Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 Project Goal

network company computers to easily share resources within a time frame of three months and within a budget of $50 000

open a new project save it as LANtutorial2 add the following tasks in order with their correct durations:

Document Current Environment – 5 days Conduct Needs Analysis – 15 days Build RFP – 2 days Gather Bids – 15 days Choose Vendors – 2 days Install Hardware – 3 days Install Software – 3 days Conduct Training – 5 days

*note that you can copy and paste, then rename tasks; even from the powerpoint

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 viewing Project Information

open Project Information at the bottom of the Project Menu *at certain points I will ask you to undo (Edit>Undo; or Control+Z)

here you can set start and finish dates for your project you can also Schedule projects form the Start Date or the

Finish Date certain dates cannot be changed depending on which is

chosen set the Start Date for October 1 and click OK look at the Gantt Chart and notice the change; undo zoom into the Gantt Chart view *if you ever lose sight of a task or all tasks; select one and click the Go To Selected Task button

beside the Zoom buttons (Magnifying Glasses)

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 viewing Project Information

return to Project Information (ALT+P and P again)Schedule from Project Finish Datenotice that subsequent tasks will be scheduled As Late as

Possible not As Soon As Possibleset the Finish Date for October 31st

notice that the current tasks still start As Soon As Possible

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 viewing Task Information

you can view the information for specific tasks, not the overall Project, by double clicking a task

open the Task Information for Install Software and select the Advanced tab

notice the Constrain type is As Soon As Possibleopen the drop-down menu (click little down arrow) and

switch it to As Late As Possiblenote the change; undoselect all tasks 5,6 and 7; right-click and choose Task

Information; switch this to As Late As Possible; undo return to Project Information and re-Schedule the Project

from Project Start Date starting today

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 working with the Project Calendar

go to Tools > Change Working Timeschedule a holiday as Nonworking time on Monday February 1stSelect February 1st on the CalendarType Company Holiday as the name in the first row of the

Exceptions tab

open the Project Guide Toolbar (View > Toolbars > Project Guide)

Click Tasks > Define General Working TimesFollow the instructions to make Fridays end at 4:00 instead of

5:00 you can make changes to working hours at any time during the

project

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 create a Task Calendar

the training task is to be scheduled in the morning only

go to Tools > Change Working Timeclick Create New Calendarmake a copy of the Standard Calendar and call it Trainingdelete the afternoon hoursFriday should be changed separately as it was already

changed in the Standard Calendarclick F and remove the afternoon hours

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 apply the Training Task Calendar

open Task Information for Conduct Trainingmake sure you are on the advanced tabchange Calendar from None to Trainingnote the changes

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 entering Recurring Tasks some tasks such as Meetings may recur at fixed times and intervals

(ex. weekly)

click the next empty task cell Insert > Recurring Taskname it Status Meetinggive it a duration of 2h (2 hours)schedule it weekly for Mondaysclick okay; what happens?click the Expand (+) button to see detailsclick the Collapse (-) button to hide details

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 entering Milestones a milestone is a significant point in time or progress point in the

project they have no duration we will add a milestone indicating when Vendor Contracts are

signed

click the cell Install Hardwareclick the Insert key on your keyboardname it Sign Contractsgive it a duration of 0note what happens

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 Task Dependencies are the relationships between tasks Finish-to-Start (FS) dependency indicates that one task must be

completed before another can begin other dependencies include Start-to-Start (SS), Finish-to-Finish (FF)

and Start-to-Finish (SF) these establish the sequence of tasks

select the first two tasksclick the Link Tasks (chain) button to create the

dependency; undoclick on the Task Bar of the first task (Document Current

Environment) and drag to the second task (Conduct Needs Analysis) to create the dependency

you can create dependencies similarly in other views

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 Task Dependencies and the Critical Path the Critical Path indicates Tasks that must be completed within the

given schedule dates in order for the project to finish on time

select the Network Diagram in the View Bar the Critical Path is seen along the top in redadd task 3 to the critical path return to the Gantt Chartcreate FS dependencies for the remaining tasksnote that tasks 1 and 2 can occur at the same time remove the dependency between them

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 Lag Times some tasks may begin while other tasks are still in progress or

some time after a task is completed (lead time) lag and lead times allow you overlap or spread tasks apart the RFP can be started while the Needs Analysis is still in process

double-click the link line between tasks 2 and 3set the lag at -2d (2 days) lag and lead times can also be entered as %

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) defines total scope of the project provides basis for planning and managing project schedules, costs

and changes organize tasks into summary tasks

(groups of tasks that logically belong to each other) top-down method starts with broad categories, then breaks them

down bottom-up method starts with all tasks then groups them tasks are made into summary tasks by indenting and outdenting

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

add the tasks Train Staff and Train Management below the task Training

select them both and click the indent button link the tasks to make them dependentadd Install Cabling above Install Hardwareadd Installation above thatmake all of the Install tasks sub-tasks of Installation

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

add Analysis above Document Current Environmentmake Document Current Environment and Conduct

Needs Analysis sub-tasks of Analysis

add a Project Summary task bar

go to Tools > Options and click the View tabclick the checkbox for Show project summary taska Summary task bar will be added at the top you can rename it if you likehide it again

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

you can show and hide summary tasks using expand and collapse

or the tools to the right of the indent and outdent tools

note that you can show different levels of the project

Microsoft Project – Tutorial 2Work Breakdown Structure Codes (WBS codes)

go to Tools > Options and click the View tabclick the checkbox for Show outline numberyou can create your own coding systemselect Project > WBS> Define Codeswitch the Sequence to Uppercase Lettersyou can’t yet see these codes right-click on the Task Name column heading and add

Insert Columnselect WBS from the listyou can now see your new coding system turn off the original number codes