Detailed Review of Microsoft Project - Project Management Software Software 2025

Budget Management

Budget Management in Microsoft Project enables project managers to define, allocate, and track financial resources across tasks and project phases. This feature allows teams to set planned budgets, compare them against actual costs, and calculate cost variances. Microsoft Project offers integrated cost reporting and forecasting tools, helping organizations control spending, ensure profitability, and align financial performance with overall project goals.

Issue Management

Issue Management in Microsoft Project helps teams identify, document, and resolve problems that could impede project success. While not a native standalone feature, issue tracking can be customized using task fields or integrated with platforms like SharePoint. Teams can assign responsibility, set priorities, and monitor resolution status. This structured approach improves project quality by addressing obstacles before they escalate into major setbacks.

Kanban Board

The Kanban Board functionality in Microsoft Project—available through integrations with Microsoft Planner or Project for the web—offers a visual method for organizing tasks using cards and workflow stages. Teams can track progress by moving tasks through columns like “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Completed.” This flexible, drag-and-drop interface promotes agile management and provides a real-time snapshot of workload and progress.

Milestone Tracking

Milestone Tracking in Microsoft Project allows users to define key events or deliverables that represent major checkpoints in a project. These milestones are displayed on the Gantt Chart and timeline views, offering quick reference points for project progress. Monitoring milestones helps teams assess whether they are on track and ensures alignment with major deadlines and business objectives throughout the project.

Percent-Complete Tracking

Percent-Complete Tracking in Microsoft Project enables project managers to quantify the progress of tasks and overall projects by assigning a completion percentage. This metric can be manually entered or calculated based on actual work logged. It provides real-time visibility into how much work has been completed versus what remains, supporting better forecasting, reporting, and timely stakeholder communication.

Portfolio Management

Portfolio Management in Microsoft Project allows organizations to manage and analyze multiple projects within a centralized platform. This feature supports strategic alignment by helping decision-makers prioritize initiatives, allocate resources, and balance workloads. Integration with Power BI enhances visibility with customizable dashboards and KPIs. Microsoft Project empowers executives to oversee a broad project portfolio while maintaining control over budget, performance, and outcomes.

Project Planning

Project Planning in Microsoft Project is a comprehensive process that includes task breakdown, scheduling, resource allocation, dependency mapping, and milestone setting. The platform supports advanced planning through templates, critical path analysis, and workload balancing. With these tools, Microsoft Project enables users to build structured, detailed plans that serve as the blueprint for successful execution and delivery of complex initiatives.

Resource Management

Resource Management in Microsoft Project provides tools to assign, monitor, and balance team members and other assets across tasks and projects. Managers can track workloads, availability, and overallocations to optimize efficiency. The platform supports capacity planning and resource leveling, ensuring that no team member is underutilized or overburdened. This ensures smoother execution and better alignment of people and project needs.

Status Tracking

Status Tracking in Microsoft Project offers visibility into the real-time condition of tasks, deliverables, and overall project health. Through status fields, visual indicators, and customizable dashboards, users can identify whether tasks are on schedule, delayed, or completed. This feature improves accountability and allows project managers to communicate accurate updates to stakeholders while making timely adjustments as necessary.

Task Management

Task Management in Microsoft Project provides a structured environment for defining, assigning, and monitoring individual work items within a project. Users can create tasks with specific start and end dates, durations, priorities, dependencies, and resource assignments. The platform allows for detailed task hierarchies, supporting sub-tasks and milestones that align with broader goals. Integrated tracking tools help teams monitor progress, adjust workloads, and address delays in real time. By offering centralized control over task execution, Microsoft Project enhances accountability, improves coordination among team members, and ensures that all project components move forward in sync.

Timeline View

Timeline View in Microsoft Project offers a high-level, visual representation of tasks and milestones plotted across a horizontal time scale. This view allows project managers to quickly assess the overall schedule, identify key deliverables, and communicate progress to stakeholders through an easy-to-read visual summary. Users can customize the timeline by highlighting important activities, grouping tasks, or filtering based on specific criteria. It supports clear project storytelling by presenting a concise overview of work in progress and upcoming deadlines. This visualization tool is particularly valuable during meetings and reporting, helping bridge the gap between detailed planning and strategic communication.