Project. Quick Reference Tutorial. Microsoft®. Key Terms. The Project Interface.
Project. In a business sense, a project is an undertaking that will accomplish a ...
Microsoft®
Project
2007
Quick Reference Tutorial Key Terms
The Project Interface
Project
In a business sense, a project is an undertaking that will accomplish a specific task, such as the launch of a new product, an office party, or writing a report.
Project Management
The art of aligning resources and schedules to accomplish all of the tasks required for a project.
Resource
A person or thing that will be used to accomplish a task. For example, wood and carpenters would both be resources needed to build a house.
Task
Something that must be achieved for your project to be successful. For example, wood must be used to build a house.
Constraint
Constraints restrict the start and finish date of tasks.
Duration
How long the task will take to complete.
Work
Labor needed to complete the task.
Units
If a resource is needed to complete the task, how much will be required.
Effort-driven
These types of tasks will be completed by people.
Material driven
These types of tasks will be completed by resources.
Keyboard Shortcuts Open a new project
Ctrl + N
Save a file
Ctrl + S
Open a file
Ctrl + O
Print a project
Ctrl + P
Close Project
Alt + F4
Select All
Ctrl + A
Copy text
Ctrl + C
Cut text
Ctrl + X
Paste text
Ctrl + V
Undo last action
Ctrl + Z
Redo last action
Ctrl + Z
Find text
Ctrl + F
Replace text
Ctrl + H
New Task
Insert Key
Open Task Information
Shift + F2
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Title Bar (1)
This tells you what program you’re working in (Microsoft Project) and what project (Project1). By default, Microsoft Project 2007 names unsaved projects Project1, Project2, and so on.
Menu Bar (2)
Click any of these commands to see a list of possible options, then, click any of the options to perform that action.
Type a Question (3)
If you have a question, type it here!
Document Controls (4)
Toolbars (5, 6)
These buttons let you minimize ( ), maximize/restore ( or close () a certain project or the Project application.
),
Toolbars have icons, which are small buttons with pictures that represent actions. When you click the button, that action will happen. For example, you could click the standard toolbar and your project would save.
icon on the
Task Panes (7)
Task panes can display lots of different information, functional options, wizards, or links to other task panes or resources. You can navigate through task panes almost like pages in a browser.
Project Window (8)
This is where you will enter your project’s task information. In this image, you can see the task entry panel on the right and the Gantt chart (with dates listed at the top like a timeline) on the left.
Status Bar (9)
This bar can provide information on the current status of your application.
Scroll Bars (10, 11, 12)
Use these bars to view different parts of your window. You can use the arrows to move the view to the left or right, or drag the scroll bar to where you want it.
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Entering a New Task By default, Project will open to the task entry screen. Just type your task name and durations in the list.
Calendar Types Duration abbreviations: m h d w mo y
Minute Hour Day Week Month Year
Fields Captured for a Baseline Tasks
There are three types of calendars in Microsoft Project: Project calendar
This is the main calendar that controls when tasks are worked on and when resources work on tasks.
Resource calendar
Each resource can have its own calendar to reflect its hours of availability.
Task calendar
Sometimes a task will need to have its own calendar to reflect its duration; for example, if a machine will run 24 hours a day.
Duration Start
There are also three base calendars, which are like calendar templates.
Finish Work
Standard
Working time is set Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, with an hour (noon to 1 pm) set aside for lunch.
Night Shift
Working time is set Monday through Friday, 11 pm to 8 am, with an hour (3 am to 4 am) set aside for lunch.
24 hours
Working time is every day and hour of the week; useful for resources (such as machines) that run constantly.
Cost Assignments Start Finish Work Cost Resources
Work Cost
Constraint Types
Task Types
Name
Description
Type
As Soon As Possible (ASAP)
All tasks start as soon as possible if you asked Project to schedule from the start date.
Flexible
As Late As Possible (ALAP)
All tasks start as late as possible if you asked Project to schedule from the end date.
Flexible
Start No Earlier Than (SNET)
Specify the earliest possible date that this task can start.
Flexible
Finish No Earlier Specify the earliest possible date that Than (FNET) this task can finish.
Flexible
Start No Later Than (SNLT)
Specify the latest possible date that this task can start.
Flexible
Finish No Later Than (FNLT)
Specify the latest possible date that this task can finish.
Flexible
Must Start On (MSO)
Specify the date that this task must start on.
Inflexible
Must Finish On (MFO)
Specify the date that this task must finish Inflexible on.
Planning Your Project
First, create a general outline of the project. You’ll want to think about what the end result of the project will be. You’ll also want to think about the general timeline, budget, and resources that you will have available. Next, create a task list. In this list you may want to specify how long each task is going to take, which tasks are going to be dependent on others, and which ones need to be broken down into sub-projects. Next, make a list of resources. Last but not least, think about your costs. You may even want to prepare a formal budget.
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Task Type
Explanation
Fixed duration
Duration for Units these tasks will not change.
Fixed units (default task type)
Fixed Work
This task’s units will remain constant.
This task’s work will remain constant.
If you change…
Project recalculates…
Effort or material driven
Work
Either
Duration
Work
Work
Units
Units
Duration
Duration
Work
Work
Duration
Units
Duration
Duration
Units
Work
Duration
Either
Effort driven
Printing Your Project File – Print Ctrl + P Print icon (
) on the standard toolbar
Print Preview screen Page Setup dialogue Project Guide Velsoft Quick Reference tutorial.
Microsoft®
Project
2007
Quick Reference Tutorial Viewing the WBS Code
Using the Project Guide to Track Progress
1.
Switch to any table view.
1.
Click the Track arrow.
2.
Right-click a column header.
2.
Click “Check the progress of the project.”
3.
Click Insert Column.
4.
Choose WBS for the field name.
5.
Click OK.
3.
Specify a status date.
4.
Use filters and groups to gather data.
Creating a Custom Filter 1.
Click the Project menu.
2.
Click Filtered For. Click More Filters.
3.
Choose Task or Resource.
4.
Click New.
5.
Enter your criteria.
6.
Click OK.
Status Indicators Task is complete. Task is not complete, but all scheduled work has been completed by the status date. All scheduled work has not been completed by the status date.
Creating a Custom Toolbar Blank 1.
Right-click in a blank space beside the menu.
2.
Click Customize.
3.
Click the Toolbars tab.
4.
Click New.
5.
Enter a name for the toolbar.
6.
Use the Commands tab of the Customize dialogue to add buttons to your toolbar.
© 2005 Velsoft Courseware Inc. All rights reserved.
Task isn’t scheduled to start until after the status date.
Task Type Overview Task Type
Explanation
Must be Effort Driven?
Fixed Duration
Duration for these tasks will not change.
No
Fixed Units (Default Type)
This task’s units will remain constant.
No
Fixed Work
This task’s work will remain constant.
Yes
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Creating and Using Cost Resources
New addition to Project 2007. Like a fixed cost, a cost resource has no relationship to the work required for a task or the amount of work resources applied to the task. Unlike a fixed cost, multiple cost resources can be assigned to a task.
To create a cost resource: 1. Switch to Resource Sheet view. 2. Type the name for the resource. 3. Choose Cost for the resource type. To use a cost resource: 1. Switch to Gantt Chart view. 2. Select a task. 3. Click the Tools menu and click Assign Resources. 4. Choose your cost resource. 5. Enter a monetary value.
Progress Line Types
Permanent Progress Line (circled in red)
Choose to always display the current progress line, at the current date or the status date.
Recurring Progress Lines (circled in blue)
Choose a date to have a progress line appear at every day, week, or month.
Selected Progress Lined (circled Set specific dates to have in green) progress lines appear.
Interpreting Progress Lines
Right-facing peaks (in orange)
Task is ahead of schedule.
Left-facing peaks (in blue)
Task is behind schedule.
Straight line (in green)
Task is on schedule.
Tasks untouched by the progress line (in red)
In the future, not affected by the progress line.
Linking a Project to a Resource Pool Unlinking a Project from a Resource Pool 1.
Open the project.
1.
Open the project.
2.
Open the resource pool.
2.
Open the resource pool.
3.
Click the Tools menu. Choose Resource Sharing and click Share Resources.
3.
Click the Tools menu. Choose Resource Sharing and click Share Resources.
4.
Choose “Use resources from...” and select your file.
4.
Choose “Use own resources.”
5.
Set precedence options. Click OK.
5.
Click OK.
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Quick Reference Tutorial Using Multiple Views Click the Window menu and click Split. Now you can choose whatever view you want for each half of the window.
Creating a Visual Report 1.
Click the Reports menu.
2.
Click Visual Reports.
3.
Choose a category.
4.
Click a report.
5.
Click Edit Template.
Using AutoFilter You will find this command on the Standard toolbar. It adds a drop-down menu to the top of each column. You can then click the menu and click an option. Then, only the rows that match this value will be shown.
Task Link Types Finish to Start (FS)
When the predecessor task finishes, the successor task will start.
Finish to Finish (FF)
When the predecessor task finishes, the successor task will finish.
Start to Start (SS)
When the predecessor task starts, the successor task will start.
Start to Finish (SF)
When the predecessor task starts, the successor task will finish.
Scheduling Overtime 1.
Switch to Gantt Chart view.
2.
Click the Window menu.
3.
Click Split.
4.
Right-click the task form.
5.
Click Resource Work.
6.
Select the task.
7.
Enter the overtime work.
.
Using Lag Time and Lead Time Lag time and lead time allow you to delay or overlap linked tasks.
Note that although scheduling overtime will decrease the duration of the task, it will increase the cost as more work is required. © 2005 Velsoft Courseware Inc. All rights reserved.
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Using Templates
Using Change Highlighting
1. Click the File menu and click New. 2. In the New Project task pane, click On Computer. 3. Choose your template.
This is a new feature in Project 2007. When you make a change to a task, other tasks that change as a result will be highlighted in blue. You can enable or disable this feature from the View menu.
To enable the preview option, open the template and check Save template preview in File Properties.
Contour Indicators Flat
This is the default contour. Work is spread out evenly over the task duration.
Task Indicators No indicator
This task has a note attached to it.
Back Loaded
Work peaks at the end of the task duration.
This task has a hyperlink attached to it.
Front Loaded
Work peaks at the beginning of the task duration.
Project has estimated that this task will finish later than its deadline date.
Double Peak
Work peaks twice during the task.
This task has an inflexible constraint.
Early Peak
Work peaks early in the task.
This task has a flexible constraint.
Late Peak
Work peaks late in the task.
This task has not been completed in the constraint time frame.
Bell
Work ramps up, goes to full-time, and then ramps down.
Indicates a recurring task.
Turtle
Work ramps down slightly at the beginning and end of the task.
Indicates a completed task. This task is an inserted project.
The Project Equation Project’s scheduling tools revolve around this equation:
Task Duration = Total Work / Resource Units If you modify a task’s duration, Project will ask you if it is because the total work or the resource units have changed. Likewise, if you assign more or less resources, the task duration and total work will change accordingly. Remember that Project now features Change Highlighting, which makes it easy to see how a particular change affects other tasks. © 2005 Velsoft Courseware Inc. All rights reserved.
Using Task Drivers Task drivers are a new feature in Project 2007. To see what is driving a task, select a task, click the Project menu, and click Task Drivers. You will then see the Task Drivers task pane. This pane will list the factors that are affecting the start date of the selected task, including predecessor tasks and the task calendar. Velsoft Quick Reference Tutorial.
Microsoft®
Project
2007
Quick Reference Tutorial Recording a Macro 1. Plan out your macro. Know what you want to do and practice the commands so you will not make mistakes when you are recording.
Useful Visual Basic Code Snippets Declare a variable
Dim variable name As variable type
Create an alert box
MsgBox “Your text here”
2. Use the Tools – Macro – Record New Macro option or the Record button on the Visual Basic toolbar to display the Record Macro dialogue.
Add an OK button to an alert box
vbOKonly
Basic If Then statement
3. Set up your macro name, absolute or relative references, and other options in the dialogue. Click the OK button to start recording.
If condition evaluates to true Then statement
Comments
„your text here REM your text here
4. Perform the sequence of actions or commands that you want to record as a macro.
Begin the macro code
Sub
End the macro code
End sub
Call another macro
Call MacroName
5. Stop the recording by using the menu options or the Stop button on the Visual Basic toolbar.
Using the PERT Analysis Toolbar
Shows the best possible outcome for your project. Shows the expected outcome for your project. Shows the worst possible outcome for your project. Recalculates the duration based on PERT fields. Enter PERT values for the current task. Enter PERT weights for the current task. Switch to PERT Entry Sheet view.
About Macro Security Low
Can run any macros.
Medium
Prompted to run a macro.
Medium-High Macros must be signed by trusted publisher or in a trusted location to run. High
Only allowed to run macros that are stored in a trusted location. By default, the trusted location for Project 2007 is the Global template file (Global.mpt).
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PERT Scenario Types Optimistic
This scenario will reveal the best possible outcome for your project.
Expected
This scenario will reveal the most probable outcome of your project.
Pessimistic
This is a worst case scenario, which will reveal the worst possible outcome for your project.
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Earned Value Analysis Fields Abbreviation
What it stands for
What it shows
Formula
BCWS
Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled
What should be spent on a task up to the status date.
N/A
BCWP
Budgeted Cost of Work Performed
The cost of work completed on the task, according to the original budget.
N/A
ACWP
Budgeted Cost of Work Performed
The sum of all costs for work performed on a task to date.
N/A
CV
Cost Variance
The difference between how much was budgeted for the task‟s work and how much the task actually cost.
ACWP - BCWP CV
SV
Schedule Variance
The difference between how much was budgeted for the task‟s work and how much the task actually cost.
BCWP -BCWS SV
CPI
Cost Performance Index
Ratio of budgeted cost to actual cost.
BCWP ACWP
EAC
Estimate at Completion Project‟s estimate of how much the task will cost (also known as Forecast at Completion) when it is done.
BAC
Budgeted at Completion
The budgeted amount that the task will cost when it is done.
VAC
Variance at completion
Difference between actual and baseline costs at completion (BAC-EAC).
BAC - EAC VAC
SPI
Schedule Performance Index
Ratio of budgeted schedule to actual schedule. More than one means you‟re ahead of schedule; less than 1 means you‟re behind schedule.
BCWP BCWS
CV%
Cost Variance Percent
The difference between budgeted task cost and actual cost to date.
[(BCWP-ACWP)/BCWP] x 100
SV%
Schedule Variance Percent
Percentage that you are ahead of, or behind, schedule.
[SV/BCWM] x 100
TCPI
To Complete Performance Index
Ratio of work to be completed to money still budgeted.
(BAC-BCWP) (BAC-ACWP)
PPC
Physical Percent Complete
A value you can enter that will override % Complete.
Importing Outlook Tasks
ACWP+(BAC-BCWP) CPI Derived from Baseline Cost field
N/A
Creating a Custom Form
1.
Click the Tools menu.
1.
Click the Forms button on the Custom Forms toolbar..
2.
Click Import Outlook Tasks.
2.
In the Customize Forms dialogue, click New.
3.
Check tasks that you want to import.
3.
Name your form. Click OK.
4.
Click OK.
4.
Click the Edit menu and click Information.
5.
Work with tasks as normal.
5.
Specify the size and position of your form.
6.
Use the Item menu to add controls.
7.
Save your form and exit the Custom Form Editor.
8.
Use your form via the Customize Forms dialogue.
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