Chapter 1. Setting up the application

Table of Contents

1. What is RationalPlan ?
1.1. RationalPlan Single Project
1.2. RationalPlan Multi Project
1.3. RationalPlan Project Viewer
2. How to install
2.1. Windows installation
2.2. Mac OS X installation
2.3. Linux installation
3. Customize the application
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Show/Hide Panels
3.3. General settings
3.4. Tables settings
3.5. Graphic settings
3.6. Print Preview menu and settings
3.7. Application Toolbar
3.8. View Specific Toolbar
3.9. Shortcuts

1. What is RationalPlan ?

RationalPlan is a software family designed to assist project managers along the life cycle of their projects.

It comprises three different products:

a) RationalPlan Single Project

b) RationalPlan Multi Project

c) RationalPlan Project Viewer

1.1. RationalPlan Single Project

This product is suitable to manage independent projects (no common resources, no interrelations between projects).

It has the most important features for a project management software:

  • associate general project information (name, notes, links, assumptions, constraints, risks)

  • create, edit and delete calendars

  • build schedules

  • create and assign resources to tasks

  • good cost management abilities

  • project tracking tools (critical path, mark completion value for tasks, work and cost timephased information)

  • export to Microsoft Project and Microsoft Excel

  • import from Microsoft Project (.xml format)

  • printable reports (to printer or to file - pdf format)

  • strong Print Preview interface

1.2. RationalPlan Multi Project

Is the right choice if you have to share company resources across projects and to manage interdependencies between projects.

It has all RationalPlan Single Project features, and some more:

  • resources data (work, cost, overallocation) are calculated considering their assignments in all projects

  • allow links between tasks pertaining to different projects

  • analyze all your projects' data with Project Portfolio view

1.3. RationalPlan Project Viewer

The Viewer is an additional tool necessary to share your project in his original format (.xrp). Basically it is useful to any stakeholder that need to check and overview the projects' evolution into their smallest detail, without making changes to the schedule.

The major features of the Project Viewer are:

  • opens files created either with Single Project or Multi Project version

  • all original views and data are available

  • export to other formats and printing are active

  • view/hide critical path command is enabled