Atlantic Global is a cloud-based project management system offering a relatively comprehensive set of business tools designed to help users plan projects, collaborate teams, store documents, schedule resources and track project progress.
And as it’s delivered via a Web-browser on a monthly subscription basis, access to the system is available anytime and anywhere.
The software is designed to manage all projects, resources and activities from initial planning through to final sign-off and billing.
All the key project management features are here, including: project planning, team collaboration, risk and issue management, document management, budgeting, project progress analysis and status reporting.
The online project management software isn’t the best looking application on the market—icons and other graphical elements have been ditched to ensure that the application is fast—but its no-fuss presentation makes it extremely easy to use and all project management features are provided in a single tab, helping to ensure end users require minimal training.
Clicking on each functionality opens a tabbed interface with details for that particular functionality.
The software also hooks up with Sage Line 50, Microsoft Project and iCalendar and is configurable, enabling project managers to drip feed project management functionality out to end users based on the maturity of the project management processes and end user knowledge.
Managing Resources And Projects
Atlantic Global should be of interest to companies looking to get a better grip on their projects and resources—especially those using spreadsheets to record time and expenses.
Atlantic Global takes over when spreadsheets become too complex to manage. The software also provides security for the recording of sensitive data, and helps to minimize human error (causing wasted time and effort in rectifying records).
It can also help an organization gain better control of their resources and drive improved efficiency by analyzing costs to identify where savings could be made.
The automation of an expense claim procedure, including approvals and payment, is a key requirement for managing the cost of projects.
Atlantic Global can help to automate systems for planning projects, deploying resources and recording actuals (time and expenditure) against programmes of work.
In a couple of mouse clicks, project managers can plan projects, update actuals and progress, as well as carry out a full project review.
The intuitive project view gives users real-time visibility into the status of their project plans, resourcing levels, financials and progress.
Users not familiar with project planning can get started with simple drag and drop task creation, while seasoned professionals can get stuck in with complex requirements such as sub tasks, task dependencies and constraints.
Project plans can even be built via the traditional Gantt view or a familiar spreadsheet-type environment, whereby users can add/amend multiple tasks using keystrokes.
Personalization options allow project managers to create their own User Dashboard, which provides them with instant visibility of their assignments for the week, their timesheet entry progress and expense claim progress.
Project managers can assign and re-assign resources based on real-time availability and capability information, and the utilisation of resources can be viewed at-a-glance and over/under-utilisation can be addressed based on roles, skills and availability.
With a clear view of resource utilization, project managers can plan projects efficiently and accurately collect project data to provide a solid productivity database.
Billing functionality is superior to most other cloud-based project management apps as Atlantic Global offers fixed price, capped, repeat, advanced and time and materials billing.
This is important to professional service customers as they can then manage their projects from initial opportunity to final invoicing in one system. In addition, they can integrate using Boomi, MS Project and Outlook.
Summary
Atlantic Global is an effective tool for increasing efficiencies in addition to the management of operations itself.
Project and resource managers can save a decent amount of time in planning projects—especially compared to spreadsheets—as project plans can be moved instantly, along with all associated assignments.
Project managers can now see what each of their resources are working on at any point in time, saving time interrogating out-of-date spreadsheets or chasing people individually.
The software is full of features and the interface is easy to navigate, making it a good choice for larger organizations.
