QuickPlan Pro iOS app makes project timelines easy to create.
I work for a marketing and communications company as a Project Manager when I’m not writing for MacSources. As a PM, you are responsible for moving projects along, making sure they stay on budget, and creating timelines for their completion. Currently, our company does not have a sophisticated project management application in place to handle all nuances that the job requires. We usually create timelines using Excel spreadsheets, but we don’t really use it for anything more than creation. There is nothing in place to handle the day-to-day movement of the project. When I learned about QuickPlan Pro for iPhone and iPad, I thought it might be a good solution for my personal/professional use.
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QuickPlan Pro is a project planning app that helps you to design timelines, layout tasks and milestones, and track resources throughout the project’s lifetime. It’s a visually-based system that utilizes the standard Gantt-style chart for organization. It’s designed to be intuitive and easy-to-learn. There is built-in support to export projects as Image, Excel, PDF, Microsoft project, WBS files, AND to import projects from Microsoft project, Mobilinked WBS, Mind map and Excel files. And, perhaps the best feature, is that you can use iCloud to sync your projects across your devices. There is not a universal app for all iOS devices, which means you have to purchase each individually, but there is watchOS support through the iPhone version.
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Being that I am unfamiliar with timeline creation through Gantt charts, it was sort of ideal that I start as a fresh user on QuickPlan Pro. When I started, I used my iPad Air 2. I felt like the larger screen lent itself to seeing the project better and thought it would be easier to set-up the timeline that way. QuickPlan comes with a few pre-made project templates installed. I opted to start with a blank project. At first, I tried adding in a couple of different jobs into one project and decided I was getting in over my head as a starting point. So, I just entered one job and its milestones.
From an app perspective, I did find the interface quite intuitive. If you aren’t familiar with Gantt charts or how they operate, you might get a little lost at first, but I believe that users can easily find their way within a few minutes of concentrated use of the app. You have a lot of options for customizing the look of your timeline and can even add in resources, their rates, and their contact information. Once I had my project set-up I found it pretty easy to navigate. I really like being able to tell at a glance how far along a project is.
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The iPhone version differs from the iPad version a bit. For starters, it will complete the same tasks, but in a smaller interface. You can view/edit in a portrait or landscape position. The way that I was using this system is that I would build/edit a project on the iPad and sync it through iCloud so that view it on the iPhone. An added bonus to the iPhone version is the Apple Watch integration. You can view current projects that you approve for the Today View widget. I had a little trouble with that updating to my watch, but didn’t feel like that detracted from the great functions of the app.
If you are looking for a solution to your timeline problems, check out QuickPlan Pro. It’s a very intuitive app with a clean interface. As a beginner user, I found that it was more than adequate for my needs and I’m looking forward to finding out what else the app can do for my future projects. I know that it has a lot of options for more advanced users and I’m really looking forward to discovering them. QuickPlan Pro really has a lot going for it.
DOWNLOAD – QuickPlan Pro – $2.99 – iPhone
DOWNLOAD – QuickPlan Pro – $5.99 – iPad
For more information, visit quickplan.mobilinked.biz.
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Now the Mac edition coming
That will be very handy.
QuickPlan for Mac has go live at https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1071586133