RationalPlan is designed as an affordable alternative to Microsoft Project with some extra-features like multiproject management and it is covering project management area from WBS construction, project planning and scheduling to critical path management, over allocated resources detection, progress tracking, cost estimation, etc. Gantt chart support as well as various time line reports are also provided. It offers you the most important capabilities of a good project management software while being able to operate on various platforms starting with Windows, Mac, Linux and all other Java enabled platforms.
Key reasons for using RationalPlan:
· provides a clean way to break down your project, build schedules, allocate resources, and manage budgets
· manage your company's projects as a multiproject tree structure and share resources between them
· a step by step project guide walks you through the project management process so you can lay down a project plan immediately
· get resources and finances under control (realistic cost estimates mechanisms, screening cash-flow time distribution for tasks and resources)
· "what if" scenarios capability via multiple undo/redo levels allow to make changes and safely get back
· track project evolution in terms of completion, time and costs
· brings project's critical issues to your attention (over allocated resources, critical paths with configurable slack from which activities become critical)
Here are some key features of RationalPlan:
Project Planning
· Define project and associate general information (name, notes, links, assumptions, constraints, risks)
· Create, edit and delete calendars
· Build work breakdown structure
· Create dependencies between tasks, set lead/lag time
· Manage task properties such as constraints, fixed cost
Resource Management
· Define human/equipment and material resources (equipment can be assimilated with human)
· Define specific working time for each resource
· Assign resources to tasks
· View time phased information about resources work and cost
· View over allocated resources and resources that work overtime
Project Tracking
· View project critical tasks depending on a customizable slack
· Mark the task progress by changing the task completion percent
· View time phased information about tasks cost
Miscellaneous
· Easy to use Gantt Graph
· Project Guide assists you step-by-step
· Icon Bar with specific commands for every view
· Export to Microsoft Project
· Printable reports
· No annoying dialog windows unless strictly necessary
· Cross-platform (work on all major operating systems starting with Microsoft Windows, MacOSX, Linux and all other Java enabled platforms)
Here is a list with all the important changes of this version:
· Added the possibility to import projects from Microsoft Project
· Added the possibility to create work driven tasks (keep the amount of work on a task) besides the duration driven tasks
· Allow users to set a deadline date for tasks
· Created an online tutorial for the application
· Added details for projects in Project Portfolio View
· Bug fixes
RationalPlan Multi Project costs $93 and it is available from http://www.rationalplan.com. You can download a fully-functional trial version from http://www.rationalplan.com/
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RationalPlan Multi Project - Project management software
