Setting up a project

Create and modify a template1)Open new or edit existing project template. Change data fields or modify columns by selecting column right click insert, aft er selecting different views include required records for a project.

Microsoft project plan - The standard file format for a project, which uses the .mpp extension

Microsoft project template -This is a template file in which you can save boilerplate information. This format uses the .mpt extension. The global file (Global.mpt) is a master template file that can contain formatting information for all projects but can't store tasks, resources, or assignments.

Select template2)File → On computer → Other project

Enter project information3)Toolbar - project → Project information

Managing Calendars4)View - Calendar provides basic display. Custom to view range of dates.

Advanced Tools → Change Working Time

Can set calendar type, exceptions (e.g holidays) by entering name, start and finish date for a period. Once a date range has been entered for a period below specific working hours can be set along with working/ non-working periods.

Project 200708 September 200919:18

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Default hours can be set through tools → options → calendar

Import and export data 5)

ExportA couple of options exist for this file → save as → file extensions Reports - view visual report - excel

Import dataFile → Open → Select all file extensions (can import MS access, Excel, CSV, XML and tab delimited text).Import Wizard will open.Select how to import the file

Select the data type to import

Select new records to import and assign the field label that matches to those found in Project. Mapping

Then name file and save.

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Then name file and save. To import follow above steps, select use existing map and find saved map.

Estimating, Scheduling, and Budgeting Tasks

Create a WBS.1)Write down on paper the breakdown and dependency of tasks. E.g Phase 1(Planning tasks) , Phase 2 (Design tasks), Phase 3 (De velopment)Enter Task name , duration, start or finish dates.

Create and modify tasks.2)Double click on tasks and can set resources priority and notes.

To edit the display of the Gantt chart highlight task and select Gantt wizard to format.

Estimate and budget tasks.3)Can set % complete, constraints and milestones. Milestones can be set in the advanced options

✦Fixed Units: This is the default task type. With this task type, when youassign resources to a task with a certain number of units (hours of workexpressed as a percentage of the working day), the resources’ assignmentsdon’t change even if you change the duration of the task and thework amount.

✦ Fixed Duration: This task type takes a set amount of time to complete,no matter how many resources you add to the mix. For example, a teston a substance that requires that you leave the test running for 24 hourshas a fixed duration even if you add 20 scientists to oversee the test.

✦ Fixed Work: The number of resource hours assigned to the task determinesits length. If you set the duration of a Fixed Work task at 40 hours,for example, and you assign two resources to work 20 hours each (simultaneously)at units of 100 percent, the task will be completed in 20 hours.If you take away one of those resources, the single resource must put in40 hours at units of 100 percent to complete the task. Understandinghow the choice of task type causes your task timing or resource assignmentsto fluctuate is an important part of creating an efficient project.

Sequence tasks.4)Predecessors, types (e.g. Set start -finish sequence)This can be done by click on individual task, selecting predecessor and type. Or

On project guide panel →Tasks→ Schedule tasks

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On project guide panel →Tasks→ Schedule tasks

Link type Example Description

Finish-to-start (FS)

The dependent task (B) cannot begin until the task that it depends (A) on is complete.

For example, if you have two tasks, "Dig foundation" and "Pour concrete," the "Pour concrete" task cannot begin until the "Di g foundation" task is complete.

Start-to-start (SS)

The dependent task (B) cannot begin until the task that it depends (A) on begins.

The dependent task can begin anytime after the task that it depends on begins. The SS link type does not require that both ta sks begin simultaneously.

For example, if you have two tasks, "Pour concrete" and "Level concrete," the "Level concrete" task cannot begin until the "P our concrete" task begins.

Finish-to-finish (FF)

The dependent task (B) cannot be completed until the task that it depends on (A) is completed.

The dependent task can be completed anytime after the task that it depends on is completed. The FF link type does not require that both tasks be completed simultaneously.

For example, if you have two tasks, "Add wiring" and "Inspect electrical," the "Inspect electrical" task cannot be completed until the "Add wiring" task is completed.

Start-to-finish (SF)

The dependent task (B) cannot be completed until the task that it depends on (A) begins.

The dependent task can be completed anytime after the task that it depends on begins. The SF link type does not require that the dependent task be completed concurrent with the beginning of the task on which it depends.

For example, the roof trusses for your construction project are built offsite. Two of the tasks in your project are "Truss de livery" and "Assemble roof." The "Assemble roof" task cannot be completed until the "Truss delivery" task begins.

Identify and analyze critical tasks and critical path.5)View network diagram or project tracking Gantt

Manage multiple projects.6)Use sub-tasks to group sets of related tasks into more manageable sets. This creates self contained mini -projects within the larger project or programme to be carried out.

Resourcing Project Plans

Forecast time-phased generic skill or role requirements.1)Entering Max units (25/50/100%) availability of resources, working hours and dates available from for staff by click on individual resource. This can be set as work, materials or cost items.

Create, modify, and use resource pools.2)Create a separate project document called resource pool if sharing people, costs and equipment across a range of projects.

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The enter current project document Tools → Resource Sharing → Share Resources

Select use resources and precedence option:

Click Pool takes precedence if you want resource information in the resource pool project to override any conflicting information from the sharer project. This option is selected by default.Click Sharer takes precedence if you want resource information in the sharer project to override any conflicting information from the resource pool project.

When a second project is created it can also access the resource. First the resource pool must be reopened and options will appear to allow edits/write, read only or new master file. In this case select read only and allow access to other projects.

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Then follow the same steps as above.

Disconnecting resource pool . Two step process: i)removing shared resource from project file (sharer file)Select use own resources

ii) breaking link from the resource pool. Select sharing link and click break link.

Add, change, substitute, or remove resource assignments.3)Select task and click resource button circled.

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Select staff member/ material → Assign to add resource to task. Replace will substitute resource .resource and remove to delete resource .

Predict durations and work calculations.4)Add view → Toolbar → PERT Analysis

Enter values for optimistic, expected and pessimistic and click on the calculator button. Graphs left to right will show optimistic to pessimistic graphs respectively. Balance button allows custom weighting to be applied to values.

Optimize resource utilization.5)Aim is to identify and redistribute project plan goals where resources are over/ under allocated.

Assessing the allocation of resources.View → Resource usage

View Will display over allocated resources in red and resource levelling indicator.

View → Resource GraphWill display the workload/ availability of individual resources.

Add toolbar by right clicking resource management

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To view resources that are over/ under allocated click resource bar dropdown box on the resource usage view.

Resource levelling Priorities can be set on tasks and projects.

Task

View → Gantt ChartTask → task information → general → priority. Ranges from 1 (low) to High (1000)

Project

Project menu → Project Info and enter priority.

To level select tools → level resources

Two options for levelling1- Automatic un-tick "Clear levelling values before levelling" this means that it will only level new and unlevelled assignments. Occurs on clicking the OK button2- Manual occurs on clicking the "level now " button

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2- Manual occurs on clicking the "level now " button

Options with this also exist:Basis: minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day or month by month.Range applying to entire project or specific dates.Levelling order: ID - level ascending according to ID number •Standard - examines predecessors, dependences, slack, dates, priorities and constraints.•Priority, standard - examines priority first then standard criteria•Scheduling : Level only with available slack - aims to level only with free time available in time scope (finish).Levelling can adjust individual assignment on a task - allows adjustment when a resource works independently from other resources work on the same task.Levelling can create splits in remaining work -If a resource is assigned to tasks concurrently beyond what the resource's schedule can handle, then a task that has remaining work can be split and worked on when the resource's schedule will allow it.Level resources with the proposed booking type - includes proposed resources.

Updating and Reporting on Project Performance

Save and modify baselines.1)Tools → Tracking → Set Baseline

Set baseline options allow s the creation of 11 baseline saves.

Enter task updates.2)Tools → Tracking → Update tasks

Reschedule incomplete work.3)Highlight task then Tools → Tracking → Update Project Select tasks button and reschedule uncompleted work start date

Track project progress.4)View → Table: → WorkWork table displays work (hrs), project baseline, variance (hrs), actual work, % completeVariance table displays task variance (start - finish dates) against baseline (start-finish) in number of days. Schedule table displays details of slack in project between tasks.

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Schedule table displays details of slack in project between tasks.

Tracking status date by selecting project → Project Information

Add progress line to date - then double click on the line and select display current progress.

Analyze variance.5)View →Table →Variance table displays task variance (start - finish dates) against baseline (start-finish) in number of days.

Percent Complete is a measure based on duration and Percent Work Complete is based on work. The two fields are calculated as follows:Percent Complete = Actual Duration/Duration (PC=AD/D)Percent Work Complete = Actual Work/Work (PWC=AW/W)

Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS)Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled is the cost of the work that is scheduled to be done in a certain time period if everything goes exactly to plan

Budget Cost of Work Performed (BCWP)The Budget Cost of Work Performed number is the budgeted cost of the work that has been done up to a certain point. This tells you how much the work you have actually done up to a certain date should have cost, if the costs went according to plan. If this number is less than BCWS, it means that work is being done slower than planned.

Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP)The Actual Cost of Work Performed is the actual cost of the work that is represented in BCWP. If this number is higher than BCWP, it means that work is costing more money than originally planned.

From BCWS, BCWP, and ACWP, you can derive two variance metrics: Cost Variance (CV) and Schedule Variance (SV). The equation for Schedule Variance is SV = BCWP - BCWS. Here’s how we can interpret this metric:

If SV = 0, the task or project is going exactly to schedule.•If SV < 0, the task or project is behind schedule.•If SV > 0, the task or project is ahead of schedule.•

The equation for Cost Variance (CV) is CV = BCWP – ACWP.

If CV = 0, the task is right on track with the budget.•If CV < 0, the task is over budget.•If CV > 0, the task is under budget•

Create, modify, and delete objects.6)Select task or resource view → Select field → notes and select the object icon

Two options to create new or create from file. Can use the link option to attach an object image of the original file, whichis update as the file is modified. The display as icon button will insert an thumbnail image of the document as below.

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The display as icon button will insert an thumbnail image of the document as below.

Modify option applies only if there is access to application editing software.To delete → select object/thumbnail and right click delete.

Optional - Another way of linking or inserting documents within project is to use hyperlinks. Right click the top row within the tracking Gantt → Insert column → Set Field name as hyperlink and add field name e.g. Document link.

Right click → add hyperlink

Create reports.7)Two methods: i)Visual reports (Excel/ Visio) and ii)Reports (Text based)

Visual i)

Reports ii)

Configuring Tools and Options

Set up Schedule options.Set up Calculation options.Set up Interface options.Set up View options.Set up General options.Set up Calendar options.Set up Security options.

All the above can be accessed by selecting tools → options

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