are unsuitable for operational planning, and Excel is only minimally suited.

Benefit: The advantages of comprehensive team planning are:

• A clear overview of resource utilization in the team
• The project manager and team leader have a basis for the coordination efforts.
• Team leaders have the data they need to explain resource utilization in the team to their superiors and can explain the status of each team member: who works when, on what and for how many hours; who has the capacity to take on new tasks, and who needs to be relieved of some tasks?

Goal: Provide your team leaders with the tools necessary for precise planning, which will allow them to say with certainty whether or not their team can contribute any resources when asked by their project manager. The document “3 Important Points for Tactical Resource Planning” linked below provides more information on this.

Solution approach: To ensure that you achieve complete planning in the matrix organization, please note the following:

• The planning is only complete if there are no gaps, so make sure you include all absences, operations and project work for every team member.
• Only team leaders can handle this because project managers do not have the necessary insight.
• The availability of a resource to work on the project can be calculated by subtracting any absences and operations from the person’s overall capacity.
• Project managers and team leaders each need their own planning status. Depending on permissions, each should be able to view the other’s planning status but not to alter it. This allows each role to work separately from a technical perspective.
• The best strategy is to implement a centralized, database-supported tool for resource planning. This enables project managers and team leaders to work efficiently.

Tip 4: Work Planning for Individuals

Have you ever considered involving employees in planning an IT project? After all, they are the ones who will be doing the work to implement the work packages. Project managers are often unable to correctly estimate the time needed to complete a particular task because they are not familiar with the work of these IT specialists.

Benefit: Allowing the employees to participate in work planning has several advantages:

• The project manager defines the project’s structure with its work packages, and then the team handling the work plans the individual tasks in these work packages using a tool suitable for them.
• The result is not a rough estimate but rather a realistic plan for the project.
• This frees up the project manager’s schedule because the details are defined in the task lists of the individual work packages.

Goal: The employees use various tools during the IT project. The goal for individual work planning must be to integrate these systems. Ideally, each individual should work with only ONE tool.

You can achieve this by integrating the employee’s work management tools (such as Jira) with the project manager’s PPM tool (such as Microsoft Project and SharePoint). Learn more about integration middleware.

Solution approach: Possible use cases for the integration of Microsoft Project and SharePoint with work planning (in this case Jira) are:

• Synchronize the Microsoft Project structures with Jira
• Enter the issues and estimates into Jira
• Import the standard issues from SharePoint into Jira
• Synchronize Jira and Microsoft Project to input the progress from Jira

Conclusion – Internal IT Project Management

Internal IT projects have unique attributes that make them different from projects in other departments. This article has explained some of the differences.

We have also provided possible solutions to help you master project portfolio management, internal cost allocation, comprehensive team planning and personalized task planning.

Our final tips

Get to know the individually adaptable “PPM Paradise” – the optimal environment for your enterprise-wide project, program, portfolio and resource management. Download the eBook now (just click, no form).

And sign up for our bi-weekly blog newsletter to make sure you receive all our updates.

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This article will give you an overview of the professionional situation of women in project management (statistics and experience). You will also learn more about specific measures to increase the proportion of women in project management:

• Definition womenomics
• The female project manager – the current situation
• Is project management a man’s world?
• A salary comparison for women in project management
• The positive influence of women on projects and companies
• Greater diversity in project management
• Tips to get more women into project management
• Conclusion – Womenomics: Gender pay gap and the role of women in project management

Let us begin!

Definition Womenomics

“Womenomics” – the female shift in business – is a global megatrend that has too long been neglected.

Japanese late prime minister Shinzō Abe coined this term in 2013 by declaring his intention to focus more strongly on the Japanese leadership’s stated goal of making equality for women the centerpiece of Japan’s economic and growth strategy. His stated goal at the time was to have women occupy 30% of the managerial positions. Additionally, the workforce participation rate for women aged 25-44 was to be increased from 68% to 73% by 2020. The goal: to tap the latent reserves of the female labor force as a production factor to boost economic performance and development.

Maximizing the economic potential was not the only goal, however. Workplace equality, and especially career opportunities, are not only an economic and business issue but even more so a societal one. Can a nation or a company really afford to neglect 50% of its workforce, especially one that is generally very well educated?

No society can justify denying half its population equal opportunities for development. Gender diversity is no longer a niche issue. It is now part of the political and economic mainstream and has become a major issue in decision-making processes. So now the question is, how have gender diversity and womenomics affected project management?

The Female Project Manager – The Current Situation

Data on the involvement of women in project management is sparse, to put it mildly. Statistics available from the Project Management Institute (PMI) show that women currently constitute an estimated 20-30% of the project management staff worldwide. Another study produced by the Germany-based “Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement (GPM)” (German member of the International Project Management Association, IPMA) from 2014 came to a similar conclusion, estimating that roughly 30% of the German project managers were female. However, there is good news: the percentage is increasing: in 2024, the GPM found that the female share of project managers had increased by 44% compared to their last survey from 2019.

Most of these women migrate to project management rather accidentally. In other words, few of these university graduates originally sought a career in project management. The majority began their career as a technical expert and over time progressed into the role of project manager.

This progression in perspective and responsibility is generally accompanied by professional development opportunities. As women begin to assume responsibility for projects, they also work to obtain the associated professional qualifications, for example, through certification programs.

There is a high degree of job satisfaction: These women value the:

• Fact that each project is unique
• Joy of working with others to achieve a goal and produce clear results
• Collaboration with a variety of teams and clients

Is Project Management a Man’s World?

Gender-specific challenges – obstacles – have not been completely eliminated. Project management remains a man’s world.

Women managers often report that they first have to assert themselves to gain acceptance and overcome the typical stereotypes.

There is also a scarcity of female role models. This is partially attributable to the fact that more women than men face the challenge of achieving a good work-life balance while managing a project.

A Salary Comparison for Women in Project Management

Project management work is lucrative for women as well – but not as lucrative as for their male colleagues. In 2024, the Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement (GPM, see above) published their eighth study of project management salaries and careers.

Project managers who were men had an average salary of €112,000 (€87,000 in 2019). Their female counterparts earned approximately 21% (11%  in 2019) less.

The PMI salary report for 2020 determined that the pay gap for Germany is higher than the GPM for 2019, namely 16%.

This gender pay gap increases with the level of responsibility and seniority. At the highest levels of project management, this gender pay gap is an immense 26.3%, whereas women are only subjected to a 4.7% reduction for entry-level positions.

An intuitive explanation could be that women and men are subject to the same demands and qualifications as they begin their careers. The gender pay gap that then emerges could be due to women choosing to pause their careers to raise a family and the consequent decision to devote less time to their careers.

However, there may be other obstacles for women seeking to advance their career: the reluctance to be in the limelight and assume greater responsibility – both prerequisites for a managerial position.

An international comparison shows the following gender pay gaps in project management:

• Great Britain: approx. 14%
• France: 11.5%
• USA: 10%
• Switzerland: 5.5%
  (This is notably the country with the highest project manager salaries for both men and women.)

The Positive Influence of Women on Projects and Companies

The employment world continues to evolve and is developing into a project-based economy.

The percentage of project-related work in the total value added was already approximately 40% in Germany for 2019. Forecasts predict the global demand for project managers to grow by 33% before 2027.

The key to gaining a competitive advantage in this brave new world of work is having highly efficient, motivated employees. This is a prerequisite for successful projects.

Having qualified women in project management will therefore become increasingly important. They have already proven their worth and are therefore no longer an optional nice-to-have but rather a valuable contributor to the company’s bottom line. There is a good business case for including more women in project management.

Greater Diversity in Project Management

It is a well-known fact that diversity in project management – also regarding gender balance – produces better project results and serves to sustainably incorporate the project in the affected company or organization.

Women can deploy their strengths in projects by:

• Bringing people together and driving the collaboration needed to produce a shared achievement
• Finding fast, practical solutions to complex problems
• Their ability to communicate well

Especially the latter, good communication skills, is a critical asset in project management.

You may also find this article interesting: Resource Management in Project Management – Basics and Methods for Beginners

Tips to Get More Women into Project Management

You, too, can help further increase the percentage of women in project management. And now, a few striking examples to illustrate some best practices:

Raising Awareness of the Scope of Activities Handled by Women Project Managers

There should be clear communication of the scope of activities and valuable contributions made by women, in particular. Many women, and especially younger ones, are still awaiting more comprehensive answers to these questions:

• What is a typical day for a woman project manager?
• What are the benefits and challenges?
• How can I become a project manager?

In addition to the efforts by the PMI Institute, IPMA, and GPM to answer these questions, we also recommend the “Celebrating Women in Project Management” initiative launched by the Australian author Elise Stevens, who serves as a valuable role model. Stevens presented successful women in project management 150 days a year on her social media channels.

In her book, Sarah Ipek Ozguler interviews 29 women project managers around the world to illustrate their successful career paths. It is also a valuable source.

Those aspiring to be project managers can benefit as well from using personal branding to promote themselves and their profession.

Creating and Promoting Networking Opportunities

Women project managers want to, and must, network and share ideas with other members of their profession in order to learn from each other and help each other.

In Germany, this networking and support opportunity for women project managers has been provided chiefly by GPM and its female PM experts.

Companies can, and are encouraged to, provide similar forums for sharing ideas and internal networking within their own organization as well.

In addition to networking, women project managers can also develop a mentoring program (that can also be non-gender-specific). Mentoring involves much more than just networking; it offers new opportunities to learn from one another and grow professionally.

In Germany, there are now several mentoring programs, among which Mentorme is surely the largest and most successful community.

Conclusion – Womenomics: The Gender Pay Gap and the Role of Women in Project Management

Although there have been promising developments, when it comes to getting “more women into project management” much more still needs to be done. This was also the tenor of a 2022 German-language study on women in project management conducted by author Darya Schwarz-Fradkova and TPG The Project Group.

Hopefully, the hitherto barely tapped resource of womenomics will be used and receive the recognition it deserves.

This is the only way to utilize this megatrend’s hidden potential to bring economic and societal development to full fruition – even far beyond project management

Our final tips

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Have you dealt with womenomics in a project environment, and what do you see as the advantages and disadvantages? We would enjoy hearing from you. Please leave your feedback in the comments section.

Sources used

Article:

• Frauen erobern die Arbeitswelt (Women Conquer the Workforce)
• Womenomics und die japanische Realität (Women and Japanese Reality)
• Women in Project Management: Future Perspectives
• Women Project Managers: the exploration of their job challenges and issue selling behaviors

Studies:

• PMI: Earning power, Salary Report 2020
• GPM Salary Survey (2024)
• PMI: A case for diversity (2020)
• Studie zur aktuellen Situation von Frauen im Projektmanagement der GPM (2014) (Study of women’s current situation in project management)
• PMI: Pulse of the profession (2020)

Books:

• Ozguler, Sarah Ipek (2019): The Perspective of Women Project Management Professionals

Der Beitrag Womenomics – Gender Pay Gap and the Role of Women in Project Management erschien zuerst auf Blog Project Management for Companies.