Workload or Microsoft Project for an IT department?
MS Project fits planning one project with a project manager. Workload fits a CIO who must see all IT team capacity, detect cross-project overload, and sync actuals (timesheet). Workload offers MS Project migration kits — 14-day trial, from $59/month.
Features by plan
Jira Tempo, Azure DevOps, and Toggl integrations from the Professional plan
The Starter plan includes the full trial and CSV import; native integrations start on Professional.
Compare plans →Workload vs Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project excels at Gantt planning for one project. Workload is built for aggregated IT department capacity: teams, conflicts, timesheet, and portfolio.
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Workload is for you if…
- You manage capacity across multiple IT teams in parallel
- You must resolve allocation conflicts between projects
- You want a CIO view: portfolio + capacity + timesheet
- You want collaborative SaaS without heavy Office licensing
- You're moving from MS Project to capacity planning
Microsoft Project is enough if…
- One project manager plans a single isolated project
- Need is detailed Gantt and task dependencies, not CIO capacity
- You're fully on Microsoft Project / Project Online
- No cross-project or CIO reporting need
Frequently asked questions
Does Workload replace Microsoft Project?
Not for micro Gantt planning of a single project. Workload replaces using MS Project as a DIY IT capacity tool — multiple .mpp files, manual consolidation, no cross-project conflict detection.
Can I import MS Project into Workload?
Yes. Workload offers migration kits (CSV/Excel export from MS Project, guided wizard). Most IT departments import teams and projects in hours.
Project Online vs Workload for IT?
Project Online stays Microsoft project-planning focused. Workload is native IT capacity SaaS: conflicts, allocation, Jira/Azure DevOps timesheet, CIO KPIs — without Office 365 dependency.
Does Workload offer a free trial?
Yes — 14-day free trial with no credit card at simpleworkload.com/register. CSV import on Starter (~30 minutes for first setup).
Do you need Jira to use Workload?
No. Workload runs standalone with CSV/Excel import (Starter). Jira Tempo and Azure DevOps integrations are on the Professional plan.
What IT team size is Workload built for?
CIO and IT PMO teams from 20 to 500 people. Below 15 staff Excel may suffice; from 30–50 onward a dedicated tool typically pays off quickly.
Can you migrate from Excel or an existing PPM?
Yes. Workload offers CSV/Excel, Sciforma, and MS Project migration kits with guided wizards. Most IT departments migrate teams and projects in hours.
Does Workload replace full enterprise PPM?
Not at multi-BU PPM parity. Workload is the tactical IT capacity layer (teams, allocations, conflicts, timesheet) — often alongside Sciforma/Planview or replacing Excel.
Which timesheet integrations are available?
Jira Tempo, Azure DevOps, Toggl, and Clockify (Professional plan). Workload compares planned vs actual for CIO reporting and PvA variance.
How does Workload handle intelligent allocation?
Transparent 0–100 scoring (skills ~60%, availability ~40%) with conflict detection — no opaque ML on your data. Generative AI may enrich explanatory text only.