MS Project 2007 Overview

Table of Contents

Microsoft Project Overview .............................................................................................. 1

Terminology .................................................................................................................... 1
Starting Microsoft Project ................................................................................................ 2
Projects on the Web .................................................................................................... 2
Toolbars .......................................................................................................................... 2
View Bar ...................................................................................................................... 2
Views .............................................................................................................................. 3
Setting Up the Project ..................................................................................................... 3
Identifying Dates.......................................................................................................... 3
Saving the New Project ................................................................................................... 4
Identifying Project Tasks ................................................................................................. 4
Detailing Tasks ............................................................................................................ 4
Scheduling Project Tasks ................................................................................................ 5
Summary Tasks and Subtasks ........................................................................................ 6
Inserting New Tasks in the Task List ........................................................................... 6
Outlining Tasks............................................................................................................ 6
Recurring Tasks .............................................................................................................. 7
Task Drivers – New Feature ............................................................................................ 9
Checking Task Drivers ................................................................................................ 9
Splitting Tasks ............................................................................................................... 10
Copying, Moving, and Deleting Tasks ........................................................................... 10
Moving by Clicking and Dragging .............................................................................. 11
Expanding and Collapsing Tasks .................................................................................. 11
Expanding and Collapsing Individual Tasks............................................................... 12
Creating a Schedule ...................................................................................................... 12
Linking Tasks ............................................................................................................ 12
Changing Task Links ................................................................................................. 13
Constraints, Deadlines, and Milestones ..................................................................... 14
Assigning Resources..................................................................................................... 17
Using the Resource List to Create Resources ........................................................... 17

Copyright © 2008. Carlson School of Management, Office of Information Technology, University of Minnesota.
Duplication of material without prior written consent is forbidden. September, 2008
MS Project 2007 Overview

Entering Resources on the Gantt Chart ..................................................................... 19

Assigning a Resource to Work Part-time on a Task ................................................... 21
Duration Calculations for Tasks ..................................................................................... 21
Using Resource Views .................................................................................................. 23
Overallocated Resources .......................................................................................... 24
Sorting Resource Views ............................................................................................ 24
Assigning Costs to Resources ................................................................................... 24
Viewing Resource Costs ........................................................................................... 25
Setting Fixed Costs ................................................................................................... 25
Viewing the Schedule and Details ................................................................................. 25
Viewing the Entire Project on the Screen................................................................... 25
Saving a Baseline Plan ................................................................................................. 26
Identifying the Critical Path ........................................................................................ 26
Updating Tasks ............................................................................................................. 27
Tracking Your Project .................................................................................................... 28
Comparing Actual Time to Baseline........................................................................... 28
Comparing Actual Costs to Budget ............................................................................ 28
Viewing Total Project Costs ....................................................................................... 29
Using Filters .................................................................................................................. 29
Viewing Reports ............................................................................................................ 30
Printing Project Views................................................................................................ 31

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Course Objectives:
At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand Microsoft Project terminology

Create a basic project

Use Project views

Schedule Project tasks

Identify and allocate Project resources

Update task information

Do basic Project tracking

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Microsoft Project Overview

Microsoft Project 2007 provides tools and techniques to manage projects, assign tasks,
create a timeline and schedule, analyze costs, and track projects. This class provides
an overview to using Microsoft Project for project management.

Terminology
The following terms are frequently used in project management.
Gantt Chart: A graphical representation of information in a project. It is the view most
frequently used in Project; a combination spreadsheet/bar chart.
Project: A set of tasks to achieve an objective. Usually must be completed in a specific
order and requires resources.
Resources: Can be people, equipment, materials or services that are needed to
complete various tasks. The amount of resources affects the scope and time of any
project.
Schedule: Time and sequence of tasks in a project.
Tasks: A division of the work that needs to be completed in order to accomplish the
project goals.
Predecessor: A task that must be accomplished before some other task (a
successor) can be started.
Successor: A task that can be accomplished only after a predecessor, or
prerequisite task, has been completed.
Summary task: A task that is made up of subordinate tasks.

Copyright © 2008. Carlson School of Management, Office of Information Technology, University of Minnesota.
Duplication of material without prior written consent is forbidden. September, 2008
MS Project 2007 Overview

Starting Microsoft Project

To open Microsoft Project select, Start, All Programs, Microsoft Project. This may be in
a slightly different location, depending upon the configuration of your computer. A new
blank Project file displays in the Gantt Chart view.

Click
and drag
to resize
windows

Projects on the Web

Microsoft Projects allows projects to be posted on a website. A web server is required.
This is outside the scope of this class.

Toolbars
By default the Standard and Formatting toolbars display on one row. To modify that,
select View, Toolbars, Customize. Activate the Options tab and select Show Standard
and Formatting Toolbars on two rows.

View Bar
The View Bar is a convenient way to switch between several views. Select View, View
Bar.

2 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Views
Microsoft Project has multiple views available. These will be discussed in more detail
later in this class. The Gantt Chart view is the most frequently used when creating the
project. To select alternate views, select View; then select the desired option. These
instructions use the View menu to change views.

There are also multiple Table views. Select View, Table, and then select the appropriate
option. Instructions in this course will use multiple Table views.

Setting Up the Project

You need to identify project dates and the date that will be used to anchor the project
schedule (start or finish date). Usually this will be the start date and you will base your
schedule upon that. Only use the finish date as an anchor if completing by a deadline is
more important than costs or quality. For this class we will use a start date.

Identifying Dates
If you do not define the dates, Project saves the current date as the start date for your
project. Follow these steps to identify the project start or finish dates.
1. From the main menu, select Project, Project Information. The following dialog box
displays.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 3

MS Project 2007 Overview

2. To schedule the project from the Start date, verify that Project Start Date is selected
in the Schedule from: field, and select the appropriate start date by clicking the drop-
down arrow in the Start date: field.
or
To schedule the project from the Finish date, select Project Finish Date in the
Schedule from: field. Select the appropriate finish date by clicking the drop-down
arrow in the Finish date: field.
3. In the Calendar: field, select a different calendar, if desired.
4. Click OK to enter the date and close the dialog box.

Saving the New Project

Select File, Save As, name the project, and save it in the desired drive and folder.

Saving Changes
You can save changes by selecting File, Save, or clicking the Save button on
the toolbar.

Identifying Project Tasks

Once the project file is created, you can create and schedule the project tasks. Think of
this as a to-do list to complete your project. The first step requires that you determine
the tasks needed to complete the project.
As an example project, we will consider planning an event. At the highest level, this
would consist of four summary tasks areas.
1. Select Location
2. Activities/entertainment
3. Menu/refreshments
4. Guests

Detailing Tasks
Each of the task areas can be further expanded into a series of tasks and subordinate
tasks. These tasks could be performed by one or more people. The numbered items
would be summary tasks.
1. Select a location
1. Determine budget for location
2. Research locations
3. Visit locations
4. Decide location
5. Reserve location
2. Activities/entertainment
1. Determine budget for activities/entertainment
2. Research activities/entertainment

4 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

3. Decide activities/entertainment
4. Arrange activities/entertainment
3. Menu/refreshments
1. Determine budget for menu/refreshments
2. Research menu/refreshments
3. Decide menu/refreshments
4. Arrange menu/refreshments
4. Guests
1. Determine guest list
2. Order invitations
3. Address invitations
4. Send invitations

Scheduling Project Tasks

Once you know the tasks necessary to complete a project, you can use Microsoft Project to
identify and schedule these tasks.

Note: Column widths can be adjusted by selecting the line dividing the column headings.
When a two-headed arrow displays, click and drag to the desired width.

1. Click the first empty row in the Task Name column.

2. In the Task Name cell, type the task description; then press Tab to move to the
Duration field. By default, the Duration field displays 1 day?.

3. In the Duration field, enter the estimated duration for the task.

To enter something other than a duration of days, use the following

abbreviations:
m = minutes
h = hours
d = days
w = weeks
mo = months
To enter an estimated duration, type a question mark after the duration.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 5

MS Project 2007 Overview

Note: We will not enter dates in the Start and Finish fields for each task at this time.
Microsoft Project can do this for us, depending upon how the tasks are related.
Note: You can click and drag the bars on the Gantt Chart to modify dates quickly.
Note: If you enter a time of “0” Project defines that task as a “Milestone.” See page
15 for more information.
4. To add a note about a task, select the task name, then click the Task Notes button
. Type your information in the Notes box and click OK.
Note: To view a note, rest your mouse over the note indicator.

Summary Tasks and Subtasks

Usually a project will consist of several main tasks that can then be broken down into
subtasks. In our sample project, selecting a location for the event involves determining
the budget, researching locations, visiting locations, deciding the location, and reserving
the location. These would be subtasks to the summary task “Select Location.”

Inserting New Tasks in the Task List

To add new tasks in the task list, follow the steps below.
1. Select the task beneath where you want to insert the new task.
2. Select Insert, New Task. A new line displays to enter the new task.
Tip: You can also select a task and press the Insert key to enter a new task above the
selected one.

Outlining Tasks
Outlining helps you organize your tasks into manageable chunks. It is easy to indent
related tasks under a more general task (summary task) to create a hierarchy. The
indented tasks are called subtasks.
You will use the Indent and Outdent buttons on your toolbar to organize the
outline.
1. If necessary, select View, Gantt Chart.
2. Select View, Table, Entry.
3. Select the task(s) you want to make a subtask.
4. Click the Intent button to make the task(s) a subtask.
As you enter durations for subtasks, the Summary task displays the date of the longest
duration.

6 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Recurring Tasks
Recurring tasks repeat regularly, such as weekly meetings. These can occur daily,
weekly, monthly, or yearly. You can indicate the duration of each occurrence, when it
occurs, for how long, and how many times. For our practice project, we can create a
recurring task to receive and log RSVPs.

1. In the Task Name field of the Gantt Chart view, select the row beneath where you
want the recurring task to display.

2. Select Insert, Recurring Task. The Recurring Task Information dialog box
displays.

3. In the Task Name: field, enter the name for your task.

4. In the Duration: field, enter the duration for a single occurrence of the task.

5. In the Recurrence pattern area, enter the desired option.

6. In the Range of recurrence area, enter start and end dates.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 7

 MS Project 2007 Overview

7. Click OK. The task displays in the list as shown in the example below.

Indicates
Recurring
Task

Click + to view
individual tasks.

Click the + to expand the view of individual tasks.

Rest your mouse over the to display a pop-up containing recurring
information.
To view or change recurring information, select the task and click the Information
button on the toolbar (or double-click the task).

8 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Task Drivers – New Feature

A new feature of Project 2007 is Task Drivers. When you make any changes to your
schedule, the impacted tasks are automatically highlighted.

Shaded tasks
impacted by
schedule
changes.

Checking Task Drivers

If you made a change and the impacted cells display with highlights, you can view more
information about your changes.

1. From the menu, select Project, Task Drivers. The Task Drivers pane displays on the
left side of the Project screen.

2. Click the name of the task (shown with blue text) to view more information about the
impact of the change.

3. Click the X of the Task Drivers pane to close it. The highlighting is removed from
the task list of your project.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 9

MS Project 2007 Overview

Splitting Tasks
If work is interrupted on a task, you can split it. The task can resume at another time.
Follow these steps to split a task.
1. Select View, Gantt Chart.
2. Select the task you want to split.
3. Click the Split Task button on the toolbar.

4. A split task screen displays and your mouse pointer displays as .

.
5. Click in the date where you want the split to occur.
6. Drag the second part of the bar to the date that you want work to begin again. A
dotted line displays where the task was split.

Copying, Moving, and Deleting Tasks

Follow these steps to copy or move tasks. If you move or delete a summary task, the
subtasks associated with it are moved, copied, or deleted as well.

1. Select the ID field (leftmost gray field) of the task you want to copy, move, or delete.
This selects the entire row.
To select contiguous tasks, select the first task, press and hold Shift, and then
click the last task.
To select several non-contiguous tasks, press and hold Ctrl and select the
individual tasks.

2. Copy, move, or delete the task. (You can also right-click to select the desired option.)

To copy the task, select the Copy button .

To move the task, select the Cut button .
To delete the task, press Delete.

10 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

3. To paste the copied or cut tasks, select the row beneath where you want the task to
display. Click the Paste button . If there is information in the destination row, the
new rows are inserted above.

4. Modify the outline, if necessary.

Moving by Clicking and Dragging

You can click and drag a task to a new location.
1. Select the ID field (leftmost field – gray area with number) of the task you want to,
move.
2. Click and drag the field until the cursor displays in the desired location. Release the
mouse button.
Note: It may be necessary to adjust the outline level of the moved tasks.

Expanding and Collapsing Tasks

If you have a long and complicated project, you may want to expand and collapse tasks
to make the view more manageable.

1. Select the entire project by clicking the Select All button. This is the gray button
above the ID numbers on the far left column.
Hide
Subtasks
Button

Select All
Button

2. Do any of the following:

To collapse all subtasks, click the Hide Subtasks button .

To Expand all tasks, click the Show Subtasks button .

3. Click any cell to deselect the entire sheet.

Note: You can also display an outline option to display specific outline levels, by clicking
and selecting the desired outline level.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 11

MS Project 2007 Overview

Expanding and Collapsing Individual Tasks

You can expand or collapse individual summary tasks by clicking the + to expand or the
– to collapse.

Creating a Schedule
Once you have created your task list and outlined the tasks appropriately, you should
enter the task durations and indicate how the tasks relate to each other and to specific
dates. For instance, your project may have one task that should start as soon as
another is completed. This is called a task dependency. Microsoft Project automatically
determines the start and finish dates for tasks that have dependencies to other tasks. If
a task is changed, linked tasks are automatically rescheduled.

Many inexperienced Project users do not use these features correctly. However, to make
Project work effectively for project management, you should link tasks and create the
dependencies, thus allowing Project to create the schedule for you.

Microsoft Project creates a finish-to-start dependency by default. You can modify this to
a start-to-start, finish-to-finish, or start-to-finish link, as appropriate for your project. Use
links whenever possible to take full advantage of Project’s scheduling features.

Linking Tasks
1. If necessary, select View, Gantt Chart.

2. Select View, Table: Entry.

3. In the Task Name field, select the tasks you want to link, in the order you want them
linked.
Hint: Press and hold Ctrl while selecting non-contiguous tasks.

4. Click the Link Tasks button . Link lines display between the linked tasks.
Microsoft Project enters finish dates based upon the duration information entered
previously. The default dependency assumes that one task needs to be completed
before another can begin.

12 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Changing Task Links

You may want to change the link to indicate a different dependency.
1. Double-click the link line between the tasks you want to change. The Task
Dependency dialog box displays.

2. In the Type: field, select the desired option.

Start-to-Start means that both tasks begin at the same time.
Finish-to-Finish means that both tasks end at the same time.
Start-to-Finish drives the end timing of the predecessor task.
3. If desired, enter a different lag time between tasks. This means that you can overlap
tasks by selecting negative lag times, or provide lead time selecting positive lag
times.
4. Click OK to make your changes.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 13

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Constraints, Deadlines, and Milestones

The easiest way to schedule tasks is to enter task duration, create dependencies between
tasks, and let Microsoft Project calculate start and finish dates for you. However you can set
specific start and/or finish dates, if necessary. These are called inflexible constraints. Use
constraint dates only when tasks must start or finish on a specific date. See the information
on Deadlines and Milestones on the next page.
Note: Tasks with a Deadline applied on or before the date determined by Project will show
when you view the crital path.
Follow the steps below to add scheduling constraints.
1. Select the task to which you want to add constraints.
2. Click the Task Information button (or double-click the task). The Task Information
dialog box displays.
Note: The Predecessor tab allows you to make the same changes as when double-
clicking a link line.
3. Activate the Advanced tab and enter the appropriate date constraints.

Deadline
Constraint
Constraint Date
Type

4. Click OK.
Note: If you add constraint dates, a calendar displays in the Indicators field to the
left of the task on the Gantt chart indicating that date constraints have been added. If
the date you indicate causes a conflict with your schedule, a warning message displays.

14 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Project’s Planning Wizard

If you have a scheduling conflict, the Planning Wizard displays to help you decide
how to resolve the conflict. Read the screen carefully to make the best decision.

Creating Milestones
A milestone is a task used to identify significant events in a project schedule,
such as completion of a major phase. Often milestones don’t require work but
are significant points within the project schedule. To create a milestone, do one
of the following:

When creating a task, enter a duration of zero (0) days. Microsoft displays
the milestone symbol on the Gantt Chart at the start of that day.
or
Select the task you want to be a milestone. Click the Task Information button
. From the Advanced tab, select Mark task as milestone and click OK.
This allows the task to have more than zero days in the schedule.

Deadlines
You can also add a deadline to a task. This does not affect task scheduling, but
does provide an indication that you have a target date for completion of the task.
If you add a deadline to a task, a displays on the Gantt chart to indicate the
deadline date. If you add a deadline that is earlier than the date the project task
requires, Microsoft Project displays an indicator that the task is scheduled to
finish after the deadline. Note: Deadlines don’t affect how Project schedules
tasks. However, it is a way for Project to inform you that a task will finish past its
deadline. You may then wish to adjust the schedule to meet that deadline.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 15

 MS Project 2007 Overview

The illustration which follows indicates added deadlines and calendar constraints.

Note
indicator

Milestone
Date
constraint
added to task Deadline

Deadline
earlier than
project
schedule

Follow the steps below to add a task deadline. Tasks with deadlines applied that
are on or before the date determined by Project display when viewing the critical
path.
1. Select the task to which you want to add a deadline.
2. Click the Task Information button . The Task Information dialog box displays.
3. Activate the Advanced tab and enter the desired date in the Deadline field.
4. Click OK.

16 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Assigning Resources
You should assign resources if you want to track work done by people or equipment
assigned to tasks or to monitor materials used. If you don’t enter resource information,
Microsoft Project calculates the project schedule using only task duration and
dependencies. As you assign resources, the resource information displays on the Gantt
Chart. Work resources are people or equipment. Material resources are items such as
concrete, lumber, paper. Think of material resources as things that can be “used up” in
the project. Lumber would be a material resource, while carpenters, hammers, saws,
and drills would be work resources.

Using the Resource List to Create Resources

You can enter resources in the Resource Sheet, and then assign the resources to a
task.
1. Select View, Resource Sheet.
2. In the Resource Name field, enter a resource name.

3. In the Type field, select Work if the resource is a worker or equipment. This is the
most typical resource used in business.
or
Select Material, if the resource is material or supplies (paper, fuel, lumber, etc.)
Think of material as something that can be “used up.”
or
New Option – Cost. For instance, if your speaker charged air fare, you could include
that as a project cost. However, there would be no time assigned to this resource.
4. Press Enter.
5. Continue the steps above for each resource you want to add.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 17

MS Project 2007 Overview

Assigning Resources from the Resource Sheet

Once you have created your resource list, you can then assign them to your
tasks. To assign a resource, follow the steps below.

1. Select View, Gantt Chart.

2. Click the Assign Resources button on the toolbar. The Assign

Resources dialog box displays.

3. Select the task for which you want to assign a resource.

4. Select the resource you want to assign. To select multiple resources, press and
hold Ctrl while selecting the resources.
5. Click Assign.
6. Select the next task to which you want to assign a resource, and repeat steps 4
and 5. (It is not necessary to close the Assign Resources dialog box, until
finished with all tasks.)
Note: The R/D column is a new feature and is useful when you have a Project
server so is outside the scope of this class., Request or Demand specifes
whether or not you require that this resource be assigned to the task. This
resource setting is used for the Resource Substitution Wizard (again IF you have
a Project server). If you request the resource, the wizard assigns the resource
only if the resource is not overallocated. This makes this resource unavailable
for other assignments on that date and prevents over-assigning resources.
7. When finished, click Close.

18 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Note: When you add more than one resource to a task, Project may display
a next to the task. When you click the the following options display.

Select the desired option. For more information, see page 21

Entering Resources on the Gantt Chart

You can also enter resources directly on the Gantt Chart. You can then modify them as
necessary using the Resource Sheet. The instructions below provide an easy way to
add resources directly on the Gantt Chart.

1. Select View, Gantt Chart.

2. Select View, Table, Entry.

3. Select the task to which you want to assign a resource.

4. Scroll or resize the Gantt Chart window to view the Resource Names column.

5. In the Resource Names cell, type the name of the resource. Separate multiple
resources with commas. (Hint: Type names, e.g., Alice, Tom, etc. For many
names type first initial, last name, e.g., Knelson, Sborda)
Note: If resources have already been entered into the Resource Sheet, you can
select a resource from a drop-down list.

6. Repeat this procedure for each task to which you want to assign a resource.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 19

MS Project 2007 Overview

Removing Resources
Follow these steps to remove a resource you no longer need for the project.
1. Select the task for which you want to remove a resource.

2. Click the Assign Resources button on the toolbar. The Assign Resources
dialog box displays.
3. Select the resource you want to remove.

4. Click the Remove button.

20 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Assigning a Resource to Work Part-time on a Task

Follow these steps to specify that a resource will only work part-time on a task.
1. Select View, Gantt Chart.
2. Select the task for which you want to assign part-time resources.

3. Click the Assign Resources button on the toolbar.

4. In the Units field, enter the appropriate percentage for each resource.

5. Click Close.

Duration Calculations for Tasks

When you specify a task duration, Microsoft Project assumes that the task requires a
specific amount of effort. When you indicate that a task needs three days, Project
assumes that it requires three days of effort. Project refers to effort-based durations as
fixed-unit durations (specific amount of effort). Tasks with fixed-unit durations are
called fixed-unit tasks. Adding more resources results in the task finishing more quickly.
For instance, assigning three people to the three-day task such as painting a room
would result in the task being completed in one day. Fixed-unit assumes that resources
are used 100%, so adding more resources would make the task take less time.

Another duration is fixed duration (specific amount of time). Fixed duration tasks
indicate that a passage of time is required. For instance, if it takes two weeks for new
sod to take root, adding resources will not change that.

A third duration type is fixed work (hybrid of time and effort) duration. This means that
you can’t or don’t accelerate the task completion by adding resources, but you can
reduce the percentage of the resource devoted to the task. If a task has a duration of
three days, it will require 100% of one person’s time. However, if it is assigned to two
people, it will require 50% of their time for three days; four people, 25% of their time for
three days, etc.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 21

MS Project 2007 Overview

When you add more than one resource to a task, Project may display a button next to
the task. When you click the the following options display.

Select the desired option.

If you want to modify how Project calculates durations, follow these steps:
1. From the Gantt Chart view, select the task for which you want to specify a duration.
2. Click the Task Information button .
3. Activate the Advanced tab.

4. In the Task type: field, select the desired option.

5. In the Effort driven checkbox, select the appropriate option. (It should always be
selected for a fixed-work task.)
If selected, it specifies that Microsoft Project will keep the total task effort at its
current value. The duration of a task is shortened or lengthened as resources are
added or removed from a task while the amount of effort necessary to complete a
task remains unchanged.

6. Click OK.

Note: Task duration and percent of time per resource for a task may be impacted by
changing to a different type of duration. If necessary, adjust resource assignments as
desired.

22 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Fixing the Duration of Multiple Tasks

Follow these steps to set the duration for multiple tasks.
1. Select View, Gantt Chart.
2. In the Task Name field, select the tasks you want to change. (Press Ctrl and
click the gray field of each task you want to select.)
3. Click the Task Information button .
4. Select the desired options.
5. Click OK.

Using Resource Views

There are several resource views that you can use to view resource assignments.
Select View; then select the desired view. Remember, Table views can also be changed
for each view. A brief description is provided below.
Resource Usage: Displays how many hours each resource is scheduled to work on
specific tasks and which resources are over-allocated. Also displays how much time
each resource has available for additional work assignments.
Resource Sheet: Displays a list of resources. You can add additional resources,
and adjust rates and costs from this view.
Resource Graph: Displays resources in a graph to verify that you haven’t over-
allocated a resource. Allows you to compare allocated resources with the actual
resources available.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 23

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Overallocated Resources
Overallocated resources display in red from several views. Add other resources or
reassign tasks as needed. Advanced users can use resource leveling.

Resource Leveling
Resource Leveling is a complex feature, which is for more advanced users. If
you have over-allocated resources, Project may display that information from
some of the resource views. Sometimes over-allocation will not cause a problem
with the project schedule. However, if over-allocation is not acceptable, you can
add more resources, or tell Project to level resources. Consult Help for more
information.
1. Select Tools, Level Resources. The Resource Leveling dialog box displays.

To have
Project adjust
the schedule
as resources
are assigned,
click here.
NOT If you click Manual, it
recommended spreads tasks over
for beginners. additional days to
allow sufficient time
for the tasks to be
completed.

When using Manual,

Click Level Now to
level the tasks.

2. For more information, click the Help button.

3. When finished, click OK.

Sorting Resource Views

You may wish to sort resource views so that all responsible people can easily see the
tasks assigned to them. To sort, select Project, Sort, and then select the desired sort
option. (Note: All table views can be sorted.)

Assigning Costs to Resources

You can assign rates to human and material resources to assist in managing costs
accurately. You can assign standard rates, overtime rates, or per-use rates.
1. Select View, Resource Sheet.
2. In the Resource Name field, select a resource or type a new resource name.
3. In the Type field, select Work, if the resource is a worker or machine, or select
Material if the resource is material or supplies. New Feature – Cost Resources, as
described on page 17.

24 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

4. For a Work resource, in the Std. Rate, Ovt. Rate, or Cost/Use fields, type the
resource rates.
For instance, employees would have hourly rates and perhaps overtime rates. Some
employees and/or equipment resources may have a flat charge; e.g., a projector may
be charged at a per-day rate.
or
For a material resource, type a measurement unit for the material resource in the
Material Label field, such as gallons, tons, reams, etc.; then in the Std. Rate or
Cost/Use field, type a rate.
or
For costs such as airfare, which require no time, but which add to the project cost,
enter the resource, and select the Cost resource type.
5. Press Enter.

Viewing Resource Costs

You can view the total cost of resource assignments to determine if they fall within your
project budget.

From the Gantt chart, select View, Table, Cost.

Setting Fixed Costs

You can set fixed costs for such items as equipment. For our event, fixed costs woud be
location, menu, invitations, etc.

1. View the resource costs as described above.

2. Type in the appropriate (budgeted) cost in the Fixed Cost field. After saving a
baseline (see page 26) you can update the cost in that field. Project will track the
variance from the baseline.

Viewing the Schedule and Details

After entering your project data, you may want to review it to make sure you will meet
deadlines, etc.

Viewing the Entire Project on the Screen

You can zoom in or out to get an overview of your project start and finish dates and view
major phase dates. From the Gantt Chart view, click to zoom in or to zoom out.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 25

MS Project 2007 Overview

Saving a Baseline Plan

After you have entered all project information and you are ready to start the actual
project work, you may want to save a baseline of your project information. This allows
you to track progress of your schedule so you can make the necessary adjustments.
You can see if tasks start on schedule, how much work resources performed and
whether the project is within budget.

Follow these steps to save a Baseline.

1. Select Tools, Tracking, Set Baseline.

2. Do one of the following:

To save a project baseline, select Entire project.

To add selected new tasks to an existing baseline, select Selected tasks.

3. Click OK.

Identifying the Critical Path

The critical path is a series of tasks that must be completed on time for a project to finish
on schedule. Although many tasks in a project have some slack time, those tasks that
cannot be delayed without affecting the finish date are critical tasks. Therefore, when
modifying problems with your schedule, you should be aware of the critical tasks (those
for which specific dates have been assigned). You can use the Filter button on the
toolbar to view the critical path.
1. Select View, Gantt Chart.
2. Select Critical from the drop-down list of the filter button. The tasks that are
dependent upon other tasks display. Others are filtered out.
3. To return to all tasks, select All Tasks from the drop-down list.

26 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Updating Tasks
As you complete tasks, you will want to indicate that in your project. You can use the
Tracking toolbar, or you can select Tools, Tracking, Update Tasks.

1. Select View, Toolbars, Tracking to display the Tracking toolbar.

2. In the Task Name field, select the task(s) you want to update.

3. To update the tasks in your project.

If the task is on schedule, select the task, and click the Update as scheduled
button on the Tracking Toolbar.

If the task is not on schedule, enter the start and finish dates as described below,
or update progress as a percentage.

4. To enter a start and/or finish dates, click the Update tasks button on the Tracking
toolbar. The Update Tasks dialog box displays.

5. Enter a date in the Start: or Finish: box. If you enter a finish date, be sure to enter
that the task is 100% complete. Microsoft Project will reschedule tasks accordingly.

6. Click OK.

More Task Update Information

Project calculates a summary task completion based on the completion of its
subtasks.
Project indicates the task’s percentage of completion as a thin, black line
drawn through the middle of each Gantt bar on the Gantt Chart.
When a task is marked complete, Project displays a check mark  (in some
views) indicating the task is complete.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 27

MS Project 2007 Overview

Tracking Your Project

Successful project management requires that tasks begin and finish on schedule. You
can use the Tracking Gantt View to locate problem areas and tasks that may vary from
the baseline plan. You can then make adjustments as necessary.

Comparing Actual Time to Baseline

If you have saved a baseline plan, and then updated your schedule, you can compare
the baseline to the actual progress. Variances will point out areas that are not going as
planned.
Note: Variances will only display if tasks have been updated.

1. Select View, Tracking Gantt.

2. Select View, Table, Variance.

3. To view the variance fields in the table, scroll, tab, or resize the panes.

Note: You must have saved a baseline in order to have variance information.

Comparing Actual Costs to Budget

To compare actual costs to budget, you must have saved a baseline.

1. Select View, Gantt Chart.

2. Select View, Table, Cost. Project displays the tasks and the estimated costs of
each.

3. Resize table pane, if necessary, to view all columns.

28 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Viewing Total Project Costs

You can view, current, baseline, actual, and remaining costs to determine if you are
within your budget.
1. Select Project, Project Information.
2. Click the Statistics button to view total project costs.

Using Filters
You can use predefined filters within Microsoft Project. The default is All Tasks. Select
the desired filter by selecting it from the drop down list. For instance, you can filter to
view only incomplete tasks, or those over budget, etc.

Filter button

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 29

MS Project 2007 Overview

Viewing Reports
Project 2007 has some great new options for creating reports. Data can be exported to
Excel and Visio.

Note: As these new reports require knowledge of Pivot Tables, etc. this is outside the
scope of this class. If you are familiar with Pivot Tables and charts, you can explore the
options available. A brief description is provided below.

1. From the menu, select Report. The first two options are outside the scope of this
class.

Visual reports provide a wide array of options with report templates available
from Excel and Visio. Users can also customize templates.

Copy Picture may require installing an additional feature of Project that was not
part of the standard installation. After installing, you could use this option to
copy the current view to a .gif image, for example.

Reports, provides a variety of report options from which to choose, as shown

below.

2. Select the type of report you want and click Select. Another screen displays from
which you can select the style of report you want.

3. Select the desired option and click Select. A print preview of the report displays.

4. Click Print to print the report.

30 Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

 MS Project 2007 Overview

Printing Project Views

You can also print project information from any view of project.

1. Select the view you want to print.

2. If desired, click to zoom in or to zoom out to display the desired amount of

information.

3. Click the Print Preview button on the toolbar.

4. To modify the printout, click Page Setup and make the appropriate changes.

5. Click Print.

Copyright © 2008, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota 31