I have been desperatly searching for a nice, easy to use but powerful Project Management Software (not a web based version because most companies have sensative information that they do not feel comfortable with being on a web server).


I downloaded the free trial of the following Project Management Software Packages:


OmniPlan 1.1


ConceptDraw Project 3


Merlin 2


Project X


FastTrack Schedule 9


Daylite 3


I can tell you right now that there is no winner. I was unable to perform a simple task (at least I think it is simple).


My current project is to migrate the networks at branches all across the world.


I am given the DayOne date for each branch. DayOne is defined as the day the customers/users come into the office and are using the new network for the very first time. So, its the end date of each milestone.


So working backwards from DayOne (always a Monday)


Task1: 3days prior to DayOne, Begin Migration (Task Length: Friday at 6pm there local time until 5am Monday there local time at the latest)


Task2: 5days prior to DayOne, Send out a FINAL cadence (Task Length: 30minutes and always on a Wednesday at 4pm eastern time)


Task3: 7days prior to DayOne, Verification that everything is set (Task Details: 1hour and always on a Monday at 1pm-2pm eastern time)


Task4: 17days prior to DayOne, Requests are submitted (Task Details: Request/Change Controls are submitted and always on a Friday at 9am est for 1hour)


Task5: 30days prior to Dayone, Submit cadenance is sent to all teams (Task Details: Helps everyone get on same page, done at 3pm est for 30min on Mondays)


Task6: 30days prior to Dayone, Red Team Review of cadenance (Task Details: Review cadenance with all teams, North America version done at 11am every Monday 30+days prior to dayone, Europe version done 30+ days prior to dayone on Thursdays at 8am est)


Task7: 60+days prior to Dayone, Draft Cadenance is emailed (Task Details: Draft cadenance is sent out every Tuesday 60+days out from dayone at 3pm est for 2hours)


A TRUE Project Management software I should be able to create the tasks above and change the DayOne date (as I received these changes) and all Tasks should shift accordingly and they do not (without any limitation). There should also be the possibility to turn on/off the today date restriction.


All Project Management software reviewed failed this goal.... and a warning... Daylite3 is VERY difficult to uninstall and is Project Management is not its strong suit, its more got its fingers over a lot of different things but doesn't do any one task really well. Omni Plan was my favorite but is not developed for advanced users yet and does not support backward planning yet. Merlin2 is my number 2 choice but again, I ran into some bugs with dates. For the most part is was fairly easy to use but I still could not accomplish my goal above.


ConceptDraw Project gets a lot of publicity across the web but I was not impressed at all by the software. Same goes for the very expensive FastTrack Project. I imagine this is due to a learning curve which I give kudo's to Project X tutorials and OmniPlan video tutuorials. let's face it, none of us want to read a 50+page manual on how to do something. Show us the video and let's get going.

My choice that I have been using for years is Merlin.  It just does everything and is super easy to use.