Found it better than MS Project for project management!

I am using Rational Plan as a MS Project substitute and have greatly benefitted by all its features. It helped me manage the tasks better.

Pros

It is web-based and has better compatibility among different OS, it has similarbut better features than MS Project which include task and Gantt Chart features that the executives work with want to see. It integrates with Outlook, so tasks can be emailed to responsible staff. The export to PDF is great for sharing a snapshot of all the tasks in the entire project along with the Gantt Chart.

Cons

while exporting to Excel,it loses the formatting. There's no way to set up emails on tasks that are late. The main way to track tasks is by manually entering the percentage of work completed.

Everyday essential tool

Rational plan has helped to transform the way that we run our manufacturing operation. Our facility has a real mix of make to order and long term forecast demands being placed on equipment. There are several additional and variable constraints that make capacity planning software consistently fail. To overcome any lack of visibility from failing to plan we have found no greater tool than the simple flexibility, and ease of use that comes with Rational Plan.

Pros

Ease of use

Cons

The ability to lose information when closing down

Franklin Automation

We have not gotten to the point yet where we are utilizing the resource management tools, but given that we are typically managing 3 - 4 projects at any given time this is definitely the goal. What would be most beneficial at this time is to have some way of entering and accumulating data. Currently I have to set-up project spreadsheets with all of my cost codes down the left margin and dates across the top so that I can enter time sheets and accumulate hours for each job cost code for all projects. With the accumulated sub-totals I can then update my Gantt charts on Rational plan from time to time. It would be great if I could enter this time sheet data directly into Rational Plan instead of having to create and update these summarizing spread sheets.

Pros

1. Inexpensive 2. Relatively easy to learn 3. Good customer support

Cons

1. cannot enter raw data; has no way of accumulating time in a given cost code 2. some of the options are confusing (e.g. "always keep assignment units as set" and "try to keep the work when changing resources"...what do these mean???

Very Effective Project Management Tool

I work with a lot of different customers and am constantly importing and exporting project plans (converting from MS Project). RationalPlan allows me to effectively and efficiently work with the plans in this mixed environment. I find it an essential tool for my business.

Pros

It is a native Mac program that imports and exports MS Project files efficiently.

Cons

I have had some issues over the years with specific bugs. But to their credit, RationalPlan has always been quick to respond with a resolution to the issues. I still seem to have some issues with the printing format and how it handles logos.

Great project management software.

My partner and I build large custom homes. By using RationalPlan, we can queue the subs and make the entire process go more quickly. It is a great tool, but like any tool, you have to use it. It is not magic.

Pros

Intuitive. Easy to learn. Many features (some I have not explored yet).

Cons

I have not figured out how to have a couple of projects open at the same time. Also have not figured out how to sort entries.

Great for Multiprojects

Pros

the collaboration on this software is bar-none. We just finished our free trial and we will definitely be purchasing. Cannot wait to learn more and get access to all of the features.

Cons

I have no cons about RationalPlan at this time.

Good alternative to Project

I have been RationalPlan Multi for several years now. I find it to be a good alternative to MS Project. I have little issue with importing project files that others have worked on. My issue is that it will only save files back out in Project XML format instead of .mpp format. This does make collaborating with others using MS Project difficult at times.

Pros

Native to the Mac, good interface and easy to use.

Cons

Does not save files to .mpp

Review

Pros

The software is very easy to pick up. I use this software for smaller project that require professional looking gantt chart but not the bells and whistles of more powerful software like P6. I can very quickly develop a project schedule without issue using this software.

Cons

The software doesn't have the same level of user created support compared to other more popular software like MS project. If I have a problem with MS project I can usually just google the problem and find something on a forum.

Simple tool for project planning and management

If you're looking for ease-of-use project planning and management tool, this can be it! You can manage multiple projects at the same time, be able to estimate the project durations and costs, and assure that you can stay track on your targets.

Pros

We're looking for a software for project planning and we ended up using this application. I find this simple and straightforward for our projects. It allows me to create project timelines, build roadmaps (Gantt chart) and other basic functionalities for project planning and management.

Cons

Couldn't think of any. It fulfilled the needs of our small projects.

Solid Project Management Tool

Students who use a macbook and cannot load MS Project need to rely on a solid management tool to perform their scheduling and cost management. It is a lifesaver for those students who rely on a macbook.

Pros

The software follows along the same principles of MS Project that helps my students learn the tool quicker. The compatibility to work along side MS Project likewise helps students that work with Macbooks where they cannot load MS Project to their system.

Cons

The reporting function is not as robust as MS Project.

The Best Planning Software for Linux

I have trialled several planning software applications and have find that RationalPlan is the best I have come across. I am using the Single version, which is free for Linux users, for other OS there is a charge. There is MultiProject version which is not free. Gantt Chart Too many of the software I have looked at is too much like MS Project 2003 which looks very 1980's. Presentation is always an important issue for clients and indeed colleagues, and RationalPlan certainly ticks the right boxes as the colour of the bars can be changed in the Settings/Options. Trying to fit a gantt chart and data columns onto an A4 or A3 can always be a frustrating exercise, which ever software package you are using. In RationalPlan, however, the best way is through Reports/More/Gantt, where there are the options to help you to manipulate the image to fit on the size of paper. There is one item that does puzzle me, is that the Gantt report option is hidden under "More" and not displayed in the drop-down menu. Data Data import is easy and anyone familiar with this type of project planning applications should not find it a problem. For beginners resource input will always present some problems, but trial and error should sort these out. Data can by exported to xls either the whole data or through reports, for manipulation. One of the annoying aspects of some planning software and versions of MS Project was the default setting for resource hours on the task duration which was Effort Driven resulting in the duration changing when the hours changed. In RationalPlan I am pleased to say that the default is Fixed Units, the changes which do not have an impact on the duration. Customer support I have found is excellent having used it several times. I would not hesitate in recommending RationalPlan as a planning software to Linux users.

Not at all bad for small projects but I am still searching for "the one"!

As a sole-trader consultant I have been searching for an app that enables me to plan and manage projects that sometimes involve other consultants but sometimes just involve me and a whole load of people who are research subjects. After being led close to suicide by some other PM software (too complex, too "techie", only suitable for people who have nothing else in their lives!) I tried the add-on version of Rational Plan for Google docs and was impressed. So I bought the standalone Multi-Plan version. It worked very well for those projects where there was a good expectation of the steps laid out at the outset actually being the ones that were followed when the project started! The support from the team was excellent and my overall experience was good and I would recommend it to people who are actually running "manageable" projects. Having used it I realised that much of my work does not really fall into this category and, in much of what I am doing , the steps only emerge from the previous steps. In this case, the program is not very useful but I think that would be the case with any PM software I used. My dream is to have a single screen dashboard for all the components of Outlook so that I can see at a glance for a single project who is involved in it and in what capacity, that tasks that they have to do and the timescale, the e-mails associated with the project and the calendar entries for upcoming actions. It is really a cross between PM and CRM. Rational Plan comes close to the PM side of it.

My Digital Right Hand

I publish a lot of digital projects. They require detailed planning and ensuring that all the steps are followed. I would be lost without my RationalPlan software, which allows me to first plan the work, and then work the plan time and again successfully.

Pros

Ease of use, and ability to have more than one project plan.

Rational Plan Better Supports Compliance Agility Than MS Project.

I'm not patience enough to jump through all the required configurations with MS Project and was looking for an alternative which was still compatible but better served our hybrid AGILE approach. My first project with Rational Plan let do many of the assumptions my way and help me arrive at project estimate of 18,300 hours . . . I spent less time on the completed plan than my failed attempts with MS Project . . . I'm not an expert with either tool. Isn't it great, I don't have to be to get results.

Pros

Compare with MS project, the flexibility to do it MY WAY is much better.

Cons

With dozens of windows open, it occasionally freezes which requires me to restart the app. Occasionally have to update a recently added line item, but normally retains the recent work when this happens.

Rational plan

Have used Rational Plan now for 3 years, and found it an invaluable tool to assist the business, both with accounting and invoicing

Pros

Ease of use

Cons

Not built exactly for construction industry

Very good project management software for the Mac OS

Pros

It is easy to work with. I can import MS Project files easily and work with them. Easy to setup project. It is also easy to integrate and manage multiple projects. Scheduling and tracking of tasks is also a plus with this product.

Cons

The inability to save straight out to MS Project format is an issue. I also have had issues with report and email templates. Updates frequently are not "flushed out" before they are released which sometimes breaks basic features temporarily.

Rational Plan Multi and single

Rational Plan has been an invaluable tool. With the right amount of features for our everyday business needs. Its laid out very clean and easy to navigate. There may be more powerful software out there, but they come with complexity, tedious data entry and often very time consuming to maintain. For us its a balance between what we need and will use. Rational Plan fits the bill perfectly, it also comes down to how much effort needs to be put into a software for it to be a useful tool. Rational plan solves these issues. I would highly recommend this software for those who need the nuts and bolts of a project management software, with minimal effort to use and simple to maintain. Support has also been terrific, quick replies, friendly and right there when you need them. We use both Multi and Single versions. The Multi version allows me as a planner of projects to look at all projects on our plate in one place, with the ability to juggle numerous projects and manage the resources needed. The Single version allows a user to focus on the tasks at hand for a single project. Pricing is very reasonable. If our story sounds like yours, you should give it a try. I don't think you will regret it. ~ John M.

Functional, Complete, In Depth, Project Management Software. Very Nice

This is a full featured easy to use Project Management software that helps create a WBS and assign/track resources.

Pros

Rational Plan software is Great! It has Portfolio Management, Dashboard, WBS, Gantt View, and much much more. It has a downloadable Desktop view that syncs with the cloud version. It is very easy to set up and get started. The resource section is is very helpful for assigning tasks and managing projects. I also like the budget/cost features. I also love the controlling feature and work tracking features. I think this software is excellent

Cons

One think I would like to see is the option to use a graphic (Mind Map) view of the WBS. The other item I would like to see is a section for Risk Management.

Excellent program

Pros

Easy to use and lots of detail Looks professional

Cons

Would like to have the ability to link tasks from the middle of a task to the start of another

An excellent alternative to Microsoft Project

I've been using RationalPlan-Single for close to 6 years now, and am still a huge fan. To me, Microsoft Project is not an option, both from being a Mac user and for the licensing cost, and honestly, I don't need all the bells and whistles. I'm not a professional project manager, but I do need to build WBSes and Gantts on a regular basis, and also sometimes need to open project files sent by customers. Generally speaking, although the interface has its peculiarities, RationalPlan is pretty straightforward to use, and more than enough for my needs. There have been odd glitches in the past (corrupted save files used to be an issue), but those were worked out over time, and I feel the current version is stable and reliable. All in all - enthusiastically recommended.

Pros

Multi-platform Excellent value for the price

Cons

Occasionally clunky interface

RationalPlan Multi

Project Management has always a balancing act, sometimes taking a great deal of time to accurately schedule projects, manage resources etc... For years we have used MS Project for doing just this. That is until we found RationalPlan, and we haven't looked back. This software is truly a hidden gem. It offers similar power to MS Project, with a simplified layout, client organizing, work breakdown, scheduling, Gantt chart's etc. etc. It also supports import and export of MS Project files, so for those clients who use MS Project, transferring data back and forth is quite simple. In closing, RationalPlan allows us to plan and communicate with our clients very clearly and has far exceeded our expectations. We now use this software daily for multiple projects, and always have a clear view throughout . It does seems to take far less time to accurately set each up. We have begun to roll this out to our company and have not run into any issues regarding this transition. All in all I cannot say enough about this software and company. The support staff is extremely responsive and friendly. Thank You for a great product.

Good Software

I have been using this software to develop project plans for my business...its ease of use and its functional capabilities make it a great tool to develop complex (and even simple) project plans and over all management of planning an budgeting. I would highly recommend this software to anyone who wants an alternate to microsoft.... I have been using project management software since 1983 (CPM or critical path project management software even before microsoft project).

Pros

its a great low cost project management tool...

Cons

You should have some prior project management experience to better take advantage of all of the powerful features of this product.

good but...

It's good value for money but the options to print the Gantt diagram are confused or non existent. There no options to limit the dates for the printing (ie. I want to print form january to september eventhough the Project goes to december), there is no option to copy the diagram to another application, so we have to print in PDF and then copy it, etc. It's not friendly for report elaboration.

Pros

Value for money, does the work

Cons

It's not very friendly, lack of features to ease the elaboration of reports

Bill's MyReview

I think this is the best project management software for the Mac at an affordable price. It is easy to use with most of the features found in the Microsoft project management softwareI am still wishing for a PERT Chart

Pros

I use this software to help me develop proposals.

Cons

Only thing I miss is the PERT Chart

Good but can be better

First of all I'm not a gantt expert. I just share my thoughts. I have a big problem: On Linux last version is troublesome: in the gantt visualization, the mouse arrow blocks itself when passing on the gantt chart, while it goes smooth on other parts of the window. Another thing I find bad is when I change tasks duration/resources/manhours. I would kike it to be in "full manual" control if I want. Beacuse sometimes automatic adjustments simply don work. For the rest It is a GREAT product.

Pros

It works under linux, it manages multiple projects.

Cons

See main review

Very good software at a reasonable price

I was able to provide it to many people in the organization for a reasonable price, with the assurance of knowing that it incorporates good, solid project management principles.

Pros

It most closely resembles the functionality in MS Project for a fraction of the price. It was obviously created by someone who understands project management, as evidenced by the list of steps on the left side. It supports dependencies, durations, and resource allocations that work together to come up with a completion date.

Cons

Online help documentation is practically non-existent, and the only apparent support is through email.

Quite positive

We are using RationalPlan already several years and this tool enable to make project plan quite easy way, unlike MS Project, which require much more ecperience/time. So there is much value for money.

Pros

All needed functionality is there. Easy to learn.

Cons

NOthuing

Rational Plan Review

I have been a paid user of rational plan for a number of years. My experience has been nothing but positive. It's more than a cheaper alternative to Microsoft project. It goes almost you're to toe with it. The interface is still not as polished, but they keep improving and their customer service is spot on. I really recommend it to those needing project planning power but want better value for their money.

Pros

Easy to use. Mimics most of features of Microsoft Project. Great customer service. Good export options.

Cons

Interface still need work in terms of user friendliness.

Rational Scheduling

Does everything I need it to. Does whatever I would be using Micro$oft Project to do but at a price that anyone can afford.

Pros

Does what I need it to. Has the functionality of what I'd use MS Project to do.

Cons

Inability to save directly to native MS Project file format.

Very nice and easy to use

My company was looking for a new project management software and RationalPlan kept popping up to the top. I was able to get a demo copy immediately (a big plus) and began using it right away. I was impressed. It was easy to use which is important because many of our end users need to get up and running quickly without a huge learning curve for all the bells and whistles. One of the features I really like is to be able to lock a date on a task or milestone when dependencies are enabled. Our last software kept moving this date which quickly became a nightmare. We needed the dates locked. I recommend this software.

Pros

Easy to use

Cons

I was getting an error about having tasks outside the project date range but couldn't find it. It was actually in the Info section for the Estimated Start Date. Once I found this, the errors went away.

Special Events

It has been a great addition for our special events and maintenance projects.

Pros

User-Friendly and easy to navigate. With little instruction, our special events director was able to set up the events with mininal assistance.

Cons

Nothing so far. Customer service has been very helpful.

Great scheduling software

Pros

This is a great alternative to microsoft project but can still make files that are compatible with microsoft project.

Great application

I have used Rationalplan for a few years now and been extremely happy with it. It covers all my project management needs.

Pros

Ease of use. Quick to figure out.

Best alternative to MS Project or Primevera!

I own a small business and can not afford expensive software so I looked for a while for a scheduling program that would work but wasn't too expensive. I had learned Primevera Project Planner in college but that is an enterprise level program with a hefty price tag. I tried several free programs before I came across RationalPlan. RationalPlan is full featured, easy to use, performs well and is reasonably priced. As with all project planning programs I have tried my only complaint is with the printouts. It's a chore to get the schedule to print out nicely. I'm sure this will improve in future versions and I look forward to using RationalPlan for the foreseeable future.

Pros

Price, ease of use, features, interface.

Cons

Printing difficulties.

RationalPlan was the easiest project planner I could find

I don't need project plans very often. I just want a basic outline and gantt chart with lags of various types. For me, the complex planners on the market are not worth the money or the time to learn. I don't use all the features of RationalPlan, either, but it has worked for me now, and I know I will not outgrow it.

Pros

Is easy to learn and not too expensive

Cons

For a long time, it had a java look to it because they were trying to make a low-cost cross-platform product. But it's getting better.

Good management tool

Good management plan, easy to convert to other platforms.

Pros

Very easy to set up, and start building up Gantt timings.

Cons

Needs a "facelift", needs to be refreshed, make it more "interactive" (drag and drop functionality).

Super easy

I can't belieave how super easy it is to plan out complex projects with this powerful software! I use it for all my projects!

Pros

Ease of use.

Cons

Not a lot of functions and ability to customize the layout.

Alternative to MS Project

I found this software a very good alternative to MS Project, cost is very fair. I didn't see any compatibility issues and works great. About file format compatibility, other than its native file format you can export your data in a xml file or Excel. I recommend the usage very much.

Pros

Compatibility and speed.

Cons

Cannot export in native MS Project file. I know there are other ways to export the data.

Great Product

Great alternative to Microsoft Project. Excellent value also. Easy to use and all the features you need.

Pros

Price and easy to use

Cons

No issues

Provides what I need

My main use for a project planner is to manage dates, and resources somewhat. RationalPlan allows me to do this, and it also allows me to track changes and decisions over the course of the project. It's easy to use and provides the features I need the most. It's not complete, and there are a few features I would like to have (text import, cell highlighting), but overall it does the job and does it well.

Pros

Easy to use Provides the features I need Imports Excel Project files

Cons

Cell background highlighting (instead of font only) would be a nice addition

Good MS Project Alrernative

As a small company, we are always looking for the best value and not necessarily the best known brand. We have been using Rational Plan for about four year, and have been thoroughly satisfied. Having been a MS Project user, I found Rational Plan very familiar with most of the commands located right where I expected them to be. The project import/export was also valuable in allowing us to share schedules with our customers who were MS Prohect users. Customer service was great, all for a fraction of the cost of MS Project.

Easy to use with Great Support

I switched to RationalPlan - Multi for my consulting business about four years ago, after using MS Project since about 1998. I have been very happy with RPM and find it easier to use than MSP for the work I do. What really stands out for me, though, is the support provided for RPM. There are regular updates, and the twice I have had to contact support my question or issue was resolved promptly. What I would like to see improved is the printing output, although there are improvements being made in this area, and I look forward to the new releases.

Excellent

The Rational Plan software is easy to use with a little trial and some questions to support staff. My experience with the RT Support Staff is 1000% based on 100% being perfect. I have a very old Mac that lost its hard drive. When I tried to download RT to the new hard drive it would not load the latest version due to the age of my OS. They went out of their way at no additional expense to me to find a solution that would work on my computer and downloaded it to me --- and they did a special for me to download the latest version. AWESOME SERVICE!!!

Excellent for medium size project

Rationalplan I found very useful to track medium sized projects, e.g. when you set up a new production plant and plan for the scheduling of validations and training of people. Easy to align with other project managers and teams e.g. to transfer products from development into production. Interchangeable with other project software you find in different companies. Easy to track different speeds of teamwork. Great software and excellent value for money!

Pros

Graphical overview, easy to learn.

Easy to use

I use it to develop work schedule for my company.

Pros

It is very easy to use, even as a novice. You can also add your company logo in the heading of the printout.

Cons

I don't have any contrary opinion, for now

Great Product!

Pros

Easy to use, very user friendly and excellent for project planning purposes.

Cons

Honestly, I cannot think of anything that I would change about it.

Very happy

I am a Sales Manager for Steelmaking equipment and using notes as an essential software for my organisation. I was looking for software which could link to notes and would be easy to use and efficient as well. After all of them have shown their limits, I have tried Rationalplan for multiple projects and found it so easy to use. I was especially happy to see that it fully works with MS Project files. And for this great software, the price is really afordable. Super, thanks for your great work.

Quite good in general. To be improved: Resource Management and Estimation methods like MS Project.

In general it works pretty well. It would be much better for me if the resource management / leverage would be easier and more graphical and able to be balanced between several projects. For instance, being much simplier, GanttProject has much better landscape view: http://ganttproject.biz/about For Compatibility with MS project I would really like to have the same estimation variables: work, resource units and duration and with same default approach.

Good simple project planner

I picked this up to generate simple programmes for construction projects, and was pleasantly surprised to find it easy to use, and also capable of much more complex task, resource and project management. It has a straightforward interface, and is reasonably intuitive, offering layers of complexity without requiring their complete use. It's one of those packages where the more you use it, the more useful it becomes. Splendid.

Pros

Low cost. Simple to use. Capable of more complex management if you need that.

Cons

Control of the graphic output could be better, especially for printing gantt charts.

Excellent alternative to MS Project for small businesses

As a small business, the cost of MS Project is difficult to justify. Rational Plan offers a good value alternative that allows you to create your own Gantt charts and read and edit those created in using MS Project.

Pros

Simple workflow Creates good looking Gantt charts with ease Reliably reads in Gantt charts created by MS Project Allows you to use most of the features for Gantt charts that would expect in MS Project - e.g. Resources free version for Linux (Gold star for this)!

Cons

Isn't a complete replacement for MS Project (but doesn't pretend to be) Lack of Calendar view