Almost like clockwork, Microsoft releases a new service or app across its Office 365 offering, giving users more productivity and collaboration tools and services. In this article we’ll focus on Office 365 Project Online which is essentially Project Server in the cloud. What was once reserved as an on-premise Enterprise application built on SharePoint is now available as part of the Office 365 family of apps. Below is a list and description of each area of Office 365 Project Online and Project Server:
Office 365 Project Online (MSPO):
This is Microsoft’s entry into a hosted Project Server solution. This is essentially Project Server in the cloud. Before Microsoft entered this arena there were a number of vendors and partners providing a similar service. As Microsoft focused on its Office 365 solutions, moving Project Server to the cloud was obvious. What was previously a challenge for many organizations with sharing important project information outside of the corporate firewall can be overcome with Project Online.
Learn more about Project Online Premium
Project Online Professional (Subscription vs Non-Subscription):
Project Professional is the scheduling engine behind Project Server and Project Online. This application is reserved for project managers who will be doing the “heavy lifting” around managing projects. Project Professional connects to your Project Online or Project Server environment and lets you manage enterprise projects including checking out and publishing projects to these environments respectively. Only users who need all of the functionality that Project Professional will need a license of this application. The only difference between the Subscription version and Non-Subscription version is how you pay for it. In either case you are using a desktop application to manage projects and resources in PWA. There is also a Standard version that has all of the features and capabilities as Professional without the ability to connect to PWA.
Learn more about Project Online Professional
Office 365 Project Online (MSPO) Premium:
This is the same O365 description as above, essentially Project Server in the cloud. The Premium edition includes Project Professional as part of the license.
Project Web App (PWA):
The Project Web App or PWA is essentially the “front end” or home page for your Project Online or Project Server environment. This is where users will browse to in order to get access to project and resource information. This is also where users will be authenticated and the appropriate user rights granted. PWA is often used interchangeably with Project Server and Project Online because this is the destination of the app.
Project Online Essentials:
Project Online is considered a role based environment and this license is specifically for Team Members who will need access to project assignments, status reports and project sites. These users are not expected to run Project Professional.
Learn more about Project Online Essentials.
Project Server 2016 PWA CAL:
This is the on-premise Server and end user CAL (Client Access License) that each server and user will need to access Project Server (PWA). A single server CAL is required on the application server. For the PWA CAL you can think of this as Project Lite described above, but for the on premise environment.
Learn more about Project Server 2016.
FAQs
Your Project Online subscriptions are not going away. All the new capabilities available through Project for the web will be available to you through your existing Project Online subscriptions.
Is Microsoft Project being discontinued? ›
According to Microsoft, there are no plans to phase out any version of its project management software, as of now. There are still two on-premises versions of Microsoft Project (Standard and Professional), Project Online (also for desktop) and Microsoft Project for the web (cloud-based software).
Is PWA going away? ›
Apple has announced that it's reversing its previously announced decision to no longer support home screen web apps, also known as Progressive Web Apps (PWA), on the iPhone. As of Friday, March 1, 2024, EU users will continue to be able to install and use home screen web apps on iOS going forward.
Is Project Online the same as project professional? ›
What are the differences between Project Professional 2021 and Project Online desktop client? The core features of the two products are identical with one exception. Project Online desktop client includes Kanban boards. Project Professional has a perpetual license.
Is Microsoft replacing project? ›
Spring 2024: The new Planner app in Teams will be generally available. The current Tasks by Planner and To Do app in Teams will be renamed to Planner. Microsoft Project for the web will be renamed to Planner as part of the Premium experiences.
What is the new name for Project Online Professional? ›
Project for the web is available in all three Project subscriptions: Project Plan 1. Project Plan 3 (formerly Project Online Professional) Project Plan 3 for Students.
What is Microsoft Project called now? ›
Microsoft Project for the web is becoming Microsoft Planner.
What is the best project management tool? ›
Best Software for Project Management of 2024
- Jira: Best for product development teams.
- Confluence: Best for Whiteboard Notes.
- Airtable: Best for Data-Driven Companies.
- Trello: Best for Kanban-Style Boards.
- Coda: Best for Form Creation.
- Todoist: Best for Task Management.
- TeamGantt: Best for Gantt Chart Creation.
Microsoft Project has three pricing tiers. The first costs $10.00 per user per month. The second costs $30.00 per user per month. The final tier costs $55.00 per user per month.
Why is PWA not popular? ›
Limited discoverability: PWA is not widely available on app stores like Google Play or Apple App Store. Security risks: PWAs are vulnerable to cyberattacks and may require additional security measures to protect user data.
The need to remove the capability was informed by the complex security and privacy concerns associated with web apps to support alternative browser engines that would require building a new integration architecture that does not currently exist in iOS.
Why not to use PWA? ›
Disadvantages of progressive web apps (PWAs)
Many native apps can run even when the user is not connected to the internet. However, PWAs rely on web browser connection to run, and therefore require internet connectivity. If offline mode is important for your users, a PWA is likely not the right choice.
Can I get Microsoft Project for free? ›
Once you choose a project version, select Try free for one month under the Buy Now button. If you aren't already logged in to a Microsoft account, you'll be prompted to create one for the trial. This is a free account – you will not be charged for the trial or the account you create.
Does Office 365 come with project? ›
Microsoft 365 Business Standard package includes Access and Publisher and MS Project is not included. You can purchase MS Project to add to your existing MS 365 subscription. The cost of adding MS Project to your usage depends on the number of users and the type of subscription you have.
What is the difference between PWA and project online? ›
Overall, Project for the Web has a more modern, flexible architecture, with a focus on agility and adaptability. Project Online, on the other hand, has a more traditional architecture, with a focus on hierarchical project management and integration with SharePoint Online.
Is MS Project online part of Office 365? ›
Microsoft Project is not included in Office 365, but may be purchased as a separate license. However, Office 365 subscribers can edit projects shared with them through their web browser using Project for the web.
Can I migrate from project online to project for the Web? ›
All types of dependencies can be migrated from Project Online, to Project for the web. To use this functionality, it is required to generate a token when connecting to your Project for the web environment. Please refer to the 'How to create task custom fields' article for more details.
What's the difference between Microsoft Planner and project? ›
MS Planner offers limited resource management capabilities in comparison to MS Project. It allows users to access basic task status without allowing them to track resource details. In contrast, MS Project provides a detailed allocation of resources.
What is the difference between PWA and P4W? ›
P4W has a more modern approach, technologically, but with a fairly superficial functional coverage. PWA uses legacy technologies but has hundreds of features that P4W doesn't, such as program and portfolio management, better resource management, and more progress measurement options.
