Contents at a Glance COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

Transcription

1 Contents at a Glance Introduction...1 Book I: Project Management...7 Chapter 1: A Project Management Overview...9 Chapter 2: The Ins and Outs of Using Project...21 Chapter 3: Just What Tasks Should You Include?...35 Chapter 4: Exploring the Project Environment...45 Chapter 5: What s New in Project Book II: Project Basics...73 Chapter 1: Building a Project Plan...75 Chapter 2: Creating That First Task...85 Chapter 3: Exploring Task Views...97 Chapter 4: Working with Calendars Chapter 5: Getting Help Book III: Getting Your Plan in Order Chapter 1: Organizing the Structure of a Project Plan Chapter 2: Assigning Outline Codes to Tasks Chapter 3: Using WBS Coding Chapter 4: Linking and Consolidating Projects Book IV: Establishing Task Timing Chapter 1: Looking at Timing Chapter 2: Defining What Drives Task Timing Chapter 3: Adding Dependencies Chapter 4: Working with Constraints and Deadlines Book V: Working with Resources and Costs Chapter 1: Creating Resources Chapter 2: Understanding Costs Chapter 3: Assigning Resources to Tasks Chapter 4: Tallying Costs Book VI: Communicating Project Information Chapter 1: Working with Views Chapter 2: Working with Tables COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

2 Chapter 3: Preparing Traditional Reports Chapter 4: Creating Visual Reports Book VII: Resolving Problems in Your Plan Chapter 1: Working with Filters Chapter 2: Solving Resource Conflicts Chapter 3: Reviewing Timing and Costs Chapter 4: Putting Final Changes into Place Book VIII: Tracking Chapter 1: Working with Baselines and Interim Plans Chapter 2: Entering Actuals Chapter 3: Reviewing Your Budget Book IX: Advanced Project Topics Chapter 1: Working Your Own Way Chapter 2: Changing the Look of a Project Chapter 3: Using Macros Chapter 4: Importing Information into Project Chapter 5: Exporting Project Information Book X: The Basics of Project Server Chapter 1: Understanding Project Server Chapter 2: The Project Server Administrator Chapter 3: Project Server and the Project Manager Chapter 4: Project Server and the Team Member Glossary Index...709

3 Table of Contents Introduction...1 About This Book...1 How This Book Is Organized...2 Book I: Project Management...2 Book II: Project Basics...2 Book III: Getting Your Plan in Order...2 Book IV: Establishing Task Timing...3 Book V: Working with Resources and Costs...3 Book VI: Communicating Project Information...3 Book VII: Resolving Problems in Your Plan...3 Book VIII: Tracking...4 Book IX: Advanced Project Topics...4 Book X: The Basics of Project Server...4 Glossary...4 Conventions Used in This Book...4 Foolish Assumptions...5 Icons Used in This Book...5 Where to Go from Here...6 Book I: Project Management...7 Chapter 1: A Project Management Overview The Life of a Project...9 So, just what is a project?...9 Taking a closer look at the project life cycle...10 Everybody Plays a Role...13 Stakeholders of all types...14 Getting a Few Project Management Concepts under Your Belt...14 The dreaded triple constraint...15 Keeping on track: Critical path and slack...15 Using tried-and-true methodologies...16 Resource Management Basics...18 How Project sees resources...18 What it takes to manage people...19 Chapter 2: The Ins and Outs of Using Project The Basics of Computerized Project Management...21 Making the leap to Project...22 Connecting with your team online...23

4 xii Microsoft Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies What You Have to Put Into Project...24 Tasks and their timing...24 Lining up resources...29 Keeping a Project on Track...32 Keeping Others in the Loop...33 Chapter 3: Just What Tasks Should You Include? First Things First: Define the Business Need...35 Target Practice: Project Goal Setting...36 Getting your goal straight...37 Writing a goal statement...37 Taking a Look at Your Project s Scope...38 A scope is not a goal...38 Writing a scope statement...38 Breaking Your Project into Phases...39 Thinking things through...39 It s just a phase...40 Choosing how granular to make your tasks...41 Chapter 4: Exploring the Project Environment Exploring Menus and Toolbars in Project...45 Menu basics...46 Displaying and using toolbars...47 Navigating Project...48 Getting to a view...48 Scrolling to get a better view...49 Jumping to a particular point in time...51 Finding Another View...52 A popular view: Gantt Chart...52 Following the (work)flow: Network Diagram view...53 Controlling time with Calendar view...54 Changing Views...55 Modifying view panes...56 Changing tables...60 Displaying task panes...61 Displaying and Hiding Project Guide...61 Chapter 5: What s New in Project Exploring the Many Versions of Project...63 Getting out of Hot Water with Multiple Undo...64 Spotting Changes with Change Highlighting...66 Knowing What s Driving Your Tasks...67 Making Reports More Visual...68 A New Resource: Cost...70 Working with Budgets...71

5 Table of Contents xiii Book II: Project Basics...73 Chapter 1: Building a Project Plan Creating That First Project...75 Starting from scratch...75 Getting a head start with templates...76 Making Global Project Settings...79 Entering settings...79 Using start and finish dates...81 Save That Project!...83 Saving a project...83 Saving in other formats...84 Chapter 2: Creating That First Task Tackling Task Basics...85 Identifying what makes up a task...86 What task settings control...87 The Many Different Ways to Create a Task...88 Creating a task in Gantt Chart view...88 Going the Task Information dialog box route...89 Importing tasks from Outlook...91 Getting your tasks from Excel...92 Creating a task that represents another project...94 Chapter 3: Exploring Task Views A View for Every Need...97 Finding Just the Right View for You...99 Discovering Various Task Views What Resource Views Tell You The Best Views for Tracking Progress on Your Project Displaying Combination Views Chapter 4: Working with Calendars The Big 4: Base, Project, Resource, and Task Calendars How calendars work How does one calendar relate to another? Understanding Calendar Options and Working Times Setting calendar options Making exceptions Getting the Project Calendar Set Up Letting Project Guide Make Calendar Settings For You Making Changes to Task Calendars Setting Up Resource Calendars Calendars for different types of resources Making changes to Resource calendars...123

6 xiv Microsoft Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Creating Your Own Custom Calendar Template Sharing Calendars with Other Projects Chapter 5: Getting Help Entering the Universe of Project Help Exploring Microsoft Office Project Help Browsing topics Using the Table of Contents Searching for Help Going Online to Find the Answer Running Diagnostics Putting Project Guide to Work Where Project Guide can lead you Getting to work with Project Guide Book III: Getting Your Plan in Order Chapter 1: Organizing the Structure of a Project Plan A To-Do List... or a Project Schedule? Building an outline I ve got a little list A typical project outline Summary tasks are special The most special task of them all the project summary task Creating Structure in the Schedule Selecting tasks Promoting and demoting tasks Expanding and collapsing the outline So, What Happens When You Reorganize the Outline? Adding tasks Deleting tasks Doing it over and over again Moving tasks Copying tasks Chapter 2: Assigning Outline Codes to Tasks Understanding Outline Numbers Letting Project Assign Outline Numbers Understanding Outline Codes Designing Your Own Outline Numbers Selecting an outline code to define Defining the code mask...168

7 Table of Contents xv Defining values for the lookup table Entering outline codes Outline Numbers and Codes and Renumbering Chapter 3: Using WBS Coding What s a WBS Code? Creating WBS Codes Creating a WBS Chart Customizing WBS Codes WBS Codes and Renumbering Chapter 4: Linking and Consolidating Projects Connecting Projects with Hyperlinks Creating a hyperlink What happened? My hyperlinks don t work Editing hyperlinks Moving or copying hyperlinks Consolidating Projects What is consolidation? Do I need to use consolidation? Creating subprojects Creating a consolidated project Inserted projects and the outline Moving subprojects within a consolidated project Dependencies in Consolidated Projects Creating dependencies across projects Changing cross-project dependencies Saving a consolidated project The Critical Path in a Consolidated Project Sharing Resources Using a Resource Pool Creating a resource pool Sharing resources Opening a project Updating the resource pool Viewing resource assignments when you share resources Stop sharing resources Book IV: Establishing Task Timing Chapter 1: Looking at Timing Understanding What Drives Timing Timing factors Your first look at your project s timing...231

8 xvi Microsoft Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Scheduling Backwards or Forwards How scheduling works A word of warning about backward scheduling Surviving Schedule Shock Chapter 2: Defining What Drives Task Timing Finding Just the Right Task Type The big three: Task types Specifying task type Task types in practice Setting Task Duration Determining the right duration Entering duration Working with tasks with no duration: Milestones They keep showing up: Recurring tasks Starting and Pausing Tasks Entering the task start date Taking a break: Splitting tasks Understanding Effort-Driven Tasks How effort-driven tasks work When effort rules timing Chapter 3: Adding Dependencies Why Dependencies Are Needed Understanding Dependencies Identifying the players in a dependency relationship When to set a dependency and when to leave well enough alone All types of dependencies More complex dependencies: Lag and lead time Setting Dependencies Setting up dependency links Connecting to other projects with external dependencies Things change: Deleting dependencies Visualizing Task Dependencies Chapter 4: Working with Constraints and Deadlines Beginning with the Start and Finish Dates Understanding How Constraints Work Default constraints Constraint types Flexible versus inflexible constraints Constraints and dependencies Establishing Constraints Setting a Deadline...272

9 Table of Contents xvii Book V: Working with Resources and Costs Chapter 1: Creating Resources What Exactly Is a Resource? All Kinds of Resources Understanding resources Resource types: Work, Material, and Cost Estimating your resource requirements Committed versus proposed resources Creating Resources Creating one resource at a time Identifying resources you don t know Resources that work in groups Chapter 2: Understanding Costs Accruing Costs All Over the Place Tallying costs The sound of costs hitting the bottom line Assigning Costs to Resources Fixed costs you can count on Paying per hour Setting alternative rates The cost-per-use scenario Oops... you re into overtime! Chapter 3: Assigning Resources to Tasks Locating the Right Resource for the Job Finding resources Creating custom fields Acquiring the right resources Keeping resource workload balanced Your Assignment Is How resources affect task timing Determining Work, Material, and Cost resource assignment units Making assignments Contours set the level of work Making Sure of Availability Setting availability When resources appear and disappear Sharing Resources When Do My Resources Work? ing an Assignment to Your Team...317

10 xviii Microsoft Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Chapter 4: Tallying Costs How Your Settings Affect Your Budget How Project Calculates Costs Letting Project calculate or doing it yourself? Earned-value options Examining Cost Data Viewing cost information Customizing cost fields The Value of a Project Summary Task Book VI: Communicating Project Information Chapter 1: Working with Views What s a View? Selecting the Startup View Making a View Handy to Display Sorting Tasks in a View Filtering a View Applying a filter to a view Creating custom filters Using AutoFilters Grouping Information Using a predefined group Grouping and usage views Do-it-yourself groups Using Combination Views Customizing a View Creating a New Combination View Printing Your Project Chapter 2: Working with Tables Understanding Tables Understanding Indicators Making Changes to a Table Inserting and hiding table fields Changing column width Changing row height Customizing Tables Working with the Details of Usage Views Adding new fields to the Details section Hiding fields in the Details section...386

11 Table of Contents xix Chapter 3: Preparing Traditional Reports Preparing and Printing Reports Preparing Big Picture Reports Reporting on Task Status Reporting on Costs Reporting on Assignments Preparing Workload Reports Viewing Custom Reports Adapting Reports to Suit Your Needs Chapter 4: Creating Visual Reports Preparing a Visual Report Working with an Excel visual report Working with a Visio visual report Visually Reporting on Task Usage Visually Reporting on Resource Usage Visually Reporting on Assignment Usage Preparing Visual Task Summary Reports Preparing Visual Resource Summary Reports Preparing Visual Assignment Summary Reports Customizing Visual Reports Book VII: Resolving Problems in Your Plan Chapter 1: Working with Filters Filtering to Spot Resource and Schedule Problems How filters work Applying filters Letting AutoFilters do the work Creating your own filters Filtering in Action Discovering some very useful filters Identifying the critical path Working with Groups Applying predefined groups Coming up with your own groups Chapter 2: Solving Resource Conflicts Keeping Resources in Line Checking resource availability Picking a method to resolve the conflict Finding someone to help Using task drivers to resolve problems...442

12 xx Microsoft Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Change Highlighting Undoing again and again Leveling to fix resource problems Combining Solutions Chapter 3: Reviewing Timing and Costs Timing is Everything Doing It All in Less Time Check your dependencies Rethinking your resource needs Modifying task constraints Delete the tasks you don t need Getting It for Less Making Your Project Timing Realistic Reviewing the critical path How many critical paths are enough? Giving yourself some slack Chapter 4: Putting Final Changes into Place Getting to a Final Project Plan Redefining the scope of your project Product scope versus project scope Selling Changes to Shareholders Using Project s tools to close the sale Creating a compression table Book VIII: Tracking Chapter 1: Working with Baselines and Interim Plans Understanding Baselines and Interim Plans Setting a Baseline Saving an Interim Plan Changing a Baseline or Interim Plan Clearing Baselines and Interim Plans Viewing the Critical Path Chapter 2: Entering Actuals What s Involved in Tracking? Collecting Tracking Information Setting Up to Track Checking calculation options Setting the status date Selecting a tracking view...493

13 Table of Contents xxi Ways to Record Actuals Estimating the Percent Complete Using start or finish dates Recording actual and remaining durations Recording Actual Work Speeding up recording actuals Tracking materials usage Viewing Progress Using progress lines Using Tracking Gantt view Using tables to review progress Chapter 3: Reviewing Your Budget The Basics of Earned Value Fields Examining Cost Variance Physical % Complete Versus % Complete Calculating BCWP using Physical % Complete Using Physical % Complete selectively Entering Physical % Complete values Book IX: Advanced Project Topics Chapter 1: Working Your Own Way Controlling the Project Guide s Behavior How Many Times Can You Undo? Switching Between Open Projects Customizing the Way You Open Customizing the Way You Save Customizing the Toolbars One line or two? Creating your own toolbar Modifying a toolbar Messing with button images Customizing the Menus Personalizing menu behavior Creating your own menu Naming a new menu you created Adding commands to a menu Deleting commands and menus Using the Organizer to Share Project Elements Chapter 2: Changing the Look of a Project Changing Fonts Changing fonts for selected tasks Changing fonts for a task category...557

14 xxii Microsoft Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Applying Special Formatting to Gantt Chart View Using the Gantt Chart Wizard Changing individual taskbars Changing taskbar styles for categories of tasks Changing the Gantt chart layout Changing Gantt chart gridlines Working with the Network Diagram Controlling the layout of Network Diagram view Controlling the appearance of Network Diagram boxes Controlling the content in Network Diagram boxes Modifying Calendar View Changing the time period displayed in Calendar view Changing Calendar view layout Formatting Calendar view entries Chapter 3: Using Macros Understanding Macros Creating a Macro Knowing your macro s steps Recording the macro Using a Macro Running a macro from the Macros dialog box Using a keyboard shortcut to run a macro Using a menu command to run a macro Using a toolbar button to run a macro Chapter 4: Importing Information into Project Using Graphic Objects in Project Getting Tasks from Outlook Importing Excel and Access Information into Project Changing Project s security settings Using an import map Creating a Task List in Excel using a Project-related template Importing the Excel Task List into Project Importing Project Exchange Files into Project Importing Text or Comma-Separated Files into Project Chapter 5: Exporting Project Information Copying Pictures into Office Programs Saving Visual Reporting Information Exporting Project Data to Excel Exporting Project Data to Text Files...630

15 Table of Contents xxiii Book X: The Basics of Project Server Chapter 1: Understanding Project Server What is Project Server? Do You Need Project Server? Planning the Implementation of Project Server Defining requirements Designing the system Developing an implementation strategy Reviewing software needs Reviewing hardware needs Considering software and hardware configurations Chapter 2: The Project Server Administrator Understanding the Structure of the Project Server Database Reviewing Defaults Working with Users Working with Views Working with the Enterprise Global Template Creating Enterprise Custom Fields Establishing Enterprise Calendars Working with Enterprise Resources Loading Projects into the Project Server Database Managing Timesheet and Task Settings Customizing Project Web Access Checking in Enterprise Projects and Resources Managing Information in the Project Server Database Backing Up and Restoring Managing the Queue Chapter 3: Project Server and the Project Manager Logging onto Project Server Working with Web-based Projects Opening and closing a project Managing the local cache Adding Enterprise resources to a project Replacing generic resources with real resources Using the Resource Substitution Wizard Assigning resources using Project Web Access Creating Status Report Layouts Receiving Task Updates from Team Members Chapter 4: Project Server and the Team Member Understanding the Project Web Access Home Page Customizing the Home Page...685

16 xxiv Microsoft Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies Working with Your Tasks Recording time Adding a task Working with Your Timesheet Integrating the Outlook Calendar with Project Web Access Enabling integration Sending Project Web Access assignments to Outlook Sending Outlook information to Project Web Access Reporting Status Glossary Index...709