Schedule and Budget Resources
For such a vast topic, there are suprisingly few books or websites focused solely on scheduling and budgeting. All of the basic project management books we recommend in the Basic Project Management Resources Section do have a chapter on this topic. We'll also be adding more references to this page over the next few months.
Earned Value Analysis Resources
Earned Value Analysis is a powerful, if somewhat complex tool for tracking project
time and costs against your original estimates." This site has tons of links
to information on this topic.
Earned Value Website
This site has some easy to understand white papers on earned value analysis, scheduling and other project management FAQS. The site owner, Noel Harroff, has done a nice job of translating PMI guidelines into English.
FunctionFox Timesheet Program
FunctionFox is an asp (web) based time tracking program. We have not used this tool for real projects, but have gone through the demo and found the design easy to use and intuitive. The feature set was also quite robust. Monthly fees are quite reasonable.
Microsoft Project Website
Lots and lots of information on Project 2002, Microsoft's new entry into the software scheduling tools battleground. Project 2002 is actually two products, 2002 Standard, for small companies or large companies with a limited budget. And Project 2002 Professionals, for large companies with lots of money. Windows only (of course). Microsoft doesn't offer a Mac version of
Project anymore. Professional is a robust scheduling, time entry and project tracking tool with hooks into standard accounting systems and other enterprise tools.
AEC FastTrack 8.0 Scheduling Tool
FastTrack 8.0 is the only cross platform (Windows/Mac) scheduling tool left. It's pretty cheap and sufficient to meet the needs of most small service businesses, though it's no more intuitive, in fact perhaps less so, than Microsoft Project. See our review of FastTrack Here --->.
Pricing
Here are some links to sites and articles on pricing services. Of course, our rate seminar is the best way to learn how to price your products, but these sites are also useful.
Art & Graphic Design Resource Site
This art and design portal site has a number of links to articles on pricing services and setting rates.
Don't' Cheat Yourself: Charge by the Project
A short but useful article on the benefits of fixed fee bidding over hourly rates. Useful in this market, where fixed fees are the norm.
How to Set Rates FAQ
This FAQ by the HTML Writers Guild is the best HowTo on setting hourly rates I've found online. Not as comprehensive as our rate seminar, but not bad.
How to Set Rates (another article)
A useful look at how different service providers set rates including ad agencies and attorneys. A useful complement to our Rate Seminar and the Writers Guild FAQ.
Making Money and Getting Paid
A useful article on things you can do financially and legally to make sure you get paid for your services.
Pricing Consulting Services, An MBA's View
An overview of approaches to pricing and scheduling consulting services. Fairly high level, but worth a read.
Your Turn. Hourly or Fixed Bid
A short article on when to bid work on an hourly basis and when to go with a fixed fee approach.