Since MS Project was designed and optimized specifically for the Windows operating system, MS Project does not work on Mac. The reason being is that MS Project and Mac cannot talk to each other and it wasn't designed for those computers. If people some how manged to make it work, it wouldn't run properly and you may not be able to use it to its. Microsoft project for mac free download - Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac 7.0.3 Update, Parallels Desktop for Mac, Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac Update, and many more programs. Microsoft project for mac free download - Microsoft Office Project Standard 2007, Microsoft Project Professional 2016 (64-Bit), Microsoft Office Project Professional 2010, and many more programs. With MS Project For Mac, you can do accounting and project management tasks with precision. A blend of Windows based office environment and Mac OS makes it quite seamless for users to do the tasking without facing any glitches. Here in this article, we shall have a look on the various features of Microsoft project for Mac.
Microsoft Project is the best project, portfolio, and resource management solution—but it’s not available on macOS®. However, with Parallels Desktop® for Mac, Apple® users can use a Windows virtual machine (VM) to run Microsoft Project on Mac®.
Getting started with running MS Project on macOS is easy:
- Download a trial of Parallels Desktop.
- Set up a Windows 10 VM. It’s very easy to buy a new Windows 10 license inside Parallels Desktop. (You can also use an existing Windows 10 license key.)
- Purchase Microsoft Project and download the .exe file in your Windows 10 VM.
- Start using Microsoft Project to get your job done!
Parallels Desktop is the #1 virtualization solution to run Windows, Linux, and other popular operating systems on Mac. Virtualization of a Windows OS on Mac has endless benefits, including:
- Low cost in comparison to buying a second computer
- Minimized or eliminated downtime
- Increased productivity
- Faster backups
- Easy to recover or migrate to additional Mac devices
- Economic use of energy
- Eco-friendly choice to minimize the amount of electronic waste a single user produces.
If you’re still deciding if Parallels Desktop is right for you, continue reading to understand how a program manager utilizes virtualization to run Microsoft Project.
As a self-employed program manager, Tim specializes in large-scale data migrations and the development of sustainable business intelligence (BI) and analytic solutions. He has a wealth of experience in both IT and capital asset delivery, as well as general management, operational, and strategic roles in asset-intensive industries and regulation.
Like most consultants, Tim needs slick and stable IT to allow him to focus on the real issues. He doesn’t want IT issues to constantly be distracting him. Parallels Desktop offers a reliable platform that allows him to deliver.
As an avid personal user of Apple products, Tim also wished to migrate his work life to Mac. However, for most clients he needed to use Microsoft Project as a Gantt chart management tool. Being able to manage multi-project plans is an essential element for any program manager. Unfortunately, Microsoft Project is one of the few pieces of Microsoft software that has not been developed to run on macOS.
After online research, Tim concluded that the only successful way to use Microsoft Project on a Mac was through a Windows virtual machine. He discussed the issue directly with Apple, and they recommended Parallels Desktop as a solution.
Following a very simple installation of Parallels, Tim can now use Microsoft Project natively within a Windows environment on his MacBook Pro®. This means there’s no translation between products claiming to act as a Microsoft Project editor—quite simply, he’s running a Windows version of Microsoft Project on his Mac. It has proved to be an excellent solution for Tim.
Tim wholeheartedly recommends Parallels Desktop, which he has now been using successfully for several months. Installation was simple, and there are many configuration options that can be changed. (For example, the amount of memory dedicated to the Apple or Windows operating system.) This gives greater flexibility to the user. Tim hasn’t had any issues with Parallels Desktop at all, and the product is extremely stable in every way. Tim also added that Parallels® Toolbox (which comes included with Parallels Desktop) has been useful. He particularly likes the disk cleaning tool, which ensures his laptop is always operating efficiently.
If you’d like to use Parallels Desktop to run popular Windows programs on Mac (without rebooting!), download a free 14-day trial.
Enthusiasts know that Apple products are slick, quick, and easy-to-use machines. Apple device users–be it an iPhone, iPad, or iMac–have been described as cool and creative trendsetters.
Businesses aren’t any different. Many high-profile companies, like Facebook, Google, Cisco, and almost half of U.S. enterprise-level corporations have bought into Macs for their business.
So it makes sense that when companies are shopping for project management software, they’re specifically looking for project management software for Mac.
So it makes sense that when companies are shopping for project management software, they’re specifically looking for project management software for Mac.
The Best Project Management Software for Mac
Googling Mac-specific project management software largely leads to lots of cloud-based options. While programs like Wrike, LiquidPlanner, and Teamwork are fantastic tools for Mac, many companies are looking for a locally installed option.
With that in mind, I dove into the top five project management software for Mac to help buyers figure out what options are available.
While evaluating these tools, I looked for traits that Mac users tend to look for–intuitive design, mid-end pricing, and the “coolness” factor found in Mac’s brand in the form of easy functionality.
These Mac project management software options are arranged alphabetically.
Daylite
If your small business is looking to find an all-in-one customer relationship management software and project management tool that’s designed for Apple products, check out Daylite. The software has almost 50 reviews on Capterra with a solid 4.5/5 rating, and users praising its “tight integration with Apple hardware and software.”
The UI should feel familiar to anyone who’s worked within Apple’s ecosystem—Daylite’s look and feel is similar to tools like iCal and Keynote and is similarly intuitive to use. Project managers can use Daylite to link all of their important project pieces together—from notes to tasks to emails to contacts. The result is a light project management software (or heavy task manager) ideal for client-focused small businesses.
Notable features
- All related activities can be grouped together into projects, which Daylite automatically tracks and logs.
- Customizable enough to create your own pipelines and approval processes for new projects.
- Works on iOS, so you’re not tethered to your MacBook or iMac to use the tool effectively.
Price: $29/user/month
(Used Daylite? Share your thoughts with a review!)
FastTrack Schedule 10.2
FastTrack Schedule 10.2 knows its user base. Its whole interface is intuitive–one reviewer from Macworld said it best:
[FastTrack Schedule 10] sports the familiar Mac look and feel with easy-to-identify icons for layouts, filters, sorting, and more— all with a text label that matches what you see in iPhoto, et al.
In other words, if you’re used to working with Mac software like Keynote or Safari, FastTrack Schedule 10 will be easy to pick up.
Notable features:
- New project managers can jump right in with the program’s 30+ templates, which rely on a simple drag-and-drop UI.
- Project managers can see who on their team is working on what part of the project and when they’re doing so. Project managers can use these features to make sure they don’t overload their team members.
- Want to see the big picture? FastTrack Schedule 10 has a “master schedule” where users can see how all projects line up. This feature is great for bigger companies who want to invest in enterprise project management software.
Price: $349
(Used FastTrack Schedule? Share your thoughts with a review!)
iTaskX3
One reviewer notes that iTaskX is ridiculously simple to use, saying that the software is, “easy to learn, has an intuitive interface, and it’s easy to work [sic] even when you have never touched itaskX before.”
iTaskX’s program is nicely laid out and simple to use. Its biggest claim to notoriety is that it fully integrates with Microsoft Project, the most popular project management software by a landslide. iTaskX lets users open Microsoft Project files and easily exchange information using XML and MPX files.
iTask is based around Waterfall project management–it runs off Gantt charts, tasks, and resources, and organizes all of these bits of information into simple graphics.
iTask is based around Waterfall project management–it runs off Gantt charts, tasks, and resources, and organizes all of these bits of information into simple graphics.
Notable features:
- iTaskX is robust enough to manage enterprise-level project management as it stays updated with everyone on the system.
- The project management software offers over 60 different calculators based off task fields, including slack time, cost accruals, and effort-driven scheduling.
- iTaskX also offers full customizability for layout and design. Project managers can adjust the aesthetics on all their projects, from custom fonts to custom layouts. And for those of us who are a little less creative, iTask comes with plenty of templates as well.
Price: $140
(Used iTaskX? Share your thoughts with a review!)
Merlin Project 4
I couldn’t write this review without taking note of one of the most popular project management software options for Mac: Merlin Project.
The first thing that jumps out about Merlin is how intuitive it is. Don’t get me wrong, Merlin may have the most features available on this list, but the developers are careful to present the system’s options in an intuitive layout.
Instead of a jumble of menus and folders, Merlin takes all of its features and displays them simply. TechRadar explains,
Everything happens in one big window that’s divided up into a main panel plus one or more smaller ones that change according to the aspect you’re currently working on.
There are four principal views for the main panel…. Gantt chart with critical paths displayed as bold lines, a network diagram using the Activity on Node format, a list of resources involved in the project, and a time-based display of resource utilisation[.]
The smaller panels are where you’d enter detailed information on selected tasks, resources and so on.
All of that is to say that Merlin makes project planning simple, even when the project manager is relying on a ton of tools to do so.
Notable features:
![Microsoft project professional for mac Microsoft project professional for mac](/uploads/1/0/5/6/105691541/371040471.png)
- Merlin can double as a document management system, as users can upload files straight to tasks.
- The system offers instant reporting, including the ability to create entirely custom reports.
- Gorgeous Gantt charts and simple-to-use interface.
Price: $349
(Used Merlin Project? Share your thoughts with a review!)
OmniPlan 3
Now this is a gorgeous project management software option for Mac.
Ms Project Pro For Macbook Air
OmniPlan is one of the most visually appealing project management applications out there, regardless of platform.
Simply drag and drop team members into tasks, set the task’s estimated time for completion, and voila! OmniPlan pumps out a beautiful Gantt chart.
Need to adjust a task because you have team members who have limited availability or because one task took longer than expected? No problem. Again, just drag and drop, and the program will fix estimates for you.
Ms Project Mac Os
Notable features:
- OmniPlan has incredible filtering options. Project managers can narrow down their task lists by date, resource, effort, priority, dependency claims, and more, so they don’t get overwhelmed by all the information presented in the master Gantt chart.
- OmniPlan also offers Violation Resolution, which means that if something doesn’t look right to the program’s estimates, the software flag the task for the project manager’s review.
- The system is entirely compatible with Microsoft Project.
![Software Software](/uploads/1/0/5/6/105691541/611774269.jpg)
Price: $149.99
(Used OmniPlan 3? Share your thoughts with a review!)
More?
There are lots of other great project management systems for Mac out there, including xPlan and AltiProject. My bet is that more will emerge as Apple takes over the market for business computers.
Ms Project Professional For Mac
I’m interested in your thoughts on these project management software selections. Have you used any of them? Was there a software worth reviewing that I missed (review it on the main Capterra site too!)? Please jot down your thoughts in the comments below–I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Want more software recommendations? You may be interested in these articles:
Looking for Project Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Project Management software solutions.