Project Family Overview

Microsoft Project is a family of client applications, server products, and online services for project management and project portfolio management (evaluation and tracking of sets of projects).

Client Applications

The Project product line includes the following client applications:

Project Standard is a stand-alone desktop application for project managers; it lacks the project-sharing and collaboration features of the Professional client. Project Standard is not able to connect to Project Server or Project Online.

Project Professional, the most full-featured client application, is designed for managing complex projects and project portfolios. It works with Project Server and Project Online but can also be used stand-alone for managing individual projects. The software is available as a stand-alone Office application and through Project Online plans.

Project Web App (PWA), a browser-based application, is similar to other Office Web apps and provides most, but not all, of the functionality of the full Project Professional client. Team members can use PWA to perform daily project management activities, such as managing tasks and projects and administrative functions, although complex project management efforts typically require the Project Professional client. PWA works with Project Server and Project Online.