From Document Management Systems to Intranet for organizations and then workflow automation, SharePoint has been the best choice for business users. Now another major aspect to look for the SharePoint Project Management. Managing multiple projects at the same time within the organization can be quite a challenging and time-consuming process. But people using SharePoint site for streamlining other modules are already aware of SharePoint for Project Management.

If you are someone new to the SharePoint project management module and are still assuming how can SharePoint help in streamlining projects and tasks for multiple clients. Then don’t stop and continue scrolling you will get answers to each of your questions.

Top Reasons to Use SharePoint Project Management?

SharePoint has already proven its expertise in handling your documents and automating tasks for you. Now let’s have a close look at why it is best to choose SharePoint for project and task management.

1. Centralized Information: All the project-related documents are in one location. Bringing an ease in collaboration and reporting.
2. Customizable: SharePoint allows customizations. You can customize anything with SharePoint making it the right fit for you.
3. Integration: SharePoint easily integrates with other Microsoft tools. It makes it more easy to adapt the solution.
4. Security: SharePoint provides the top security features. With features like version control, co-authoring, and guest access secure your sensitive documents.
5. Scalability: 1 or more than 50, SharePoint can be scalable to manage your projects without any hassles.

Difference between SharePoint On-Premises vs. SharePoint Online?

SharePoint On-Premises and SharePoint Online are the two major classifications. However, the core functionality of both are similar but some of the key differences include:

• SharePoint On-Premises: It is integrated and deployed on the servers of your organization. It provides users with more control. However, it is costly to maintain.
• SharePoint Online: A major part of Microsoft 365, Cloud-based that provides automatic updates and can be easily integrated. It is cheaper than SharePoint On-Premises.

Setting Up Your Project Management in SharePoint

Let’s take you to another level. As for now, you might be aware of the basics and differences. But how do you set up a project management SharePoint? Below are the steps:

Creation of a Project Management Portal

To start using SharePoint for project management you need to create a central hub for all your projects in the pipeline. Users can achieve this differently depending on the type of their SharePoint version.

For SharePoint On-Premises (2016/2019):

1. Start with the creation of a new site that will serve as your Project Management Office (PMO) portal
2. Now either you can use the template or customize the site to include necessary web parts and lists for project overview.

For SharePoint Online:

1. Begin with creating a communication site.
2. Proceed ahead with registering this site as a Hub Site in the SharePoint Admin Centre.

Step 2: Set Up Individual Project Sites

You can create a dedicated site to manage each of your projects:

For SharePoint On-Premises:

1. Create a new subsite.
2. Use a project site template if, or customize a blank site.

For SharePoint Online:

1. Start creating a Team Site for individual projects.
2. Associate each project site with a hub site.

Configure Project Site Template

To maintain consistency across all the projects, it’s beneficial to create a standard project site template:

For SharePoint On-Premises:

1. Start by customizing the project site with the desired lists, and libraries.
2. You can save the site as a template for using it in the future.

For SharePoint Online:

1. SharePoint Online doesn’t have any site templates.
2. To obtain complex setups you can consider using Site Scripts, and Site Design to automate site creation.

Key Components of a SharePoint Project Management Solution

1. Document Management

SharePoint and document management capabilities are top-notch for business. While establishing project management in SharePoint you can set up document libraries for:

• Charter Project and Scope Statements
• Schedules and Plans of Projects
• Reports and Presentation
• Deliverables and Work Product

Business users can also utilize version control and co-authoring features to enhance secure and seamless collaboration.

2. Task Management

For task management, you have several options:

SharePoint On-Premises:

• You can use the built-in Tasks with the timeline view
• You can sync with  Microsoft Projects for more advanced project scheduling.

SharePoint Online:

• Use Microsoft Planner for visualization of tasks.
• Use Project for the Web in case additional scheduling is required.
• Apply Microsoft Lists as another custom task-tracking application

3. Issue and Risk Tracking

Track Issues and risks with custom links

• Issue Tracker Fields: description, priority, status, and assigned to
• Risk Register Fields: description, probability, impact, mitigation strategies.

4. Reporting and Dashboards

A few more things can be done like making dashboards more appealing to provide at-a-glance project status:

• Utilize the SharePoint web parts to display key metrics and KPIs.
• You can also integrate Power BI in SharePoint Online for more advanced analytics.

Conclusion

Apart from providing document management systems, workflow automation solutions and, SharePoint for Poilcy Management. SharePoint also provides a flexible platform for project management. No matter whether you are using the On-Premises version or SharePoint Online. By leveraging all its features together you can create a customized SharePoint project management site for your projects with unique needs.

FAQ’s

1. Can SharePoint used for task management?

Yes, business users can leverage the features of SharePoint for managing tasks.

2. How do I deploy a project in SharePoint?

Deploy the project in Solution Explorer by selecting Build, Deploy Solution. This will create a .wsp file and install it on your local SharePoint server, activating its features.

3. Can I use SharePoint to manage projects?

Create a team site template for SharePoint project management that includes a space for sharing updates, meeting notes, and documents

4. Is Planner part of SharePoint?

You can add the Planner web part to your SharePoint page to show boards, charts, and work with your plan.