Microsoft Project Presentation

1. Microsoft Project Presentation By Corey Johnson 10/11/00

2. What is a Gantt Chart? • A Gantt Chart is a visual tool to help Plan, Manage, and Track a project or projects.

3. Sample Gantt Chart

4. Planning a Project • Define Goals • Develop Tasks • Establish Timeframes • Resource Availability? • Organize

5. Managing and Tracking a Project • Track Progress • Are the tasks being completed on time? • Is one task holding up the whole project? • Manage Finances • Is the project going to stay within the budget?

6. Using MS Project • Define the Project • Build the Plan • Set a start date • Enter tasks/durations • Assign resources • Link tasks • Fine tune the plan

7. Using MS Project (cont’d) • Track and Manage • Set a baseline • Enter actuals • Adjust plan • Close Project

8. Defining the Project • The objective of the project should be defined by the person/group that is going to manage the project. • Tasks, start times, and deadlines should be clearly established.

9. Setting a Start Date • When opening a new Microsoft Project file, the user is automatically prompted for a start date. Setting an accurate start date will make future entries more convenient.

10. Entering Tasks and Durations • Tasks are entered in the “Task Name” column • Subtasks are created by indenting a task. • Durations may be entered in number of working days or start and finish dates may be used

12. Standard Markers • Normal Task • designates ordinary task duration • Summary Bar • designates the duration of a group of sub-tasks

13. Special Markers • Milestones • A reference point marking a major event in a project and used to monitor the project's progress • To create a milestone, Enter “0” in the duration field

14. Changing Marker Styles • Double-click on the Marker you want to change and format accordingly

15. Assigning Resources • A resource can be a single person, a piece of equipment, or it can represent a group, such as Plumbers • Information on resources include Availability, Costs, and Working Time • Resources are very important in accurate scheduling

16. Assigning Resources • To Assign a Resource: • Select the task to which you want to assign the resource • Click the Assign Resources button on the toolbar

17. Assigning Resources • If resources are not already set up, double click on the name box

18. Assigning Resources • Enter pertinent information and click OK.

19. Assigning Resources • When a resource has been selected, click Assign

20. Linking Tasks • Some tasks require that another task be completed before it can begin. These tasks must be linked. • Tasks and subtasks are linked by assigning Predecessors.

21. Linking Tasks • Predecessor • A task that must start or finish before another task can start or finish • Successor • A task that cannot start or finish until another task starts or finishes • A task becomes a successor when a row number is entered in the predecessor column

22. Linking Tasks

23. Fine Tune the Plan • When all resources have been assigned and appropriate tasks are linked, the original Gantt chart will be complete • Check to make sure tasks have been linked correctly and task durations are correct • The project is now ready to begin

24. Set a Baseline • A baseline compares your original plan for the project with the actual course of the project. • You can see which tasks started earlier or later than planned, exceeded their original budget, took longer than planned, and so on.

25. Set a Baseline • Create a baseline after you've polished it and just before you actually start work on the project • To track costs, be sure to enter cost information before you create the baseline • Updates can easily be made to the baseline if information is missing

26. Set a Baseline • The Baseline plan includes: • Tasks (start and finish dates, duration, work, cost, splits, timephased work, and timephased cost) • Resources (work, cost, timephased work, and timephased cost) • Assignments (start and finish dates, work, cost, timephased work, and timephased cost)

27. Set a Baseline • To set a baseline: • Point to Tracking on the Tools menu • Click Save Baseline

28. Entering Progress • Update actual start and finish dates for a task. • On the Tools menu, point to Tracking and then click Update Task • Under Actual, type Start and Finish dates

29. Entering Progress • Update progress on a task • Double-click on the task to be updated • Enter a percentage • On the Gantt chart, a progress bar appears in the task bar

30. Tracking Gantt Chart • Tracks the progress of the project • Shows what tasks are overdue and what has been completed on time • Click on the Tracking Gantt icon to view

31. Tracking Gantt Chart

32. Tracking Progress • Determining if tasks are starting and finishing according to plan: • In the Tracking Gantt, point to Table (View menu) and click Variance • Drag theDivider bar to the right to view variance. • Variance is shown in Days

33. Tracking Progress • Determine if tasks cost more or less than budgeted • In the Tracking Gantt, point to Table (View menu) and click Cost • Drag theDivider bar to the right to view Total Cost and Baseline fields

34. PERT Chart • Shows a flowchart of the project. • Each box represents a task in the project. • Connecting arrows show dependencies between tasks. • To view, click the PERT chart icon

35. Calendar View • Keeps tabs on when tasks occur. • Quickly see how long tasks take, when they start and finish, and how they occur in relation to other tasks. • To view, click the Calendar icon

36. Task Usage View • Work with task and resource information side by side. • Easily create useful reports about when a resource is scheduled to work on a task. • To view, click the Task Usage icon

37. Resource Graph View • See whether resources are overallocated, what capacity they're working at, and how much they cost in a timescale graph • To view, click the Resource Graph icon

38. More Views • Resource Sheet View • Easy way to review, add, edit data about resources • Resource Usage View • Work with resource and task information side by side

39. The Project is Now Complete !! • MS Project is a very powerful tool if it is used correctly • This program can save a lot of time for engineers who are interested in time, cost, etc. • Automatically keeps your project organized.

40. Thank you !! Please feel free to ask any questions