How to optimize Project Online portfolio management

Elena Humeniuk

PPM Consultant

With its cloud-based features and Microsoft 365 integration, Microsoft Project Online is at the forefront of project and portfolio management, especially for medium to large organizations. Modern Organizations require effective and advanced portfolio management software when using multiple project management tools. In this article, we discuss strategy along with a transformative tool that streamlines project portfolio management. You can maximize productivity across various products and disciplines by unifying project portfolio management efforts.

Importance of Project Portfolio Management Software

PPM or project portfolio management software is essential for modern organizations:

• It includes all project-related information, enhancing decision-making, collaboration, and coordination.
• PPM software enables effective resource allocation. It provides visibility into availability and utilization, helping to balance workloads and avoid bottlenecks.
• Such solutions also help track project budgets, expenses, and financial performance.
• It allows tracking project progress and KPI monitoring and generates reports for assessing performance.
• PPM software facilitates collaboration and communication among project teams, stakeholders, and decision-makers.

Find out how to simplify Microsoft Project Online portfolio management

Download whitepaper

Microsoft Project Online: a trusted tool for cloud project portfolio management

Microsoft Project Online is a widely accepted project and portfolio management software. Its cloud-based technology and Microsoft 365 integration provide a comprehensive platform suitable for medium- and large-sized projects. It also simplifies workflow through resource management, reporting capabilities, project scheduling, and transparent statuses.

However, some organizations manage multiple Microsoft PPM systems or others to satisfy teams’ needs. PMOs need a solution to consolidate information in a single place. The absence of such a solution may introduce challenges and inconsistency when you manage Project Online simultaneously with other tools. It also may be hard for PMOs to deal with project portfolios from multiple sources.

Significant challenges with portfolio management

It is becoming more challenging for enterprises to manage different project management platforms as the amount of information grows to satisfy diverse demands.

This may result in specific problems, such as:

• Absence of a “big picture” perspective. It might be difficult for PMOs and executives to properly evaluate data when disparate tools are used for projects and portfolios.
• Disconnected tools. It is difficult to oversee everything collectively when projects are managed independently on disparate platforms. This can cause issues with workflows and coordination.
• Difficulty achieving changing objectives. Your project management system can no longer adapt to changing business needs.
• Although you may want a different approach with more features, teaching teams to use new systems takes time and effort.
• Change Management. Switching between project systems or using them independently can take time and effort.
• Absence of Important features. Microsoft Project Online portfolio management can be limited. Specific project management platforms need organizations’ required features, such as advanced BI report creation and resource planning.
• Consolidated Reporting. Producing reports and analysing data typically necessitates switching between many tools and platforms. As a result, data is dispersed, and decision-making may be less efficient.

Consider PPM Express your game-changing solution if you’ve faced these problems.

What is PPM Express?

PPM Express is a powerful solution that unifies work management platforms, including Microsoft Project Online, Project for the Web, and others, into a unified toolkit for project portfolio visibility. Many clients have used PPM Express to streamline their Microsoft Project Online portfolio management experience and succeeded in saving time on reporting, project, and resource planning.

PPM Express – Key features and capabilities

Being a user of multiple Microsoft project portfolio management platforms (e.g., Project Online and Project for the web etc.), PPM Express can provide the following features to you:

• View consolidated project data from Project Online and other platforms related to teams, departments, and divisions in a unified view.
• Create portfolios, monitor the “big picture,” and integrate Jira, Azure DevOps, Planner, Microsoft Project Online, and Project for the Web.
• Outline your approach and methodology for managing your project portfolio.
• Consolidated platform for analytics and PPM reporting by extracting information from Project Online and other platforms.
• Utilizing more than 200 pre-made Power BI templates.
• Efficient planning and resource use by combining Project Online data with other platforms.
• Oversee project, program, and portfolio budgets and benefits.
• Innovation and ideation management.

Benefits

PPM Express offers many significant benefits that empower organizations to effectively consolidate their project management efforts. The platform helps eliminate fragmented reporting, ensuring a more cohesive approach. It facilitates the attainment of operational excellence and boosts overall productivity and value generation.

The main benefits to your organization include the following:

• Boost the Visibility of Your Portfolio. Using PPM Express, you can obtain a unified picture of all projects, task management tools, and PWAs. Link a variety of contemporary PPMs, task, work, and project management systems.
• Portfolio Management. PPM Express offers a centralized platform for managing projects, guaranteeing consistency, and streamlining collaboration in unified portfolio management.
• Consolidating Data. Today’s organizations demand a unified view of project and portfolio information. The platform addresses this requirement by gathering data from various sources. It then consolidates this information in a single data warehouse, providing a comprehensive and cohesive perspective.
• Advanced analytics. You can transform your Project Online driven workspace with visual project portfolio reporting capabilities. You can then use analytics and business intelligence to make data-driven decisions.
• Improved PPM Functionalities.PPM Express improves PPM capabilities through its user-friendly project timelines. It also handles cross-project dependencies efficiently, ensuring smooth coordination. The platform facilitates effective resource planning, enabling optimal utilization. Additionally, interactive performance statistics empower users with insightful data, supporting informed and data-driven decision-making.
• Innovation Management. PPM Express can support the development of an innovation culture by offering a platform for managing ideation and innovation efforts.