You are right. MS Project Server is an expensive set of tools, and there are a lot of alternatives that can save you money. In general, Microsoft Project Server offers you a Web interface for Microsoft�s project management application. And it does it at a very high price. On average, the ability to access your plans online with the help of Microsoft Project Server will cost you between $4,998 and $85,892. This includes purchasing a volume license for MS Project Server, Windows Server, SQL Server and a separate computer, or many computers, depending on the availability and scale requirements for your solution.
Fortunately, there are a lot of cost-effective alternatives.
The best class of alternatives is Web-based project management software. These are integrated online solutions that offer you task management, Gantt Charts, alerts and a powerful collaboration platform at a fraction of the cost of MS Project Server. For example, you can find a worthy alternative at only $9.95 per month. Web-based project management software is usually provided as a service, so you pay as you go. It does not require huge investments, and you can use the software as long as your projects run. At any time, you can cancel you subscription and stop paying.
Web-based project management solutions are usually hosted at reliable servers, so they are safe and secure. Providers are bound by their privacy policy and do not disclose users� information. Your data is protected with a password and usually encrypted with SSL, the technology widely used by online banks and e-commerce Web sites. Some online project management tools provide real-time database replication. This means that your data is backed up nearly every second and can be easily restored in case of emergency. This approach is more advanced than what the average IT department offers.
Another class of alternatives to MS Project Server is Project Viewers, or Project Readers. They are cheaper than MS Project Server; however, as you can tell from their name, they do not usually allow you to edit your project files. Therefore, they do not allow you to collaborate with your team effectively.
By replacing MS Project Server with a Web-based project management tool, you also save your money on IT staff required for installation and maintaining the server. A hosted project management tool is a more convenient solution at this point because it is updated automatically.
Moreover, providers of online project management software offer those upgrades for free. While an upgrade of MS Project will cost you $599, the free upgrades of online project management tools become a significant advantage and a source of savings for you.