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Microsoft Project Timeline View Compared to OnePager Pro

If you're using the Microsoft Project Timeline View today, you know there are some limitations in terms of the types of reports you can create, and how flexible those timelines are. OnePager Pro is an add-in to Microsoft Project that creates Gantt charts, project timelines, and executive summary presentations all using data from Microsoft Project, and offers much more flexibility than the MS Project timeline view by itself.

"Our organization has used Microsoft Project for many years, but has always found that it lacked effective reporting capabilities. The timeline view in Project 2010 really only gave us very basic reports, so we still needed a more robust way to report on our projects and programs in a standard way. OnePager Pro addressed that need perfectly, and is now a default installation for every Microsoft Project user in our company. It's the best timeline software we've used."

- Tom R., PMO Director


The sample reports below compare a typical OnePager Pro chart to a basic timeline created in Project 2019. You can also read a side-by-side comparison of some of the most important features of OnePager Pro and Microsoft Project 2019 below.

OnePager Pro

Microsoft Project 2019 Timeline View
Sample Gantt chart created in OnePager Pro

View OnePager Pro Sample >

Sample timeline created in Microsoft Project 2019

View Microsoft Project 2019 Timeline >


Overview

 

OnePager Pro

Microsoft Project 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019

Description

OnePager Pro, by Chronicle Graphics, is a Microsoft Project add-in that creates summary-level project presentations for use with executives, clients, team members, investors, and regulators.

The timeline view is a feature of Microsoft Project 2010-2019 that allows users to create very simple project summaries. Users are restricted in the types of timelines they can create, and in how much they can modify the look and feel of the timelines.

Type of application

Microsoft Project add-in

Component of Microsoft Project 2010-2019


Basic features

 

OnePager Pro

Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View

Summarize Microsoft Project schedules

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View Yes

Graphics style

Preferred PowerPoint

Non-Preferred Visio

Export to PowerPoint, E-mail, PDF, etc.

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View Yes

Schedule versioning and historical tracking

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Create snapshots of your project at different points in time
  • Browse past snapshots to see how a project has changed

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Once the plan is updated, the timeline is overwritten and loses the previous version.

Filter a Microsoft Project schedule

Preferred Yes

  • Dynamic formula-based import
  • 20 flag columns
  • 20 number columns
  • 9 additional filters (milestones, critical path, etc.)

Non-Preferred Yes - Limited

  • Select tasks one at a time by hand

Chart templates

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Standard templates
  • Custom templates

Not supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Templates are not supported. Timelines will not have a standard look and feel.

Display additional Microsoft Project data

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Additional data columns can be displayed on the chart.
  • Track baselines, progress (percent complete), deadlines, and critical path
  • Group, sort, label and color-code tasks dynamically by any Microsoft Project column.
  • Map other custom dates to appear as endpoints on task bars

Not supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Only the basic task can be displayed. No additional detail is available.

Display multiple projects

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Link projects using an integrated master schedule (IMS).
  • Import several independent projects

Non-preferred Yes - Limited

  • Projects must be linked in an IMS. No individual import is supported.


Format and Layout

 

OnePager Pro

Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View

Adjust the start and finish dates of the timeline

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Zoom to see as much or as little of the timeline as necessary.

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Fixed to the overall start and finish dates. No ability to zoom in on a detailed area.

Overlap tasks

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Overlap tasks to create birds on a wire timeline views.
  • Mix overlapped tasks with waterfall tasks for a hybrid Gantt/timeline layout.

Not Preferred Yes - Limited

  • Users must choose to overlap all tasks or no tasks at all. No fine-tuning of task overlap is available.

Text positioning

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Position task labels anywhere on the page to make better use of space

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Task labels are wrapped inside the bar, creating an unreadable chart for tasks with a short duration but long label.

Choice of task and milestone shapes

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Multiple milestone shapes available.
  • Multiple task bar shapes available.

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Only one milestone shape (diamond) and one task bar shape (rectangle) is available.

Position milestones anywhere on the timeline

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Milestones can be dragged up and down to be positioned anywhere on the timeline.

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Milestones are locked to the top or bottom of the chart and cannot be moved.

Annotate the timeline

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Add comment boxes to highlight important tasks.
  • Link tasks to show dependencies.
  • Curtain off extended periods of time across the entire timeline.

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Schedules cannot be annotated in Microsoft Project.
  • Users must copy charts to PowerPoint or Visio to make further edits. These changes are then lost when the timeline is updated.

Easily resize tasks and milestones

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Tasks and milestones can be easily dragged and resized.
  • Heights of tasks and milestones can be uniform or varied.
  • Task and milestone height can be controlled dynamically with conditional formatting rules.

Not Supported Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Tasks and milestones are restricted to a standard size.


Dynamic Graphics

 

OnePager Pro

Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View

Dynamic color-coding of tasks and milestones

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Color-code tasks dynamically based on any Microsoft Project columns (e.g. color-code by phase, resource, subproject, etc.)

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • All color-coding is done by hand.

Dynamic legend of symbols and colors

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Generated dynamically based on Microsoft Project columns.
  • Can be modified by hand.

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Legend not supported.

Group projects and tasks into rows and swimlanes

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Group tasks and milestones into rows and swimlanes based on Microsoft Project data (phase, subproject, resources, etc.). OnePager supports up to three nested swimlane levels for displaying complex project hierarchies.
  • Group tasks and milestones into rows and swimlanes by hand

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Tasks can be positioned into rows, but rows cannot be labeled.
  • Grouping into swimlanes not supported.

Conditional formatting for tasks and milestones

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • Define the color, shape, height, border and font of any task or milestone dynamically based on a set of rules.
  • Use any five Microsoft Project columns to define conditional formatting rules
  • Define as many conditional formatting rules as necessary (no limit)
  • When your Microsoft Project plan changes, the conditional formatting rules will automatically be reapplied. Tasks and milestones that have changed will be updated in your new snapshot, while previous snapshots will retain the old formatting for historical purposes.
  • Can be fine-tuned by hand as necessary.

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Formatting done by hand. Not tied to Microsoft Project data.

Manage complex resource assignments

Supported by OnePager Pro Yes

  • When multiple resources are assigned to a single task in Microsoft Project, there is an option to replicate that task for each unique resource in the OnePager chart, and create several individual resource assignments for each task or milestone.
  • This prevents resources from having to locate tasks for both their individual assignments and their group assignments, which can lead to confusion.

Not Supported by Microsoft Project 2010-2019 Timeline View No

  • Not supported.
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Microsoft is a registered service mark of Microsoft Corporation. Product comparison made in May 2021 between Microsoft Project 2019 and OnePager Pro v7.0. Feature comparison subject to change in future versions.