General
Release Notes
Read about all details regarding new features, changes and fixed issues for each product's versions in the release notes.
Here is a list of the most important, new features in each Merlin Project version:
Merlin Project 9
- The intelligent assistant automatically generates the activity structure, dependencies, and milestones, estimates efforts and risks, and assigns necessary resources. This powerful new feature is driven by ChatGPT.
- With the dynamic baseline, you can accurately compare the current state of your project with any previous state. You simply enter a date from the past in the “Reference Date” field in the project settings. This resets all planned fields to the values that were expected in the previous state. Merlin Project is able to determine these values dynamically, without you having to remember to create a baseline in the past.
- The start dialog includes a new icon that lets you easily access additional project templates on the ProjectWizards website.
- The user interface has a fresh look. Familiar symbols and icons appear with the same high quality but in a new design.
- The old, insecure FTP protocol for automatically publishing project content has been replaced with SFTP. If you previously used FTP, please create a new SFTP account in the settings of Merlin Project and use it for your publications.
- Merlin Project is now running natively on Apple Vision Pro headsets.
- Merlin Project on iPad now supports opening multiple windows for a single project document in Stage Manager.
- We have modernized main toolbar, context menus and added icons for the iPad and iPhone version.
- The minimum operating systems have been set to macOS 13 (Ventura) and iOS 16.
Merlin Project 8
- The dynamic help explains views, columns, fields and controls in 6 languages. Activate it via the new question mark icon in the main toolbar and then point to an object you want to learn more about.
- The inspector is now displayed in a larger font.
- The style of the timeline can now be changed. A different line thickness, a new style or even a different color is now easily possible.
- Creating a new column has got a new workflow.
- The phone icon in the resource inspector can now start calls for all devices connected to the computer. On the iPad, this works with an installed GSM card, of course.
- The file attachments inspector has been completely redesigned.
- There are two new commands in the API for AppleScript to get automated (e.g. via Hook) the URLs of documents and their contents.
- If you use projects with subprojects or resource pools on different devices, you must explicitly allow the first access to the associated files. With the current version, you can also select a parent folder to share its entire contents. You can manage the shares in the "Access to folders" tab of the general settings.
- Display the iPad's screen content on an external screen via AirPlay.
- In the Report View options, you can now set page size, orientation, and margins.
- Histograms for budget/cost balance fields are now using the "Time Phase Normal" and "Time Phase Critical" style conditions. By default, histogram bars now appear in red or green, depending on whether the budget was exceeded in the corresponding time phase.
- The Merlin Project discussion forum has been linked in the help menu.
- New calculated fields expected work variance, expected duration variance, expected start variance, expected end variance and expected cost variance are available as columns for the structure view, the assignment view and the resource view.
- The utilization view offers more flexibility, as selected fields of the associated operations can also be displayed in rows for assignments in the assignment view, all user-defined operation fields are available as columns and the corresponding fields of the assigned resources can be displayed in the structure view.
- The column for assigned resources now contains additional options for content and formatting.
- The minimum operating systems have been set to macOS 11 and iOS 15.
- The view settings inspector closes automatically when a new table row is selected.
- If you enter real work values without a time unit in the inspector, the unit is automatically taken from other fields already filled in.
When setting up the first user, Merlin Project now automatically asks you whether guests should have full access, read-only access or no access at all. - If tasks are still assigned when deleting resources, a warning dialog is now displayed.
- Timescale series in Gantt charts can now also be selected via the "Display > Timescale > Series" menu.
- On iOS, objects can now also be moved by dragging when the help function is activated.
- When adding new columns, you can now select multiple list entries at the same time.
- The column inspector now supports multiple selection and allows to add, remove or change multiple columns at once.
- The timescale in the Gantt chart can now display year, quarter and week numbers based on fiscal years. In which month your financial year begins can be defined in the project settings. If you then select a row in the Gantt timescale, you can activate the display of fiscal years in the inspector. Financial years are only available in formats that do not contain days or months.
Since version 8.1. all functions of the Mac version are also available on the iPad.
Merlin Project 7
- In macOS 11 Big Sur, the main toolbar appears in a new design.
- Activities, assignments, resources and attachments can be commented by users. Comments and annotations are displayed in the last tab of the Inspector in the form of a conversation thread.
- In the edit menu there is a new item "Insert content ...". The user decides via a dialog which contents are to be inserted.
- Automatic publications with exports can be time-controlled.
- Merlin Project runs natively on Macs with Apple M1 chip.
- You can replace resources in a project with resources from a pool using drag and drop.
Merlin Project 6
- Merlin Project supports the dark appearance Darkmode in all views (macOS 10.14).
- The accent colors of macOS 10.15 Catalina are supported.
- With the clear Start dialog users can create projects from templates and access the latest documents, help and manuals.
- The menu for switching the view type contains the available configurations as submenus.
- When copying to the clipboard, an XML representation of the selected objects is also created. Exported files can now be shared directly from the export dialog via email, messages, AirDrop, etc.
- HTML export: Web resources such as images, CSS files and JavaScripts can be embedded in the generated HTML files. Multiple views can be exported into a single file. The exported files can be captioned.
- The Inspector now also displays the subtitles of assignments and images can be inserted in the notes field.
- When entering duration and work values, the last duration unit used is saved as the default for the next blank line.
Merlin Project 5
- The software is now available by subscription. For multi-user licenses, a central license management is activated via which licenses can be assigned, withdrawn, added and also canceled.
- The appearance of the application has been revised and modernized.
- A new Kanban view is now available.
- In the resource dialog of the main toolbar, in addition to dragging resources with the mouse, you can also assign them to the currently selected activities by clicking the checkboxes.
- All resources can now be managed via a resource pool. It allows centralized use and reconciliation of the same resources across multiple projects.
- Groupings allow to group the contents in the project according to different specifications.
- The new style editor offers more possibilities to customize the project plan. The appearance of views and also the contents of Gantt labels are controlled in three basic ways (general, by rules and for selection).
- The "Status" task field supports the format settings: "Automatic", "Symbol and text", "Text", "Symbol", "Fill color".
- The "% Done" task field is now just called "Done" and also supports checkboxes as format.
- Redesign of the synchronization panel to better support document sharing via Merlin Server, iCloud Drive, Dropbox and SMB.
Merlin Project 4
- Introduced patented synchronization between the Mac and iOS versions with Magic Sync.
- Split into private and public workspace for business games.
- Improved export module
Merlin Project 4 is no longer sold or developed. Download Merlin Project 4
Merlin Project 3
- New interface with a clear, well thought-out design and fresh layout.
- Enhancement of Views - among others mind map
- Revised report module.
- Enhancements in search & filter and Earned Value Analysis
Merlin Project 3 is no longer sold or developed. Download Merlin Project 3
