Practical work No. 2.

Create a new project

2.1 DEFINITION OF INTERRELATIONS OF TASKS IN THE PROJECT

A methodology for the relationships of stages (summary tasks) and tasks in Microsoft Project.

In order to determine the duration of the summary activity at the project planning stage, you need to
establish dependencies between the activities. To determine the duration of a project, you need to
establish dependencies (relationships) between tasks or stages.
Links are also required for accurate mapping of the process and/or organizational sequence of work
in the Microsoft Project package.
Communications are divided into:
– process, which reflect the technology of work execution and cannot be changed without loss of
quality of the project product. To "testify" on the sequence of work, those responsible for the stages and
sub-stages should be involved;
– organizational, i.e. those according to which decisions can be made, in particular about whether
to perform work sequentially or in parallel. There are the following types of work relationships
(milestones):
 “End-Start” - A subsequent operation cannot begin before the previous operation ends. For
example, until a general contract is signed, construction and installation work cannot begin.
 "Start - Start" - the subsequent operation does not begin before the beginning of the
previous one. For example, the construction of interior walls, i.e. masonry, can be started with the
construction of exterior walls.
 “End – End” - The subsequent operation must be completed no later than the previous one.
For example, the preparation of dough and filling for dumplings can end together.
 "Start - End" - the subsequent operation does not end before the beginning of the previous
one, Figure 2.1. For example, a chef's apprentice can't finish smearing cream on a cake until the chef
comes and appreciates how the apprentice has done the job.

Figure 2.1 - 4 types of links

 The most common connections are "End - Start," the most rare - "Start - End."

In Microsoft Project, it is allowed to create links between stages (summary tasks), but I recommend
using links between tasks, since in life all stages consist of links, many stages go in parallel and the
execution of tasks of one stage depends on the execution of other tasks of parallel stages.

To create a relationship between the "Project Feasibility Study" and “Land Allocation” tasks, it is
necessary to:
1. Or:
a. Move the mouse cursor over the "Project Feasibility Study" task in the Gantt chart area (the
cursor must take the form of four multidirectional arrows).
b. Click and drag the cursor over the “Land Allocation” task.
c. Release the left mouse button.

2. Or:
a. Right-click the “Land Allocation” step name;
b. Choose “Details” from the menu.
c. In the “Task Details” window, go to the “Predecessors” tab.
d. In the “Task Name” area, left click an empty field and select the preceding task from the list of
all tasks (normal and summary).
e. Select communication type and delay (if necessary), Figure 6.

3. Or:
a. Display the “Predecessors” or “Followers” column.
To do this, on the name of the column, instead of which you want to display a new column, right-
click and select "Insert Column" from the menu. After that, in the list of proposed names, select the field
you want.
b. In the cells of this column, or "Predecessors" or "Followers," enter the ID "Id." of the preceding
task or, accordingly, the subsequent one, and, if necessary, specify the advance or delay value.
 Figure 2.2 - Defining Links in the “Task Details” Window
4 Or:
a. Select two tasks that you want to associate with each other using the left mouse button.
b. Click the “Link Tasks” icon on the “Task” tab in the
"Planning," Figure 2.3.

Figure 2.3 - Forming links between tasks through the "Link tasks" button. In this case,

the "End - Start" link will be set.

Having connected all tasks to each other with the connection "End - Start," we get a project schedule,
Figure 2.4.
 Figure 2.4 - Preliminary Project Schedule

If you do not see the entire graph in your Gantt chart, you can go to the "View" tab and in the
"Scale" section click on the "All Project" icon.

2.2 SETTING LIMITS AND DEADLINES FOR TASKS

Microsoft Project 2013 allows you to set Limits and Deadlines on tasks.
The restrictions can be contractual dates of the beginning, end of the task, delivery dates,
information about the availability of a particular resource.

Setting Constraints

To set one or another type of restriction, you need to go to the task properties on the "Advanced"
tab and select the type of restriction and the date of its occurrence, Figure 2.5.

It is recommended that you maintain a constraint history in the “Task Details” window, “Task
Notes” tab.
Restrictions are set only for tasks with the planning type “Automatic”.

Figure 2.5 - Setting Task Limits

In Microsoft Project 2013, you can select the following constraint types in the “Constraint Type”
field when planning a task:
– “As Late as Possible” (default in a project scheduled from the end date) - With this restriction,
Microsoft Project places the task in the schedule as late as possible, taking into account other plan
settings. No additional restrictions apply to the task.
 – “As Early as Possible” (default in a project scheduled from the start date) - Microsoft Project
places the task in the schedule as early as possible, considering other plan settings.
– “End Not Earlier” - This constraint indicates the earliest date that the task can be completed. A
task cannot be placed in a schedule to end with a previously designated date. For projects that are planned
from the start date, this restriction applies when you enter the end date of the task.
– “End At Latest” - This constraint indicates the latest date on which a task should be completed.
In this case, the task can be completed both on this day and before it. The preceding task will not be able
to "push out" a task with a constraint of this type for the constraint date.
– “Fixed Start” - This constraint indicates the exact date on which the task start date should be
placed on the schedule. Other factors (links between tasks, delays or advances, etc.) cannot affect the
position of the task in the schedule.
– “Fixed End” - This constraint indicates the exact date on which the task's end date should be
placed in the schedule. No other factors can affect this date.
– “Start Not Earlier” - Schedule the job to start on or after the constraint date.
– “Start Not Later” - Schedule the job to start on or before the constraint date.

By default, the set constraints affect the project calculation schedule. For example, if a task has a
directive (fixed) project start date, the program will not shift the task start date regardless of incoming
links or other conditions.
In order for the established restrictions not to affect the calculation of the project, you need to in the
menu "File - Parameters - Schedule," in the "Planning parameters for this project" section, uncheck the
check box "Restriction dates for tasks are always observed," Figure 2.6.

Figure 2.6 - Setting the influence of restrictions on project calculations.

Set deadlines
 The existence of a deadline for the task does not affect the calculation of the project, unlike
restrictions.
If the task has a deadline, such a task will have a green arrow on the Gantt chart, and if the deadline
breaks, in the "і" column, such a task will turn on the red indicator, Figure 2.7.

Figure 2.7 - Task Deadline Setting

We set in our project the deadline for the end of the task "Project is over." Go to the "Advanced" tab
of the task properties and set the deadline - 5.02.2022.

2.3 DETERMINATION OF THE PRELIMINARY COST OF THE PROJECT

Introduction to Custom Fields

Microsoft Project has the following types of fields:

1. Built-in - all those that Microsoft Project uses for its own calculations and those that are already
automatically configured to record information.
2. Custom Fields - All fields that are designed to be used by the user and include their own task,
resource, and assignment information. All custom fields end in digits from 1 to 10, or from 1 to 20, or
from 1 to 30, depending on the type of field. For example, the Start field is a built-in Microsoft Project field,
and the Start field is a custom field.

Creating a Custom Field

To insert any field into any view, in our case, into the view "Gantt chart," there are three options,
Figure 2.8:
1. You can right-click on any available field, select from the menu
"Insert column," enter the name of the field you want and select it. In this case, the inserted field will be
on the left side of the field on which you right clicked.
2. You can click on any available field with the left mouse button, and in the drop-down list of
all fields, enter the name of the field you want and select it. In this case, the inserted field will be inserted
in the place of the field where you clicked the left mouse button.
 Figure 2.8 - Insertion of a new field

3. You can click on a special column on the right side of the “Add New Column” table and enter
the name of the field you want in the drop-down list of all fields and select it.

So, let's insert the custom field "Costs1," which we will rename to the username "Preliminary Cost."
To do this, you can:
1. Or right-click on the column name, select “Field Options” from the menu and enter the title text;
2. Or right-click on the column name, select
from the menu "Custom fields," select the field you need, click "Rename" and enter a new
name for the field, Figure 2.9.

Figure 2.9 - Renaming a Custom Field

 The second option is preferable if you use the settings of this project when working with other
projects. Also, in the second case, the name of the field itself will change (which can be convenient), in
the first case, only the name of the column in the table will change.

After the "Costs 1" field is displayed, we enter the cost values, Table 2.1.

Table 2.1
Preliminary Cost Data
Task name Preliminary cost
Feasibility Study of 50 000
the Project
Land allocation 200 000
Design 250 000
Construction 500 000
Implementation of the -1 200 000
cottage

Cost input result, Figure 2.10.

To summarize the cost values in a custom field, in the “Custom Fields” window, under
“Calculation for Summary Tasks and Groups”, select "Summary - Sum," Figure 2.9.

Figure 2.10 - Preliminary cost project

2.4 PROJECT PRESENTATION

In Microsoft Project 2013, there is such functionality as a timeline that can be used to present a
project, protect a project and/or report.
To create a project view in the timeline, you need to be on the “View - Combined mode” tab
check the" Timeline "box.
A timeline appears at the top of the Gantt chart, where you can place the project summary activity,
summary activities, and normal activities.
You can use several methods to place project
information on the Timeline:
1. Select the name of the required task and right-click and select from the menu
“Add to Timeline”;
2. Right-click on the task in the Gantt chart area, on the task itself, i.e. on its visual line, and select
“Add to Timeline” from the menu;
3. Left-click in the Timeline, select “Insert Task”, and then click "Existing tasks."
 Figure 2.11 - Adding tasks to the timeline.

Added tasks can be formatted with fill color (“Format – Font” tab), displayed as a
callout, and copied for PowerPoint presentation, Outlook e-mail, or copied in full, Figure
2.11.
To display only the Timeline in Microsoft Project 2013, select the “Timeline view”.

TASK
1. Link all project tasks with “End – Start” links (try out all ways to link tasks).
2. Set the deadline for the “Project Complete” task to 5.02.2022.
3. Create a custom “Costs 1” field called “Preliminary Cost”.
4. Record the preliminary cost of the project according to Table 2.1.
5. Display the timeline, transfer all the steps to it, and select in different colors.

QUESTIONS
1. Describe the main types of task links in the project (with examples).
2. How you can link the two tasks (list all the ways).
3. What are restrictions? List the main types of task constraints. How do I set a task
limit?
4. What is the deadline, what is its difference from the limit? How do I set a task
deadline?
5. What do I use custom fields for? How do I create a custom field?
6. Tell us about creating and using the project timeline.