Taken on its own, Microsoft Project is not the least expensive project management software available. If you’re not already part of the Microsoft ecosystem, then you’ll need to seek out additional tools besides Microsoft Project to compensate for this lack of features. That’s because it was designed with the assumption that you will be using other Microsoft products for other functions, such as Teams for communication and OneDrive for document management. While Microsoft Project includes almost any project management feature you can imagine, it lacks in other departments. Some users complain that much of the tool’s functionality goes unused, and they find it frustrating to wade through all the options. While the 2019 version significantly updated the user interface, the sheer number of features can make it time consuming to find the exact one you’re looking for. On a similar note, Microsoft Project is not the most user friendly project management tool out there. Even advanced project managers will need time to teach themselves how to use the tool, which is not particularly intuitive and definitely not geared towards beginners. Microsoft Project is designed with experienced project managers in mind, and it presents a very steep learning curve due to the number of features. Here are four reasons why you might search for a Microsoft Project alternative: Steep learning curve Microsoft Project has many advantages, but also some disadvantages as well. Why search for a Microsoft Project alternative? Whether you’re an individual, a small business or a larger organization that needs a better system for managing project workflows and tasks, these Microsoft Project alternatives are great options for a range of budgets and needs. The project management software field has grown astronomically, even for users that want free or low cost software. While it may be convenient for companies that are already dedicated to the Microsoft software stack, when examined on its own, Microsoft lacks many of the project management features that many users have come to expect from their business software.

Historically, many companies have relied on Microsoft Project due to its central role in the Microsoft ecosystem.

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