Dear Forum,

I am currently rolling out Project Server 2010 and due to a limited number of MS Project Client licences available I need to manage the allocation of user licences carefully. In this course some questions came to my mind:

Who in my organisation needs the client and who can do with the PWA?

My rule of thumb and approach for peolple needing the client would be all People who actively need to schedule a Project and create and maintain a Project schedule. Linemanagers and Teammembers who only need to view the Project can do with the PWA.

Certainly the possibilities of introducing Standards are in my opinion greater with PWA (as I views and fields can be standardised easier). But creating a full schedule with PWA? I am not so sure...

What are your opinions and advice on this Topic?

I think you are on the right track. In general PWA is more suited for light weight schedule management, Tasks, Timesheets and collaboration. The Web Schedule management became much better with 2013 and Project Online, but I still recommend Project Pro for heavy schedule management.

This link gives you the key differences between both versions (it is for 2013, but 'most' of it applies to 2010 as well).

http://blogs.office.com/2013/05/29/managing-project-schedules-in-project-professional-vs-project-online-pwa/

Having said that, you can attach templates to Enterprise project types, and let full schedules be created in PWA, and just let them be 'edited' t suit the project.

Thanks for the answer.

For me the decisive question is: How would you define "heavy schedule Management" as you said earlier?

Basic schedule Management would be for me:

- planning dates by creating, linking Tasks adding work and duration

Heavy schedule Management:

- resources, costs, levelling, many different views needed...

Would this also be your understanding?

Yes, I would agree. I would also add Baselining, Status Date based updating of schedule, Setting up indicators etc for status reporting for people who need MS Project 2010.

Good Point!

Maybe one could summarize as following:

Project owners / managers -> Need client

Project participants -> Can do with PWA

Exception: Small Project schedule up to lets say max 50 Tasks where also Project owners would schedule with PWA

Hi Scheduler007,

If it may give my 2 cents, I'd say that unless if they have to create/maintain transversal schedules for support activities for managing their team's workload, the managers should not need the client. They would only do some approvals in PWA and consult reports.

Actually I meant Project Managers who in most cases are also the Project owners. I fully agree with you, Line Managers should be able to work with PWA and do not Need the Client normally...