What Is Microsoft Project? A Plain-English Guide (2026)

If you've heard someone say "put it in MS Project" and nodded along, you're not alone. Microsoft Project is one of the best-known names in project planning, but plenty of business owners have never opened it. It's also changed a lot recently, with Microsoft moving its cloud project tools under the Planner name. This guide explains in plain English what Microsoft Project is, what it does, which versions exist, how to build your first plan and when a lighter tool might suit you better. Everything here comes from Microsoft's own support and product pages, plus the Wikipedia article on the software.

Microsoft Project explained in plain English

Microsoft Project is project management software made by Microsoft. Its main job is to help a project manager build a schedule: a list of tasks with durations, the order they must happen in and who's doing each one. According to Wikipedia, it also helps you assign resources to tasks, track progress and analyse workloads.

It has a long history. Wikipedia records the first commercial version as an MS-DOS program in 1984, with the first Windows version following in 1990. Project files saved by the desktop app use the .mpp format, which is why you'll sometimes be sent a file with that ending.

What Microsoft Project does day to day

• Gantt Chart view. Microsoft's help pages describe the Gantt Chart as the default view for new projects: a task list on the left and bars on a timeline on the right.
• Task links. You can link tasks so one can't start until another finishes. Microsoft says the default link is finish-to-start.
• Summary tasks and subtasks. Indenting a task makes it a subtask of the one above, which becomes a summary task that rolls up its details.
• Milestones. Microsoft's quickest method is to add a task with zero duration, which then shows as a milestone symbol.
• Resources and workloads. Wikipedia notes you can assign people and other resources to tasks, and share resources across projects through a shared pool.
• Critical path. The software builds critical path schedules, so you can see which tasks will delay the finish date if they slip.

Microsoft Project versions and the Planner name

This is where people get confused, because the product family has been reshuffled. Here's the picture from Microsoft's own pages and Wikipedia.

• Project desktop. The classic Windows app. Microsoft's support pages list Project Standard and Project Professional versions from 2016 through 2024, plus the desktop client that comes with Microsoft 365 project subscriptions. Wikipedia explains that Professional adds team collaboration tools and the ability to connect to Project Server.
• Planner. Microsoft now sells its cloud project tools under the Planner name. Its comparison pages list Planner Plan 1 with a timeline (Gantt) view and task dependencies, and higher Planner and Project plans that include the Project desktop app. Wikipedia notes that the web version of Project became part of Microsoft Planner.
• Project Online. The older cloud service built on Project Web App. Microsoft's lifecycle page lists a retirement date for it, and Microsoft's announcement says the change doesn't affect Project desktop, Project Server or Planner.
• Project Server. An on-premises option that Microsoft points larger organisations towards when they need detailed portfolio management.

Plan names and what's included can change, so check Microsoft's comparison page for the current line-up. If you're working out which Microsoft apps your business needs overall, my guide to Microsoft 365 tools for small business productivity is a good starting point.

Who Microsoft Project suits

Microsoft Project is built for detailed scheduling. It's at its best when a project has lots of tasks that depend on each other, firm deadlines and several people or teams to coordinate.

• Project managers running construction, engineering, IT or event projects with long task lists.
• Organisations that already work in Microsoft 365 and want project plans in the same ecosystem.
• Teams that need to share files in the .mpp format with clients or partners.
• Anyone who wants critical path scheduling and resource views rather than a simple to-do list.

How to start your first plan in Microsoft Project desktop

These steps follow Microsoft's quick start for Project desktop. Menus can look slightly different between versions, so look for the same names if your screen doesn't match exactly.

1. Open Project, or select File and then New if a plan is already open.
2. Choose a template, search the online templates, or select Blank Project.
3. If you picked a template, choose your options and select Create, then change its tasks, durations and resources to fit your work.
4. Go to View, then Task Views, then Gantt Chart.
5. Type a task name in the first empty Task Name field and press Enter. Repeat for each task.
6. To group tasks, select a task and use Indent on the Task tab, so it becomes a subtask of the row above.
7. To link two tasks, hold Ctrl, select both in the Task Name column, then select Link Tasks in the Schedule group on the Task tab.
8. To add a milestone, type its name in an empty row, enter 0 in the Duration field and press Enter.

Once your tasks are in place, save the plan and share it with the people involved. Microsoft also notes that Gantt bars show the scheduled dates, not progress, so you'll need to update the plan as work moves along.

When a lighter tool beats Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is powerful, but it isn't always the right fit for a small business. If your projects are short, your team is tiny or you mostly need a shared to-do list, a lighter tool will usually be quicker to set up and easier for everyone to use.

• You work alone and just need to see your own tasks and deadlines.
• Your team prefers boards and checklists to detailed schedules.
• Clients need to see progress without installing anything.
• You don't have someone who'll keep a detailed schedule up to date.

My guide to project management software for solo workers covers simpler options, and if you'd like to sharpen your planning skills first, see the best project management courses for small business owners.

Troubleshooting common Microsoft Project hiccups

• Can't find a menu. Check which version you're using, as Microsoft's help pages apply to specific versions of Project desktop.
• Indent won't work. Microsoft's help on subtasks lists several causes, so check that article if a task refuses to move in or out.
• Bars don't move as work gets done. That's expected. Gantt bars show scheduled dates, so update the plan as work moves along.
• Someone sent you an .mpp file. You'll need Project desktop or another tool that can open that format to read it fully.
• Your plans lived in Project Online. Read Microsoft's retirement guidance and move or archive your plans.

Frequently asked questions

What is Microsoft Project used for?

It's used to plan and manage projects: building a schedule of tasks, linking tasks that depend on each other, assigning people and resources, and tracking progress against the plan on a Gantt chart.

Is Microsoft Project the same as Microsoft Planner?

Not exactly. Planner is Microsoft's name for its cloud task and project tools, with premium plans adding a timeline view. Project desktop is the classic scheduling app, which some of the higher plans include.

Is Microsoft Project still available?

Yes. Project desktop and Microsoft's Planner plans are still offered. The older Project Online service has a retirement date on Microsoft's lifecycle page, so anyone still using it should follow Microsoft's guidance to move their plans.

What file format does Microsoft Project use?

The desktop app saves plans in the .mpp format, and templates use .mpt. If someone sends you an .mpp file, you'll need software that can open that format to see the full schedule.

Is Microsoft Project hard to learn?

It takes some practice because it's built for detailed scheduling. Starting from a template and following Microsoft's quick start makes the first plan much easier.