Adobe Workfront vs. Microsoft Project

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Workfront
Score 7.5 out of 10
N/A
Adobe Workfront, acquired by Adobe in late 2020, is a web-based project-management tool. It is designed for both IT and marketing teams, but can be implemented for any kind of project. Workfront offers all the features standard to project management platforms, as well as resource allocation, automation, and agile workflow.N/A
Microsoft Project
Score 7.5 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft Project is a project management software. It provides core PM functionality, including agile workflow support and resource management. Project can be deployed in the cloud or on-premise.
$10
per user/per month
Pricing
Adobe WorkfrontMicrosoft Project
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Project Plan 1
$10
per user/per month
Project Plan 3
$30
per user/per month
Project Plan 5
$55
per user/per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe WorkfrontMicrosoft Project
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe WorkfrontMicrosoft Project
Considered Both Products
Adobe Workfront
Chose Adobe Workfront
I wasn't with this company when the buying decision was made. However, Workfront replaced Mavenlink, and what I could gather is Mavenlink was liked by users, but the owners and administrators wanted more reporting and more automation.
For me, Workfront is far superior to MS …
Chose Adobe Workfront
They don't compare... People say that MS Project is easier to use... But where's the reporting? You can't perform resource allocation with a drag and drop, nor can you build the dynamic reports that Workfront provides. Not to mention automatically distribute those reports at …
Chose Adobe Workfront
Enovia is a product lifecycle tool, so not a good match for a marketing team. Basecamp and MS Project are comparable but we went with Workfront. The newly added Fusion is important to consider. With hundreds of integrations available, it will streamline your workflow across …
Chose Adobe Workfront
JIRA and Clarizen were too complicated and did not offer an integrated document review and proofing system.
Microsoft Project did not handle multiple small projects and resource allocation as well.
Smartsheet was too limited for large teams and required too much manual work.
Chose Adobe Workfront
Workfront is a really highly powerful tool that can be a bit over-matched for typical project management tools like Microsoft Project or other project management programs. It does a great job with medium to large projects with medium complexity. It helps significantly to …
Chose Adobe Workfront
Far easier to use than MS Project, easier to navigate and learn, but far more complex (albeit more functionally sophisticated as well) than Smartsheet.
Chose Adobe Workfront
We liked the flexibility and ease of creating custom forms and fields. We also felt that they were heading in the right direction and growing as a company.
Chose Adobe Workfront
We looked at custom solutions, Basecamp and a few others before selecting Workfront. The end user ease of use was what sold us on Workfront.
Chose Adobe Workfront
Workfront is on par with the others, each has their strengths and weaknesses.
Chose Adobe Workfront
Personalization is the main reason.
Access everywhere where internet is available.
Chose Adobe Workfront
I have always used MS-Project and Project Server. The task management is much more user friendly in MS-Project.
Chose Adobe Workfront
Better user interface and way more flexible. It is possible to change many aspects of the reporting and landing pages even internally in the same company, depending on the working groups and needs, with great satisfaction among different people involved and with easy steps to …
Chose Adobe Workfront
I've evaluated more than just this list but can't recall them all right now. See other comments, but Workfront has far better flexibility and "programmability" in a rather easy and intuitive way (no programming skills actually required). It can generally do everything the …
Chose Adobe Workfront
For our current needs, Workfront does the job. We have used additional products in the past (MS Project) and whereas we didn't have any issues, we do think we will be sticking to this product for the foreseeable future. I can't see us making any changes anytime soon. Great …
Chose Adobe Workfront
[We selected Workfront because it offered:]
  • Cloud version that is accessible traveling and potential integration with other applications we have (Oracle, Salesforce).
  • A fully integrated system solving the amount of separated and non interactive files of MS Project, Word, Excel …
Chose Adobe Workfront
Our previous system was home-brewed Sharepoint, mostly for note-taking and online tracking as we routed physical job jackets, scanned documents and emailed them to one another. It was fine for its time but as we expanded not just in volume but in location (offices went from NY …
Chose Adobe Workfront
The fact that it is web based and can be viewed by anyone at anytime is huge for viability and transparency within the company. It is also much more user friendly and seems to have taken out the guess work out of building a project plan and allocating/determining timelines.
Chose Adobe Workfront
We selected in the end Workfront over the other PM tools evaluated due to ease of use for the levels of our users, capacity planning options and good value for the price it has. Also now that is has support and online training included in the price it an easy way to manage the …
Chose Adobe Workfront
Ease of use, and the availability of the workfront community, training and now the recent Portland user group round table, make this the ideal solution for us. The program is ideal for our PMO, the staff and leadership in that it is intuitive, robust and meets all of our …
Chose Adobe Workfront
When shopping for a project management system, Workfront was the clear winner for our group. The proofing tool, mobile app and product features were far superior to all other products we reviewed and saw demos of.
Microsoft Project
Chose Microsoft Project
At the end of the day, Microsoft Project still is best in class overall. It isn't as specialized as some tools like Trello or JIRA, but especially with new integration with Planner and native support for Agile project management templates it becomes a lot closer. Microsoft …
Chose Microsoft Project
While many of the above tools are extremely well-versed, Microsoft Project's largest advantage comes from it being related to the largest business productivity company in the world. Project does have its sharing limitations - but regardless, offers one of the most robust tools …
Chose Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project has more robust planning capabilities than Workfront and much more than Excel. If you already have a project selection process in place and/or you need a tool to help project out dates based on inputs of worker availability and estimated hours or duration then …
Chose Microsoft Project
After using other web-based project management tools, Project would not be my first choice.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Adobe WorkfrontMicrosoft Project
Project Management
Comparison of Project Management features of Product A and Product B
Adobe Workfront
6.5
303 Ratings
14% below category average
Microsoft Project
8.0
107 Ratings
6% above category average
Task Management7.6302 Ratings9.0106 Ratings
Resource Management6.8274 Ratings6.9103 Ratings
Gantt Charts7.2242 Ratings10.0103 Ratings
Scheduling7.4270 Ratings9.9105 Ratings
Workflow Automation6.7272 Ratings8.582 Ratings
Team Collaboration6.1292 Ratings7.795 Ratings
Support for Agile Methodology6.2185 Ratings7.679 Ratings
Support for Waterfall Methodology6.3199 Ratings8.279 Ratings
Document Management6.6275 Ratings7.276 Ratings
Email integration4.8230 Ratings6.081 Ratings
Mobile Access6.1233 Ratings7.966 Ratings
Timesheet Tracking6.5219 Ratings8.472 Ratings
Change request and Case Management6.6210 Ratings8.462 Ratings
Budget and Expense Management6.3188 Ratings6.382 Ratings
Professional Services Automation
Comparison of Professional Services Automation features of Product A and Product B
Adobe Workfront
5.4
173 Ratings
31% below category average
Microsoft Project
7.0
76 Ratings
6% below category average
Quotes/estimates5.381 Ratings7.053 Ratings
Invoicing5.371 Ratings7.044 Ratings
Project & financial reporting5.7171 Ratings6.973 Ratings
Integration with accounting software5.462 Ratings6.949 Ratings
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Adobe WorkfrontMicrosoft Project
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Score 9.8 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
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Score 9.0 out of 10
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Score 9.0 out of 10
Enterprises
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Score 9.2 out of 10
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User Ratings
Adobe WorkfrontMicrosoft Project
Likelihood to Recommend
6.0
(354 ratings)
6.6
(107 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.0
(60 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(18 ratings)
8.0
(5 ratings)
Availability
9.1
(9 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
9.1
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(12 ratings)
8.2
(34 ratings)
In-Person Training
5.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
8.9
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.3
(10 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Configurability
5.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
1.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.2
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
1.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
1.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe WorkfrontMicrosoft Project
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
I write music and sound design for multiple projects at the same time, all within the same company, sometimes as much as 8-10. It can be hard to keep track of and stay on top of notes and changes, but Adobe Workfront is great at keeping everything organized, and informing you of deadline changes as they occur.
Read full review
Microsoft
Microsoft Project Online is suited to Turnkey Projects where more Collaboration is required in Project Progress monitoring, risk assessment and conveying, issue recording and tracking. It is less appropriate when ERP Suites other than MS Dynamics are used, i.e when Enterprises need to integrate Finance / Accounting with It and having straight project management workflow
Read full review
Pros
Adobe
  • Fosters communication between team members.
  • Serves as a virtual "to do list" for me personally - I can track where I am with projects and what there is left to do, and when it's completed.
  • Sharing documents between team members that can be updated.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • I love the Gantt Chart that Microsoft Project offers me, because it provides me with a view from various aspects, it provides me with exact details about the fulfillment of tasks over a period of time, it also allows me to make comparisons with the necessary data and the fulfilled data. by the employees, in order to know exactly if the project's expectations have been met.
  • I love the Gantt Chart that Microsoft Project offers me, because it provides me with a view from various aspects, it provides me with exact details about the fulfillment of tasks over a period of time, it also allows me to make comparisons with the necessary data and the fulfilled data by the employees, in order to know exactly if the project's expectations have been met.
  • The alert system for the fulfillment and delay of assignments is perfect. Microsoft Project allows me to configure the task system, I can assign the necessary tasks to fulfill the project, and the software alerts me immediately if the managers are fulfilling the assignments.
Read full review
Cons
Adobe
  • Notifications (sometimes I am emailed when I am tagged, other times I am not)
  • Certain file formats do not render correctly in Workfront Proof (eg, .XLS files)
  • It can be difficult to manage projects if you have not been assigned the correct permissions.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Seems overly complicated for users sometimes in using Project and its functionalities
  • Hard to share files for those folks who do not have MS Project, and then have to print out for them
  • Can be confusing since it looks and feels like MS Excel
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Adobe
All that I've said already is why. I suppose the clearest way to say it is that at this point? I cannot imagine running the 300+ active projects in eMarketing without AtTask; it simply wouldn't be possible and even more; I wouldn't imagine why we'd try to find an alternative tool when we have one meeting our needs.
Read full review
Microsoft
I like using Microsoft Project. It simplifies building a schedule
Read full review
Usability
Adobe
I gave a rating of 10 on overall usability because Workfront is cloud based and very easy to use. Workfront also provides collaboration on projects which is critical to a projects success. The tool gives everyone high level visibility in their projects down to the smallest detail. Wonderful project management system, allows you to cut down on emails, meetings and no more spreadsheets for tracking your projects.
Read full review
Microsoft
Microsoft Project was for many years the reference tool when you were talking about project management software, even if it has some gaps. However, in the last several years, other tools emerged and covered those gaps and are getting more and more users. Microsoft needs to keep up with the trends as they did with adding Project Server. However, that needs a significant rework.
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Reliability and Availability
Adobe
Maintenance is required, but usually after work hours, Some days the proofing tool function is not operational, but this is a new function of the tool that WF is working out. the kinks on. Chrome is the best browser to use the system in and we find Firefox and Explorer lose some view functionality - Gantt Chart, Resource Grid
Read full review
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Performance
Adobe
Workfront's performance has been very good. Everything always feels very fast and snappy in my experience. We have integrated it with custom scripts to create folder structure for media managing our projects. It works very well.
Read full review
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Adobe
It would be nice if the support forms were more dynamic so you could add more information to the support ticket when you enter it to reduce back and forth with the support team member. Also communication on escalated tickets isn't always great. It's gotten better over the years but still needs improvement. Other than that, initial response on support tickets is really quick and the people I've dealt with have always been very professional.
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Microsoft
Microsoft in recent years has transformed itself and gives a positive feeling when one interacts with the company. The company is focusing on its customers and willing to go extra mile to make customers happy.The company continues to invest in its products and bringing new features from time to time. Overall it is a positive feeling to be associated with such an iconic company.
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In-Person Training
Adobe
It was from my boss, not a rep from AtTask.
Read full review
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Online Training
Adobe
The training is very easy to use and you can simply choose the topics included in the course(s) that are most important to your training needs. After each training course, you are tested on what you have learned. If you need a refresher course, they provide Course Catalogs as well as instructor-led courses & workshops.
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Adobe
Most people learn as you go, a lot of this stuff requires trial and error throughout so my suggestion is to provide as much information in the upfront and keep it as simple as possible. You can add other tools and features as you go but everyone should have the basics down so no bad habits can start to develop. Be persistent with everyone, and don't be afraid to correct and talk through steps again so everyone is on the same page
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Microsoft
I wasn't part of it so I don't know
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Adobe
Jira is mostly used as a bug locking tool or to track any new development for any specific region/EPIC. But Workfront has a lot of other features which are beneficial in project management. I still consider Jira and Workfront my top two options for project management and believe both have some of the other useful features which are required to manage any team.
Read full review
Microsoft
While many of the above tools are extremely well-versed, Microsoft Project's largest advantage comes from it being related to the largest business productivity company in the world. Project does have its sharing limitations - but regardless, offers one of the most robust tools in the market today. Microsoft Project is built with large-scale projects in mind but is more than up to the task for smaller projects as well. However, there are options available (especially cloud-based options) that may be more fitting for higher-level projects that do not require going into the weeds.
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Adobe
As I stated earlier, I didn't have to pay for Workfront myself- I'm a user under a large organization. I know it's not cheap to implement, I don't know how the price scales for a small-business, but I do like the product enough that I'm going to look into it in the future for my own company.
Read full review
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Scalability
Adobe
Our organization has thousands of users that use Workfront and it seems to hold up very well. I have not encountered any issues using it and I think it makes it very easy for multiple people to be involved in a project and keep things organized and clear for everyone involved.
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Adobe
  • Workfront allowed our company to have multiple offices and work remote and still have projects continually move through the agency
  • The platform allowed streamlined project management needs so PMs could look at a higher level of timing for resourcing needs for a given team
  • Workfront's ease of integration with other tech allowed for a lot of flexibility to meet the needs of individual wants/needs so that each person could do their best work
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Project saved me, as the project manager, countless hours of digging through tickets and schedules to plan everything out. It also saved me time in adjusting the project triangle as needed, since it does so much automatically.
  • It is costly, and since it requires extensive training to master, it's not just the high licensing cost that you need to take into account.
  • The reporting features - even just printing out Gantt charts - makes it far easier to communicate with stakeholders. That means less time for PMs doing all of this manually, and it means less follow-up questions and delays moving forward.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Adobe Workfront Screenshots

Screenshot of Agile StoryboardScreenshot of Assignment RecommendationsScreenshot of Custom DashboardsScreenshot of Gantt PortfolioScreenshot of My Work QueueScreenshot of PM Portfolio Milestones