Pricing, features & ease of use

Microsoft Challenge is a number one product for individuals who need to change how they handle initiatives of all sizes. It really works simply with different merchandise within the Microsoft household, significantly when collaborating.

SEE: Use our mission supervisor hiring equipment to search out the very best particular person to guide your mission groups.

Plus, not like some competing merchandise, Microsoft Challenge permits your group to decide on between a cloud-based choice or on-premises resolution. This providing aligns with particular person workflows and preferences because it gives customers with numerous methods to view mission particulars. Nonetheless, there are different choices for those who finally determine Microsoft Challenge just isn’t essentially the most appropriate product.

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Microsoft Challenge pricing

Microsoft Challenge doesn’t have a free plan. Nonetheless, you may strive a cloud-based subscription for 30 days earlier than committing.

Cloud-based options

Cloud prospects have three paid tiers: Challenge Plan 1, Challenge Plan 3 and Challenge Plan 5.

Challenge Plan 1 prices $10 per person per thirty days. Though it provides all of the mission views, collaboration options, and mission planning and scheduling choices, you can be restricted to read-only entry to roadmaps, and there aren’t any demand or resource-planning instruments. This tier solely permits web-based entry.

Challenge Plan 3 prices $30 per person per thirty days. It permits putting in the desktop shopper on as much as 5 PCs or utilizing the online shopper. You’ll get useful resource planning options together with every part supplied in Challenge Plan 1.

Challenge Plan 5 prices $55 per person per thirty days. It has a number of different options not a part of the opposite two plans. You’ll get all enterprise useful resource planning and administration, demand administration, portfolio choice and optimization options.

On-premises options

There are three prospects if an on-premises choice is healthier in your firm: Challenge Normal 2021, Challenge Skilled 2021 and Microsoft Challenge Server Subscription Version.

Challenge Normal 2021 prices $679.99 and gives entry to a totally put in and up to date model of Microsoft Challenge by way of a desktop software on one PC — for use by one particular person. It consists of activity administration, enterprise intelligence and reporting options.

Challenge Skilled 2021 prices $1,129.99 and consists of every part that comes with Normal. As well as, it provides useful resource and demand administration, timesheet submissions, and the flexibility to sync information with the web-based Challenge Plan model or Microsoft Challenge Server Subscription Version.

Lastly, Microsoft Challenge Server Subscription Version is a versatile and scalable on-premises resolution. Nonetheless, the value varies relying on an organization’s wants, so you have to contact the gross sales workforce to study extra. Its options span past the opposite on-premises options to incorporate threat administration, demand and monetary administration, and superior analytics.

Key options of Microsoft Challenge

Select from a number of dashboard views

The individuals behind Microsoft Challenge realized prospects have numerous preferences for viewing mission particulars (Determine A). The product allows deciding on from a grid, timeline or board view. You may even use mission planning templates to hurry up your workflow and have extra time for what issues most in getting issues accomplished.

Determine A

Collaborate utilizing different Microsoft merchandise

One of many handy issues about utilizing Microsoft Challenge is it seamlessly integrates with different merchandise Microsoft sells. For instance, you may collaborate with others through the use of Microsoft Groups (Determine B) or import Challenge information into the desktop model of Energy BI.

Determine B

Save time with prebuilt reviews

Microsoft Challenge comes with dozens of report templates you need to use instantly. After discovering one which meets your wants, it’s easy to vary the report’s information as new data arrives or alter its look to make content material extra digestible.

Use by way of an online browser

Regardless of which Microsoft Challenge plan you select, they will all be accessed by way of a web-based software, which gives quick access to options in a single place. You may handle a portfolio or observe progress by submitting timesheets via this feature-filled net app. Meaning there’s no have to obtain software program earlier than having fun with all the benefits of Microsoft Challenge.

Professionals and cons

Ease of use

Most customers appear to understand Microsoft Challenge as soon as they get acquainted with it. Nonetheless, one of many high cons talked about is that studying all the options and capabilities requires a big dedication.

How lengthy will it take to study to make use of Microsoft Challenge?

Individuals incessantly convey up a steep studying curve and generally report that it takes them weeks to months of devoted time to really feel snug utilizing Microsoft Challenge. The general studying time is considerably longer for individuals with out mission administration backgrounds.

That’s as a result of Microsoft intends for customers to be skilled mission managers with a historical past of working with technical instruments. Some customers study to make use of Microsoft Challenge sooner by signing up for specialised programs.

What’s the most difficult a part of utilizing Microsoft Challenge?

Even as soon as individuals grasp what this system can do, they point out that it’s nonetheless difficult to work together with the product as a result of it’s not as intuitive as they’d like. That makes it take longer to onboard new customers. Some reviewers say there’s primarily one particular person or workforce of their group that works with Microsoft Challenge as a result of it takes too lengthy for individuals to study it.

Who’s Microsoft Challenge finest for?

Microsoft Challenge is finest for firms that usually work on massive or sophisticated initiatives shared amongst quite a few workforce members or departments. Microsoft Challenge is particularly helpful for groups already using different options discovered within the Microsoft 365 suite.

SEE: Get lifetime entry to Microsoft Workplace 2021 with a particular deal at TechRepublic Academy.

In case your work is mostly on the smaller aspect, it’s possible you’ll discover Microsoft Challenge has extra capabilities than you want.

Finest Microsoft Challenge integrations

Microsoft Challenge integrates with quite a few Microsoft merchandise, together with these within the Microsoft 365 suite. Many third-party integrations — comparable to ConstructionOnline and Jonas Premier — are for contractors and building firms. Some reviewers point out that Microsoft doesn’t have as many integrations as different merchandise.

• Microsoft Excel: Knowledge from Excel will be linked into MS Challenge and up to date dynamically as modifications are made within the authentic file. Excel data can be embedded impartial of the unique doc.
• Microsoft SharePoint: By utilizing the Sync with SharePoint characteristic, mission managers can create a SharePoint website containing data from a mission in Microsoft Challenge for an easy-to-digest and editable mission abstract.
• Jonas Premier Development Software program: Microsoft Challenge can be utilized with Jonas Premier cloud building software program to permit workforce members to simply share mission schedules and make the most of mission administration options like Gantt charts and significant paths.
• Wrike: Tasks initially deliberate in Microsoft Challenge will be simply imported into Wrike to make the most of Wrike’s mission administration options. That stated, Wrike mission information can’t be shared in Microsoft Challenge.
• GanttPro: Just like Wrike’s integration, Microsoft Challenge information will be imported to make the most of the Gantt chart-focused mission administration options in GanttPro.
• Procore: By integrating Microsoft Challenge with Procore, building firms can plan and set up their initiatives utilizing a number of views, filters and statuses.

Microsoft Challenge options and opponents

Microsoft Challenge gained’t work for everybody, so that you would possibly need to take into account different choices.

ProofHub

With customized workflows and assigned roles, time monitoring, built-in communication instruments and a cell interface, ProofHub is an affordable choice for companies of all sizes.

In comparison with Microsoft Challenge, ProofHub provides simpler collaboration and conventional mission administration instruments comparable to kanban boards. At a $45 per thirty days beginning value, ProofHub could value greater than Microsoft Challenge’s beginning value of $10 per person per thirty days for groups with fewer than 5 members.

SEE: Discover how ProofHub compares to our record of the very best kanban board software program.

ActiveCollab

ActiveCollab provides shopper, work and time administration instruments with dozens of obtainable integrations. Traditional mission administration instruments comparable to Gantt charts and kanban boards are additionally obtainable for group and mission effectivity.

ActiveCollab and Microsoft Challenge have comparable beginning costs at $9.50 and $10 respectively. Regardless of this similarity in value, ActiveCollab provides a number of key options that Challenge is missing, together with telephone and on-line buyer assist and a cell interface.

SEE: Learn how ActiveCollab compares to our record of the very best digital collaboration software program.

Basecamp

Basecamp is a collaborative mission administration instrument that gives around-the-clock buyer assist, built-in doc and file sharing and chat capabilities for particular person initiatives, providing streamlined communication.

Each Basecamp and Microsoft Challenge provide assist for companies of all sizes. Whereas Basecamp’s beginning value of $15 per person per thirty days is relatively increased, it has on-line buyer assist and iOS and Android cell interfaces — options not supplied by Microsoft Challenge.

SEE: For extra data, learn our full Basecamp evaluate.

Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a mission administration platform providing workflow automation, content material administration, cross-project views and desktop and cell apps. Smartsheet is an inexpensive choice with a free plan and free trial obtainable.

In comparison with Microsoft Challenge, Smartsheet provides a free plan and a beginning value of $7 per thirty days, making it general a extra inexpensive choice. Smartsheet additionally has extra strong collaboration and work administration options.

SEE: For extra data, learn our full Smartsheet evaluate.

How we evaluated Microsoft Challenge

We reviewed Microsoft Challenge by gathering particulars from the official product web site, studying views from tech blogs and searching person opinions to study widespread themes. We based mostly our evaluate on a number of standards together with depth of mission administration options, ease of use and pricing choices.

As well as, we in contrast the price of the product to the supply of options in comparison with Microsoft Challenge’s opponents in an effort to present a good evaluation patrons can use to find out if Microsoft Challenge is the fitting match for his or her mission administration wants.

In case you are nonetheless not sure if Microsoft Challenge is the fitting product for what you are promoting, take a look at our record of the very best portfolio mission administration instruments.