MICROSOFT PROJECT 2007 Level 1

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1 Microsoft Project 2007 Level 1 Contents MICROSOFT PROJECT 2007 Level 1 WWP Learning and Development Page 1

2 Microsoft Project 2007 Level 1 Contents CONTENTS PREFACE - PROJECT MANAGEMENT BASICS... 5 Project Management Overview... 6 Project Definition Techniques... 7 Project Planning Techniques... 9 Resource Management LESSON 1 - MICROSOFT PROJECT 2007 OVERVIEW Introduction Starting Microsoft Project Using the Interface Displaying/Hiding Toolbars Using the Project Guide LESSON 2 - STARTING A PROJECT Specifying a Project Start Date Adding a Nonworking Day Changing the Default Working Hours Changing Non Default Times How Long is a Day? Saving a Project Closing a Project Opening an Existing Project Exiting Microsoft Project LESSON 3 - WORKING WITH TASKS Working with Tasks Working with Durations Entering Tasks Editing Tasks Change Highlighting Entering a Milestone Task LESSON 4 - EDITING AND SCHEDULING TASKS Linking Tasks Unlinking Tasks Changing Task Relationships Inserting a Task WWP Learning and Development Page 2

3 Microsoft Project 2007 Level 1 Contents Deleting a Task Moving a Task Applying Lag and Lead Time Applying a Constraint Entering a Start or Finish Date Setting a Deadline Date Task Drivers LESSON 5 - OUTLINING TASKS Outlining Tasks Indenting and Outdenting Tasks Collapsing and Expanding an Outline Linking Summary Tasks Adding Outline Numbering Creating a Project Summary Task Entering a Recurring Task Viewing and Hiding Recurring Tasks Editing Recurring Tasks LESSON 6 - WORKING WITH RESOURCES Using Resources Creating a Work Resource Creating a Material Resource Creating a Cost Resource Assigning a Work Resource to a Task Assigning a Material Resource to a Task Assigning a Cost Resource to a Task Removing a Resource Assignment Effort driven v Non-Effort Driven Tasks Making Existing Tasks Non-Effort Driven Making All Future Tasks Non-Effort Driven LESSON 7 - ADJUSTING RESOURCES Addressing Resource Overallocations Viewing Resource Usage Resolving Conflicts by Increasing Units Levelling a Resource Specifying Leveling Timeframes Changing the Leveling Order WWP Learning and Development Page 3

4 Microsoft Project 2007 Level 1 Contents Entering a Leveling Delay Manually Clearing Leveling Splitting a Task Changing Leveling to Automatic Setting Task Level Priority LESSON 8 WORKING WITH A BASELINE Working with Baselines Using Baseline Tables Saving a Project Baseline Saving a Task Baseline Clearing a Baseline Entering the Percent Complete WWP Learning and Development Page 4

5 PREFACE - PROJECT MANAGEMENT BASICS In this lesson, you will learn: What is a project? How projects are managed To recognize project management tools

6 Project Management Basics PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW What is a project? The term project is very heavily used nowadays but despite continual usage its meaning is often not clearly understood. A project is a unique set of co-ordinated activities with definite starting and finishing points, undertaken by an individual or organisation to meet specific objectives within schedule, cost and performances parameters. (BSI 6079) A project must have a clearly defined start and finish date; if there is no finish date then you are probably managing an ongoing initiative, not a project. Another important point to note is that a project must have an objective. If there is no objective there is no project. However, objectives are only the expression of the underlying business needs, and it is therefore vitally important to set the correct objectives, and to be prepared to change these to suit the changing needs of the business. Commercial factors influence business needs and are helpful in establishing the right direction and defining the goal posts for the project. Unless everyone understands the business needs, and how the project fits into the organisation s overall strategy, it will be difficult to translate the need into clear project plans. In many cases, the manager s attention becomes so closely focused on the product, or on the technology, that changes in the business needs are neglected. This may lead to successful completion of an expensive project that the business no longer wants. What is Project Management? Project management is the discipline of ensuring that the project objectives are achieved within the given deadline, constraints and so on. It includes: Project Planning Project Control Quality Management Team Leadership Project management involves Definition, Planning, Execution, and Closing a project. In order to achieve a successful outcome, it is critical that you complete all four phases. When you define a project, you state the overall objective, describe the desired outcome, and explain the scope of the project. WWP Learning and Development Page 6

7 Project Management Basics Planning a project involves identifying tasks and estimating the amount of time needed to perform each one. In addition, you need to list available resources and the costs associated with each one during the planning of a project. Once you have identified the tasks, resources, and costs, you can create a schedule. You can schedule tasks based on factors such as resource availability, time limitations, and the relationships between tasks. Managing the execution of a project means monitoring the progress of the project by making adjustments when necessary and communicating progress. The initial plan, called the baseline, can be compared to actual events. The project manager can evaluate the project for potential problems and prepare to offset any negative consequences. The project manager must continually ask questions such as: What delays have occurred? What can be done to minimize their effect on the project s goals? Are the resources completing the tasks in the allotted time? Are the costs within the budget? All projects change as they evolve over time. Analysing your data prepares you to make informed decisions when changing the plan becomes necessary. Communicating the progress of the plan is important to management and to the project team assigned to perform the tasks of the project. In many situations, weekly progress or monthly status meetings are held, where problems are discussed and reports are reviewed. When you close a project, you mark all the tasks complete. A completed project can be very helpful in planning future projects. You can use the entire project or particular tasks as the basis for planning a new project. PROJECT DEFINITION TECHNIQUES One way to look at a project is using a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). This organises the project as a hierarchy as in a family tree, or an organisation structure. This method allows the project to be broken into convenient work packages on which the detailed plan is based. Examples of Work Breakdown Structures are: Time based For example, Phase I, Phase II and Phase III may be further broken down as Phase IA, Phase IB, Phase IC and so on. Work package based Looking at a Vehicle Design Project, the WBS could be: WWP Learning and Development Page 7

8 Project Management Basics Chassis, engine, gearbox, transmission, and so on; which is broken down further as: Chassis (frame, suspension, axles, and so on); which in turn may be further broken down as: Suspension (shock absorbers, springs, lever arms, and so on). Process based If the above scope was not limited to design but to the vehicle from conception to the consumer, the work breakdown structure may be: Market Research, Prototype Design, Prototype Build, Prototype Test, Production Design, Manufacture, Marketing, Sales, Support, and so on. Organisation or resource based The WBS could also reflect the organisation structure if this is how the work is to be planned and controlled. Hence a typical discipline based project may be broken down as: Civil Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, or Sales, Marketing, Production, Quality, and so on. Location based On projects that may be developed or completed in distinct locations, the location of the work may be a convenient way to reference its part within the overall project. For example: London, Birmingham, Manchester or Zone A, Zone B, Zone C or typically, Floor 1, Floor 2, Floor 3 on a multi-storey building project. As can be seen from the above, there are no rules or preferences as to which WBS may suit a project best. This will largely be determined by the natural structure of the project, the timescale, and the anticipated method of control. The important principle is that the WBS structure should be consistent and logical with a clear and natural hierarchy and therefore will become the backbone of the project. This structure can be built into the project plan as Headings or Summary tasks. The detailed activities or tasks can be planned in to flesh out the project. It is good practise to place Milestones at the start and end of each phase or group of tasks and use the milestones to control the start of subsequent groups of tasks. WWP Learning and Development Page 8

9 Project Management Basics Project Summary Summary Heading (Phase I) Summary Heading (Phase II) Summary Heading (Phase III) Summary Heading (Phase IV) Summary Heading (1.1) Summary Heading (1.2) Summary Heading (1.3) Task (1.1.1) Task (1.1.2) Task (1.1.3) Work Breakdown Structure PROJECT PLANNING TECHNIQUES Today s project management software is a result of three major forces: the Gantt chart, the Critical Path Method (CPM), and the Project Evaluation Review Technique (PERT). The Gantt chart was initially called a bar chart, but the name was later changed to Gantt after its creator, Henri Gantt. This chart graphically represents the duration of tasks across a timescale, showing the start and finish dates. If you want to illustrate the length of time a project or an individual task will take, you use the Gantt chart. CPM is a scheduling system created by the Dupont Corporation. It is the foundation of all modern project management software. CPM calculates the duration of a project based on the duration and relationships of each task. Tasks are defined as critical or non-critical. Tasks on the critical path (critical tasks) determine the completion date of the project. Critical tasks must be completed on time or the project will be delayed. Non-critical tasks have slack time, which means there is flexibility in the finish time of the task. A delay in a non-critical task will not cause a delay in the project. As changes to the project are made, however, non-critical tasks could become critical. PERT was developed by Lockheed in conjunction with the US Navy and used on the Polaris Missile Project. This scheduling system originally calculated expected durations. The MS Project 2007 Network Diagram view (previously called a PERT chart) graphically displays task relationships, showing you which tasks are dependent upon the completion of other tasks. Both the above techniques are described as Network Planning Techniques and are used to establish the minimum time necessary to complete a project. The calculations to be performed are relatively simple and can be carried out manually. WWP Learning and Development Page 9

10 Project Management Basics However a computer can perform the calculations far more conveniently and quickly and can take account of complicating factors such as the availability of resources and non-working time. In order to find the minimum time necessary to complete a project, it is necessary to identify the sequence of tasks with the greatest combined duration. This sequence of tasks is known as the critical path, and therefore network analysis is often called Critical Path Analysis (CPA) or the Critical Path Method (CPM). There may be more than one critical path through a network. Tasks on the critical path are only critical in the sense of time. The result of delaying any task on the critical path will be to delay all subsequent critical tasks, thus increasing the total duration of the project. Often project success is based on completing on time and therefore critical tasks act as a focus to what is important. To calculate the critical path for a project it is necessary to: Break the project down into its constituent tasks Link the tasks together in a logical sequence Estimate the duration of each task Total the duration of each path through the network of tasks Identify the resultant critical tasks which have no spare time Quantify the spare time, or slack, available to tasks on other paths Precedence Networks (Network Diagram or PERT Chart) A network is a diagrammatic representation of the tasks and dependencies within a project. The earliest type of network diagram was called an Activity on Arrow network and each task was depicted as an arrow on the diagram. This technique, although still used, is less popular than the Precedence network method, which is easier to understand. In the precedence network each task is drawn as a box or rectangle. The logical link or dependency between two successive tasks is shown as a line with an arrow, drawn from left to right. Task B Task E Task A Task C Task F Task D Precedence Network Example WWP Learning and Development Page 10

11 Project Management Basics Types of Dependency Most links between tasks are of the Finish-to-Start type. That is to say, for the later task (Successor) to start it must wait for the earlier task (Predecessor) to finish. Even then, it may be necessary to wait before the later task can start, if there is a lag (duration for the dependency) between the tasks. For example, you cannot unit test a programme until you have written it, so this is a Finish-to-Start dependency. A B Finish-to-Start Dependency Example A Start-to-Start dependency means that the later task (Successor) can start once the earlier task (Predecessor) has started. It there is a delay between linked tasks it is called, a lag. This is then defined as the minimum necessary lapse of time between the start or finish of the earlier task and the start or finish of the later task. Lags in MS Project can also be expressed as a percentage of the Predecessor s duration. A Predecessor SS 1-day lag A B SS 1-day lag B Successor Start-to-Start Example (with 1 day lag) A Finish-to-Finish dependency means that the later task (Successor) cannot finish until the earlier task (Predecessor) has finished. A Predecessor FF 1-day lag A B FF 1-day lag B Successor Finish-to-Finish Example (with 1 day lag) WWP Learning and Development Page 11

12 Project Management Basics There is a fourth type of dependency called a Start-to-Finish but this is rarely used in practise. Critical Path Analysis Critical path analysis is the process of calculating the earliest and latest dates at which each task may occur. The calculation takes place in two parts. The forward pass calculates the earliest start and finish dates for each task, and therefore indicates the total time in which the project may be completed by working As Soon As Possible. The backward pass works backward from the newly found project end date; it calculates the latest start and finish dates for each task, ie. working As Late As Possible. Critical tasks are those that are found to have identical early and late start and finish dates. Critical path analysis is a straightforward calculation to perform. It can be done manually, but is usually done by computer. Early project planning packages ran special batch programs to time analyse the project data. Modern computer programs like Project can reanalyse the entire project every time data is entered or updated on the screen. It may however be better to only perform critical path analysis (Calculate) on request for larger projects, and this option is catered for. Critical Path Analysis Example As we have said, critical tasks cannot be delayed without affecting all subsequent tasks and thus the end date of the project. However, the majority of tasks are not usually critical. Their start can be delayed to an extent without causing an overall delay in the project. Evidently, they cannot be indefinitely delayed without having an adverse effect on project completion. It is therefore important to know what constitutes an acceptable delay for these tasks. Project calls this Total Slack. The slack is the total time available for a task, less the time required (the estimated duration) Task B Task E Task A Task C Task F Task D Early Start (ES) Duration Late Start (LS) Total Slack Name Early Finish (EF) Late Finish (LF) WWP Learning and Development Page 12

13 Project Management Basics This can easily be calculated, as it is equal to the difference between the early and late dates calculated during the forward and backward passes, i.e. LS ES or LF EF. The term Free Slack is used to describe the amount of time by which a non-critical task can slip without affecting any other task. Date Constraints These are dates that are imposed due to external considerations. Typically, a project must be completed by a given date (Finish No Later Than), or we must cater for the availability of a key resource, and start using it as soon as it becomes available (Must Start On or Start No Earlier Than constraint). Imposing finish dates can lead to a situation where it is impossible to schedule tasks to finish before the must finish date. They then become hypercritical, and the slack is calculated as a negative value. The amount of negative slack is the duration by which critical tasks must then be reduced to achieve the imposed finish date. Gantt Charts Gantt Chart ~ Constraints Example The Gantt Chart is possibly the simplest picture of the tasks that make up a project. In fact, many people plan their work using a Gantt Chart without realising what it is. The Gantt Chart is simply a horizontal bar chart showing some or all of the tasks that make up a project. The horizontal axis shows elapsed time, often defined as calendar days, weeks or months. The vertical axis shows a sequence of tasks, usually but not necessarily, in order of start date. The left-hand end of each bar drawn shows the start of the task, the right-hand end shows the task finish, and the length of the bar indicates the duration of the task. By default Project schedules all tasks between their early start and early finish dates as it uses the As Soon As Possible constraint. Notice that the tables simply use the terms Start and Finish to reflect the position the task is scheduled. Therefore by changing a task to As Late As Possible the Gantt bar is moved later and the start and finish dates change, providing of course that you change a task that has slack. The default Project Gantt Chart does not show the critical tasks or slack, but this can easily be added with the help of the Gantt Chart Wizard. Traditional Gantt Charts did not show the links or dependency between Gantt bar (shown on Network diagram) WWP Learning and Development Page 13

14 Project Management Basics however, MS Project uses a linked Gantt chart by default. (Link can be formatted to not display as well) Task A Task B Task C Task D Task E Task F Critical Non-critical Slack RESOURCE MANAGEMENT There are many reasons why a time schedule can prove to be unrealistic, but the most common is that tasks that are scheduled to run in parallel cannot in fact happen simultaneously. Often the reason for such problems is that there are not enough resources to carry out all the tasks, which could be in progress at any one time. The term resource is typically used to represent anything required to perform an activity other than time and money. This encompasses reusable resources, such as people and equipment, as well as consumable resources such as materials. There are four main stages involved in dealing with resources. Define the resources availability and costs Resource Allocation (or Assignments) Resource Aggregation Optimisation The first step to allocating resources on a project is to define which resources, and what amount of these resources, are required to complete each task. Resource Allocation Deciding the amount of resources could be based on feedback from time sheets or work measurement data (if it is available). Typically the estimate is based upon your experience, although where possible it is useful to get input from the people who will actually be doing the work. This helps develop a commitment to the plan. Two key rules should be applied at this stage: WWP Learning and Development Page 14

15 Project Management Basics Assume an ideal world Do not use excessive detail Assuming an ideal world may not come naturally, however, what you must do in your initial estimates is look at each activity in isolation and indicate who you would prefer to do this activity and how much effort would be required. When the plan is complete and analysed you find that you do not live in an ideal world and there are conflicts, which need to be resolved. Excessive detail in resource allocation is a common cause of disillusionment with project plans. If you include tasks which are only one or two hours long then reviewing and updating these tasks will need to occur on a daily basis. The overhead in maintaining the plan then becomes a significant part of your day. The key is to clearly identify the level of details appropriate to your project. With Project, you can use flexible scheduling techniques to determine how long tasks will take to complete and to model how resources work on tasks. The default option is Effort Driven scheduling which simply means that as you add additional resources the work estimate, i.e. total hours, will not change but the duration will shorten. Project uses the following calculation when working with resources Duration x No. of Resources (units) x Hrs/day = Work There are other options including selections for Fixed Units, Fixed Work or Fixed Duration, which act in combination with the Effort Driven option. Also, you should consider whether the assignment is contoured. (e.g. More effort is put in at the beginning and less towards the end) or at a constant flat rate. Avoid entering excessive amounts of detail; remember the objective is to improve the quality and accuracy of your plan. A pragmatic approach would be to enter the most important or scarce resources first, and if necessary resolve any conflicts that occur. The other resources can then be added to the plan if required, in the knowledge that the real resource issues have already been resolved. Resource Aggregation Having allocated resources to tasks, and time-analysed the project, we can calculate the total demand for each resource with tasks scheduled As Soon As Possible. A visual way to doing this is to draw a Resource Graph (resource histogram), underneath the Gantt Chart. In the example below, if we consider the allocation of a resource (labourer, bricklayer, project leader, programmer etc) to the tasks shown. Then by aggregation we can see on days 4 and 5 that 1.5 resources are required. That would be fine if we have 1.5 or 2 resources available but what if we do not? It is apparent that we are temporarily short of resources. WWP Learning and Development Page 15

16 Project Management Basics Task A Task B Task C Task D Task E Slack 1 RESOURCE GRAPH Max Available Generally, small degrees of resource overload for short periods (one or two days) are probably not worth worrying too much about, as our estimates almost certainly contain a degree of inaccuracy themselves. However, if it is obvious that we are woefully under-resourced, we will need to think about revising the work schedule as appropriate. Resource Optimisation The optimisation of resources can be affected by delaying some or all assigned tasks so that workload does not exceed the resources availability. This process is known as levelling one of Project s calculation options. Time or Resource Constrained It is important to decide whether the project should be time constrained, in which case achieving deadlines is priority number one, or resource constrained, in which case you cannot make more resources available. If you must adhere to deadlines, and also work within a resource budget, then you can only resolve resource shortfalls by reducing the amount of work to be carried out. In the worst case, a competent project plan is the best possible means of proving to management that you cannot possibly do what they ask with the means at your disposal. If the project is time constrained, tasks can be delayed with the aim of reducing the amount of resource overloading, while remaining within the deadlines imposed. In fact they are Levelled only within available slack, which is the option you select for this process with Project. WWP Learning and Development Page 16

17 Project Management Basics Task A Task B Task C Task D Task E Delay 1 Delay RESOURCE GRAPH Max Available Resource Smoothing (Time Limited) Alternatively, if the project is resource constrained, tasks are delayed so as to remain within the resources availability, while minimising the resultant delay to the overall project deadline. This process is called levelling. Task A Task B Task C Task D Task E Delay 1 RESOURCE GRAPH Max Available Other Optimisation Techniques Resource Levelling (Resource Limited) It is a common fallacy to believe that you automatically shorten the duration of a task by simply applying more resource to it. In the majority of cases this is not so. Among project planners, a common saying is that you cannot produce a baby in one month with nine women. Considered another way; it should be apparent that if two mechanics take two hours to service a car, it does not follow that you can do it in half an hour with eight mechanics. The fact is that they would get in each other s way, and probably require someone else to co-ordinate the whole exercise. WWP Learning and Development Page 17

18 Project Management Basics Review task duration If a task has float, then extend the duration of the task by assigning the resource to work part-time (50% allocation). This releases the resource to work on another task at the same time. Alternatively you may need to add an assistant to work on a task to complete the task more quickly. Re-allocate existing resources Compare the histograms of people with similar skills. It may be evident that tasks can be re-allocated to other people who are not busy at the time the conflicts are shown. Increase resources available The most common method of increasing resources is to work overtime, although this may be unpopular and expensive. Alternatively if the demand is there it may be opportune to directly employ more staff or contract out some of the work. Review network logic You may wish to commence some tasks earlier than scheduled. Review the logic that controls the tasks it may be that the ideal constraints could be overcome and a different logic adopted. Split activities Consider interrupting non-critical tasks to make the resource available for critical tasks. Beware it is not practical to split all activities. Re-assess the task Firstly it may be necessary to review if a task has to be completed at all, that is, review project objectives. Secondly look at other ways of performing the task, using faster machinery, software development tools and so on. Whatever techniques you employ do not expect the computer to solve your resource problems for you. The best it can do is display the problems more clearly, you have to overcome them. WWP Learning and Development Page 18

19 LESSON 1 - MICROSOFT PROJECT 2007 OVERVIEW In this lesson, you will learn how to: Start Microsoft Project Use the interface Display/Hide toolbars Apply the Project Guide

20 Microsoft Project 2007 Overview INTRODUCTION Microsoft Project 2007 is a complete project management package. You can use it to organize a plan, schedule tasks, assign resources and costs to tasks, adjust the plan to satisfy constraints, monitor actual performance, revise the plan to meet contingencies, and prepare reports to communicate the plan and keep everyone informed regarding its current status. Microsoft, however, is also promoting the concepts of Enterprise Project Management, where multiple projects need to be managed across an entire organisation. In this case, Project 2007 can be used in conjunction with Project Server which is installed on a Web Server and holds Enterprise Resource Pools and Enterprise Calendars. Individual project team members would use Project Web Access to collaborate and communicate the projects. This manual is aimed towards using Microsoft Project as a complete standalone application. STARTING MICROSOFT PROJECT In order to work in Microsoft Project, you must first start Windows and then launch the Microsoft Project programme. When you launch Microsoft Project, the application window opens along with a new project file window. WWP Learning and Development Page 20

21 Microsoft Project 2007 Overview USING THE INTERFACE The Microsoft Project window contains the application title bar and window control buttons, the menu bar, the toolbars, the entry bar, the status bar and the Task Pane. The project window contains your project data. Title Bar Menu Bar Tool Bars Window control buttons Split Bar Entry Table Gantt Chart Status Bar Microsoft Project 2007 Start-up Screen showing the Gantt Chart View The menu bar, located under the application title bar, allows you to access various commands grouped by function. Microsoft Project uses adaptive menus by default i.e. only frequently used menu commands appear. To change this option and show full menus use Tools > Customize > Toolbars, Options tab and click on Always show full menus. The toolbar buttons, located under the menu bar, provide shortcuts to many menu commands. WWP Learning and Development Page 21

22 Microsoft Project 2007 Overview The entry bar, located below the toolbars, allows you to enter and edit information in fields displayed in the project window. The status bar, located at the bottom of the application window, provides information about menu commands and buttons, the current operation, and if a mode is enabled or disabled. The working area automatically opens as a view split into two panes - the Gantt Chart view. The left pane (the Entry Table) displays fields arranged in columns in which you can enter task information. Initially, you will only see a portion of the information in the left pane; however, you can widen the pane to see all the information it contains. The ID field is the first column from the left that contains numbers that Microsoft Project assigns to each task. The next column from the left is the Indicators field, which displays icons representing information about a task or resource, such as the task type. If you point to an indicator, a ToolTip containing information about the task and indicator appears. The next column from the left is the Task Name field, in which you can enter task names. The last column that appears by default is the Duration field, in which you can enter the length of a task in minute, hour, day, week, or month increments. The right pane (the Gantt Chart) displays a timescale and, after you enter information in the left pane, it displays a graphic representation of this information. While the Gantt Chart view is the default view, you can change the view in the work area at any time to display or enter different information for a project. DISPLAYING/HIDING TOOLBARS Toolbars are groups of buttons and drop-down lists that provide shortcuts for menu commands. When you point to an item on a toolbar, a ToolTip appears that provides a description of the item. You can display and hide toolbars, as well as reposition them. You can also hide and display buttons on a toolbar using the small down-arrow that appears at the righthand side of a toolbar. By default, the Standard and Formatting toolbars appear in the application window. If desired, you can display these toolbars on one row to increase your viewing area. To show the Standard and Formatting toolbars on two rows, select the View menu, point to the Toolbars command, and then select the Customize command. Open the Options tab and check the Show Standard and Formatting toolbars on two rows option. To reposition a toolbar, point to a blank area on the toolbar and drag it to the new location. WWP Learning and Development Page 22

23 Microsoft Project 2007 Overview 1. Select the View menu. 2. Point to the Toolbars command. 3. Select or deselect the desired toolbar. USING THE PROJECT GUIDE Microsoft Project can, if you wish, display the Project Guide to help you navigate through the project management process while allowing you to learn, explore, and discover available features. By following the instructions and wizards it provides, you can quickly accomplish tasks, such as defining your project, entering tasks, and assigning resources. The Project Guide contains the following screen elements: Project Guide toolbar - This toolbar provides access to instructions and wizards in each of four different goal areas: Tasks, Resources, Track, and Report. You can also step through all necessary procedures and see related activities for all goal areas. Side pane - The side pane contains a list of tasks for each activity area and provides the necessary instructions and wizards to help you accomplish those tasks. It also presents links to related tasks, project management information, related Help topics, and feedback and status information about the actions you take to accomplish tasks. View area - The area to the right of the side pane presents different views that automatically change depending on the tasks you choose to accomplish. For example, the Gantt Chart is displayed when you choose to enter tasks, but the Resource Sheet is displayed when you choose to enter resource information. As you become familiar with the correct procedures for completing your project, you may want to use Microsoft Project without the Project Guide. WWP Learning and Development Page 23

24 Microsoft Project 2007 Overview Project Guide Toolbar Project Guide Options View Area The Project Guide 1. Click the View menu. 2. Select Turn On Project Guide. 3. To view a different procedure, click a button on the Project Guide toolbar. 4. Click the Back or Forward button in the upper left corner of the Project Guide side pane to return to a previous procedure. 5. To close the Project Guide side pane, click the Close button in the upper right corner of the Project Guide title bar. 6. To re-open the Project Guide, click a button on the Project Guide toolbar. As you become familiar with the correct procedures needed to accomplish tasks, you may wish to hide the Project Guide toolbar by clicking the Turn Off Project Guide command in the View menu. WWP Learning and Development Page 24

25 LESSON 2 - STARTING A PROJECT In this lesson you will learn how to: Set the project start date Change the working hours Add a nonworking day Save a project Close a project Open an existing project Exit Microsoft Project

26 Starting a Project SPECIFYING A PROJECT START DATE Before you can start to record information in Microsoft Project, some preliminary data is needed, such as the planned start or finish date of the project. When completing the project information in the Project Information dialog box, you can schedule a project forward or backward. Scheduling forward means that you enter a start date for a project. The durations of the tasks that you then enter determine the finish date. Scheduling backward means that you enter a finish date for the project. It is recommended that you schedule from a start date because when you schedule from a finish date, Microsoft Project is unable to adjust the start date of tasks based upon resource constraints (known as leveling ). In addition, scheduling backward schedules tasks to start as late as possible. When you start a project, you can also select a calendar. A calendar defines the work schedule as well as nonworking time, such as weekends and holidays. Microsoft Project offers three calendars by default; however, you can create your own calendars as needed. If you do not choose a calendar, the project will default to the Standard calendar, which designates eight-hour workdays and weekends as non-working time. You can also set a project priority, which is helpful when you are working with multiple project files. The priority can be set from 0 through 1000, with 1000 indicating a project of the highest priority. To start a new project, you can click the New button or select the File menu and then select the New command. The New Project Task Pane will appear from which you can select the method for commencing your project. By default, the title bar displays Project1, Project2, etc. as the name of a new project until you save it with a new name. If you are working with multiple projects, each project opens in its own window. You can use the taskbar to quickly switch between open projects. Instead of typing a project start or finish date in the Project Information dialog box, you can select the Start date or Finish date list to display a calendar and navigate to the desired start or finish date. WWP Learning and Development Page 26

27 Starting a Project The Project Information dialog box 1. Select the Project menu. 2. Select the Project Information command. 3. Click the Schedule from list. 4. Select the desired scheduling option (Project Start Date recommended). 5. Enter the start or finish date as appropriate. 6. Click OK. ADDING A NONWORKING DAY By default, the project calendar defines the standard working days (Monday to Friday) and nonworking days (Saturday and Sunday) for a project. The default calendar has no holidays, so you must enter the appropriate holidays as Exceptions. It is very important to mark all applicable nonworking days because durations are calculated according to this calendar. In all views, nonworking days are identified with grey shading. WWP Learning and Development Page 27

28 Starting a Project The Change Working Time dialog box To mark multiple days in the currently displayed calendar at the same time, drag to select the days or hold the [Ctrl] key, click the desired days, and then release the [Ctrl] key before you mark the days. 1. Click the Tools menu. 2. Select the Change Working Time command. 3. Type a description (eg. Spring Bank Holiday) for the nonworking day(s) in the first row of the Name column of the Exceptions s tab. 4. Enter the date(s) of the nonworking day(s) in the Start and/or Finish columns. 5. Click OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 28

29 Starting a Project For nonworking days that occur on a regular basis (eg. certain Bank Holidays), you can click the Details button and set a recurrence pattern and range. To remove an Exception s from the project calendar, select it in the list and click the Delete button. CHANGING THE DEFAULT WORKING HOURS In Microsoft Project, the default project calendar, called the Standard calendar, defines the standard working hours for all projects. The default working hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday, with an hour starting at noon for lunch. You can modify the default working hours to reflect the actual working hours for an entire project. You can also specify the length of the workday. For example, if the standard working hours at your company are 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM with an hour for lunch, you may need to adjust the project calendar. WWP Learning and Development Page 29

30 Starting a Project 1. Click the Tools menu. 2. Select the Change Working Time command. 3. Click the Work Weeks stab. 4. Select [Default] in the Name column. 5. Click the Details button. 6. Select the day(s) that you want to change the times for (you can use the CTRL or SHIFT key to select multiple days). 7. Select the Set day(s) to these specific working times option button. 8. Enter the appropriate Start and End times for the selected days. 9. Click OK. 10. Click OK. CHANGING NON DEFAULT TIMES Project 2007 allows you to specify different working hours for individual periods of time. For example, perhaps your working week includes Saturdays and/or Sundays. Or there may be a particular week in the project when work is only possible in the mornings; you may wish, therefore, to adjust the times for this week in order for Project to schedule the tasks into the correct times available to do them. 1. Click the Tools menu. 2. Select the Change Working Time command. 3. Click the Work Weeks tab. 4. Click in the Name column underneath [Default]. 5. Type a description (eg. Mornings only) for the time period. WWP Learning and Development Page 30

31 Starting a Project 6. Enter the dates for the period in question in the Start and Finish columns. 7. Click the Details button. 8. Select the day(s) that you want to change the times for (you can use the CTRL or SHIFT key to select multiple days). 9. Select the Set day(s) to these specific work times option button. 10. Enter the appropriate Start and End times for the selected days. 11. Click OK. 12. Click OK. HOW LONG IS A DAY? Project uses hours as a base unit for most of its calculations. When you enter durations into your project plan, Project converts them as follows: I day = 8 hours 1 week = 40 hours 1 month = 20 days (160 hours) If you have changed your project s default working hours, as detailed in a previous topic of this lesson, to anything that does not add up to an 8 hour day, a 40 hour week or a 20 day month, you must let Project know. Failing to do this will result in the task durations that you enter not fitting as expected into the calendar s working times and hence, not looking right on the Gantt Chart. Similarly, if you change the start time of your project s default working day to anything different to an 8:00am start and/or a 5:00pm finish, you must also let Project know or your Gantt Bars will look wrong by not fitting as expected into the start and/or end of each day. For example, you have set your project s default work week as follows: Monday Saturday: 9:00am to 5:30pm This adds up to a 7.5 hour day, 37.5 hour week (taking a 1-hour lunch break into account) and a 24 day month. You should, therefore, enter these hours and days WWP Learning and Development Page 31

32 Starting a Project together with the 9:00am start and the 17:30pm end in the Calendar tab of Tools, Options. 1. Click the Tools menu. 2. Select Options. 3. Open the Calendar tab. 4. Enter the Default start time so that it matches the time entered for the default work week. 5. Enter the Default end time so that it matches the time entered for the default work week. 6. Enter the hours per day; this should match the length of the days that you entered in the default work week. 7. Enter the hours per week; this should match the length of the week that you entered in the default work week. 8. Enter the days per month; this should match the length of the week that you entered in the default work week (measured in days) multiplied by Click OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 32

33 Starting a Project SAVING A PROJECT When you start Microsoft Project 2007, it assigns the first blank project file a default name of Project1. This file name appears in the title bar followed by the name under which the software is registered. Each time you create a new file during the same session, the name changes to Project2, Project3, and so on. You can later change the default name to a name that represents the project. When you save the project under a new name, the title bar changes to reflect that name. The first time you save a project, the Save As dialog box opens. You can enter a file name and use the Save in list to specify where you want to store the project. If you are using Windows 2000 or Windows XP, you can also use the Places Bar at the left of the dialog box to quickly select a folder in which to store the file. All Microsoft Project files are saved with a.mpp extension. The Save As dialog box only opens the first time you save a file. After that, when you use the Save feature, the file is saved automatically, overwriting the current file. If you want to change the name of a project later, you can select the File menu and then select the Save As command to save a copy of the file under a different name. You can set save options, such as specifying the default location in which to store project files and enabling the AutoSave feature, on the Save page in the Options dialog box. To open this dialog box, select the Tools menu and then select the Options command. Although Microsoft Project 2007 can open Project 2003, 2002 and 2000 files directly, when you go to save one, Project 2007 gives you the option of saving it in the new file format or keeping it in the original. If you decide to save it in the original format, you will lose new features of Project 2007 such as, change highlighting, task drivers information and cell background colours. 1. Click the Save button on the Standard toolbar. 2. Enter the desired file name. 3. Select the Save in list. 4. Select the drive where you want to store the file. WWP Learning and Development Page 33

34 Starting a Project 5. Select the folder where you want to store the file. 6. Select Save. 7. Select the desired option to save the file with or without a baseline, if necessary. 8. Select OK, if necessary. CLOSING A PROJECT When you have finished working in a project file, you can close it. If you have made changes to the file without saving them, Microsoft Project will prompt you to save the changes before closing the file. You can save the changes at this point or close the file without saving the changes. 1. Select the File menu. 2. Select the Close command. OPENING AN EXISTING PROJECT Before you can view or edit a project file, you need to open it. You can work with one project at a time or open multiple projects when necessary. It is a good idea, however, to only open any necessary projects to enable Microsoft Project to run more efficiently. In the Open dialog box, you can open an existing project by selecting the desired file from a list or by entering the name of the file you want to open. When you open the Open dialog box, you may need to select the drive or folder where the file resides. You can use the Look in list to select the correct location and then select the file to open it. You can also use the Places Bar on the left side of the dialog box to select a location. The Places Bar contains shortcuts to various folders containing commonly used files, desktop options, and recently opened files. In addition to opening Microsoft Project 2007 files, you can also open project files created in Microsoft Project 2003, 2002 (XP), Files created in Project 98 cannot be opened directly unless you enable the option as follows: WWP Learning and Development Page 34

35 Starting a Project Click the Tools menu Select Options Open the Security tab Select one of the following options: o o Prompt when loading files with legacy or non default file format Allow loading files with legacy or non default file format You cannot, however, open files from a version earlier than 98, such as 4.1, 4.0 or 3.0. You can also open a recently opened file by selecting its file name from the bottom of the File menu, which lists the last four projects you opened. You can set Microsoft Project to automatically open the last project file you on which were working when you start the program. To enable this feature, select the Tools menu, select the Options command, select the General tab, select the Open last file on startup option, and then select OK. 1. Click the Open button on the Standard toolbar. 2. Select the Look in list. 3. Select the drive where the project you want to open is located. 4. Select the folder where the project you want to open is located. 5. Select the name of the project you want to open. 6. Select Open. EXITING MICROSOFT PROJECT When you have finished working with Microsoft Project, you should exit the program in the proper manner. If you have made changes to an open project without saving them, you will be prompted to save the changes when you exit the program. You can save the changes and then exit the program or exit the program without saving the changes. WWP Learning and Development Page 35

36 Starting a Project You can also exit Microsoft Project by clicking the Close button on the application window title bar. 1. Select the File menu. 2. Select the Exit command. WWP Learning and Development Page 36

37 LESSON 3 - WORKING WITH TASKS In this lesson, you will learn how to: Work with tasks Work with durations Enter tasks Edit tasks Enter a milestone task

38 Working with Tasks WORKING WITH TASKS A project is made up of tasks. A task is an essential job or operation that should be finished in order to complete a project. Most tasks are assigned a duration, which is the length of time it takes to complete a task. Tasks can occur in sequence, or they can stand alone. Microsoft Project uses the tasks along with their associated durations and relationships to determine the overall length of a project. You can use the task sheet in the Gantt Chart view (the default view) to quickly create a task list. After creating tasks, you can edit, move, and delete them, as well as insert new tasks in the task list. You can create relationships between tasks that are dependent upon one another, enter milestone tasks, and create recurring tasks. In addition, you can filter tasks and apply constraints to them. In many task views, including the Gantt Chart view, you will see an Indicator field. Indicators are icons that provide information about tasks. When you point to an indicator, a ToolTip or an Indicator appears. A ToolTip is always visible and gives you additional information about the task; an indicator appears when you hold the mouse over a task name. Point at the indicator for a list of options to carry out on the action recently performed on the task. The indicator will remain available for as long as its listed actions can be carried out. Indicator and Option Button preferences can be set using the Interface page of the Tools, Options command. WORKING WITH DURATIONS When you enter a task in Microsoft Project, you can also enter the duration of the task. The duration is the time needed to complete that task. You can enter the duration as you enter each task name, or you can enter all the tasks and then enter the durations later. As you enter tasks, Microsoft Project will enter a default duration of one day if you do not enter the duration. A question mark (?) follows the default duration to indicate that this is an estimated duration and may not be accurate. If you enter a number without a unit of duration, Microsoft Project will add days after the unit. You can specify a duration by entering the letter m for minute, the letter h for hour, the letter d for day, the letter w for week, or the letters mo for months. In addition, if you are WWP Learning and Development Page 38

39 Working with Tasks unsure of the duration, you can type a question mark (?) after the duration to indicate that it is an estimate. When you enter a duration, you should keep in mind that Microsoft Project schedules tasks to occur only on working days (Monday through Friday, by default). A duration of one week (1w) equals five working days and a duration of seven days (7d) equals one week of five business days, plus two business days in the following week. A seven day task would appear as nine days long on the Gantt chart because it includes two nonworking days (Saturday and Sunday, by default). In addition to weekend days, any other nonworking days, such as a holiday or vacation, are skipped when tasks are scheduled. You can also indicate elapsed time for a task. Elapsed time represents both the working and nonworking time between the start of a task and the end of the task. If you enter an elapsed duration, Microsoft Project enters a fixed duration for the task, scheduled through the nonworking days defined by the project calendar. You can indicate elapsed time by entering the letter e before the unit of duration, such as 2ed for two elapsed days. This feature is helpful for a task such as drying paint. If it takes 48 hours to dry, the elapsed time would be 2ed, which equals two days of 24 hours, compared with 2d, which equals two days of eight hours or 16 hours total. ENTERING TASKS Microsoft Project does not demand that you have all the necessary information available when entering a task. You may choose to add only the task name, the task name and duration, or any combination of the task name and other associated information. You can enter tasks in the Gantt Chart view, which is the default view. If several consecutive tasks have the same information, such as the same duration, you can use the Fill feature to enter the information. To use this feature, select the field containing the information you want to copy and then point to the lower right corner of the field until the mouse pointer changes to a black cross. Then, drag the Fill handle up or down as necessary to complete the task information. You can also select other fill commands by selecting the Edit menu and then pointing to the Fill command. WWP Learning and Development Page 39

40 Working with Tasks Remember that durations are scheduled on working days. Therefore, if you enter seven days (7d), Microsoft Project schedules the tasks for seven business days (or one week of five business days plus two business days in the following week). To enter five or ten business days at one time, you can enter a duration of one week (1w) or two weeks (2w), respectively. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the first empty field in the Task Name column. 3. Enter a task name. 4. Select the corresponding field in the Duration column. 5. Enter a duration for the task. 6. Press [Enter]. Entering tasks and durations WWP Learning and Development Page 40

41 Working with Tasks EDITING TASKS You can edit tasks by replacing the current entry or by editing portions of an entry. To replace an entire entry, you can select the field containing the entry and type the new entry. To edit only portions of an entry, you can use the entry bar or use in-cell editing. The entry bar appears below the toolbars and displays the content of the currently selected field. Using the entry bar, you can select the words or characters you want to edit. Using in-cell editing, you simply select the field and edit the entry in the field as desired. Using the entry bar You can also select a task by clicking its corresponding Gantt bar in the Gantt Chart view. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the field containing the entry you want to replace. 3. Enter the new entry. WWP Learning and Development Page 41

42 Working with Tasks 4. Press [Enter]. 5. To edit an entry in the entry bar, select the field containing the entry. 6. Select the text you want to edit in the entry bar. 7. Enter the new text. 8. Press [Enter]. 9. To use in-cell editing, select the field containing the entry. 10. Press [F2] to put the field in edit mode. 11. Edit the entry as desired. 12. Press [Enter]. CHANGE HIGHLIGHTING Project 2007 includes the new Change Highlighting feature that provides quick visibility into changes to your project's scheduling data. As you plan your project and modify the task information, the resulting changes are highlighted, so that you can quickly see what dates are altered as a result of changes to another task. If the changes aren't desirable for your project, you can easily undo them and restore the previous data. 1. Click the View menu. 2. Click Hide Change Highlighting or Show Change Highlighting. WWP Learning and Development Page 42

43 Working with Tasks ENTERING A MILESTONE TASK A milestone task indicates that a goal should be reached in a particular phase of a project, such as Begin Planning. Since a milestone task marks an event or progress in your project, it is not allotted a specific duration. Instead, you designate a task as a milestone by entering a duration of zero days for the task. A milestone task is shown on the Gantt chart as a filled, diamond shape with the date of the task beside it. You enter a milestone task just as you do other tasks. Entering a milestone task 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the field in which you want to enter the milestone task. 3. Enter a name for the milestone task. 4. Select the Duration field. 5. Enter a duration of 0 days for the milestone task and press enter WWP Learning and Development Page 43

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45 LESSON 4 - EDITING AND SCHEDULING TASKS In this lesson, you will learn how to: Link tasks Unlink tasks Change task relationships Insert a task Delete a task Move a task Apply lag and lead time Apply a constraint Enter a start or finish date Set a deadline date View task drivers

46 Outlining Tasks LINKING TASKS A project is more than just a list of tasks. At times, the start or completion of one task is dependent upon the start or completion of another. Linking tasks sets up a dependency relationship between two or more tasks. Creating task dependencies is not limited to linking two consecutive tasks, you can also link multiple consecutive tasks, as well as two or more non-consecutive tasks. When you link tasks, a line with an arrow appears on the Gantt chart to identify the relationship between the tasks. This line is referred to as a link line. Linked tasks 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select two or more consecutive tasks you want to link. 3. Click the Link Tasks button on the Standard toolbar. WWP Learning and Development Page 46

47 Outlining Tasks 4. Select the first of two or more non-consecutive tasks you want to link. 5. Hold [Ctrl] and click the remaining non-consecutive tasks you want to link. 6. Click the Link Tasks button on the Standard toolbar. Tasks can also be linked with a finish to start relationship by graphically dragging from the middle of one Gantt bar to another bar. Alternatively, tasks can be linked using the Task Entry View. The Task Entry View may be obtained by double clicking the Split Box or by selecting Window, Split. The Task Entry View consists of the Gantt Chart (see Lesson 6 Working with Views) in the upper pane and the Task Form in the lower pane. For linking tasks it is best to change the format of the Task Form to Predecessor and Successor (right click lower pane). To link tasks select the Predecessor task in the Gantt View and then select its Successor from drop down list in the Task Form. This method is particularly recommended when linking a large project. UNLINKING TASKS After linking tasks, you may later decide to unlink them. When you unlink tasks, the relationship between them is deleted. You may need to unlink tasks that no longer depend upon one another or that you want to link to different tasks. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the tasks you want to unlink. 3. Click the Unlink Tasks button on the Standard toolbar. WWP Learning and Development Page 47

48 Outlining Tasks CHANGING TASK RELATIONSHIPS Nearly every project has tasks that must be scheduled based on when a previous task is completed or at least started. This relationship between tasks is known as a dependency relationship. A dependency relationship tells Microsoft Project which tasks must be started or finished before other tasks can begin. This method assists Microsoft Project in calculating the length of a project and its finish date. In task relationships, there are predecessor tasks and successor tasks. A predecessor task must either start or finish before another task can start or finish. A successor task depends on a previous task to start or finish before it can start or finish. Microsoft Project provides four possible types of task relationships: Finish-to-Start, Start-to- Start, Finish-to-Finish, and Start-to-Finish. In a Finish-to-Start relationship, the predecessor task must be complete before the successor task can start. For example, the walls must be primed before you can start to paint them. In a Start-to-Start relationship, both tasks start simultaneously. For example, plumbing and electricity can be installed at the same time in a house being built. In a Finish-to-Finish relationship, both tasks finish simultaneously. For example, all the inspections of the house must finish at the same time. In a Start-to-Finish relationship, the start of the predecessor task determines the end of the successor task. For example, the task of roofing a home is scheduled to start on a particular date. At the time work on the roof starts, the task of obtaining the roofing materials must end. The Finish-to-Start relationship is the default relationship when two tasks are linked. You can change task relationships in the Task Dependency dialog box. You can view information about the relationship of tasks by pointing to the link line in the Gantt chart. When you point to the line, a ToolTip appears and displays the type of relationship, such as Start-to-Start, and the task names. The Task Dependency dialog box You can quickly display the Gantt bar for a selected task by clicking the Scroll To Task button on the Standard toolbar. WWP Learning and Development Page 48

49 Outlining Tasks 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Point to the link line joining the tasks for which you want to change the relationship type. 3. Double-click the link line between two tasks. 4. Select the Type list. 5. Select the desired type of relationship. 6. Select OK. INSERTING A TASK You can insert tasks in the task list at any time. This option allows you to add new tasks in their logical place in an existing list. When you insert a task, you should recognize that the dependency relationships are affected. If you insert a task between two linked tasks with a Finish-to-Start relationship (the default), the newly inserted task is linked as well. If you insert a task between two linked tasks with a Start-to- Start, Finish-to-Finish, or Start-to-Finish relationship or where there is lag or lead time, the newly inserted task is not linked. Inserting tasks WWP Learning and Development Page 49

50 Outlining Tasks You can insert more than one blank row at a time by selecting fields in multiple rows. Then, when you select the Insert menu and select the New Task command or press the [Insert] key, the number of selected fields is inserted. If you do not want a new task to be automatically linked, you can disable the Autolink inserted or moved tasks option on the Schedule page in the Options dialog box. You can open the Options dialog box by selecting the Tools menu and then selecting the Options command. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the task above which you want to insert the new task. 3. Select the Insert menu. 4. Select the New Task command. 5. Enter the new task name. 6. Select the Duration field. 7. Enter the desired duration. 8. Press [Enter]. DELETING A TASK Deleting a task deletes the data permanently and removes the corresponding row in the Gantt chart. If you delete a task that was linked with Finish-to-Start relationships to its predecessor and successor tasks, a new relationship is formed. The former predecessor and successor tasks are linked with a Finish-to-Start relationship after the deletion. If any other type of relationship exists before you delete a task, a link is not maintained after its deletion. If you delete a task in error, you can select the Edit menu and then select the Undo Delete command to recover the most recent deletion. WWP Learning and Development Page 50

51 Outlining Tasks 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the ID number for the row containing the task you want to delete. 3. Press the Delete key. If you select just the cell containing the task name of a task and press the Delete key, an Option Button will appear to the left of the cell. When you point and click the Indicator, a list will appear from which you can either delete only the contents of the task name cell or the entire task. MOVING A TASK You can reposition tasks anywhere in your project schedule. Microsoft Project attempts to maintain the links when you move a task. If you do not want to maintain the links with the new task sequence, it is probably best to unlink the task prior to moving it and then link it after the move. You can also move tasks using the Cut and Paste buttons on the Standard toolbar. You can also copy tasks using the Copy and Paste buttons on the Standard toolbar. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the ID number for the row containing the task you want to move. 3. Drag the task ID number to the new position. WWP Learning and Development Page 51

52 Outlining Tasks APPLYING LAG AND LEAD TIME Tasks can be delayed or overlapped to more accurately reflect how your schedule will actually work. You can delay tasks by specifying a lag time or overlap tasks by specifying a lead time. In a Finish-to-Start relationship, lag time is the amount of delay between when Task A (the predecessor task) finishes and Task B (the successor task) begins. For example, two days of lag time might be necessary for the paint on the walls to dry before pictures can be hung. Lead time is the amount of time prior to the finish of Task A when Task B can begin. For example, on a road paving project, painting the lane dividing lines can begin before the entire road is complete. If you insert a task between two linked tasks that have a lag or lead time, the newly inserted task is not linked. Lead and lag time are both entered in the same field. You must enter lag time as a positive number, including the unit of duration. If you do not enter a unit of duration, a default duration of days is entered. For example, you would enter 2d for two days of lag time. Lead time is entered as a negative number. For example, -2d means that the task can start two days before the predecessor task is finished. You can also enter lag and lead time as percentages, such as 50% for lag time and -50% for lead time. The Task Dependency dialog box 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Double-click the link line between the tasks for which you want to enter a lag or lead time. 3. Select the text in the Lag spin box. 4. Enter the desired lag or lead time. 5. Select OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 52

53 Outlining Tasks APPLYING A CONSTRAINT Most of the time, you will schedule a project from a start date forward. In this situation, when you add a task to the project, it is automatically scheduled to start as soon as possible. Some tasks, however, may be subject to deadlines imposed by customers or internal company needs. These deadlines or restrictions are called constraints. For example, you cannot begin digging the foundation until a specific date because the equipment will not be available until that time. The constraint classifications are described in the following table: Constraint As Late As Possible (ALAP) As Soon As Possible (ASAP) Finish No Earlier Than (FNET) Finish No Later Than (FNLT) Must Finish On (MFO) Must Start On (MSO) Start No Earlier Than (SNET) Start No Later Than (SNLT) Description The task starts as late as possible, given its relationships, without holding up the completion of the project. This constraint is used by default when scheduling a project from a finish date backward. When this constraint is applied, you do not enter a date manually. The task starts as soon as possible, given its relationships. This constraint is used by default when scheduling a project from a start date forward. When this constraint is applied, you do not enter a date manually. The task must not be completed before the date specified. This constraint is assigned automatically if you enter a finish date for a task in a project scheduled from the start date forward. The task must be completed on or before the date specified. This constraint is assigned automatically if you enter a finish date for a task, when scheduling from a finish date backward. The task must finish on the date specified, regardless of its relationships and other scheduling factors. You should use this constraint sparingly. The task must start on the date specified, regardless of its relationships and other scheduling factors. You should use this constraint sparingly. The task starts on or after the date specified. This constraint is assigned automatically if you enter a start date for a task in a project scheduled from the start date forward. The task starts on or before the date specified. This constraint is assigned automatically if you enter a WWP Learning and Development Page 53

54 Outlining Tasks Constraint Description start date for a task in a project scheduled from the finish date backward. As indicated above, the As Soon As Possible constraint is the default when you schedule forward and the As Late As Possible constraint is the default when you schedule backward. You should, and probably will, use these constraints as much as possible. While other constraints provide some flexibility, these two constraints allow Microsoft Project the greatest flexibility in scheduling your project. The constraint indicators are described in the following table: Indicator Description The task has an inflexible constraint that includes: FNET (scheduled from the finish date), FNLT (scheduled from the start date), MFO, MSO, SNET (scheduled from the finish date), and SNLT (scheduled from the start date). The task has a flexible constraint that includes: FNET (scheduled from the start date), FNLT (scheduled from the finish date), SNET (scheduled from the start date), and SNLT (scheduled from the finish date). The task was not completed within the time frame of the constraint. When you point to a constraint indicator, a ToolTip displays the type of constraint and the appropriate date. Applying a constraint 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Double-click the task to which you want to apply a constraint. WWP Learning and Development Page 54

55 Outlining Tasks 3. Select the Advanced tab. 4. Select the Constraint type list. 5. Select the desired constraint type. 6. Select the text in the Constraint date text box. 7. Type the desired date. 8. Select OK. ENTERING A START OR FINISH DATE You can enter a start or finish date manually when you enter or edit a task. Entering a date imposes a constraint and limits the ability of Microsoft Project to adjust and calculate your schedule. When you try to exit the Task Information dialog box after you enter a start or finish date, a Planning Wizard dialog box may open, warning you that the start or finish date you have entered breaks the dependency between two tasks. If the successor task has a specified start date, it no longer depends on the finish date of the predecessor task. The Planning Wizard dialog box gives you the option to remove or keep the link. The Planning Wizard is enabled by default; however, you can disable this feature if desired. The Planning Wizard dialog box Planning Wizard options are available on the General page in the Options dialog box. To open this dialog box, select the Tools menu and then select the Options command. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. WWP Learning and Development Page 55

56 Outlining Tasks 2. Double-click the task for which you want to enter a start or finish date. 3. Select the General tab. 4. Select the date in the Start or Finish text box under Dates. 5. Enter the desired start or finish date. 6. Select OK. 7. Select the desired option in the Planning Wizard dialog box. 8. Select OK. SETTING A DEADLINE DATE In addition to using the available constraint types, you can set a deadline date for a task. Unlike other constraints, a deadline date is not inflexible and does not affect the project schedule. Instead, the deadline date assists you in keeping your schedule. When you assign a deadline date to a task, a down arrow appears on the Gantt chart, next to or on the bar for the task, indicating the deadline date. If you point to the deadline symbol, a ToolTip displays the word Deadline followed by the task name and the deadline date. If you do not complete a task by the assigned deadline date, an indicator appears in the Indicator column to alert you. You can then make the necessary adjustments to your schedule. The missed deadline indicator is a red triangle containing a white exclamation point. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Double-click the task for which you want to set a deadline date. 3. Select the Advanced tab. 4. Select the text in the Deadline text box above Constrain task. 5. Enter the desired deadline date. 6. Select OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 56

57 Outlining Tasks Setting a Deadline TASK DRIVERS Schedules shift throughout the project lifecycle, as tasks are planned and completed. You can use Project 2007 to help understand how changes to one task may affect the rest of the project and to track schedule changes. One way to do this is with change highlighting (see page 42). Another way is by displaying the task drivers. The Task Drivers pane provides information on what factors are affecting the start date of the selected task. You can click different tasks without closing the Task Drivers pane. The Task Drivers pane always displays the scheduling drivers for whatever task is selected. In addition to the task name and start date, the following information is displayed in the Task Drivers pane, as applicable. Heading Actual Start and Assignments Leveling Delay Constraint Type and Date Summary Task Predecessor Tasks Subtasks Calendars WWP Learning and Development Page 57

58 Outlining Tasks 1. Click the Task Drivers button on the Standard toolbar. 2. View the information in the task pane at the left of the work area. Project window showing Task Drivers pane at the left If you inserted another project into the current project, you must first expand the project summary task before viewing its task drivers. If the task is not expanded, you will receive an error message If the information in the Task Drivers pane is incorrect, or you are unsure of its accuracy, press F9 to recalculate the project data. WWP Learning and Development Page 58

59 Outlining Tasks LESSON 5 - OUTLINING TASKS In this lesson, you will learn how to: Outline tasks Indent and outdent tasks Collapse and expand an outline Link summary tasks Add outline numbers Create a project summary task Enter a recurring task View and hide recurring tasks Edit recurring tasks WWP Learning and Development Page 59

60 Outlining Tasks OUTLINING TASKS Tasks can be organized into an outline in any view that includes a task sheet. Creating an outline allows you to view the structure of a project more easily. You can group related tasks together to identify the major phases of a project. When you arrange the tasks in an outline, you create summary tasks and subtasks. Summary tasks summarize the cost, work, and scheduling information of other tasks. The duration of a summary task is the span of time between the earliest start date and the latest finish date of all its subtasks. The Gantt bar for a summary task has inverted triangles at both ends and extends from the earliest start date to the latest finish date of its subtasks. Subtasks are tasks that have been indented below a summary task. When you indent a task, the task above the indented tasks becomes the summary task. When subtask information changes, the summary task changes as well. In addition to creating summary tasks to represent phases in a project, you can also display a project summary task. A project summary task summarizes information for all project tasks. You can choose to view only the summary tasks or expand them to view all the subtasks. You can also link the summary tasks to clearly see the project relationships. In addition, you can view the work breakdown structure (WBS). The WBS is a hierarchical organization of tasks that uses codes to show which tasks are required to complete the next highest level of tasks. INDENTING AND OUTDENTING TASKS In order to create an outline, you need to decide which tasks should be subtasks and which should be summary tasks. Subtasks are related tasks that have been indented below a summary task. The summary task summarizes information about the subtasks, and is usually a critical step or phase in a project. In addition to subtasks, summary tasks can also include other summary tasks, such as a sub-phase. Once you decide on the arrangement of your outline, you can indent (demote) and outdent (promote) tasks. You can indent or outdent a single task or multiple tasks at the same time. When you indent a task, you cannot indent it more than one level below the preceding task. You can, however, have a significant number of levels of tasks within a project. Anything you do to a summary task affects its subtasks. If you move, delete, outdent, or indent a summary task, all of its subtasks are similarly affected. WWP Learning and Development Page 60

61 Outlining Tasks An outlined project plan 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the task(s) you want to indent or outdent. 3. Click the Indent button or the Outdent button on the Formatting toolbar. COLLAPSING AND EXPANDING AN OUTLINE You can collapse an outline when you want to view only the summary tasks and then expand it to view the subtasks. You can collapse individual summary tasks or collapse all summary tasks to view the major phases of a project. You can use the minus sign (-) next to a summary task in the task list to collapse it and hide its subtasks. You can then use the plus sign (+) to expand the summary task and display its subtasks. WWP Learning and Development Page 61

62 Outlining Tasks You can also use the outlining buttons on the Formatting toolbar to expand and collapse summary tasks. In addition, you can use the Show button on the Formatting toolbar to display outline levels 1 through 9. When you enter a new task in the task list, it is considered outline level 1. If you indent a task below a level 1 task, it becomes a level 2 task, and so on. For example, if you only want to view the first two levels of your outline, you can use the Show button and display Outline Level 2. Collapsing an outline You can also hide or display subtasks by using the Show drop-down list on the Formatting toolbar or by selecting the summary task and then using the Hide Subtasks and Show Subtasks buttons. To collapse all subtasks at once, you can also use the Filter list on the Formatting toolbar to filter for Summary Tasks. This procedure only displays the summary tasks and not any other tasks in your task list. You can also collapse and expand summary tasks in other views, including the Network Diagram view. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. WWP Learning and Development Page 62

63 Outlining Tasks 2. Click the minus symbol to the left of the summary task you want to collapse. 3. Click the plus symbol to the left of the summary task you want to expand. 4. Click the Show button on the Formatting toolbar to display a list of outline levels. 5. Select the desired outline level. LINKING SUMMARY TASKS You can link summary tasks just as you link other task types. Linking summary tasks provides you with a good visual aid for viewing task relationships. You can hide the subtasks and then clearly view the link line between the summary tasks. Linking summary tasks is not the same as linking subtasks. If you have a summary task with unlinked subtasks and then link that summary task to another summary task, only the summary tasks are linked. If you want any of the subtasks to be linked, you have to link them individually. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the first summary task you want to link. 3. Hold [Ctrl] and select the next summary task you want to link. 4. Click the Link Tasks button on the Standard toolbar. WWP Learning and Development Page 63

64 Outlining Tasks ADDING OUTLINE NUMBERING Microsoft Project can assign unique outline numbers for each task, based on its level in the hierarchy of the task list. Top level tasks will be numbered 1, 2, 3, etc. and their corresponding subtasks will be numbered 1.1, 1.2; 2.1, 2.2, etc. Whenever a change is made to the task hierarchy, the outline numbers are automatically updated. Built-in outline numbers are displayed with the task in the Task Name field, and cannot be edited. 1. Select the Tools menu. 2. Select the Options command. 3. Select the View tab. 4. Select the Show outline number option under Outline Options. 5. Select OK. CREATING A PROJECT SUMMARY TASK You can display a project summary task to quickly view cost, work, and scheduling information for your entire project. When you display a project summary task, it is inserted at the beginning of the task list and reflects the name of the project file. You can collapse and expand the project summary task, just as you collapse and expand other summary tasks. When you collapse a project summary task, no other tasks appear since all project tasks are subtasks of this task. The Gantt bar for a project summary task has inverted triangles at each end and is gray. This bar extends from the start date of the project to its end date. 1. Select the Tools menu. WWP Learning and Development Page 64

65 Outlining Tasks 2. Select the Options command. 3. Select the View tab. 4. Select the Project summary task option under Outline Options. 5. Select OK. ENTERING A RECURRING TASK You may have tasks that occur at regular intervals during a project, such as a weekly progress meeting. Instead of entering each individual occurrence of the task, you can create a recurring task. A recurring task appears on the project schedule at the specified intervals and is identified by a recurring task indicator. The recurring task indicator appears as two arrows in a circular formation. When you create a recurring task, you enter the recurring task name, the recurring task duration (the length of time it takes for each occurrence), the time increment (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), and the frequency within each time increment (every, every other, etc.). You can also indicate how many occurrences of the task you want to schedule, or allow Microsoft Project to default and schedule the recurring task throughout the project. In addition, you can choose a calendar to use when scheduling the task. If you attempt to schedule a recurring task on a nonworking day, Microsoft Project will prompt you to change it to a working day. Since a recurring task may appear throughout the length of a project, you can place it anywhere in the task list. You may want to enter all recurring tasks at the end of the project if they are meetings and similar types of tasks, or you can insert your recurring tasks where they are appropriate. After you create a recurring task, Microsoft Project calculates the total duration of all subtasks and displays that figure in the Duration field for the recurring task. The duration of a recurring task is the span of time between the earliest start date and the latest finish date of all its subtasks. WWP Learning and Development Page 65

66 Outlining Tasks The Recurring Task Information dialog box If you later add or edit tasks resulting in a change in the project duration, you will need to edit the recurring task(s) to correspond with the new duration. Microsoft Project does not automatically increase the number of occurrences of a recurring task to include a new duration. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the field in which you want to enter the recurring task. 3. Select the Insert menu. 4. Select the Recurring Task command. 5. Enter a recurring task name. 6. Select the Duration spin box. 7. Enter the duration for each occurrence of the task. 8. Select the desired options under Recurrence pattern. 9. Continue to select the desired scheduling options. 10. Select OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 66

67 Outlining Tasks VIEWING AND HIDING RECURRING TASKS A recurring task appears on the task list as a single task in bold type with the recurring task indicator to its left. Although it appears as a single task, a recurring task is actually made up of several subtasks. Each subtask represents one occurrence of the task and can be viewed or hidden as desired. The number of subtasks typically depends on the duration of the task, since subtasks can be scheduled for the entire length of a project. Each subtask has a constraint indicator to its left, illustrating that the task should start no earlier than the date for which it is scheduled. Viewing recurring tasks 1. Switch to appears the Gantt Chart view. 2. Click the plus sign to the left of the recurring task to view the subtasks. 3. Click the minus sign to the left of the recurring task to hide the subtasks. WWP Learning and Development Page 67

68 Outlining Tasks EDITING RECURRING TASKS A recurring task is made up of subtasks that represent each occurrence of the recurring task. You can edit the recurring task, which will affect all subtasks, or you can edit the individual subtasks. This feature is helpful as schedules change. For example, if you scheduled a recurring task for every Monday and a few members of the project team took a vacation day on the same Monday, you could reschedule the subtask for another day. Depending upon what part of a subtask you edit, the changes will remain or be overwritten if you later make changes in the Recurring Task Information dialog box. If you change the duration or name of a subtask, the changes will remain even if you later change this information in the Recurring Task Information dialog box. If you change the date of a subtask and later change the date in the Recurring Task Information dialog box, the change will be overwritten. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Double-click the subtask you want to edit. 3. Enter the desired duration for the subtask in the Duration spin box. 4. Select the Start or Finish list to select a new date for the subtask. 5. Select the new date for the subtask. 6. Continue to edit the recurring task as desired. 7. Select OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 68

69 LESSON 6 - WORKING WITH RESOURCES In this lesson, you will learn how to: Use resources Create a work resource Create a material resource Create a cost resource Assign a work resource to a task Assign various resources to a task Assign a material resource to a task Remove a resource assignment

70 Working with Resources USING RESOURCES Resources are the people, equipment, and supplies that are used to perform the tasks defined in a project plan. In a project, you can add resources, assign resources to tasks, add cost and scheduling information for the resources, and then monitor the work and costs of each resource. You create resources in the Resource Sheet view, which displays resource information in a table format. In this view, each column represents a different field in which you can enter data and each row represents a different resource entry. In Microsoft Project 2007, there are two types of resources, work resources and material resources. A work resource is a person or a piece of equipment that works to complete a task. A material resource is a supply or other consumable item used to complete a task. For example, if the task is to install windows in a house, the labourer installing the windows is a work resource and the windows are material resources. CREATING A WORK RESOURCE Work resources are the people and equipment that work to complete a task in a project. You can create work resources in the Resource Sheet view. When you create a work resource, you first need to complete the Resource Name field. In this field, you can enter the name of an individual; a name representing interchangeable people, such as Carpenter; or the name of the equipment, such as Overhead Projector. By default, resources you enter into the resource sheet are work resources, as indicated by the text Work in the Type field. In addition to the Resource Name field, you should also complete the Max. Units field in which you can enter a value representing the availability of a resource. This field defaults to 100%, indicating that the resource is available full-time to work on any tasks. However, you can change this percentage to accurately reflect the resource s availability. For example, if a resource is only available part-time, you could change the Max. Units field for the resource to 50%. If, on the other hand, two resources, such as two plumbers, are available, you could change the Max. Units field for the Plumber resource to 200%. At the time you create a resource, you may also want to change the Initials field since Microsoft Project defaults to the first initial of the resource name and does not change duplicate initials. By eliminating duplicate initials, you can later sort and filter resources by the Initials field, if desired. WWP Learning and Development Page 70

71 Working with Resources You may also want to assign a resource to a group. A group is a name that represents related resource types, such as Management. Assigning resources to groups is helpful because it gives you the choice of tracking and filtering information by an individual resource or a group. While you can view and track information on the group level, you cannot assign a group to a task. The resource sheet includes other fields in which you can enter data when you create a work resource. If you do not enter information in the other fields, Microsoft Project enters default values in some of them. Later, when you have created all of your resources and assigned them to tasks, you can enter cost information and resource codes, as well as scheduling information. The only field you cannot complete for a work resource is the Material Label field. This field is used for entering a unit of measurement, such as tons, for a material resource. The Resource Sheet view If you type the same information for consecutive resources, such as the same group name, a Planning Wizard dialog box may open, advising you to use the Multiple Resource Information dialog box to enter this information. To use this dialog box, select the resources for which you want to complete the same information and click the Resource Information button on the Standard toolbar. Complete the desired field(s) in the Multiple Resource Information dialog box and then select OK. You can change the Max. Units field to display decimals using the Show assignment units as list on the Schedule page in the Options dialog box. To open this dialog box, select the Tools menu and then select the Options command. WWP Learning and Development Page 71

72 Working with Resources 1. Switch to the Resource Sheet view. 2. Select the first empty field in the Resource Name column. 3. Enter the name of the work resource. 4. Select the corresponding field in the Max. Units column. 5. Enter the maximum units that the resource is available. 6. Continue to enter the desired information for the work resource. 7. Press [Enter]. CREATING A MATERIAL RESOURCE Material resources are the supplies and other consumable items needed for your project. You can create material resources in the Resource Sheet view. Unlike work resources, material resources do not typically impact the schedule since they do not perform work to complete a task. For this reason, you can create them at the same time you create work resources, or you can enter them later, along with cost information. Material resources could potentially impact the project schedule if they are not available until a certain date. For example, you ordered custom tiles for your kitchen and you scheduled this task to start on August 1. The tiles, however, will not be shipped until August 5. In this situation, the material resource would affect the schedule. When you create a material resource, you need to enter the resource name in the Resource Name field and change the Type field to Material. You should also enter a material label for the resource in the Material Label field. A label represents the unit of measurement for the resource. For example, if the material resource is Paint, then you could enter gallons as the material label. Some fields in the resource sheet are unavailable for material resources. For example, since you do not need to specify availability of the resource for scheduling, the Max. Units field is unavailable. In addition, since overtime rates do not apply to materials, the Ovt. Rate field is also unavailable. As with work resources, it is a good idea to change any duplicate initials in the Initials field. You can also assign material resources to groups using the Groups field as desired. WWP Learning and Development Page 72

73 Working with Resources 1. Switch to the Resource Sheet view. 2. Select the first empty field in the Resource Name column. 3. Enter the name of the material resource. 4. Select the Type field. 5. Select the Type list. 6. Select Material from the Type list. 7. Select the Material Label field. 8. Type the label for the material resource. 9. Continue to enter the desired information for the material resource. 10. Press [Enter]. CREATING A COST RESOURCE One of the new features of Project 2007 is a new type of resource called a Cost Resource. Previously there were just Work and Material resources, hence when you back save a Project 2007 file, any costs resource information will not be retained. A Cost Resource adds the ability to account for task costs that bear no relationship to the Work assigned on the task. Although you can add Fixed Costs to a task, these only let you account for a single 'lump sum' per task. This is not ideal in situations where you had more than one kind of cost per task. Cost resources, therefore, make it easy to have multiple non-work WWP Learning and Development Page 73

74 Working with Resources related costs for each task. You can then keep track the amount of each kind of cost across all the tasks. For example, if you have two Cost Resources, Travel and Hardware, you can assign them to many tasks, and then using the Resource Usage view you can see quickly how much money is scheduled to be spent on Travel and Hardware across all your tasks. You can even use the Resource Usage view to adjust where across the duration of the task the cost associated with the cost resource falls. 1. Switch to the Resource Sheet view. 2. Select the first empty field in the Resource Name column. 3. Enter the name of the cost resource. 4. Enter Initials and/or Group, if required. ASSIGNING A WORK RESOURCE TO A TASK Once you have created work resources, you can assign them to specific tasks. Assigning resources to tasks enables you to see if you have enough resources to complete the tasks or if the resources are overallocated. A resource is overallocated if it is assigned more work than it can complete in the given time frame. In most resource views, overallocated resources appear in red. You assign resources to tasks in a task view, such as the Gantt Chart view. To assign a resource, you select a task and then open the Assign Resources dialog box. In this dialog box, you select the resource that you want to assign to the task and indicate the number of units you want to assign. For example, to assign two of the same type of resource to a task, you would enter a unit value of 200%. When preparing projects for resource substitution, you can specify in the R/D (Request/Demand) column whether the selected resource must do the task or whether any resource with the required skills can do the task. After assigning a resource to a task, the resource name appears to the right of the appropriate task bar in the Gantt chart. For work resources, the unit percentage appears to the right of the resource name if it is a percentage other than 100%, which is the default. In addition, a checkmark appears to the left of the resource name in the Assign Resources dialog box, indicating it is assigned to the task that is currently selected. You can see how much work a resource is doing in total over a period of time by selecting the resource in the Assign Resources dialog box and clicking the Graphs button. WWP Learning and Development Page 74

75 Working with Resources When you assign a work resource to a task, Microsoft Project calculates the hours of work for the resource. This calculation is based on the duration of the task multiplied by the number of hours in a work day. Work = Duration of tasks x Units assigned For example, if you assign a resource to a task with a three-day duration and there are eight hours in the work day, Microsoft Project will assign that resource 24 hours of work. You can view work values for resources assigned to tasks in the Task Usage view. By default, Microsoft Project 2007 uses what is known as effort-driven scheduling. In effort-driven scheduling, you create a task, assign it a duration, and then assign a resource(s) to the task. After assigning resources, the total amount of work required to complete the task is calculated. If the number of resources assigned to a task later changes, by either adding or removing resources, the duration changes. However, the amount of work required to complete the task remains the same. For example, the task of painting a house has a duration of two days. You assign two painters to the task and the duration is still two days. The amount of work required of the resources is 32 hours [16 hours of work per day (8 hours/day per resource x 2 resources) x 2 days]. Later, you assign two more painters to the task and the duration changes to one day. The work value, however, remains at 32 hours (8 hours/day per resource x 4 resources). It is important to remember that the number of resources only affects the duration when a change is made to the original number of resources assigned to the task. When assigning additional resources to a task, a triangle appears in a corner of the Resource Name field (if the change was made directly in the Resource name field) or the Task Name field (if you made the change in the Assign Resources dialog box or the Task Information dialog box) and an information symbol appears in the indicator field. The symbol becomes visible when you move the mouse pointer over the Resource Name field for the task. You can click the symbol to see a list of task scheduling options. If you do not wish to make use of this feature, clear the Edits to work, units or duration check box in the Interface page of the Tools, Options command. When making a change in the Duration field that affects the duration of a task, a triangle appears in a corner of the Duration field (if the change was made directly in the Duration field) or the Task Name field (if you made the change in the Task Information dialog box) and an information symbol appears in the edited field. The symbol becomes visible when you move the mouse pointer over the Duration field for the task. You can click the symbol to see a list of work and duration options. If you do not wish to make use of this feature, clear the Resource assignments check box in the Interface page of the Tools, Options command WWP Learning and Development Page 75

76 Working with Resources You can assign multiple resources in the Assign Resources dialog box by selecting the first resource, holding [Ctrl], clicking the remaining resources, and then selecting Assign. The default maximum unit value of 100% will be assigned to the task for each selected resource. However, if the value entered into the Max. Units field for the resource is less than 100%, that value will be assigned. You can assign resources to summary tasks if desired. Be careful, however, not to assign the same resource to the subtasks of the summary task as this may result in overallocated resources. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view, if necessary. 2. Click in the Resource Name column for the task that you want to assign a resource to. 3. Click the drop down arrow. 4. Select the resource that you wish to assign. 5. Press Enter. Assigning a resource in the Entry table To assign more than one resource to a task, select the first resource as described above, type a comma and then select the second resource from the list. Continue typing commas and selecting more resources as necessary. WWP Learning and Development Page 76

77 Working with Resources Resources may also be added to tasks using the Assign Resources window. The Assign Resources window makes it easier to assign multiple resources to tasks, schedule their work (as a percentage of the resource s time) and remove or replace assigned resources. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Click the Assign Resources button on the Standard toolbar. 3. Select the task in the task list to which you want to assign a work resource. 4. In the Assign Resources dialog box, select the work resource that you want to assign to the selected task. Or If you wish to assign a resource to a tasks for more or less that 100%, click in the Units column for the desired resource and enter the value. 5. Select Assign. 6. Continue assigning resources in this way to other tasks, as necessary. 7. Select Close to close the Assign Resources dialog box. WWP Learning and Development Page 77

78 Working with Resources Assigning a resource using the Assign Resources window To assign more than one resource to a task, select the first resource as described above, hold down the CTRL key on the keyboard and then select the second resource. Continue holding down the CTRL key and selecting more resources as necessary. Click Assign when finished. To get the most flexibility when it comes to assigning resources to tasks, the Task Information dialog box should be used. Not only can multiple resources be added with ease, but units can also be entered with any subsequent work calculations only being carried out by Project when the ok button is clicked. This means you can always cancel the changes you ve made if incorrect. Removing and replacing resources is also quicker, easier and more reliable using the Task Information dialog box. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Double-click the task to which you want to assign various resources. 3. Select the Resources tab. 4. Select the Resource Name field. 5. Select the Resource Name list. WWP Learning and Development Page 78

79 Working with Resources 6. Select the first resource you want to assign to the task. 7. Select the Units field for the resource. 8. Enter the desired unit value. 9. Continue to assign the desired resources to the task. 10. Select OK. Assigning multiple resources and units to a task using the Task Information dialog box ASSIGNING A MATERIAL RESOURCE TO A TASK You can assign material resources to tasks at the same time you assign work resources to tasks. However, since material resources do not perform work and do not typically impact the schedule, you can also wait and assign them when you begin to enter cost information. When you assign a material resource to a task, you need to enter the amount of the resource required for the task in terms of the material label you assigned to it. For example, if you entered sq.mts as the material label for the Concrete material resource, you would need to assign x sq.mts of concrete to the desired task. If you do not enter an amount, Microsoft Project defaults to 1; therefore, in this example, 1 sq.mts of concrete would be assigned to the task. WWP Learning and Development Page 79

80 Working with Resources When you assign material resources to tasks, you indicate whether the resource has a variable material consumption or a fixed material consumption. A variable material consumption is a time-based quantity of a material resource needed for a task, such as 25 yards of concrete per week. This value, therefore, will change as the task duration changes. A fixed material consumption is a fixed quantity of a material resource needed for the entire task, such as 20 gallons of paint to paint the entire house, regardless of duration. You assign material resources in the Assign Resources dialog box, just as you assign work resources. In the Units field, you enter the amount of the resource needed for the task. If you entered a material label for the task, you simply enter the amount of the resource needed. If you did not enter a material label, you should enter one before you assign a material resource to a task; otherwise, only a number will appear next to the task without an identifying unit. To indicate fixed material consumption, you simply enter the amount, such as 25 for 25 sq.mts of concrete. To indicate variable consumption, you need to enter the time label along with the amount, such as 25/w to indicate 25 sq.mts of concrete needed per week. You can enter a /d for day, /w for week, /mo for month, as well as /m for minute and /h for hour. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view, if necessary. 2. Double-click the task to which you want to assign the material resource. 3. Select the Resources tab. 4. Select the Resource Name field. 5. Select the Resource Name list. 6. Select the material resource you want to assign to the task. 7. Select the Units field for the material resource. 8. Enter the desired unit value. 9. Continue to assign additional material resources to the task as necessary. 10. Select OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 80

81 Working with Resources ASSIGNING A COST RESOURCE TO A TASK Assigning costs to a cost resource is done in the same way as Units are set for an assignment. In the Assign Resources dialog there is a new field called "Cost". It is only active for cost resources. When you assign a resource to a task you just enter the amount you want to represent for that cost resource and click 'Assign'. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view, if necessary. 2. Double-click the task that you want to assign a Cost Resource to. 3. Select the Resources tab. 4. Select the Resource Name field. 5. Select the Resource Name list. 6. Select the cost resource you want to assign to the task. 7. Select the Cost field for the resource. 8. Enter the desired unit cost value. 9. Continue to assign cost resources to the task as necessary. 10. Select OK. Assigning a cost resource to a tasks WWP Learning and Development Page 81

82 Working with Resources You can only enter or change a value in the Cost field if the resource is designated as a Cost Resource in the Resource Sheet. Although Project calculates and shows the current cost of work and resource materials in the Cost field, this cannot be edited. REMOVING A RESOURCE ASSIGNMENT You can remove a resource assignment at any time. Before you remove a resource assignment, you need to switch to a task view, such as the Gantt Chart view. When you remove an assignment, the resource remains in the resource list, but it is no longer assigned to the selected task. Since Microsoft Project defaults to effort-driven scheduling, the duration of the task may be affected when you remove a resource. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view, if necessary. 2. Double-click the task from which you want to remove a resource. 3. Select the Resources tab. 4. Select the Resource Name in the Resource Name column. 5. Press Delete on the keyboard. 6. Continue to delete resources from the tasks as necessary. 7. Select OK. You can also remove or replace a resource assigned to a task using the Remove or Replace button in the Assign Resources dialog box. EFFORT DRIVEN V NON-EFFORT DRIVEN TASKS Microsoft Project uses Effort Driven scheduling as a default. This means that once Project has been able to calculate out the work that each resource does on a task (it WWP Learning and Development Page 82

83 Working with Resources does this the first time that you add resources to a task), it has to keep the work value constant when resources are later added or removed from the task. For example, you have a 3-day task in your project plan that currently is not resourced. You assign to it two resources; Project calculates that that task requires 48 hours work (assuming that your project is using an 8-hr day): Work = Duration x Units Hence, Work in hours = (3 days x 8 hours) x 2 Units Therefore, Work = 48hrs If you then add an additional resource to the task, Project works on the principal that it is still a 48-hr task, but now being done by THREE people. Three people can, therefore, do 48 hours work in a duration of 16 hours (2 days). 48 = (2 x 8) x 3 Because Project is not allowed to change the units and the work value, it has to change the duration in order to balance the two sides of the formula. If, however, the task is made non-effort driven, project assumes that the work of the newly assigned resource has to be added to the existing work of all the other assigned resources. In the example above, the effect would be to leave the duration the same (3 days) but change the work to 72 hours as follows: (3 x 8) x 3 = 72 Because Project is allowed to change the work value, it can, therefore, keep the duration constant in order to balance the two sides of the formula. If you want your task duration to be unaffected by changes to assignments, you may, therefore, wish to make it non-effort driven. To learn more on how Project can be made to recalculate the Work = Duration x Units formula when scheduling tasks, see Appendix I on page Error! Bookmark not defined.). WWP Learning and Development Page 83

84 Working with Resources Making a task non-effort driven 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view or the Task Usage view. 2. Double-click the task that you want to make non-effort driven. 3. Select the Advanced tab. 4. Click the Effort driven check box to remove the tick mark. 5. Select OK. MAKING EXISTING TASKS NON-EFFORT DRIVEN As discussed above, non-effort driven tasks keep their durations constant when new resources are added or removed to an already resourced task. As this method of working seems to be a preferred option for many people s projects, you may wish to make all the tasks in an existing project non-effort driven. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view, if necessary. 2. Click a column heading to select all the tasks in the project. WWP Learning and Development Page 84

85 Working with Resources 3. Click the Task Information button. 4. Select the Advanced tab. 5. Click the Effort driven check box to remove the tick mark. 6. Select OK. MAKING ALL FUTURE TASKS NON-EFFORT DRIVEN If non-effort driven tasks are your preferred way of working, you may wish to make additional tasks that you add to a project non-effort driven too well. You can also make the same change for all future projects that you create on that computer. 1. Click the Tools menu. 2. Select Options Select the Schedule tab. 4. Select the Advanced tab. 5. Click the Effort driven check box to remove the tick mark. To make all future projects created on that computer use noneffort driven tasks, click the Set as Default button. 6. Select OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 85

86 Working with Resources The Tools, Options... Schedule tab WWP Learning and Development Page 86

87 LESSON 7 - ADJUSTING RESOURCES In this lesson, you will learn how to: Address resource overallocation View resource usage Resolve conflicts by increasing units Level a resource Specify leveling timeframes Change the leveling order Level by entering a delay amount Clear leveling Split a task Change leveling to automatic Set task level priority

88 Adjusting Resources ADDRESSING RESOURCE OVERALLOCATIONS Microsoft Project schedules tasks in accordance with their specifications, such as the estimated durations, their relationships with other tasks, date constraints, available working days and times and resource availability. Tasks are scheduled to begin in the first available time slot on the resource calendar after any relationship requirements are satisfied. Microsoft Project does not consider that a resource may already be involved in another task. For example, if an employee is assigned to do three eighthour tasks in one eight-hour day, the employee is overallocated. For this reason, you should review workloads to uncover allocation problems after you have assigned resources. When resource overallocation or conflicts arise, you must develop a strategy to resolve them. The following list provides ways to address overallocations: 1. Increase the number of resources available, when possible. This solution, of course, is not always economically feasible. 2. Add underallocated resources to the task to assist the overallocated resource. This solution is often the most satisfactory, but also requires more effort from the project manager. 3. Schedule overtime hours or weekend work for the overallocated resources to get the project back on track. This solution should be used when the overallocation is not substantial. 4. Change the resource calendar to reflect longer working hours. 5. Adjust task relationships or constraints so that a resource is not assigned beyond its capacity. 6. Delay tasks until a resource is available. Often, this solution is not viable when deadlines are involved. 7. Split a task so that a resource can work on it at a later time. Overallocated resources appear in red in most of the resource views. The Resource Usage view is one view in which you can clearly review resource allocation and see if any of your resources are overallocated. WWP Learning and Development Page 88

89 Adjusting Resources Resource amounts appear as a percentage. For example, if three plumbers are available to work full-time on any tasks, the maximum unit for the Plumber resource would be 300%. VIEWING RESOURCE USAGE You can view resource allocation and quickly identify overallocated resources in the Resource Usage view. This view displays each resource name and the list of tasks to which each resource is assigned, as well as the sum of the work assignments. By default, the Resource Usage view uses a timescale similar to the Gantt Chart view, but it shows number values instead of bars. These numbers are the scheduled amount of work for each resource for the duration of the task(s) to which they are assigned. If a resource is overallocated, the resource name and numbers appear in red. You can add fields to display the actual work already completed by the resource (Actual Work) and the total work accumulated for the resource (Cumulative Work). You can also add fields to view the amount of work for which the resource is overallocated (Overallocation), the cost for all tasks assigned to the resource (Cost), and the amount of time remaining that the resource is available (Remaining Availability). The Resource Usage view You can quickly view the scheduled amount of work for a resource for a particular task in the Resource Usage view by selecting the task and clicking the Scroll To Task button. WWP Learning and Development Page 89

90 Adjusting Resources Formatted numbers that are too wide to fit into a cell appear as a series of hashes (#). To view an entire number, you can increase the column width by dragging the right column border in the column heading to the desired width. 1. Switch to the Resource Usage view. 2. Scroll the left pane as necessary to view the desired resource. 3. Scroll the timescale to display the hourly breakdown for the desired task(s). 4. Select the Format menu. 5. Point to the Details command. 6. Select the field you want to display. RESOLVING CONFLICTS BY INCREASING UNITS One method of solving overallocation problems with a resource is to increase the maximum units assigned to the task, if possible. For example, if your project shows that the Electrician resource is overallocated during the seventh month of the project, additional electricians could be hired for that one month period. 1. Switch to the Resource Usage view. 2. Double-click the overallocated resource to which you want to add units. 3. Select the General tab. 4. Select the Units field in the Resource Availability table. 5. Enter the new unit value(s) in the Units field in the Resource Availability table. 6. Select OK. WWP Learning and Development Page 90

91 Adjusting Resources LEVELLING A RESOURCE If multiple tasks have been scheduled at the same time, resource overallocation can result. The resources can be spread out over a longer period of time or tasks can be delayed or split to lessen the demand for the resources. This process is called resource leveling, which is one way to resolve resource conflicts. In most resource views, overallocated resources appear in red. In resource views with an indicator column, an indicator appears to let you know that a resource is overallocated and should be leveled. The indicator appears in the Indicators column in the shape of a yellow diamond containing a black exclamation mark. You can level one resource at a time or all project resources at once when you are in a resource view. If you are not in a resource view when you level resources, all resources are leveled and you are not prompted to choose which resources you want to level. You can level resources manually or automatically as tasks are added to the schedule. In addition, Microsoft Project can search for overallocations in a specified time period, such as daily or weekly, so that you can level resources in a specified time frame, such as on a particular day or month. You can set leveling options to control the way in which multiple resources are leveled and specify if the project finish date is affected by leveling. You can also set options to control the leveling of multiple resources assigned to the same task and to allow tasks to be split. The Resource Leveling dialog box If you try to level a resource and leveling is not an option, a Microsoft Project dialog box will open, informing you of any problems and providing alternatives to leveling. WWP Learning and Development Page 91

92 Adjusting Resources 1. Switch to the Resource Usage view. 2. Select the resource(s) you want to level if you are only leveling selected resources. 3. Select the Tools menu. 4. Select the Level Resources command. 5. Select the Manual option under Leveling calculations. 6. Select Level Now. 7. Select the Entire pool option to level all resources or the Selected resources option to level the resource that is currently selected. 8. Select OK. SPECIFYING LEVELING TIMEFRAMES When you level resources, you can use the default time settings or specify your own. By default, Microsoft Project looks for overallocations on a Day by Day basis; meaning that if a resource is overallocated, Microsoft Project will level the resource only if the assigned tasks cannot be completed in one day. Therefore, if the resource is assigned two tasks on the same day and one requires two hours and the other requires three hours, the resource will not be leveled. On the other hand, if both tasks require six hours, the resource will be leveled. You can change the time period in which Microsoft Project looks for overallocations to Minute by Minute, Hour by Hour, Week by Week, or Month by Month. In addition, by default, Microsoft Project levels an entire project unless you indicate otherwise. You can specify a timeframe in which you want Microsoft Project to level resources. Therefore, if your project lasts six months, you can set Microsoft Project to only level overallocated resources in a particular month or week, on a specific day, etc. 1. Switch to a resource view. 2. Select the resource(s) you want to level if you are only leveling selected resources. WWP Learning and Development Page 92

93 Adjusting Resources 3. Select the Tools menu. 4. Select the Level Resources command. 5. Select the Look for overallocations on a <timeframe> basis list. 6. Select the desired time period. 7. Select the desired option under Leveling range for <file name>. 8. Select the From list, if applicable. 9. Select the desired date, if applicable. 10. Select the To list, if applicable. 11. Select the desired date, if applicable. 12. Select Level Now. 13. Select the Entire pool or Selected resources option, if applicable. 14. Select OK, if applicable. CHANGING THE LEVELING ORDER When Microsoft Project levels resources, it uses a set of rules to determine the order in which the tasks will be delayed. When more than one task will be delayed, you have three selections to determine the order in which the tasks are delayed. In the Resource Leveling dialog box, you can display the Leveling order list under Resource overallocations and select one of the following options: ID Only; Standard; Priority, Standard. When the ID Only option is selected, Microsoft Project chooses the task with the higher ID number as the task to delay. The Standard option is the default order of leveling. With the Standard option, Microsoft Project uses five criteria to determine which task should be leveled first. The order of these criteria is as follows: 1. predecessor relationships, WWP Learning and Development Page 93

94 Adjusting Resources 2. slack, 3. dates, 4. priority, and 5. constraints on the task. The Priority, Standard option is the same as the Standard option, but the order of the criteria changes. The priority is the first determining factor, followed by predecessor relationships, slack, dates, and constraints. Priority refers to the level of importance you attach to a task regarding leveling. You can assign a priority level from 0 through 1000, with 1000 indicating that the task is not to be leveled. By default, all tasks are assigned a priority level of 500. Slack refers to the amount of time a task can be delayed before it impacts the dates of another task or the project finish date. You can also set other leveling options in the Resolving overallocations area to control the way Microsoft Project levels resources. If you want Microsoft Project to level tasks without affecting a project s finish date, you can select the Level only within available slack option, which is not selected by default. This option, however, does not allow Microsoft Project much flexibility in leveling resources. If you level using this option and Project encounters an overallocation that cannot be resolved within the available slack, the following window appears. You have little option but to click Skip and then devise an alternative method to settle the overallocation. If you want Microsoft Project to level overallocated resources assigned to the same tasks as other, non-overallocated resources, you can select the Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task option, which is selected by default. If you want Microsoft Project to split a task so that a resource can perform the task later, you can select the Leveling can create splits in remaining work option, which is also selected by default. 1. Select the Tools menu. WWP Learning and Development Page 94

95 Adjusting Resources 2. Select the Level Resources command. 3. Select the Leveling order list under Resolving overallocations. 4. Select the desired delay option. 5. Select or deselect the desired options under Resolving overallocations, if applicable. 6. Select OK. ENTERING A LEVELING DELAY MANUALLY If the source of the overallocation for a resource is because you scheduled more than one task at the same time, one or more of the tasks can be delayed in order to distribute the demand on the resource. You can view the Gantt chart to see where conflicts exist and determine the number of days you need to delay a task. You can allow Microsoft Project to delay the task when you use the Resource Leveling dialog box, or you can choose to delay the task yourself. When you wish to delay a task manually, you can enter the desired delay amount in the Levelling Delay column if the Levelling Gantt view. The Levelling Gantt View Although this can work well in a small, non-complex project, it may be difficult to use in a large project containing many overallocated resources. Microsoft Project, WWP Learning and Development Page 95

96 Adjusting Resources therefore, provides you with Resource Allocation view to more easily identify when, where and how the resources are overallocated. Resource Allocation view is a combination view. The top pane displays the Resource Usage view and the bottom pane displays the Leveling Gantt view. You enter the delay amount in the Leveling Gantt view in the Leveling Delay field. This field is always based on elapsed time. Therefore, if you enter a 7 in this field, a value of 7 edays would be entered by Microsoft Project, indicating seven elapsed days. If you are using the Standard project calendar, seven elapsed days includes Saturday and Sunday. The Resource Allocation combination view 1. Click the View menu. 2. Select More Views. 3. Select Resource Allocation in the Views: list. 4. Select the resource name in the top pane associated with the task you want to delay. 5. Scroll the Resource Allocation view, if necessary, to find the first overallocated task. 4. Enter the desired delay amount in the Levelling Delay column of the Levelling Gantt view (bottom pane). WWP Learning and Development Page 96

97 Adjusting Resources 5. Press [Enter]. The Resource Management toolbar is a useful addition to the Project window for assisting in identifying and resolving overallocations. Select View, Toolbars, Resource Management. Click the Resource Allocation button to apply the resource allocation view (first button from left). Click the Go To Next Overallocation button to find the next overallocated task (third button from left). The Resource Management Toolbar CLEARING LEVELING There may be times when you have leveled a particular resource or an entire project and are still not satisfied with the results. You can reverse the leveling action immediately after leveling a resource using the Undo feature or the Clear Leveling button in the Resource Leveling dialog box. When you use the Clear Leveling button, you have the option to clear the leveling for the entire project or the selected task. In addition, you can remove a delay by entering a 0 in the Leveling Delay field in the Leveling Gantt view. 1. Switch to the Resource Allocation view. 2. Select the task associated with the leveling action you want to remove, if applicable. 3. Select the Tools menu. 4. Select the Level Resources command. 5. Select the Clear Leveling command. WWP Learning and Development Page 97

98 Adjusting Resources 6. Select the Entire project or Selected tasks option. 7. Select OK. SPLITTING A TASK Another way that you can address overallocations is to split a task. Splitting a task is helpful when you have two tasks that overlap and use the same resource. For example, you could split the first task where the second task begins and then resume work on the first task when the second task is complete. You may also need to split a task if part of the task occurs on one day and part on another, non-consecutive day. For example, it will take a painter two days to paint a room. On the first day, the painter applies the first coat. Two days later, on the second day of the task s duration, the painter applies the second coat. In this situation, you could split the task to show that the painter works on the task on two non-consecutive days. This type of scheduling would enable the painter to work on other tasks between the first day and second day of the split task. As you track your project and mark tasks complete, you may also need to split tasks that are partially complete. You can then reschedule the unfinished work for a later time. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Click the Split Task button on the Standard toolbar. 3. Point to the area of the task bar where you want the split to begin. 4. Click and drag the mouse from the start of the split to the point where you want work on the task to begin again. 5. Release the mouse button. WWP Learning and Development Page 98

99 Adjusting Resources Click & drag from here.to here Splitting a task To remove a split, drag one portion of the split task bar until it touches another portion of the split bar. CHANGING LEVELING TO AUTOMATIC When leveling for resources is set to automatic, Microsoft Project levels tasks as soon as an overallocated resource is detected. This type of leveling takes place as tasks are entered into the project. While allowing Microsoft Project to level tasks automatically can be helpful, you should remember that you will not know when overallocations exist. For this reason, you may not want to use the automatic feature as it prevents you from seeing overallocations and deciding on the best way to address them. WWP Learning and Development Page 99

100 Adjusting Resources The first time you select the Automatic option, you also need to set any other leveling options as desired in the Resource Leveling dialog box. In addition, if you are in a resource view, you will be prompted to level the entire pool or selected resources when you choose the Automatic option. The next time an overallocation occurs, the resource is automatically leveled and you will not be prompted to make any selections. 1. Switch to a resource view, if applicable. 2. Select the desired resource, if applicable. 3. Select the Tools menu. 4. Select the Level Resources command. 5. Select the Automatic option under Leveling Calculations. 6. Change any other leveling options as desired. 7. Select OK. 8. Select the Entire Pool or Selected Resources option, if applicable. 9. Select OK, if applicable. SETTING TASK LEVEL PRIORITY By default, all tasks have a priority level of 500, which is a medium level priority. The higher the priority level assigned to a task, the less likely it is that the task is selected for delay. Therefore, a task with a priority of 900 is less likely to be delayed than a task with a priority of 400. You can also assign a priority of 1000 to a task, indicating that the task is not to be leveled. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view, if necessary. 2. Double-click the task that you want to prioritise. 3. Select the General tab, if necessary. WWP Learning and Development Page 100

101 Adjusting Resources 4. Select the number in the Priority spin box. 5. Enter the desired priority. 6. Select OK. Setting a task level priority If you are working with multiple projects, you can set project priority levels to indicate how you want the tasks in each project leveled in relation to one another. This is done in the Project, Project Information dialog box. WWP Learning and Development Page 101

102 LESSON 8 WORKING WITH A BASELINE In this lesson, you will learn how to: Work with baselines Use baseline tables Save a project baseline Save a task baseline Clear a baseline Enter percentage complete

103 Working with a Baseline WORKING WITH BASELINES A baseline is a copy of the scheduled dates, cost, and work data that is used to track the progress of a project by comparing it against the current schedule. It is usually a copy of the final plan just before the work on a project begins. You must remember to create the baseline copy before you start entering actual data. When you enter actual data, you are recording the schedule as it happens and it may no longer reflect the original plan. When the baseline is saved, the current dates, work, and cost data are used for comparison with the actual progress of the project. Before deciding on the final baseline, everyone involved in the project should know what is expected of them and agree to perform according to the plan. In addition, necessary approval should be obtained for the required resources. USING BASELINE TABLES When you first save a baseline, the baseline data and the information in the current schedule will be identical; however, as you track your progress, the actual data could vary from the original plan. Microsoft Project provides three tables that allow you to compare the baseline with the current schedule: Variance, Cost, and Work. The Variance table displays information regarding dates only. This table displays the start and finish dates and baseline start and finish dates, along with the start and finish variances. Until actual information is entered, the start and finish dates display the anticipated start and finish dates. Once the project starts and you enter actual information, the Start and Finish fields display the actual dates. The Cost table displays cost information, including the total cost, baseline, actual, and remaining cost information. It also displays the variance between the total cost and baseline cost. Tasks that have not started display an actual cost of 0 and a remaining cost that equals the total cost. Once the project starts and you enter actual information, the Actual field displays the actual costs. If costs vary from the plan, the Variance field will display the difference. The Work table displays information regarding the number of hours of work for each task. It displays the total work, baseline, actual, and remaining work values. It also displays the variance between the total work and baseline values, and the percentage complete for each task. Tasks that have not started display 0 hours of actual work and the remaining work amount equals the total work value. Once the project starts and WWP Learning and Development Page 103

104 Working with a Baseline you enter actual information, the Actual field will display the actual hours of work. Completed tasks display 100% in the % W. Comp. field. SAVING A PROJECT BASELINE The baseline plan is the original project plan you save to track progress. The baseline plan includes task start and finish dates, as well as resource and cost information. You can use the baseline to compare with the actual data recorded as your plan progresses. This information may also be useful when the project is completed, should you have a similar project in the future. When you create a baseline plan, Microsoft Project copies the plan information for dates, work, and cost entered from the current fields into the baseline fields. You can save the baseline at any time, but it is a good idea to wait until you have completely entered the plan. If you need to change the plan later, you can save the original baseline again, save additional baselines or save an interim plan. You can set up to 11 different baselines. Baseline information stores the current: Start dates Finish dates Work Durations Costs You can set up to 11 different interim plans. Interim plan information stores only the current start and finish dates. Saving a project baseline WWP Learning and Development Page 104

105 Working with a Baseline 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the Tools menu. 3. Point to the Tracking command. 4. Select the Save Baseline command. 5. Select OK. Whenever you use the Save Baseline list after a baseline has been saved, the date that the baseline was saved is shown next to the listed item. SAVING A TASK BASELINE When you save the baseline, the default option makes a copy of the baseline for the entire project; however, you can also save a baseline of selected tasks. Saving a baseline of selected tasks is helpful when you save a baseline of the entire project and then realise you need to adjust certain task information. You can revise the tasks and then save the baseline for only those tasks. In addition, you may need to add tasks during the life of the project, after the baseline has been saved. You can select those new tasks and save a baseline for them, adding them to your original plan. When saving a baseline for selected tasks, you can select those you want baseline data to roll up. If you want updated baseline data for the selected tasks (and all other subtasks that share the same summary task) to be rolled up to those tasks' summary tasks, select the To all summary tasks check box. Otherwise, summary tasks baseline data may not accurately reflect subtask baseline data. If you want selected summary tasks' baseline data to be updated to reflect either deletions of subtasks or added tasks for which you have previously saved baseline values, select the From subtasks into selected summary task(s) check box. If you have selected both subtasks and summary tasks, select both check boxes. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. WWP Learning and Development Page 105

106 Working with a Baseline 2. Select the task you want to correct or add to the baseline. 3. Select the Tools menu. 4. Point to the Tracking command. 5. Select the Save Baseline command. 6. Select the Selected tasks option. 7. Under Roll up baseline, select your preferred option. 7. Select OK. CLEARING A BASELINE After saving baseline data, you may decide that you do not want this data used for comparison purposes. If desired, you can clear the baseline and save it at a later time. You may also want to clear baseline data if you plan to use a completed project as the basis for future projects. You can clear baseline information for the entire project or for a particular task. In addition, you can clear the dates saved in an interim plan as desired. The Clear Baseline dialog box 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the task for which you want to clear the baseline, if applicable. 3. Select the Tools menu. 4. Point to the Tracking command. WWP Learning and Development Page 106

107 Working with a Baseline 5. Select the Clear Baseline command. 6. Select the Clear baseline plan or Clear interim plan option. 7. Select the Clear interim plan list, if applicable. 8. Select the fields you want to clear. 9. Select the Entire project or Selected tasks option. 10. Select OK. ENTERING THE PERCENT COMPLETE When you automatically update a task as scheduled, Microsoft Project calculates the percent complete value for the task using the number of days between the current date you entered and the start date of the task. Sometimes the number of days passed is not a true indicator of the actual percent of work completed on the task. Another method of recording completed work is to enter the percent complete value manually to indicate a more realistic estimate of the completed work. You can enter this information in the Update Tasks dialog box or in the Tracking table. The Update Tasks dialog box You can use the Update Tasks dialog box to update information in any of the fields it contains. 1. Switch to the Gantt Chart view. 2. Select the task you want to update. WWP Learning and Development Page 107

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