Summary: MS Project has full in-built Agile features available for the Online Desktop Client version. When customers purchase my courses of Mastering MS Project Agile and/or Certified Hybrid-Agile Master Professional (CHAMP) courses, the first question that comes up is: how to see these features in MS Project?
Note: Though I've mentioned MS Project 2019/2021 software with Agile Features, it’ll work with the latest version of MS Project. I personally use the software. The software is released continuously and when you download, you will get the latest version. You have to just follow the below steps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
First and foremost, I receive the below questions frequently from the customers, users and aspiring users who want to buy the courses. Hence, I’ll address them first.
Question – 1: I already have a licensed version of MS Project installed. It does NOT have Agile features. What should I do?
Answer – 1: Simply uninstall the existing software. Go ahead and install MS Project 2019 Online Desktop client. You can try for one month and more.
If you want to revert back to your earlier version, then simply uninstall the current Online Desktop Client and install your earlier version. It’ll work as you have the licensed version.
Question – 2: I do NOT have any version of MS Project software installed. But I want to use the Agile features. What should I do?
Answer – 2: Follow the steps mentioned in this post. After the MS Project Online Desktop Client is installed, you can run and check the Agile features.
Question – 3: How do I know that the MS Project Online Desktop Client has installed properly with its Agile features?
Answer – 3: Follow the steps mentioned in this post. I’ve shown a clear demonstration on how to install, run and check the Agile features. In the final step, I've informed on the verification with respect to Online Desktop Client.
Question – 4: Will I get a PDF version for installation steps when I go for the courses of Mastering MS Project Agile and/or Certified Hybrid-Agile Master Professional (CHAMP)?
Answer – 4: Yes, absolutely. You will have detailed step-by-step instructions with complete explanation, when you subscribe to the either or both of the above courses. You will also have detailed video explanations on how to check the Scrum, Kanban, ScrumBan, Hybrid-Scrum, Hybrid-Kanban, Hybrid-ScrumBan with these courses.
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MS Project Agile/Hybrid-Agile Installation, Set-up and Run
MS Project Agile features for installed software in your computer is only available in the Online Desktop Client edition. It’s not available in any other version of the software. The MS Project for the Web, a new version of MS Project, is fully online or web-based. But it’s completely different. Hence, we will start with downloading the MS Project Online Desktop version and proceed with the below steps.
Step – 1: Know where the software is available
The software is available at the below link:
As you can see there are three plans:
- Project Plan 1:
- Available for free one-month trial and then nominal payment.
- This plan does NOT have Online Desktop Client.
- Project Plan 3: [Use this plan]
- Available for free one-month trial and then a bit more nominal payment
- This version has an Online Desktop Client as shown in the column (check the next figure).
- Project Plan 5:
- This plan also has an Online Desktop Client.
You can learn more on these plans at the below link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/project/microsoft-project-faq
Specifically, in our case, we will take Project Plan 3. This has the least cost and maximum number of features available. Also, unlike Plan 5, for Plan 3 we don’t have to contact any partners.
As you can see the Desktop Client and its features can be used on upto 5 PCs.
Step – 2: Create an account at https://office.com
The office portal the one where you have all the office related software available for download, such as MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel etc. If you don’t have an account here, you can create an account at office.com.
I assume you already have licensed version of the software available. That way, you can export easily to MS Excel or MS PowerPoint from MS Project software. Yes, MS Project software has a number of features, which you can work with or export to other office software.
After you have created an account at the Office Portal and logged-in, you will have following view.
As shown, when you login:
- On your left side, you will have the software available such as MS Word, MS Excel, among others.
- On your right, you can install all the software as apps.
When you have a subscription for MS Project Plan 3 software, you can use the “Install apps” command on the right and install the MS Project software. This is another way to install the software.
Step – 3: Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/project/compare-microsoft-project-management-software
As informed earlier, we are going to use Project Plan 3, which has the Online Desktop Client. Hence, in the link, we will use that plan.
The below view will be available for you.
In the above view, use the “Try free for one month” option (highlighted above). Later-on, you can pay to continue with the software.
Step – 4: Provide the needed details to use Project Plan 3
When you try free option in the previous step, it'll lead you to another page with the below view.
There are a few steps involved such as providing your email id, verification and minimal business information. Once you are done you are subscribed to Project Plan 3!
Step – 5: Ensure to have the latest release at: https://admin.microsoft.com/AdminPortal/Home#/homepage
It’s a good idea to have the latest release available for your software. The software gets updated frequently and with the latest release, you will have the latest features available.
In the above link (https://admin.microsoft.com/AdminPortal/Home#/homepage), you will have the following view.
In the above view, go to Settings > Org settings, which are highlighted. Here, we can have the latest software release setting.
In the Org Settings, select Release preferences under the Name column, as shown below.
As you click on Release preferences, you will have the following view.
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Ensure that the checkbox of "Targeted release for everyone" is selected.
Now, you are fully ready to download the software and install.
Step – 6: Go to https://portal.office.com/account#installs
As you click on the above link, we will find the following view.
It’s possible that you may get the Download option instead of an Install option. In such a case, don't worry at all. It’s perfectly fine. Just download the software. Ensure that it’s compatible with your OS.
You can go for a 32-bit or 64-bit version of this software.
Note: If you have purchased an office edition in 32-bit, then use the 32-bit version for Project Online Desktop client.
Step – 7: Install the Project (Plan 3) software
Do remember that you are now effectively installing a subscription version of the software, with the Online Desktop Client feature as we have seen earlier.
In other words, you downloaded the client side of the software on your desktop via online. This will look exactly like Desktop editions with a slight twist, which we will see in the final step.
As you install the software and continue, it’ll look as shown below, post installation.
Step – 8: Check Agile (Scrum and Kanban) Functionality
Now that the software is installed on your desktop, you can run it.
As shown, the software is now available on Windows Start command. It’s highlighted as Project. As you run the software, the following view comes-up.
As shown, now you have, capability to run:
- A Traditional Project,
- A Sprints (Scrum) Project,
- A Waterfall project, and also
- A Kanban Project (it can used from the Waterfall project mode)
When you click on the Sprints Project command above, you will have the following view.
Step – 9: Check the Account Information
Finally, you can check that the installed version is Microsoft Project Online Desktop Client.
This can be seen by going to File > Account > and checking the Product Information as shown above. This is the twist I had mentioned in step - 7 earlier. If you want to have the latest updates, have it enabled to get the latest updates for this software.
Downloadable PDF Copy
The step-by-step guide is embedded in this post as shown below. It's detailed one and has additional instructions to set-up Project Plan 3 with Online Desktop Client (Agile) features. You can scroll to see the entire content.
As noted before, a downloadable copy of MS Project 2019/2021 online desktop software installation is available to the users of the new Agile courses.
To get more updates on MS Project software related courses and get the complete step-by-step instructions separarately, subscribe to this site (on top right corner of this site) and send a mail, from your Gmail id to managementyogi@gmail.com.
The detailed step-by-step document is also available in GDrive.
To access the document in PDF format with detailed instructions, use this link.
References
[1] NEW Online Course: Mastering MS Project 2019 Agile (Scrum, Kanban and ScrumBan), by Satya Narayan Dash
[2] NEW Certification Course: Certified Hybrid-Agile Master Professional with MS Project, by Satya Narayan Dash
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