Review PM Software OpenProj

Sunday, 13 September 2009 06:55 Written by Thomas Brandstetter

Like Microsoft Project, OpenProj may also be considered a desktop planning tool. The free OpenProj has a similar user interface and supports a comparable planning procedure. As a Java application, the user interface may not always conform to Windows, but the tool runs additionally on Mac OS and Unix/Linux systems. The application is a part of the European OpenOffice version and is available in more than ten languages.

WBS	.
Planning	.
Resources	.
Reporting	.
Import Export	.
Handling	.
Documentation	.

WBS

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is similar to Microsoft ProjectMicrosoft Project and all tasks can be entered in a table format. Columns can be drawn to suit the user’s convenience and requirements. Unlike Microsoft Project, OpenProj also offers a graphic view of the WBS.

Planning

OpenProj is compatible with all four standard relations among work packages. It is possible to incorporate dependence in the table or in the Gantt chart or in the network plan. Similar to Microsoft Project, the calculation method can be set as resources assignment, duration, and work.

These settings, however, cannot be set uniformly for all tasks. Buffers can be made visible in the table. The delta to the baseline can be visualized in the Gantt charts. The extent of resource utilization can be viewed likewise. A helpful function like resource leveling is, unfortunately missing. Thus, the work packages must be distributed manually.

Ressourcen

Resources can be created with the information and details available over the project period. They can be arranged in hierarchical order. If the user wants to assign a team to a work package, the values must only be manually calculated.

Reporting

The tool has four simple reports: project details, resource information, task information, and who does what. The reports display the project information in a tabular format. The contents of the report can be adjusted in clearly defined groups. As an export functionality is lacking, the user has to compromise with this limitation.

Import Export

The import and export data of Microsoft Project files (XML and .MPP) is available. Export of data in other formats, especially as spreadsheet (XML, CSV), is not available.

Handling

OpenProj is a Java application. Thus, the look and feel is understandably different from a pure Windows application. Newcomers to Microsoft Project will become familiar with OpenProj fairly quickly. As the functionality is less when compared to Microsoft Project, the handling of the tool is relatively easy to learn. The representations of the WBS and resources as trees is indeed a user-friendly method - but as an input medium, may serve no purpose.

Documentation

As with other non-commercial software, the available online documentation is poor. At startup, 1 of forty different "Tips of the Day" is shown and you can review them all on the first day. The context-sensitive online Help, in Wiki format, is not very helpful. The content is most often limited to some screen shots and a listing of the input parameters. Strangely, the effects of the settings are not explained. So it is hard for the user to determine the benefits / impact of some settings (priority of a work package, project status). For more documentation, however, an OpenProj Book is available for purchase. See our book listing.

Conclusion

OpenProj does not offer all the functions of Microsoft Project. In particular, there is no resource leveling. However, OpenProj is certainly an alternative for simple planning tasks. Additionally, the "drawing" of a Gantt chart is easy without extensive documentation. Because of its availability as freeware, you can easily evaluate the software. For use in a complex planning environment Microsoft Project continues to remain the first choice because of the availability of interfaces.

6 Votes