With "Next-Project" you can standardize the Project-Documentation on a high level without being over-sophisticated. Currently mainly used for single-projects.

* Easy to learn * very good and comprehensive operating manual * based on IPMA-approach with all neccessary details within the PM-Process * good integration of MS-Project-Plans etc. * good for presentations also for Stakeholders and Project-Owners * "professional" approach is visible

* some detail-reports need to be optimized (Action-Item-List) - currently I use a separate tool * PSP-Printing needs to be optimized

I am using next project from the proposal phase toward supporting project controlling with actual and current entries on monthly basis, such as providing updated estimates for total at completion and occasionally re-distributing / re-allocating work package contents over project phases if needed.

I use next project on a single PC, no network. The project handbook (PHB) file is stored on a backup server. It is very compact and the Excel style for data entries provides a clear & comprehensive structure with all essentials covered for successfully set-up and carry out a project. This supports all essential initial steps when creating a project structure including underlying cost for a proposal and allows for seemless re-use in the operaitonal project phase until the project close-down feature allowing for a proper tidy-up sequence, including lessons learnt. Features can be simply enabled or switched on a configuration TAB to "hide" mode, depending on the size of a project. Therefore each PHB carries the specific amount of information most useful for a given project. Some features support project life especially for long project durations of a couple of years., such as for instance the "change request" TAB: even without a formal CR process in place, it is a useful logbook, thus provides a comprehensive trace of the most important adaptations made. The feature to import multiple projects into one PHB is a very useful feature to obtain a multi-project overview on milestones and, most important, resources allocations over time, valuable for multiproject decision making.

The very flexible feature to assign custom resources in Admin mode and how to find them back when customizing the "Data" sheet was not so easy to understand in the very beginning, it requires some learning by doing, then works well. Similar experience with entering holidays in PERT over a longer period of several years.

The tool has much helped us run projects in a much more structured and successful way

Excel-based and very complete (yet customisable) set of functionalities

Might take some time to get used to, especially when aiming to use the full set of functionalities that is available

Before we implemented this tool, we had to use several individual tools, meaning different ways of documentation, which made it very time-consuming and exhausting. Now we are able to handle more or less about 100 to 120 small to large projects at the same time. All of this projects have a similar documentation. Also for non-teammembers (Poolmanager) it is possible to quickly get a good project overview, because of a uniform method design. The "Next Project" works perfect (related to our requirements) in singleproject use (very helpful for Projectmanager and Teammembers). Within our Company we use the singleproject as datacollection tool for our multiproject management, for example Pool-Ressourcemanagement and other helpful management information.

"Next Project" is really easy to learn and to handle, because it is based on MS Excel. All necessary PM-methods are available. „Next Project“ used as a basis, makes multiproject management easy.

Because of the memory space required (depending on the amount of data entered), a good IT environment is recommended.

I use it as project manager in customer projects as management and documentation tool. My customers appreciate the transparency.

- it`s just excel - no installation - easy to use for everybody - all project management data in one file - complete collection of project plans - export/ import functions (e.g. export work packages for each team member and import project progress) - good customer support

- handling of project changes - unlicensed users have limited view functions

I used this tool for calculating and managing projects in nearly every range. Only projects which needs complex time-schedule-planning (which is done in our company by Primavera) are done with an own-developed software. success = acceptance x quality The biggest advantage of this tool is the Excel-base. Everybody in our company is able to work with Excel. So it is very easy to start; you need just an explaination for the functions and not how to handle the surface. This results in a very high acceptance and due to the high quality of this tool, we get a lot of success!

I like the most, that everything, what you learn in term of project management is included in one tool. If you know, what to do in a project, than you are able to do this very intuitive with this "simple", but very powerful Excel-tool.

Sometimes I forget to push the refresh-buttons when I change from the data-sheet to other sheets. But I think it is better to refresh it manually than to do it automatically, because it would cause unused time for waiting.

excellent

the easy to operate and the resulting red thread

excel is used as standard in the company

It is very easy to navigate through the tool and it has all the features you really need for successful project management. Regular updates provide meaningful enhancements. What I like best is the new PowerPoint export function. With just one mouse click you’ll receive an impressive presentation for relevant stakeholders.

Company-specific project terms cannot be adapted in the standard version. Adjustments are possible but subject to a charge.

Tool to steer and control project work

Easyness of implementation Readiness for our way to do projects

EN language version not thouroghly implemented

I was referred to next project light by a colleague during my studies. With our first very small project I was already very enthusiastic, because you have a very good overview in the tool and also the data transfer into the individual sheets works very simply. In addition, I find the graphical preparation of the project structure plan very successful. We are now using this tool for a somewhat larger project and my colleagues are also enthusiastic. I can really recommend the tool and am also considering getting the paid version for the next larger project.

easy handling, simple project structure plan, simple overview

So far i couldn't see any negative sides to this tool.

Ein tolles Produkt welches - obwohl es sehr kostengünstig ist - total schnell eine Projektplanung zulässt. Es ist extrem einfach und der Support ist einfach super! Immer gerne wieder!

Alle Grundfunktionen aus dem Projektmanagment sind sehr einfach abgebildet und zusammenhängend. Mann muss nichts doppelt eingeben und hat eine extrem schnelle Übersicht über sein Projekt. Durch Excel ist die Hürde bei neuen Usern extrem klein und so haben diese einen raschen Erfolg zu Beginn und sind motiviert das Tool zu nutzen.

Manchmal dauern die Berechnungen des gesamten Handbuches lange. Der Statusbericht ist gut könnte aber etwas moderner gestaltet sein aber er tut absolut seinen Zweck!

automatisierter PSP und automatisierte Fortschrittsberechnung

AufgabenverwaltungFelder nicht flexibel bearbeitbar

I have been using free software next project light since 2013 and finally decided to upgrade to the full version. next project is a easy to use project management software tool which is based on MS Excel covering the most important PM instruments and supports throughout all project management phases.

Agile features are missing in the base version and needs to licensed separately.

Perfect solution for well structured project management!

next project uses/supports pma-standards, but has done some adjustments for better practical use

you have to get used to it, first use is for some users irritating

PM documentation for large infrastructure projects

Very easy to use PM-Tool which follows the PM guidelines like the ones from IPMA. When you are familiar with MS-Excel- you don't have to be a pro though- you can get down to the PM Basics without studying vast amounts of manuals.

Limits for the PSP and printing different views of large PSP's