Excel versus Project; is it Worthwhile Learning Microsoft Project? - article

People often know Microsoft Excel and do not know Microsoft Project. This article explores if it is worthwhile to learn Microsoft Project. Seven reasons to learn Microsoft Project are provided and explained:
1. Prove that you yourself are overloaded with work
2. Prove your project is understaffed
3. Prove your project is underfunded
4. Forecast your project better, take corrective action timely and prevent last minute surprises
5. Save time as the project manager
6. Be a more effective project manager
7. Get better at estimating

Also, seven things to learn in Microsoft Project when you already know Excel are explained in this article:
1. Differentiate the original schedule from the forecast schedule of the project
2. Estimate durations
3. Identify the relationships between tasks (“dependencies”)
4. Trust Microsoft Project to calculate and forecast the dates in the forecast model
5. Monitor the most important tasks (“Critical Tasks”) that determine the finish date of your project
6. Update your forecast schedule regularly
7. Take corrective actions when slippages occur
All in all, the author thinks it is worthwhile to learn Microsoft Project when you have a project that is too large to manage from the seat of your pants.