A project manager starts from scheduling.  However, the manager is to be involved with varieties of tasks before and after the analysis in a scheduling software.  The input data like task wise resource requirements, costing etc are required as input to a scheduling software.  The output may be required to present in a enhanced manner for convenience and company image.

Such enhancement for presentation purpose or convenience for processing of input data are not always available in the primary scheduling software.  The major firms who owns these primary scheduling software has to consider about the applicability of each added facility to its large customer base.   There is a whole industry of small developers who develops such special purpose software for popular software like Microsoft Project and Primavera.   These add-on software work in tandem around the main software like Project or Primavera to enhance the software output or to increase the convenience.

There could be two major types of such software from information technology point of view.

The first type may be termed as a supplementary software.  It is an independent software with its own data base.  It can import the primary scheduling software data and process them in the desired manner in their calculating engine and may generate its own report or export the data to primary software.

The second types are true add-on software.  The user may call them from inside the primary software.  They do not any have separate database.  It is a calculating engine which process primary software data and returns the output.  For example, graphical reports can be generated with such software.

A few examples are presented:

Project Kick Start: Project kick start concentrate upon the very beginning of the project when the tasks are not yet identified.  Issues like the project phases, goals, obstacles, resources etc are analyzed.  The output data like task lists can then be exported to MS Project.  A screen shot of Project kick Start is presented in the following.  In the left hand pane the items like phases are shown which are developed in Project kick Start.  The last items are resources and tasks which can thereafter be exported to MS Project.

Milestone Professional: This is a supplementary software which can be independently used. MS Project data can be easily imported to generate improved graphics and presentation like the example shown

Example Outputs from Milestone

Decision Chart: Decision edge does not have its own database.  It generates graphics from MS Project or Primavera data.

Pert Chart Expert: The Pert chart does not have a separate database.  It creates improved PERT chart from MS Project.  For example, it can generate formatted PERT chart.  The tasks within a period (month, quarter etc.) can be grouped within a vertical column.  A reviewer would know which tasks are in operation in that period.  an example is provided.

Example of a Formatted PERT   

WBS Chart Pro: WBS chart pro creates graphical work break down chart from MS Project data base.  An example is provided.

Example of a Work Breakdown Structure  

 MS Project Integration: Add-on software like Decision chart appear as a button in the MS Project tool bar from where it can be called.  In the following MS Project screen shot the buttons for the three add-on software namely Decision Chart, Pert Chart Expert  and WBS Chart Pro can be seen at the right hand corner of the third line of the tool bar. 

Quick Arrow: For estimating time of the professionals working in projects

Project Insight: For intelligent estimating of time with resource constraints

IS Project: The software integrates the MS Project task lists with the MS Outlook for easier collaboration among the stakeholders.  Once the MS Project tasks are transferred to MS outlook collaboration becomes easier among the stakeholders.

S-Curve: The S curve estimates the cumulative progress of work in monetary units from MS Project data as shown in the example below