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Student Manual
CHW Learning Institute
2003
\Project 2003 Foundation Courseware DISCLAIMER This course is to be used in accordance with Catholic Healthcare West usage policies via the Catholic Healthcare West Learning Institute (CHWLI). Points of view or opinions in this document provided by vendors, subject matter experts, and resources are solely that of the resource itself and do not represent the official position or policies of Catholic Healthcare West Learning Institute (CHWLI). You may contact the CHW Learning Institute via email at chwlearninginstitute@chw.edu with requests and/or questions regarding this course and its contents.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: GETTING STARTED
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LESSON 1.1: STARTING OUT WHAT IS PROJECT 2003? WHAT IS A PROJECT? WHY USE PROJECT 2003? PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 1.2: MEETING PROJECT OPENING MICROSOFT PROJECT 2003 INTERFACE OVERVIEW USING TASK PANES USING MENUS AND TOOLBARS ABOUT DIALOG BOXES CLOSING MICROSOFT PROJECT 2003 PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 1.3: USING PROJECT MENU OVERVIEW USING THE STANDARD TOOLBAR USING THE FORMATTING TOOLBAR USING THE PROJECT GUIDE PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 1.4: MANAGING PROJECT FILES OPENING PROJECT FILES SAVING PROJECT FILES FOR THE FIRST TIME RE-SAVING A PROJECT FILE SWITCHING BETWEEN OPEN PROJECTS CLOSING PROJECT FILES PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 1.5: GETTING HELP IN PROJECT USING THE HELP MENU USING THE HELP TASK PANE USING HELP TOPICS USING THE OFFICE ASSISTANT CONFIGURING THE OFFICE ASSISTANT USING THE TYPE A QUESTION BOX GETTING HELP IN A DIALOG BOX PRACTICE EXERCISE SECTION 1: REVIEW QUESTIONS
2 2 2 3 3 6 6 7 8 9 14 16 17 26 26 26 28 30 33 39 39 42 44 44 45 46 52 52 52 53 56 57 57 58 59 65
SECTION 2: STARTING A PROJECT
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LESSON 2.1: CREATING A PROJECT PLANNING YOUR PROJECT CREATING A PROJECT ENTERING PROJECT INFORMATION SETTING WORKING TIME PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 2.2: CREATING TASKS ENTERING NEW TASKS CHANGING A TASK’S DURATION MOVING A TASK INSERTING A TASK DELETING A TASK PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 2.3: EDITING TASKS OPENING THE TASK INFORMATION DIALOG TASK TYPES SETTING MILESTONES CREATING RECURRING TASKS CREATING SUBTASKS CREATING SUMMARY TASKS PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 2.4: SETTING CONSTRAINTS TYPES OF CONSTRAINTS CREATING A CONSTRAINT SETTING TASK DEADLINES CONSTRAINTS VS. DEADLINES PRACTICE EXERCISE SECTION 2: REVIEW QUESTIONS
68 68 69 70 72 75 82 82 83 83 83 84 85 89 89 90 92 92 94 96 97 102 102 102 103 104 105 110
SECTION 3: SCHEDULING A PROJECT
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LESSON 3.1: CREATING THE PROJECT CALENDAR CALENDAR TYPES SETTING UP THE CALENDAR CREATING A NEW CALENDAR CHANGING CALENDAR VIEWS ADJUSTING THE TIMESCALE PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 3.2: SETTING A PROJECT’S BASELINE BASELINE BASICS SAVING A BASELINE VIEWING A BASELINE CLEARING A BASELINE PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 3.3: SETTING A PROJECT’S INTERIM PLAN SETTING AN INTERIM PLAN VIEWING AN INTERIM PLAN CLEARING AN INTERIM PLAN PRACTICE EXERCISE
113 113 113 115 117 119 121 129 129 129 133 136 137 142 142 143 143 144
LESSON 3.4: SETTING A PROJECT’S CRITICAL PATH WHAT IS THE CRITICAL PATH? HOW DOES PROJECT DETERMINE THE CRITICAL PATH? VIEWING THE CRITICAL PATH SHORTENING THE CRITICAL PATH PRACTICE EXERCISE SECTION 3: REVIEW QUESTIONS
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SECTION 4: PRINTING AND VIEWING A PROJECT
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LESSON 4.1: PRINTING AND VIEWING A PROJECT CHECKING SPELLING IN A PROJECT SELECTING TEXT CUTTING, COPYING, AND PASTING USING UNDO AND REDO INSERTING PAGE BREAKS PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 4.2: CHANGING YOUR VIEW USING ZOOM USING THE VIEW BAR USING BASIC VIEWS USING ADVANCED VIEWS USING THE FIND DIALOG PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 4.3: USING PAGE SETUP SETTING PAGE OPTIONS SETTING MARGINS SETTING HEADERS SETTING FOOTERS MODIFYING THE LEGEND CHANGING VIEW SETTINGS PRACTICE EXERCISE LESSON 4.4: PRINTING A PROJECT OPENING PRINT PREVIEW USING PRINT PREVIEW USING PRINT COMMANDS USING THE PRINT DIALOG USING THE PROJECT GUIDE FOR PRINTING WIZARD PRACTICE EXERCISE SECTION 4: REVIEW QUESTIONS
162 162 163 164 164 165 167 173 173 176 178 179 180 181 187 187 188 188 190 191 192 193 201 201 202 203 204 204 206 215
SECTION 1: Getting Started
In this section you will learn how to: Open Microsoft Project 2003 Use the parts of the Project interface Use task panes Interact with Microsoft Project 2003 Close Microsoft Project 2003 Use the Project menus and toolbars
Use the Project guide Open, save, re-save and close projects Switch between open projects Use the Help menu Use the Help task pane Use and configure the Office Assistant Use the Type a Question box Get help in a dialog box
You will also learn: What Project 2003 is What a project is What advantages Project 2003 can offer you
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Lesson 1.1: Starting Out
Welcome to Microsoft Project 2003! In this lesson, we’re going to focus on the basics: what Project 2003 is, what a project is, and how Project 2003 can help you.
What is Project 2003? At its most basic level, Microsoft Project 2003 is a database. It’s like the digital version of a filing cabinet: you can use it to store, find, and share information. Unlike a filing cabinet, however, Project 2003 has a brain. This means you can also use it to manage, plan, and analyze information. As you might guess, Project 2003 is aimed towards project management, which is the art of aligning resources and schedules to accomplish all of the tasks. Let’s say you’re the head writer for the Acme Widget Company. You have to prepare the company’s annual report, which has a big budget, requires co-operation from many departments, and is going to take about six months to plan. You can use Project to manage all the tasks that must be performed to make sure they are assigned, completed, and stay on budget. You can also use Project to generate reports and calendars for others, to show them how great your project is coming along.
What is a Project? The Oxford English Dictionary defines a project as “an enterprise carefully planned to achieve a particular aim.” So, for an elementary school student, a project might be a report with statistics, pictures, and facts about a country, with the aim of learning about that country. In a business sense, a project is an undertaking that will accomplish a specific task, such as the launch of a new product, an office party, or writing a report. These projects are unique; once the project is complete, you will have a tangible result. Projects can come in all shapes and sizes. A project to plan an office party, for example, may only consist of a dozen tasks and only need a few resources. It may only take a week or so to complete. On the other hand, a more complex project (such as the launch of a new product) may have thousands of tasks and resources. It may even have sub-projects, such as research, development, production, and marketing. All of these components may take years to complete.
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Why use Project 2003? There are many good reasons to use Project 2003. The first is that you will probably find its interface very familiar; it has a lot of the same components as other Microsoft products, such as Word and Excel. Another is that it is designed specifically for project managers; whether you’re undertaking a two-week project or a major company endeavour that will take years, you will find all the resources that you need within Project 2003. Having all these resources in one place will also help you stay organized. This is especially important in a long-term project; if someone else has to take over project management, they will appreciate being handed a single file with all the information, rather than multiple file folders full of disorganized paper. Managing the project digitally also makes it easy to back the project up, assign tasks to other people, and print reports.
Practice Exercise 1.
List four advantages to using Project 2003.
2.
Find a partner. Brainstorm the definition of a project; try to come up with at least three ideas.
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3.
Provide three examples of a project that your company might undertake. (If you don’t belong to a company, make one up!)
4.
For each project idea, list four tasks that might be included in each.
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Lesson 1.2: Meeting Project
Now that we know what Microsoft Project 2003 is and why we would use it, it’s time to learn how to use it! In this lesson, we’ll focus on the most basic functions of Microsoft Project 2003: opening it, using it, and closing it.
Opening Microsoft Project 2003 There are two ways to open Microsoft Project 2003. The first is from the icon on your desktop. Double-click the icon that says Microsoft Project 2003, like this:
You can also find Microsoft Project 2003 in your start menu. Follow the steps listed below to find Project in your start menu. (Note that some steps have two methods as they apply to both users of Windows 2000 and Windows XP.)
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Click the Start button in the bottom left hand corner of your screen. Choose Programs or All Programs. Click the Microsoft Office folder. Click Microsoft Office Project 2003.
Interface Overview Once you open Project 2003, here’s what you will see:
Don’t get overwhelmed by all these parts; we’re going to explain what each of them is. And, we’ll get into each part in depth later on, so don’t worry if a certain part’s purpose isn’t clear right now. Title Bar (1)
This tells you what program you’re working in (Microsoft Project) and what project (Project1). By default, Microsoft Project 2003 names unsaved projects Project1, Project2, and so on.
Menu Bar (2)
Click any of these commands to see a list of commands. Then, click any command to perform that action.
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Type a Question (3)
If you have a question, type it here!
Document Controls (4)
These buttons let you minimize ( close (
), maximize/restore (
), or
) a certain project or the Project application.
Toolbars (5, 6)
Toolbars have icons, which are small buttons with pictures that represent actions. When you click the button, that action will happen. (For example, you could click the icon on the standard toolbar and your project would print.)
Task Pane (7)
Task panes can display lots of different information, like help, project wizards, or a getting started wizard like you see in the sample above. You can click the down arrow (▼) next to the close button in the top right-hand corner of the task pane to change which pane is displayed.
Project Window (8)
This is where you will enter your project’s information, such as tasks. In this sample, you can see the task entry form on the right and the Gantt chart (like a timeline) on the left.
Indicators (9)
These indicators tell you what selection mode and typing mode you’re using. They will also tell you if Caps Lock, Number Lock, and/or Scroll Lock are on. If the item is dimmed, the feature is off; if the item is dark, the feature is on. (In our sample picture, Num Lock is turned on.)
Scroll Bars (circled in blue)
Use these bars to view different parts of your window. You can use the arrows to move the view to the left or right, or drag the scroll bar to where you want it.
Using Task Panes Task panes have been significantly improved in Project 2003. They can be a great help when setting up your project and for entering information. They open on the left hand side of your screen and stay there as you work. Here’s a closer look at the Getting Started task pane:
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Task Pane Controls (1)
Click the name of the task pane (Getting Started) to change what task pane you’re viewing.
Task Pane Navigation (2)
Use the arrows to move forward or back a screen, or click the Home button if you get lost.
Task pane links (3)
These links will take you to the Microsoft Web site. This is a great resource for help, training, and news.
Search bar (4)
If you need help, type your question in here and click Go. The results will appear in the task pane.
Task pane links (5)
These links will allow you to open previously saved documents.
You can also move the task pane; just place your cursor in its corner until your cursor turns into a double-headed arrow. Then, hold down your left mouse button and drag the task pane.
Using Menus and Toolbars We talked a little bit about the different ways to use the different parts of the interface above. Now, let’s break down different types of action items and see how we can interact with Project.
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As examples, we are going to refer to some concepts we haven’t covered yet, so try to focus on the action item rather than its possible applications. Icons
Just like icons on your desktop, toolbar icons are small buttons with pictures that represent actions. When you click the button, that action will happen. Icons are mostly seen on toolbars. For example, you could click the icon on the standard toolbar and your project would print out. One great thing about icons is ScreenTips. If you put your mouse over an icon, a small box will pop up telling you what it does, like this:
This can be really useful if looking at an icon doesn’t tell you what it does. Drop-down menus
You can use these menus to pick from a number of choices. With some menus, you can type in your choice. A good example is the Group menu on the toolbar, which looks like this: . You can click where it says No Group and then click on an item from a list of values.
Menu items
If you click on a menu heading at the top of your Project screen (like, File, Edit, Window, or Help), the menu will expand to show a list of commands. You can then click on any item to perform that action. In the sample to the left, we’ve clicked on the Project menu. Now, we can click any of the items below it to perform that action.
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Expanding menu items
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Some menu items have a right-facing arrow (►) beside them. This means that once you click on (or put your mouse over) that item, an additional menu will show up (called a sub-menu). In the sample on the right, you can see that we chose Outline, and now we can choose an outlining task.
Checked items
Some items in a menu may have a check next to, or a box around, them. This means that the item is turned on or enabled. If it has a check, normally you can turn the command off by clicking it, which will uncheck it. Other items can’t be unchecked; you must pick another item to switch.
Chevrons
In the sample on the right, do you see the two stacked arrows at the bottom of the menu? Those are called chevrons. Microsoft Project only shows you the items you have (or the items it thinks you will) use most by default. To see the rest of this menu, click the chevrons. (The menu may also automatically expand after it’s been open for a few seconds.)Then you’ll see the entire menu. You may notice that items that were in the shortened menu have a lighter colour next to them.
Another way to open menus is by right-clicking. Right-click menus aren’t like the main menu bar, which stays the same. When you right-click, menus are contextual, which means they change depending on what you’ve right-clicked on. For example, if we right-click on a toolbar, here’s the menu we see:
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This menu allows you to choose which toolbars we have open. (Ones already open are checked; we can click them again to close them.) But if we right-click on a task, we get a very different menu:
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Right-click menus can contain any of the items that we talked about before (menu items, expanding menu items, or icons with menu items), although they are never shortened with chevrons. Using a right-click menu is as easy as clicking on the command you want! Another way to implement commands in Project is by using shortcut keys. Shortcut keys are when you press a key (or sometimes a combination of two or even three keys at once) to perform an action instead of clicking on the icon or finding its toolbar command. Sometimes you can see this shortcut in the icon’s ScreenTip, and sometimes it’s listed in the menu next to the command. There are hundreds of shortcuts in Project, but here’s a list of the most common ones: Open a new project
Ctrl + N
Save a file
Ctrl + S
Open a file
Ctrl + O
Print a project
Ctrl + P
Close Project
Alt + F4
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Select All
Ctrl + A
Copy text
Ctrl + C
Cut text
Ctrl + X
Paste text
Ctrl + V
Find text
Ctrl + F
Undo last action
Ctrl + Z
Redo last action
Ctrl + Y
Check spelling or grammar
F7
Get Help
F1
We’ll refer to more shortcut keys as we learn more project tasks.
About Dialog Boxes Some menu items will open dialog boxes. A dialog box is an extra window that opens up with options. One of the most common dialog boxes is the one found when you click on the Tools menu and click Options.
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Let’s look at the different elements in a dialog box. Tabs
Dialog boxes can contain options for different items. Click the tabs (usually at the top of the screen) to change dialog boxes. (In the example above, there are 10 different tabs ranging from Interface options to Security settings.)
Drop-down menus
Just like toolbar drop-down menus, you can type in the box or click the down arrow to choose from a list of values.
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Check boxes
If an item is checked, it means it’s on. If the item is unchecked, it’s off. Click the check box to change this status.
Radio buttons
Use these buttons to choose from a list. Like check boxes, click to change the item that is in use. Normally, only one item from the list can be selected.
Text boxes
These boxes must be filled out by typing in them.
Buttons
Some buttons open more dialog boxes and allow you to specify advanced settings.
OK and Cancel
In any dialog box, you can click OK to save your changes. You can also click Cancel to discard your changes. (Some dialog boxes have an Apply button so you can apply your changes right away, before making more changes.)
Closing Microsoft Project 2003 To close Project 2003, click the File menu and click Exit.
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You can also click the red X in the top right hand corner of the window, or use the Alt + F4 shortcut. If you have made any changes to the open project, you will be prompted to save it; we’ll get to that in the next lesson.
Practice Exercise
1.
Click the Start menu and choose Programs or All Programs. Find the Microsoft Office folder. Click Microsoft Office Project 2003.
2.
In the Getting Started task pane, click one of the links at the top.
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3.
When your browser opens, look at the page that has appeared. Then, close your browser and return to Microsoft Project 2003.
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4.
Click the X in the top right hand corner of the task pane to close it.
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5.
Click the Tools menu and choose any menu option with a right-facing arrow after it (â–ş).
6.
Move your cursor back to the main part of the Tools menu and click Options.
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7.
In the Options dialog, click the General tab.
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8.
Type your name in the User name field.
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9.
Click the OK button in the Options dialog box.
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10.
Click the File menu and click Exit.
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Lesson 1.3: Using Project
In this lesson, we’re going to delve deeper into interacting with Microsoft Project 2003. We’ll talk about using the menus, toolbars, and the project guide.
Menu Overview In our last lesson, we learned how to use the various components of menus. Now, we’ll learn what each menu in Project does. Restore, move, minimize, maximize, or close the window. File
Here’s where you will find commands to open, save, close, and print your projects. You’ll also find the command to close Project in here.
Edit
This menu has commands for cutting, copying, pasting, and selecting. Navigation tools such as Find, Replace, and Go To are also located here. You’ll also find commands for working with specific items, such as the Link Task command.
View
Change what elements are displayed on the Project screen and how your data is displayed.
Insert
Add elements such as drawings, tasks, resources, and objects.
Format Tools
Change the font, layout, and appearance of your project. Check your spelling, change the working time, add and manage resources, use macros, and set Project options.
Project
Organize your project and enter project information.
Window
Split and re-arrange windows, or switch projects.
Help
If you have a question, this is the place to look!
Using the Standard Toolbar In our last lesson, we learned how to use toolbars. The toolbar you will use most often will probably be the standard toolbar; this contains many basic commands, such as cutting, copying, pasting, and working with Project elements. Once again, we’ll refer to concepts that you haven’t
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learned yet. This is just an overview of those elements so that you know where to find them when we do learn about them.
Creates a new project in a new window. Opens a dialog to choose a project to open. Saves your project. (If you haven’t already specified a name and location for your project, you will be prompted for this information.) Search through files on your hard drive. Prints your document. Opens print preview. Checks for spelling and grammar errors in your document. Opens the research task pane. Cuts the selected text. Copies the selected text. Pastes text from the clipboard. Opens the Format Painter. Undoes or redoes your last action. Inserts a hyperlink. Link selected tasks. Unlink selected tasks. Split a task Open task or resource information. Create a task or resource note. Assign a resource to a task. Publish information to the Project Server. Change how information is grouped.
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Zoom into the project. Zoom out of the project. Goes to the selected task. Copies the selected picture. Opens the help task pane. All of these commands are basic buttons: just click the button for the action to happen!
Using the Formatting Toolbar The second toolbar that will be open when you open Project 2003 is the formatting toolbar. You can use this toolbar to change the look and display of various project elements. We haven’t learned about any of these concepts yet; this is just an overview so you know where to find the commands when you need them.
Move the task back one level. Move the task forward one level. Show subtasks. Hide subtasks. Show or hide task assignments. Choose which task levels to show. Choose which font to use. Choose the font size. Bolds the selected text, or turns bold on. Italicizes the selected text, or turns italics on. Underlines the selected text, or turns underlining on. Aligns the text to the left. Aligns the text to the centre.
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Aligns the text to the right. Change how tasks are filtered. Turns AutoFilter on. Starts the Gantt Chart Wizard. There are several different types of buttons on this toolbar. Most are basic buttons: click them for the action to happen. Some, however, are drop-down menus: when you click them, you will have to pick from a list of choices. The Task Filter and Fonts buttons are examples of this type. If you’re missing buttons on the toolbar, you may have to click the arrows at the end of it to see the extra commands:
You may also want to click the Show Buttons on Two Rows command to split the toolbars into two rows, so you can see all the commands for each.
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Using the Project Guide The last toolbar that will open by default is the Project Guide. Here’s what it looks like:
You can click any of these elements to show that guide in the left hand side of the screen; the guide currently being displayed is highlighted in orange. Here’s an example:
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These guides will walk you through the process of setting up that element of your project. You can click on any of the blue items in the guide to perform that task. As you select different elements, the Project Guide will show you the appropriate screen to the right, and change the information in the guide. You may even see help topic links.
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To close the project guide, click the X in the top right hand corner of the pane (much like a task pane) or click the Project Guide button (
) on the toolbar.
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Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003. (Remember that you can do this from your desktop icon or from the Start menu.)
2.
If there are any task panes open, close them.
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3.
Once the Getting Started task pane is closed, you should see the Tasks project guide. Click List the tasks in the project.
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4.
Click the Resources button on the Project Guide.
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5.
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Now, you will see a different project guide. Click the Project Guide button (
6.
Click the Zoom Out button (
) to close the Project Guide.
) on the standard toolbar and see what happens.
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7.
On the formatting toolbar, click the AutoFilter button (
37
) and see what happens.
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8.
Click the AutoFilter button again to turn the feature off.
9.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 1.4: Managing Project Files
Now that we’re a bit more familiar with how to use Project, we’re going to learn how to work with its files. As you might expect, in Microsoft Project 2003 you create files called projects. These files contain all the elements for your project. In this lesson, we’ll learn how to open, save, close, and switch between Project files.
Opening Project Files Opening a file in Microsoft Project 2003 is easy! First, pick one of these commands: Click the Open button (
) on the standard toolbar.
Press Ctrl and O. Click the File menu and click Open. With any of these commands, you’ll see this dialog:
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At the top of the screen, choose where your project is stored.
You can also click one of the icons on the left to go to that location.
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Once you have found your file, click it to select it and click Open.
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Then, the file will appear in Project!
Saving Project Files for the First Time As we’ve already discussed, a lot of information can go into a project. It only makes sense that you would want to save it so you can open it again in the future. To save your Project file, pick one of these commands: Click the Save button (
) on the standard toolbar.
Press Ctrl and S. Click the File menu and click Save or Save As. Now, Project will ask you where you want to save the file. First, pick the location for your file from the Save In menu at the top.
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Then, type the file name in at the bottom.
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Finally, click the Save button. Your file is now saved!
Re-Saving A Project File Once you’ve told Project where you want to save your project, you don’t have to re-enter the information. Just use one of the Save commands that we just talked about (Ctrl+S, File – Save, or the Save button on the standard toolbar) and Project will update your file. If you do wish to save your file with a different name or in a different location, click the File menu and click Save As. That will re-open the Save dialog that we saw earlier.
Switching Between Open Projects Once you become comfortable with Microsoft Project 2003, you’ll probably have multiple projects on the go. Luckily, Project lets you have several projects open at a time. To open multiple projects, just use the Open commands that we talked about earlier. Then, click the Window menu to see a list of open projects:
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The one that you’re currently in will have a check next to it. To switch to another project, just click it.
There are some other tools in the Window menu, but we’ll save those for later.
Closing Project Files Sometimes, things may get out of hand and you may need to close a project. To do so, click the File menu and click Close, or click the small X in the top right-hand corner of the Project window.
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Project is really smart. If you haven’t saved your file when you close Project, Project will ask you if you want to do so.
Clicking Yes will open the Save dialog (or update a saved file). Clicking No will discard all the changes that you made since you last saved it, and clicking Cancel will return you to the project.
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
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2.
Click the File menu and click Open.
3.
Browse to the Sample Files folder. Click My Project. Click Open.
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4.
On the formatting toolbar, click the AutoFilter button (
5.
Click the File menu and click Save As.
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6.
Save the file on your Desktop as Filtered Project.
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7.
Click the Window menu and click Projectx (x will be a number from 1 to 10).
8.
In this blank project, click the File menu and click Close. If prompted, do not save the file.
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9.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 1.5: Getting Help in Project
Microsoft Project 2003 has hundreds of commands. No matter how many books you read, how much you practice, or how much you use Project, it’s virtually impossible to memorize every command and every tool. Right now, you have this book and maybe even an instructor and classmates to help you out. But what happens after you’re done? Luckily Microsoft Project 2003 comes with its own help files. Let’s take a look at how to use those files so you’ll be prepared to get help later on.
Using the Help Menu As you might have guessed, the Help menu is one of the best ways to get help. For now, we’re just going to get an overview of each option in the menu. We’ll talk about the most important components in a moment. The first item, Microsoft Project Help, will open a task pane on the left hand side of the screen to give you several ways to get help. The second option will show the Office Assistant (or hide him if he’s already shown). The third option, Microsoft Office Online, opens http://office.microsoft.com, the Office Web site. This site has lots of great tools, downloads, and help resources. The next set of options is mainly focused on technical aspects of the program. You can perform a Detect and Repair to fix any problems you’re having or set your online content, feedback, and SharePoint options using the Customer Feedback Options command. Last but not least, click on About Microsoft Office Project to get technical information about the program.
Using the Help Task Pane If you click the Help menu and click Microsoft Project Help, you’ll see a task pane pop up on the left hand side of your screen. (You can also open this task pane by pressing the F1 key on your keyboard or clicking the help icon on the standard toolbar.) Let’s take a look at that task pane. As you’re reading the steps, you can refer to the sample on the right. Or, you can open your own task pane. 1. You can click the X to close the task pane, or click the down arrow to change the task pane you’re viewing.
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2. Use these buttons to go forward, back, or to the main task pane (home). 3. If you’re searching for a particular kind of help, type in your question or topic in the text box seen here. Then click the green arrow to start searching! (You can also click the Table of Contents link below the text box to see a more traditional help screen with a list of topics.) 4. Click these links to access resources on Microsoft Office Online. (These will open up an Internet browser window.) 5. Click these links to access particular types of help. (These links will also open up in your Internet browser.) 6. Click these links to open these help topics. You can use the last link, Online Content Settings, to choose whether or not to show content from the Microsoft Office Web site. If you choose to type in a question, topic, or other query in the text box and click the green Go arrow, your results will then appear in the task pane, like the sample on the right. Your help results will all appear as links. You can click on any of these links and the topic will appear in a separate window. The type of window that appears depends on what kind of content you click. With Microsoft Office Project 2003, you can access several types of content (as long as you have not turned content from Office Online off). These include: - Marketplace Tools: Items you can purchase from Microsoft or other companies to provide extra functions not found in Project. Clicking on this type of help will open the link in your Internet browser. - Downloads: Add-ins made by Microsoft (and normally available for free) that can add tools to Project. - Templates: Pre-made documents to help you get started on a project. These are usually available as free downloads from Microsoft. Clicking on this type of help will open the link in Internet Explorer. - Articles: A help item stored on the Microsoft Web site. Unlike regular help items, they are updated from time to time. These may include text, audio demonstrations, video demonstrations, or a combination of media. Clicking on this type of help will open the link in Internet Explorer. - Training: A mini-course that usually focuses on one particular task. Clicking on this type of help will open the link in your Internet browser as the training course is located on the Microsoft Web site. Remember that all types of results act the same no matter where you launch help from.
Using Help Topics Regular help topics will probably make up the bulk of your search results. These also open in their own window, but they open right on top of Project, like this:
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The great thing is that the Help window will appear as its own entry in the taskbar, so it can be minimized separate from Project. This lets you tuck it away until you need it again. You can also resize it to make it fit around your document. Let’s take a closer look at that help window.
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Here’s a brief description of each of the elements: 1. Use these buttons to minimize, maximize or close the Help window. 2. Use the first button to make your help window appear as a pane on the right hand side of the Project screen. Click it again to return it to a square window. Or, you can use the arrows to move to the previous or next help result. Last but not least, click the Print icon to print out this help result. 3. Some words have definitions; they are shown as light blue text in the help window. (Some samples are circled in blue.) You can click on these words for a definition to appear in brackets after the word. Or, you can click Show All to show all the definitions in the help result. (Not all help results will contain definitions.) 4. Click the See Also link to see links to other topics that might be helpful. (Not all help results will have this link.) 5. Use this section to send feedback to Microsoft about this help result. You can see that there are many types of resources within a help result; it’s a good idea to get familiar with them as they can help you learn a lot about Project.
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Using the Office Assistant Another way to get help is the Office Assistant. The Office Assistant, AKA Clippy, is an animated character who will show up when you need help (and sometimes when you don’t!). To enable the Office Assistant, click the Help menu and click Show the Office Assistant.
Clippy will show up in all your Office documents, and even your other Office programs. If you have a question, just click Clippy and type in the text box. Then, click Search. Your results will appear in the task pane just like they did when we used help from the menu. (If the help task pane isn’t open, Clippy will open it for you.) You can also drag Clippy to any part of your screen. If you don’t need help, but you’re bored, you can right-click on Clippy and click Animate and he’ll do tricks for you! You can also hide Clippy by right-clicking him and clicking Hide Office Assistant (or by clicking the Help menu and clicking Hide Office Assistant). If you hide Clippy enough, he will get sad and ask you if you want him to go away.
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Configuring the Office Assistant There are a few ways you can change the Office Assistant to suit you. The biggest way is by changing the character that appears. To do this, make sure the Office Assistant is shown. (You may need to enable him using the steps we talked about before.) Then, right-click on the Office Assistant and click Choose Assistant. Once you do this, the Office Assistant gallery will come up: You can click the Next button to scroll through the different characters. Characters included with Office (other than Clippy) include: -
The Dot F1 the Robot Office Logo Merlin the Wizard Mother Nature Links the Cat Rocky the Dog
Once you’ve chosen your character, click OK to apply your changes or cancel to discard them. We can modify other Office Assistant options by right-clicking the Office Assistant and clicking Options, or by clicking the Options tab in the Gallery window. (You can see an example of this window to the left.) You can modify Clippy’s behaviour (such as sounds and movement), control what kind of help he offers, and specify what kinds of tips (if any) you want him to give you. (Remember that we can check or uncheck boxes just by clicking on them.) Just like the Office Assistant Gallery, we can click OK after you’ve made the necessary changes, or click Cancel to discard them. All your changes will be applied right away.
Using the Type a Question Box In the top right hand corner of your screen, under the close button, you will see this
. This is a really quick way to get help. It’s kind of like asking the box: Office Assistant for help: you just type your question in the box and hit enter. A task pane will open to the right of your screen and your results will be displayed there. Remember that results
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act the same no matter where you launch help from, so just click the links in the task pane to see those help topics.
Getting Help in a Dialog Box Many dialog boxes have their own help topics. Just click the Help button at the bottom of the screen, next to the Close button. Here’s an example:
Once you click Help, a help result will appear just as if you’d clicked a link from the results of a help search. The topic of the help result will be directly related to the dialog box you’re in, so there is no search option. For example, if we click on the Help button in the Change Working Time dialog above, here’s the screen we’d see:
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You can see that this help result focuses on changing your working time. You also have some other elements of the help result screen, like Show All and expanding links.
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Click the Help menu and click Microsoft Project Help.
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3.
In the task pane on the left hand side, type getting help in the Search For box. Then, press enter or click the green arrow.
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4.
In the search results, click About the Project Guide.
5.
Click the Print button in that help result. (If you don’t have a printer, you can skip this step.) Then, use the red X to close out of the result.
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6.
Click the X in the help task pane to close it.
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7.
Click the Help menu and click Show Office Assistant.
8.
Right-click on the Office Assistant and click Choose Assistant.
9.
In the Gallery, click Next until you find an Office Assistant that you like. (You can also click the Back button to go back in the list.) Click OK once you’ve made your choice.
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10.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Section 1: Review Questions 1.
Which command will not open a Project file? A. B. C. D.
2.
Ctrl + O F3 The Open button on the standard toolbar File – Open
What is the Project Guide? A. B. C. D. E.
3.
It’s used to change fonts. A character that helps you create a project. A toolbar that you can use to select Project wizards. Both B and C. Both A and C.
You’re changing your working time and you need help. What’s the best way to do this? A. B. C. D.
Click the Help button in the dialog box. Search the Internet. Go find your resident geek. Use the Office Assistant.
How do you save a Project file?
4. A. B. C. D.
Ctrl + S File - Save Save icon on the toolbar Any of the above.
What three toolbars are open by default when you open Project?
5. A. B. C. D.
6.
Standard, Advanced, Project Project, Office Assistant, Resource Standard, Formatting, Project Guide A, B, and C
Which of the following is not an Office Assistant character? A. B. C. D.
7.
Scooby Doo Merlin Dot Clippy
You close Project and realize you haven’t saved your file! What now? A. B. C. D.
Turn off your computer. Press the Escape key as fast as you can. Don’t worry; Project will prompt you to save it. Cry.
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How do you open Microsoft Project 2003? A. B. C. D. E.
9.
Press P as your computer starts. Find the Microsoft Office folder in your Start menu and click Microsoft Project 2003. Double-click the icon on your desktop. A, B, or C. B or C.
How do you switch between open projects? A. B. C. D.
10.
You must close and re-open Project; it only supports having one file open at a time. Close and re-open your project. Click the File menu and click Switch Projects. Click the Window menu and select the file you want.
Which of the following is not a type of menu command? A. B. C. D.
Radial Drop-down Expanding Checked
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SECTION 2: Starting a Project
In this section you will learn how to:
Plan a project Create a project Enter project information Set working time Enter new tasks Change a task’s duration Create recurring tasks Set milestones Create summary tasks and subtasks Use the Task Information dialog Move, insert, delete, and edit a task Differentiate between task types
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Lesson 2.1: Creating a Project
We devoted the entire last section to learning how to use Microsoft Project 2003. In this section, we’ll learn how to start our very own project. To start off, we’ll plan and create a new project and enter some basic information.
Planning Your Project Before you even open Microsoft Project 2003, you need to do some thinking about your project. You should always have a plan before you start your project. For a small project, you may be able to map it out in your head. For larger projects (such as the one we’re going to undertake) you’ll probably want to get out a pen and paper (or use a word processor) and make a few lists. First, create a general outline of the project. You’ll want to think about what the end result of the project will be. You’ll also want to think about the general timeline, budget, and resources that you will have to work with. Next, get down to some specific planning. First, create a task list. You may want specific on this list how long each task is going to take, which tasks are going to be dependent on others, and which ones may need to be broken down into subprojects. Once you’ve figured out what your tasks are going to be, make a list of resources. Estimate what resources will be needed and what resources will be available. If your resources are people, think about the hours they work. Last but not least, think about your costs. You may even want to prepare a formal budget. For our project, we’re going to create an annual report. Here’s a sample of our plan:
to
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We still need to do some more planning, but it’s a start!
Creating a Project By default, Microsoft Project 2003 creates a blank project for you when you open it. If you need to create another blank project, though, click the New Project icon ( ) on the standard toolbar, or use the Ctrl + N shortcut. If you click the File menu and click New, you’ll see the New Project task pane:
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Then, you can click the Blank Project link to start a new project. (We’ll leave the other options in this pane for our Intermediate manual.)
Entering Project Information The first step in creating your project is to enter your project’s information. To open this dialog, click the Project menu and click Project Information.
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You’ll see this dialog box:
On the left hand side of this dialog, you can enter the project’s start and finish date. You can also choose to schedule from the project start date or the finish date, to start tasks as soon or as late as possible. On the left hand side of the dialog, the current date is displayed. You can also set a date to report various statistics about the project. And, you can choose what calendar you want to use and what priority this project will have.
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Typically, you’ll only want to modify the fields on the left hand side. Note that you can only modify the start or the finish date; Project will calculate the opposite value once you have entered task information. Once you’ve set your project’s information, click OK. You can come back at any time and modify it.
Setting Working Time The next thing you’ll need to do is set your working time. This will help Project calculate how long tasks will take to complete. To open this dialog, click the Tools menu and click Change Working Time.
Now, you’ll see a calendar.
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The legend on the left tells you how different days appear. You can click any day and change it to a nonworking time (such as a day off), or a nondefault working time. Let’s say that you’re taking January 2 and 3 off. We’ll click those days to select them, and then click Nonworking time.
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You can see that those days now have a line under them. Let’s say too that you are only working half-days on Friday. We’ll click the letter F to select that whole column, click Nondefault working time, and then enter the hours in the boxes on the right.
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If we click off of the selection, we can see at a glance when we’re working, when we’re not, and what days are different.
Once you’ve made your changes, click OK to apply them. Like the Project Information dialog, you can re-open this dialog at any time and make additional changes.
Practice Exercise 1.
Split into groups and make a list of tasks that will need to be accomplished for writing our annual report. (If you need help, refer to the handout in the sample files folder.)
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2.
Open Microsoft Project 2003. This will automatically open a blank project.
3.
Click the Project menu and click Project Information.
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4.
In the Project Information dialog, choose January 1, 2006 for your project start date. Set the Schedule from date from the Project Start Date. Set the Current date to January 1, 2006. Set the Status date as March 1, 2006. Click OK.
5.
Click the Tools menu and click Change Working Time.
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6.
Click M to select the column of Mondays.
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7.
On the right hand side, choose Nonworking time.
8.
Use the scroll bar to scroll to the next month. Click February 10, 2006.
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9.
Delete the second row of figures, so you are only working from 8 am to 12 pm.
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10.
Click OK in the Change Working Time dialog.
11.
Save your project as 2-1 Completed.
12.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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SECTION 2
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Lesson 2.2: Creating Tasks
Now that we have our project file started, we’re going to start entering information! We’ll devote the rest of this section to the key component of a project: tasks. A task is something that must be achieved for your project to be successful. For example, to complete our annual report we’ll need a letter from the CEO, so that will be a task (even though it’s not something we ourselves are doing.)
Entering New Tasks By default, Project will open to the task entry screen. Just type your tasks in the list to the left.
As you first enter tasks, think of it as brainstorming or as a first draft. Don’t worry about the order, length, or other information. Just make a list and we’ll perfect it later!
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Changing a Task’s Duration You may have noticed that as we entered tasks, Project filled in the duration as 1 day?. The reason for the question mark is because Project entered this information on its own; it guessed. To change the duration of the task, click in the duration column for that task and type in the duration. You can use these abbreviations: m for minute, h for hour, d for day, w for week, mo for month, and y for year. So, let’s say the narrative will take 10 days.
Notice how the Gantt Chart (the calendar on the right) changes to reflect the new duration. Also notice that the task will take from January 3, 3006, to January 18, 2006. That’s 15 days, not 10 like we specified! But, Project has consulted our working times, noticed that there are 5 nonworking days in that period, and lengthened the task duration as a result. If any other changes are made to the working time, Project will re-calculate all task durations. You can also use the Start column to change when a task will start; then Project will move the task to that place on the Gantt chart.
Moving a Task If you do want to move a task down in the list, there are a few ways of doing it. The easiest way is to click the task number to select it. Then, drag it to its new place in the list.
That’s all there is to moving a task!
Inserting a Task To insert a task, first click to place your cursor at the location that you want the new task. Then, click the Insert menu and click New Task, or press the Insert key on your keyboard.
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Now, a blank task will appear.
Deleting a Task To delete a task, first click its number to select it.
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Then, click the Edit menu and click Delete Task, or press the Delete key on your keyboard.
Voila! The task is gone.
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 2-1 Completed from the Sample Files folder, or open your saved copy.
3.
Enter the following tasks and durations.
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4.
Change the start date for Task #2 to April 1, 2006.
5.
Project will prompt you that this is a nonworking date; choose to change it to the next working day.
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6.
Select task #4 and drag it up so it becomes task #3.
7.
We forgot an important task! Click to place your cursor in the first task. Then, click the Insert menu and click New Task.
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8.
Name the new task Create introduction and conclusion. Set the duration to 5 days.
9.
Save your project as 2-2 Completed.
10.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 2.3: Editing Tasks
We already explained that when you create a task list, you should create a first draft that can later be modified. In this lesson, we’re going to learn about all sorts of ways to edit tasks!
Opening the Task Information Dialog The Task Information dialog is where you’ll find most of your task’s information. To open it, double-click a task.
Here’s an overview of the six tabs in this dialog: General
Contains name, duration, percent complete, and dates for the task.
Predecessor
Enter information about tasks that must be completed before this task can start.
Resources
Add resources to the task.
Advanced
Set constraints, deadlines, task type, calendar, and earned value method
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for this task. Notes
Add a note to this task.
Custom fields
Add custom fields to this task.
Like project information, you can customize task information whenever you want.
Task Types We’re going to take a closer look at the Advanced tab; it contains the settings for task types. You should change this setting whenever possible to maximize Project’s scheduling capabilities.
Let’s define some of the terms that are used when discussing task types. Duration
This is how long the task will last.
Work
The labour needed to complete the task.
Units
If a resource is needed to complete the task, how much will be required.
Effort-driven
These types of tasks will be completed by people.
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Material driven
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These types of tasks will be completed by resources.
Here’s an overview of the three task types. Task Type
Explanation
If you change…
Project recalculates…
Effort or material driven
Fixed duration
Duration for these tasks will not change.
Units
Work
Either
Duration
Work
Work
Units
Units
Duration
Duration
Work
Work
Duration
Units
Duration
Duration
Units
Work
Duration
Fixed units (default task type)
Fixed Work
This task’s units will remain constant.
This task’s work will remain constant.
Either
Effort driven
These types are based on the simple Project scheduling formula: duration times units equals work, or work divided by assignment units equals duration. Here’s an example: it will take 100 hours to complete a house. Duration=100 hours Units= 1 man Work= 100 hours But, if we add three men, the equation changes. Work=100 hours Units=4 Duration= 25 hours Task types sound really confusing, but once you start using them they’re easy to understand.
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Setting Milestones On the Advanced tab of the Task Information dialog, you’ll also find an option for making the task a milestone.
A milestone indicates a significant event in the project. For our annual report, a milestone might be the completion of the first draft. You can have as many milestones as you want in a project.
Creating Recurring Tasks Recurring tasks are those that reoccur on a regular basis. For example, you may be meeting with the CEO every two weeks to discuss your progress on the annual report. To create a new recurring task, click to place your cursor in the task list, at the point where you want the task to appear. Then, click the Insert menu and click Recurring Task.
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Then, you will be able to specify the task’s name, when it recurs, and how long the recurrence will last for.
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Recurring tasks will have a circular arrow for the task indicator, and the duration will not appear.
You may also notice that the task numbers have changed and that a plus sign appears next to this recurring task. If we click the plus sign, we’ll see that this task actually has 20 parts to it, to represent each meeting. This can come in handy for tracking labour.
Creating Subtasks You’ll find that some tasks have several smaller components that need to be tracked. However, these tasks usually aren’t large enough to require another project file. You can, however, make
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these tasks subtasks, so that they are connected to the main task. The main task’s duration will reflect all the subtasks. First, make sure your tasks are in the list and that they are underneath the main task.
Then, use the Indent button on the formatting toolbar to move them in a level.
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You can see how Task #25 has a black bar in the Gantt chart, and has a minus sign in the task listing. Note, too, that you can create many levels of tasks.
Creating Summary Tasks As your project progresses, some tasks will become more or less important. You can easily make it a summary task by clicking the left-facing arrow until the task reaches the level you want.
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Notice that Project automatically changes the Gantt chart, the duration, and start and end dates whenever you change a task’s importance. This makes rescheduling based on priorities easy!
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 2-2 Completed from the sample files folder, or open your saved copy.
3.
Create three new tasks.
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Move the last three tasks up above Task #4. (Remember that you can select multiple tasks by holding the Ctrl key, and then dragging them to their new home.)
5.
Now, select tasks five, six, and seven.
6.
Click the Indent button (
) on the formatting toolbar to make them subtasks.
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7.
At the bottom of the task list, create a new task called Print Report. Then, doubleclick it to open the task information dialog.
8.
On the Advanced tab of the Task Information dialog, check Mark task as milestone. For the task type, choose Fixed Duration. Set the duration as 4.5 hours.
9.
Ensure your cursor is at the bottom of the task list. Click the Insert menu and click Recurring Task.
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10.
For the task name, type Check status of CEO Letter. Set the duration as 30 minutes. Set the recurrence as weekly, on any day you like. Leave the rest of the options as the default and click OK.
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11.
Save your project as 2-3 Completed.
12.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 2.4: Setting Constraints
Another way to modify tasks is by setting constraints. Constraints restrict the start and finish date of tasks. You can make constraints flexible (where they aren’t tied to a specific date) or inflexible (where they are tied to a specific date).
Types of Constraints There are six types of constraints that you can apply to a task. Name
Description
Type
As Soon As Possible (ASAP)
All tasks start as soon as possible if you asked Project to schedule from the start date.
Flexible
As Late As Possible (ALAP)
All tasks start as late as possible if you asked Project to schedule from the end date.
Flexible
Start No Earlier Than (SNET)
Specifies the earliest possible date that this task can start.
Flexible
Finish No Earlier Than (FNET)
Specifies the earliest possible date that this task can finish.
Flexible
Start No Later Than (SNLT)
Specifies the latest possible date that this task can start.
Flexible
Finish No Later Than (FNLT)
Specifies the latest possible date that this task can finish.
Flexible
Must Start On (MSO)
Specifies the date that this task must start on.
Inflexible
Must Finish On
Specifies the date that this task must finish.
Inflexible
Creating a Constraint
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You can set constraints in the Advanced tab of the Task Information dialog box that we looked at in the last lesson.
You can set the constraint type and the date for the task. Note that for summary tasks, constraint types are limited.
Setting Task Deadlines You can also use the Advanced tab to set a deadline for this task.
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Simply choose the date that this task needs to be completed by.
Constraints vs. Deadlines Constraints and deadlines may seem similar, but they’re used for very different purpose. Here’s a summary of how they differ. Constraints…
Deadlines…
Affect how Project schedules time and resources, sometimes limiting it
Do not affect Project’s scheduling
Have multiple types
Have limited settings
Can be updated at any time
Can be updated at any time
Only certain types can be applied to summary tasks
Can always be applied to summary tasks
In general, it’s best to limit the constraints that you have so you don’t limit Project’s scheduling capabilities.
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Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 2-3 Completed from the Sample Files folder.
3.
Right now, all our tasks start on the same day. That’s not realistic! Open task information for our first task, Create Introduction and Conclusion.
4.
We don’t want to start this too early, so let’s set a constraint of Start No Earlier Than. Set the date for May 1 and click OK.
5.
Now, let’s change the start date for the second task, Write Corporate Description, to January 17, 2005.
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You’ll see an exclamation mark in a yellow diamond appear next to it. Click on it for more information.
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7.
We’ll assume Project knows what it’s talking about and tell it to undo the constraint. Now, let’s double-click the task to open the Task Information window.
8.
Set a deadline for January 17, 2005. Click OK.
9.
Double-click Task #8. Set a constraint of Start No Earlier Than for March 21, 2006.
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10.
For Task #9, set a deadline of February 10.
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11.
For Task #10, set a constraint of Must Start On May 22.
12.
Save your project as 2-4 Completed.
13.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Section 2: Review Questions
1.
Which of the following is not a constraint type? A. B. C. D.
2.
Deadline ASAP ALAP SNET
What is a task? A. B. C. D.
Sub-projects which are saved in separate files. Formulas which calculate scheduling. Things that need to be done to complete the project. A point in time that the project needs to be done.
How do you open the Task Information window? (Select all that apply.)
3. A. B. C. D.
4.
Double-click a task Press Ctrl and D Select a task and then click the Task Information button Click the Edit menu and click Task
What is the first step to creating a project? A. B. C. D.
5.
Create a project file Plan the project’s goals, budgets and tasks Enter project information Create task constraints
What is a milestone? (Select all that apply.) A. B. C. D.
A task A constraint A deadline A significant event
What formula does Project use to calculate scheduling?
6. A. B. C. D.
7.
Constraints times milestones, divided by hours, equals duration Work divided by units equals constraints Duration multiplied by units equals work Milestones divided by work equals duration.
How do you change a task’s duration? A. B. C. D.
Type in the duration column of the task entry sheet. Press Ctrl and D Select the task, click the Project menu and click Duration. Select the task and click Edit.
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8.
What’s the difference between a constraint and a deadline? A. B. C. D.
9.
Constraints affect Project’s scheduling capabilities while deadlines don’t. Constraints have many types while deadlines don’t. Deadlines can always be applied to summary tasks, while only certain constraints can be. All of the above.
Which of these commands will not open a blank project? A. B. C. D.
10.
Ctrl + N Opening Microsoft Project 2003 Shift + N File – New
How do you create a subtask? A. B. C. D.
Make it a milestone. Select the task and indent it. Microsoft Project does not support subtasks. Set a constraint.
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SECTION 3: Scheduling a Project
In this section you will learn how to:
Differentiate between calendar types Set up the calendar Create a new calendar Change calendar views Adjust the timescale Use, set, save, clear, and view a baseline Use, set, save, clear, and view an interim plan Define and set a critical path View the critical path Shorten the critical path
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Lesson 3.1: Creating the Project Calendar
One of the first things we did when setting up our project was to enter working times in the calendar. In this lesson, we’re going to take a closer look at setting up Project’s calendar. It’s important that the information you record here is accurate, because it will affect how Project schedules tasks in order for you to meet deadlines.
Calendar Types There are three types of calendars in Microsoft Project: Project calendar
This is the main calendar that controls when tasks are worked on and when resources work on tasks.
Resource calendar
Each resource can have its own calendar to reflect its hours of availability.
Task calendar
Sometimes a task will need to have its own calendar to reflect its duration; for example, if a machine will run 24 hours a day.
There are also three base calendars, which are like calendar templates. Standard
Working time is set Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, with an hour (noon to 1 pm) set aside for lunch.
Night Shift
Working time is set Monday through Friday, 11 pm to 8 am, with an hour (3 am to 4 am) set aside for lunch.
24 hours
Working time is every day and hour of the week; useful for resources (such as machines) that run constantly.
Setting up the Calendar Several lessons ago, we learned how to set up the project calendar. We clicked on the Tools menu and clicked Change Working Time, and this dialog appeared:
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This calendar allows you to set working or nonworking times for particular days (for example, every Friday) or dates (for example, January 14) on any month. You can also click the Options button to change the default start and end time and other default calendar settings.
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Creating a New Calendar If you have different teams on different shifts, you may want to create multiple calendars. First, open the Change Working Time dialog. Then, click the New button.
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Next, you will be asked to provide a name for your calendar.
You can choose to create a brand-new calendar, or make a copy of one of the three (standard, night shift, or 24 hour) calendar types. Once you click OK, you can select that calendar from the drop-down menu at the top of the Change Working Time dialog box.
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Now, this calendar can have its own working and nonworking times.
Changing Calendar Views If you would like, you can change your view to show a monthly calendar. Just click the View menu and click Calendar.
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Now, you will have an easy-to-read calendar.
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Notice how tasks appear differently. Create introduction and conclusion and Get letter from CEO are in black type with a blue box, because they have flexible constraints. Print Report is in white type in a black box, because its constraint is inflexible.
Adjusting the Timescale All along, we have been working with the task entry/Gantt chart view. The Gantt chart view shows a timeline of your tasks.
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By default, the timeline at the top shows two tiers: weeks and then days.
You can change this view by clicking the Format menu and clicking Timescale.
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This lets you show up to three tiers. You can control how many tiers are shown, how each tier appears and how non-working time appears. Here are some examples of different timescales:
These different timescales let you customize your project view for long and short term projects.
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 2-4 Completed from the Sample Files folder, or open your saved copy.
3.
Let’s create a calendar for our auditor. Click the Tools menu and click Change
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Working Time.
4.
In the Change Working Time dialog, click New.
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5.
Name the calendar Auditor. Choose to make a copy of the Night Shift calendar. Click OK.
6.
Select the Sunday, Monday, Friday, and Saturday columns by holding Ctrl and clicking the letter of the day. Set these days to Nonworking time.
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7.
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Select Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday by holding Ctrl and clicking the letter of the day. Set these days to a Nondefault working time of 6pm to 10 pm. Click OK.
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8.
Click the View menu and click Calendar.
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9.
Click the View menu and click Gantt Chart.
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Click the Format menu and click Timescale.
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11.
By default, the Middle Tier tab should be shown. Choose Days as the unit for this tab. Choose to show only the middle tier. Click OK.
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Save your project as 3-1 Completed.
13.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 3.2: Setting a Project’s Baseline
In Microsoft Project 2003, a baseline is a snapshot of the project at its current point: its tasks, milestones, resources, and assignments. These fields will remain static, to give you a point to measure your project’s progress from.
Baseline Basics Here is a breakdown of regular fields that Project captures when you save a baseline. Tasks
Duration Start Finish Work Cost
Assignments
Start Finish Work Cost
Resources
Work Cost
Project also captures six time phased fields, which is information about tasks or resources over time. For tasks, assignments, and resources, Project records the baseline work and cost over time. This can help you see patterns, trends, and variances.
Saving a Baseline There are two methods you can use to save a baseline. The easiest is to click the drop-down arrow next to Track on the Project Guide and choose Save a baseline plan to compare with later versions.
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Then, you can click Save Baseline in the Tracking task pane. This saves a baseline but does not allow you to set any options.
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Or, you can click the Tools menu, choose Tracking, and click Save Baseline.
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This command lets you set baseline options.
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You can see from the dialog above that Project lets you save a baseline for the entire project or for selected tasks only. You can also use the drop-down menu to save up to 11 baselines.
Once your options are set, click OK to save the baseline. Nothing will appear to happen, but Project has taken a snapshot of your project.
Viewing a Baseline To view your baseline, right-click on the cell that is in the top left hand corner of the task entry sheet.
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Then, click More Tables. That will open this dialog:
At the top, choose whether you want to see a task or resource baseline. (Since we haven’t talked about resources, we’ll stick with tasks.) Then, choose Baseline from the list and click Apply.
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This view may look exactly the same, but take a look at our column headers: we’re now viewing the baseline duration and start dates, rather than the current ones. To go back to the regular view, right-click on the top left-hand cell and choose Entry.
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There are more ways to view your baseline, but we’ll save those for another day.
Clearing a Baseline If you would like to clear the existing baseline, click the Tools menu, choose Tracking, and click Clear Baseline.
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Then, you will be asked which baseline you want to clear.
Make your selection and click OK. That’s it!
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
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2.
Open 3-1 Completed from the sample files folder, or open your saved copy.
3.
Click the Tools menu, choose Tracking, and click Save Baseline.
4.
In the dialog, choose to save this baseline as Baseline for the entire project. (These are the default settings.) Click OK.
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5.
Now, let’s change the duration of Task #1 to 2 days.
6.
Change the duration of Task #9 to 1.5 days.
7.
Now, we’ll take a look at our baseline. Right-click the top cell in the left hand column and click More Tables.
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8.
Then, in the More Tables dialog, choose Baseline. Click Apply.
9.
Take a look at the durations for tasks one and nine. We’re ahead of schedule on both tasks!
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10.
Let’s return to Task Entry view. Click the View menu, choose Tables, and click Entry.
11.
Save your project as 3-2 Completed.
12.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 3.3: Setting a Project’s Interim Plan
You may have noticed that there was another set of options in the baseline dialog boxes. These are for interim plans, which are similar to baselines. They’re a snapshot of your project at different points. However, interim plans only save the start and finish dates for current tasks. Interim plans are useful for planning stages, while baselines are better used during project execution.
Setting an Interim Plan Setting an interim plan is a lot like saving a baseline plan: click the Tools menu, choose Track, and click Save Baseline.
Then, choose Save Interim Plan and set your options.
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You can use the Copy or Into menus to copy particular start/finish dates or particular baselines into other start/finish dates or baselines. (Start/Finish are the default start and finish fields for each task, while Start/Finish1 through Start/Finish10 are custom fields, which we haven’t talked about yet.) Once you’ve chosen your options, click OK to save the plan.
Viewing an Interim Plan Unlike baselines, there is no easy way to view interim plans. You must add custom fields to the task sheet view; we’ll save this for later.
Clearing an Interim Plan Clearing an interim plan is just like clearing a baseline plan: click the Tools menu, click Tracking, and click Clear Baseline.
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Then, choose which plan or baseline you want to clear and click OK.
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 3-1 Completed from the sample files folder.
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3.
Click the Tools menu, choose Tracking, and click Save Baseline. Copy the Start/Finish dates into Baseline1. Click OK.
4.
Now, let’s clear our interim plan. Click the Tools menu, click Tracking, and click Clear Baseline.
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5.
Choose Interim Plan and choose Baseline1. Click OK.
6.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 3.4: Setting a Project’s Critical Path
The last planning element we’re going to look at is your project’s critical path. What is a critical path, you ask? And how does Project make one? Well, let’s get started and find out!
What is the Critical Path? A project’s critical path consists of the tasks that are crucial to the project being completed. For example, your annual report can survive without your added narrative (the introduction and the conclusion). It won’t be complete for the meeting, however, if you don’t get it printed on time. So, the task Create introduction and conclusion isn’t on the critical path, while the task Print report is.
How Does Project Determine the Critical Path? If a task has an inflexible constraint, it’s deemed critical; if the constraint is flexible, the task is not critical. If you change a task’s constraint, the critical status will change, too.
Viewing the Critical Path The easiest way to view your project’s critical path is with the Gantt Chart wizard. However, these changes cannot be undone, so make sure that you save your project before launching the wizard.
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To start the wizard, click the Gantt Chart wizard button (
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) on the formatting toolbar.
Once you click next, you can choose to view your project’s critical path. (Note that you can also view the baseline, too.) Or, you can use the Other menu to choose a special style for your critical path.
Next, you can choose the task information that will be displayed in your Gantt chart.
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Next, you can choose whether or not task dependencies (which we haven’t covered yet) are shown.
Now, you can click Format it to apply the changes.
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That’s it! Now, critical tasks will appear differently than regular tasks.
Shortening the Critical Path If you have a long term project that is going to cost a lot, you may want to shorten the critical path, which will thereby shorten the length of the whole project. Let’s take our annual report as an example. Right now, we don’t have too many tasks; most of our work is going to be information gathering. So, if we needed to have the project completed by May 1 instead of June 1, we could simply move that task up.
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For more complicated projects, you may want to add resources, schedule overtime, change task relationships, or revise task durations. We’ll save all that for our intermediate level.
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 3-4 Sample from the Sample Files folder.
3.
Click the Gantt Chart Wizard button (
4.
In the first step of the Gantt Chart Wizard, click Next.
) on the formatting toolbar.
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5.
In the second step of the Gantt Chart Wizard, choose Other and pick Critical Path Style 3. Click Next.
6.
In the third step, choose Dates and click Next.
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7.
In the fourth step, choose Yes and click Next.
8.
Now, click Format It. Then, exit the wizard.
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9.
Now, scroll to the month of May.
10.
We have two critical tasks that appear as diamonds. If we want to shorten the length of our project, we can move that task.
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Let’s shorten our project by two weeks; right-click the second diamond and click Task Information.
11.
Now, let’s change the constraint date to May 8, 2006. Click OK.
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12.
We can now see that one of our tasks goes beyond the time of the project.
13.
Right-click on the green task and click Task Information.
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14.
Change the constraint to Finish No Later Than. Click OK.
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15.
Now that we have resolved that scheduling conflict, save the project as 3-4 Completed.
16.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Section 3: Review Questions
1. Which of the following is not a Project calendar type? A. B. C. D.
Base Task Gantt Resource
2. How many tiers can a timescale have? A. B. C. D.
1 3 5 Unlimited
3. What’s the difference between a baseline and an interim plan? A. B. C. D.
The amount of information saved. The menu command used to save them. There is no difference. Both A and B.
4. What’s the easiest way to view a Project’s critical path? A. B. C. D.
Task entry view Table view Gantt Chart Wizard Calendar view
5. What menu command will let you set the Project calendar? A. Tools – Project Calendar B. Edit – Project Calendar C. Track - Time D. Tools – Change Working Time
6. How do you clear a baseline? A. B. C. D.
Baselines cannot be cleared Tools – Tracking – Clear Baseline Edit – Delete Baseline Both B and C.
7. Your boss has just told you that this project needs to finish two months earlier than you had planned. What do you do? A. B. C. D.
Quit; there’s no way it’s possible. Delete all non-critical tasks. View the project’s critical path and reschedule tasks. Hire 20 more people.
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8. What are the three calendar types (templates) available? A. B. C. D.
Standard, Night Shift, 24 hour 9-5, 11-7, 7-3 Day Shift, Swing Shift, Night Shift 9-5, 5-1, 1-9
9. How many different baselines can Project save? A. B. C. D.
Unlimited 20 6 11
10. What does Project look at when determining the critical path? A. B. C. D. .
The project calendar Task constraints Resources Work hours
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SECTION 4: Printing and Viewing a Project
In this section you will learn how to:
Check spelling in your project Select text Cut, copy, and paste text Use undo and redo Insert page breaks Use Zoom Use the View Bar Use basic views Use More Views Use the Go To dialog Set page options Add headers and footers Change margins Modify the legend Modify miscellaneous view settings Open and use Print Preview Use print commands Use the Print dialog Use the Project Guide for Printing Wizard
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Lesson 4.1: Printing and Viewing a Project
Now that we’ve got a basic project in place, we’re going to finalize it so it’s ready for you to print out and take to your boss! Project 2003 features many fine-tuning tools that will be familiar to you if you have used other Microsoft programs.
Checking Spelling in a Project If anyone else but you is going to see your project, you should make sure to check it for spelling mistakes. There are three ways you can start a spell check: Press the F7 key on your keyboard Click the spelling button (
) on the standard toolbar
Click the Tools menu and click Spelling Once you perform any of those commands, you’ll see this dialog:
This will display the first incorrect word that Project found. You can choose a suggestion and click Change or Change All, or you can Ignore the word or Ignore All instances of the word. Then, Project will move onto the next incorrect word and move through the entire project this way. Note that Project doesn’t check grammar, only spelling. And, it only checks words against a predefined word list, so it may mark correct words as incorrect.
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Selecting Text Selecting text means you have identified it. This can be useful for formatting and editing. To select a row, click the row header.
To select text, first click so that the cell is selected; it will have a box around it.
Then, click inside the box so your cursor is flashing.
Next, click and drag over the text that you want to select.
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Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Now that text is selected, what do you do with it? Well, you can cut, copy, or paste it into another location. Cutting text
Removes it from your document and places it on a separate block of text called the clipboard. Selecting the text or cells, then click Edit and clicking Cut. You can also use the Cut button ( ) on the standard toolbar, or use the Ctrl + X shortcut.
Copying text
Leaves it in your document, but also places in on the clipboard. This lets you copy frequently used phrases and other items so they can be placed in different parts of your project. Copy text by selecting it, then clicking the Edit menu and clicking Copy. You can also use the Copy button on the standard toolbar ( or use the Ctrl + C shortcut.
Pasting text
)
Places the last item you cut or copied into your project where your cursor is. Click where you want to put the data in your document. Then, click the Edit menu and click Paste. You can also use the Paste button ( ) on the standard toolbar, or use the Ctrl + V shortcut.
You can also cut, copy, and paste entire cells. The process is the same: select the cell (by clicking on it), and then use a cut or copy command. Then, click in the location that you want the information and click Paste.
Using Undo and Redo If you perform an action and you don’t like how it turns out, click the Undo arrow ( ) on the standard toolbar. This will reverse your last action. (You can also click the Edit menu and click Undo, or press Ctrl and Z.) Unlike other Microsoft applications, Project doesn’t retain a list of actions. As soon as you undo the action, the Undo arrow turns into a Redo arrow ( ), allowing you to redo the command. You can only undo or redo your very last action. Note that there are some actions that cannot be undone or redone, such as using the Gantt Chart Wizard and saving a file. In these cases, the Undo and Redo commands will be unavailable.
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Inserting Page Breaks Another neat editing feature is the ability to insert page breaks. This can come in handy if you’re planning to print off a task list or calendar. To insert a page break, click to place the cursor at the spot that you want the new page to start. Then, click the Insert menu and click Page Break.
Now, your page break will appear as a dotted line.
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To remove a page break, place your cursor in the cell below the break. Then, click the Insert menu and click Remove Page Break or Remove All Page Breaks.
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If your task or resource list is very long, Project may insert page breaks for you. These breaks cannot be removed.
Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 4-1 Sample from the Sample Files folder.
3.
Select the last task, Create 6 month review, by clicking the task number.
4.
Click the Edit menu and choose Cut Task.
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5.
Select Task #3. Click the Edit menu and click Paste Task.
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6.
Click the Edit menu and click Undo.
7.
Click the Edit menu and click Redo.
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8.
Press F7 on your keyboard, or click the Tools menu and click Spelling. For the first error, click introduction and click Change.
9.
Move through the rest of the spell check, correcting errors as you see fit.
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10.
Once the spell check is completed, click Task # 6. Click the Insert menu and click Remove Page Break.
11.
Now, click Task #31. Click the Insert menu and click Page Break.
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12.
Read through the project to make sure there are no more errors.
13.
Save your project as 4-1 Completed.
14.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 4.2: Changing Your View
One of the biggest advantages to using Project 2003 is its view capabilities. You can easily display your data in dozens of ways, depending on what information you’re looking for. In this lesson, we’ll learn about some of Project’s basic view tools.
Using Zoom The Zoom tool lets you get a close-up or faraway look at your project. The easiest way to zoom is to use the zoom in ( ) and zoom out ( ) buttons on the standard toolbar. This will change the timeframe being displayed.
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If you need a more precise zoom tool, click the View menu and click Zoom.
Here, you can choose a pre-defined zoom level, or set a custom level. Once you click OK, your settings will be applied. Here’s an example of the Entire Project zoom level.
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Even if you’re using a custom zoom level, the Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons on the standard toolbar are still available.
Using the View Bar The View Bar gives you easy access to Project’s basic views. To enable it, click the View menu and click View Bar. Then, you will see a new toolbar on the left hand side of the screen.
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Here’s a basic overview of each view; we’ll get into each view in depth in the intermediate lessons. Calendar
Displays a monthly calendar with tasks.
Gantt Chart
Default view; shows a timeline of tasks and resources.
Network Diagram
Shows how tasks and resources are interconnected.
Task usage
View a task’s duration and the actual work.
Tracking Gantt
A timeline of task durations and actual work.
Resource Graph
A graph that shows how much resources have been used.
Resource Sheet
A table used to enter resources.
Resource Usage
View a resource’s actual work.
To hide the View Bar, just click the View menu again and click View Bar.
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Using Basic Views If you don’t like using the View bar, you can access Project’s basic views from the View menu. Just click the View menu and click the view you want.
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Using Advanced Views If Project’s basic views aren’t enough, click More Views on the View menu or the View Bar.
This dialog contains all the basic views, plus these views: Bar Rollup
Gantt chart view that groups summary and sub tasks.
Descriptive Network Diagram
Similar to Network Diagram, but provides more details.
Detail Gantt
Gantt chart view that shows details about task slack and slips.
Leveling Gantt
Similar to Task Entry view, but tasks and their allocated resources are shown graphically.
Milestone Date Rollup
When used after running the rollup_formatting macro, shows subtasks as milestones. Subtasks are grouped with their summary tasks and marked with the name and start date.
Milestone Rollup
When used after running the rollup_formatting macro, shows subtasks as milestones. Subtasks are grouped with their summary tasks and marked with the start date.
Multiple Baselines Gantt
Shows your first three baselines.
Relationship Diagram
Similar to Network Diagram, but shows only one task and its linked tasks.
Resource Allocation
Shows the Resource Usage view in the top pane and Leveling Gantt in the bottom pane.
Resource Form
Displays detailed information about one resource.
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Resource Name Form
A simplified version of the Resource Form.
Task Details Form
A detailed version of the Task Entry sheet that focuses on one task at a time.
Task Form
Displays detailed information about one task.
Task Name Form
A simplified version of the Task Form.
We’ll cover all of these views in detail in the Intermediate lessons.
Using the Find Dialog The last view tool that we’re going to talk about is the Find dialog. To open it, click the View menu and click Find.
Now, you can type in what you’re looking for and where Project should look. Click Find Next, and Project will highlight the next instance of the word.
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You can also click the Replace button to change particular words. (This feature is not available in all views)
Once the information is entered, you can use the Replace, Replace All, and Find Next buttons to perform those actions. Once you’re done finding and replacing, click Close.
Practice Exercise
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1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 4-1 Completed from the sample files folder.
3.
Click the Zoom In button ( in the Gantt Chart.
4.
Click the View menu and click Zoom.
) on the standard toolbar until you can see hours of the day
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5.
In the Zoom dialog, change your view to the Entire Project. Click OK.
6.
Click the View menu and click View Bar.
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7.
Click the Calendar button to see calendar view.
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8.
Click the Edit menu and click Find.
9.
Type Print and click Find Next. (Note how the Replace command is not available in this view.)
10.
Project will take you to the Print Report task. Close the Find dialog.
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11.
Save your project as 4-2 Completed.
12.
Close Microsoft Project 2003.
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Lesson 4.3: Using Page Setup
Many people use Microsoft Project 2003 for its report and printing capabilities. Although the default settings are usually sufficient, you may need to customize margins, headers and footers, the legend, or other page options. All of these settings can be controlled by clicking the File menu and clicking Page Setup. And, everything you set here is set per-project, so you can choose whatever settings you want without affecting your other files.
Setting Page Options The first tab in the Page Setup dialog box is Page Options.
As you can see from the dialog above, this tab lets you control page orientation, scaling, and paper size.
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Setting Margins Our next tab lets us control margins and page borders. There’s also a preview box so you can see how your margin settings will look.
Setting Headers The Header tab lets you specify information that will be included at the top of every page.
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Set your options using the features at the bottom of the screen, and you’ll see a preview above. You can also use the button list (circled in red above) to insert dynamic fields into your headers. Here’s an example:
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Setting Footers Our next tab has the same features, only this text will be placed at the bottom of every page.
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Modifying the Legend If you have used Microsoft Project 2003 to create charts (such as the Gantt chart), you may want to modify the legend (which describes various chart elements) here.
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Changing View Settings The last tab in the Page Setup dialog box is a mishmash of view settings.
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Practice Exercise 1.
Open Microsoft Project 2003.
2.
Open 4-3 Sample from the sample files folder.
3.
Click the File menu and click Page Setup.
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4.
On the Page tab, set the orientation to Landscape. Change the paper size to Legal.
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