Microsoft Project Online desktop client service description
Microsoft Project Online desktop client is a project management program that features automated scheduling, project resource management, and built-in reporting. Project Online desktop client can be used as a standalone application or it can connect to Project Online. Project Online desktop client is the subscription version of the Project Professional desktop client.
Available plans
Project Online Desktop Client is available through two subscriptions: Project Plan 3 and Project Plan 5. For more information on subscriptions that enable users for Microsoft Project Online desktop, see Compare Project Management Solutions and Costs | Microsoft Project.
Feature availability
The following table lists the major Project Online desktop client features available across plans (this table may change without notice).
Project Online desktop client features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Project and task management | |
| Baselines | Set project baselines to monitor current performance against past performance. |
| Calendar view | Track important project and task deadlines and milestones on a weekly or monthly calendar view. |
| Critical path | Visually track the tasks that represent the longest path through the project. |
| Deadlines | Establish and track important project and task deadlines. |
| Dependencies | Set and visually track dependencies between tasks. |
| Gantt view | Visually track and understand project dates, dependencies, and assignments in a hierarchical Gantt view. |
| Grid view | Plan and manage projects using a hierarchical grid view of tasks. |
| Master projects | Group smaller related projects under a single master project. |
| Milestones | Establish and track important project and task milestones. |
| Network diagram | View tasks, dependencies, and the critical path of your project in a network diagram view. |
| Task scheduling | Use task start and end dates, effort, work, lead and lag times, and dependencies to get an accurate schedule of project dates. |
| Team planner | Track the allocation and capacity of all project team members, including non-project work and non-working time. |
| Timelines | Visually track and understand project dates, dependencies, and assignments in a timeline view. |
| Inactive tasks | Use inactive tasks to track work without affecting resource availability or allocation and without affecting the project schedule. |
| Summary tasks | Plan, manage, and track deliverables and phases using summary tasks. |
| Task inspector | View factors that affect the scheduling of a task, such as a changed start date or error messages. |
| Task path analysis | See how one task connects to other tasks by highlighting its task path throughout the project. |
| Resource and financial management | |
| Resource leveling | Resolve resource conflicts or over allocations by automatically leveling the assignments. |
| Work, generic, and material resources | Add resources to a project, such as work resources like people, generic resources like carpenters, and materials resources like computers and cement. |
| Project costing and budgeting | Compare planned progress and budget to actual time and costs. |
| Resource costing | Track and manage the resource costs of your project. |
| Reporting | |
| Custom reports | Build custom reports for projects, programs, portfolios, and resources. |
| Out-of-box reporting | Use pre-built reports to understand project, program, portfolio, and resource data. |
| PDF and XPS output | Save a Project file as a PDF or XPS file. |
| Usability | |
| Auto-complete | Get suggestions for task or resource names and dependencies as you type. |
| Filtered views | Filter project plans by any value in the plan. |
| Graphical indicators | Understand task status, assignments, and more with graphical indicators. |
| Multi-level undo | Undo multiple changes at the same time by using the Undo menu. |
| Sorting and grouping | Use custom sorting and grouping to get a focused view of your project, tasks, and resources. |
| Customization and integration | |
| Custom fields | Add custom fields at the project, task, and resource level to track data important to your organization and projects. |
| Forms | Create and deploy custom forms to capture important project data. |
| Formulas | Calculate and capture important data using formulas across tasks and projects. |
| Templates | Create templates for common projects including project plans, teams, and assignments. |
| .mpp import/export | Create new projects from existing .mpp files or create an .mpp file of an existing project. |
| Excel import/export | Create new projects from Excel files or create an Excel file of an existing project. |
Learn more
For more information about Project Online Desktop Client, check out the following resources:
Create and Install a Project
- Create a project in Project desktop - Office Support (microsoft.com)
- Install Project - Office Support (microsoft.com)
Service considerations
Project Online Desktop Client is available in commercial, education and GCC, GCC High and DoD subscriptions.
Learn more about Office 365 US Government here.
Messaging
To stay informed of upcoming changes, including new and changed features, planned maintenance, or other important announcements, visit the Message Center. For more information, see Message center.
Licensing terms
For licensing terms and conditions for products and services purchased through Microsoft Commercial Volume Licensing Programs, see the Product Terms site.
Accessibility
Microsoft remains committed to the security of your data and the accessibility of our services. For more information, see the Microsoft Trust Center and the Office Accessibility Center.