Excel or a dedicated tool is often used for project management

Digital tools are essential to manage the progress of projects conducted by teams of multiple people and to ensure smooth progress without omissions of tasks or delays in schedules. In the past, some companies used analog project management, but today few companies manage their projects in an analog manner.

Most companies use either of the following for project management or task management.

• General-purpose tools represented by Excel (often spreadsheets)
• Tools created specifically for project management
  

Either way, there are advantages and disadvantages.

What is project management with Excel

When using Excel for project management, you can either use an existing template or create and use an in-house template or system.

In terms of ready-made templates, we often use those distributed by Microsoft on its official website or commercially available templates for Excel. If you can choose one that suits your company, you will be able to use it comfortably.

If you create templates or systems in-house, you can use macros or VBA to create one tailored to your company. In this case, knowledge and skills about business and Excel are necessary.

① Project management in Excel Advantages

The following are some of the advantages of using Excel for project management.

• Many companies have already purchased and installed these tools, so there is no need to purchase new tools.
• If you have the skills, you can create your own customized system or template
• There are many existing templates, both paid and free
  
• Many employees are familiar with the system, so training is minimal and easy to implement
  

2) Demerits of managing projects in Excel

When using Excel for project management, there are some disadvantages as follows.

• Once a schedule is set up, it is complicated and time-consuming to change or modify it
  
• Most Gantt charts generated are simple, so it is difficult to create complex ones
  
• It is difficult to set task order, relationship, priority, etc.
  
• Operation becomes slow as data increases
  
• It is difficult for multiple people to edit a single file at the same time, making it difficult to update one's own work frequently. Therefore, progress reports and information sharing tend to be delayed.
  
• Difficult to view and update from mobile devices with narrow screens.
  
• Many templates are designed to manage a single project, making it difficult to manage and analyze multiple projects comprehensively and cross-sectionally.
  
• Depending on the VBA or macro used, Excel Some VBAs and macros stop working when the version of Excel is upgraded
  
• When multiple people update, files are split up
  
• It is difficult to know which is the latest information
  
• When saving to a terminal, the latest information can only be viewed on the terminal
  
• It takes time to check the progress
  
• It takes time to send files for sharing the latest information
  

Project management with dedicated tools

There is a way to use a dedicated tool for project management. A project management tool is a tool that allows centralized management of schedules, processes, tasks for each participating member, progress status, and so on. They are specialized for project management and have various functions such as highly functional Gantt charts and parallel management of multiple projects.

Many dedicated project management tools are available, so if you feel inconvenienced by Excel, try to find one that suits your company.

(1) Advantages of project management with dedicated tools

Dedicated tools offer a variety of features for project management.

• Manage multiple projects centrally and cross-functionally to get a bird's eye view
• A single database can be updated by multiple members at the same time, making it easy to share information
  
• The interface and database are suitable for viewing and updating from mobile devices
  
• It is easy to change, modify, and update schedules and tasks
  
• Each task can be related and prioritized
  
• Progress can be monitored from various perspectives, such as Gantt charts and Kanban methods
  
• Various analyses can be performed after the project is completed, such as schedules and work by each team member
  

②Demerits of project management with dedicated tools

If you want to manage with a dedicated tool, you will have to introduce a new tool.

• Implementing a tool requires a certain cost
  
• If you use a cloud service, you also need to pay monthly running costs
  
• Since you are introducing a tool that has not been used before, you need to educate your employees on the introduction
  
• To introduce the tool smoothly, you need dedicated staff to make rules and support the introduction.
  

Which project management method is best suited for your company: Excel?　Or is it a dedicated tool?

The following factors will help you determine whether Excel or a project management tool is right for your company.

①Cases in which Excel is suitable

You will not feel inconvenienced by familiar Excel if

• When the project is small
  
• When there is no need to manage multiple projects
  
• When there are few members and it is easy for the manager to grasp the status
  
• When employees are often inside the company and access from mobile devices is not necessary
  
• When you do not want to spend too much money
  

②Cases in which project management tools are suitable

• When multiple projects are running in parallel
  
• When large and complex projects are running
  
• When information is frequently modified or changed in schedules, tasks, etc.
  
• When there are members who access the system not only in the office, but also outside the office at sales locations or teleworking
  

When you want to keep track of multiple projects without confusion and get the big picture, a project management tool is useful.

Many companies may be using Excel because they have tried a specialized tool with advanced functionality and found the interface unfamiliar and inconvenient. In that case, why not try a dedicated tool with an interface as intuitive as Excel's?

If you want to manage your project efficiently, let's introduce a project management tool.

Many companies have probably considered project management in Excel at one time or another. This is because employees are familiar with Excel and it seems easy to use. However, when you actually try project management in Excel, you may find it inconvenient or lacking in functionality. In such cases, a project management tool is recommended.

A project management tool can compensate for the inconvenience and lack of functionality in Excel and enable more efficient project management. You can manage multiple projects at the same time without confusion. The ability to present data in a variety of ways will allow you to move forward with your projects more smoothly. Some people find project management tools difficult to use because of their confusing interfaces, but some are as intuitive to use as Excel.

We recommend Project Board as a project management tool. Operation and input is as easy as Excel, but it also has advanced features as a dedicated tool. Yet, it also features specifications that take into account the common disadvantages of Excel and general project management tools. Since it is a cloud service, it does not take long to implement and the initial cost is low. 30-day trial is available, so please take your time to try it out.