Excel Scheduler

Planning a multi-stage process for getting a project accomplished? Spreadsheet Scheduler from User Solutions is a worksheet-based scheduling program that can be used in Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, and Quattro Pro. Spreadsheet Scheduler consists of a series of tabbed spreadsheet templates each of which contains the various components of the program. The idea is that you need only update the worksheet data to track the specifics of your own project.

However, unless you're extremely familiar with the ins-and-outs of spreadsheets, we simply wouldn't recommend the product. There are just too many opportunities for things to go wrong unless you're highly skilled with macro programming and updating formulas that may need to accommodate additional data. On the other hand, you can't beat the price if all you need to do is generate GANTT charts. At $39, it's certainly worth a try if you think you can manage tinkering and finessing the program for your particular business needs. For anyone else, however, I would steer clear of this one.

--Cathy Kenny--

  

How it Works The Excel Scheduler includes CPM (Critical Path Management) models for hourly, daily, or weekly time units. By determining early and late starting points for each task, as well as task duration and precedence relationships, the template generates a Gantt Chart showing which tasks are critical; that is, must be done on time, otherwise the entire schedule will slip. Functionality also includes ability to do "what-if" analysis to accommodate changes without missing deadlines. Features The scheduling techniques include: job and task sequencing, development of calendars, construction of several different types of Gantt charts, processing idle periods, due-date assignment, computation of lateness and other performance measures, and scheduling of work according to precedence relationships. These techniques can be extracted and assembled in many different ways.