Ms Project Course Material

7/25/2019 Ms Project Course Material

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT WITH MICROSOFT PROJECT

CONTENT

MICROSOFT PROJECT: THE BASICS

1. What is project management?

2. The project triangle

3. The Microsoft Project database

4. Seeing the data you need5. How Microsoft Project schedules

6. Putting it together

7. Getting Help

CREATE A PROJECT PLAN

1. Set up a project

2. Enter and organize a task list

3. When will tasks start and finish

4. Assign resources

5. Enter costs

6. View the schedule and its details

7. Adjust the schedule

8. Save the plan along the way

TRACK AND MANAGE PROGRESS

1. Tracking the actual progress on tasks

2. Tracking the actual work by resource

3. Comparing actual costs to budget

4. Balancing a resource's workload

COMMUNICATING RESULTS

1. Format the schedule to look the way you want

2. Printing the project information

3. Distributing project information online


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MICROSOFT PROJECT: THE BASICS

This section provides information about basic project management and Microsoft Project concepts, andthen leads you through lessons where you'll learn how to create a plan, track its progress, andcommunicate the results.

WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT?Project management is the process of planning, organizing, and managing tasks and resources toaccomplish a defined objective, usually within constraints on time, resources, or cost. A project plan can besimple, for example, a list of tasks and their start and finish dates written on a notepad. Or it can be

complex, for example, thousands of tasks and resources and a project budget of millions of Rs.

Most projects share common activities, including breaking the project into easily manageable tasks,scheduling the tasks, communicating with the team, and tracking the tasks as work progresses. And allprojects consist of three major phases:

1 Build the plan2 Track and manage the project3 Close the project

The more successful these phases are, the greater your chance of a successful project.

The project triangle

In a way you can, if you understand three factors that shape every project:

1. Time:The time to complete the project reflected in your project schedule.2. Money:The project budget, based on the cost of the resources: the people, equipment, and materials

required to do the tasks.3. Scope:The goals and tasks of the project and the work required to complete them.

This trio of time, money, and scope is the project triangle. Adjusting one of these elements affects the othertwo. While all three elements are important, typically one will have the most influence on your project.

The relationship between these elements differs in every project and determines the kinds of problemsyou'll encounter and the solutions you can implement. Knowing where you're constrained or flexible makesit easier to plan and manage your project.

The Microsoft Project database

As project manager, you have a lot to do. How does Microsoft Project help? First, it stores the details aboutyour project in its database. And it uses that information to calculate and maintain the project's schedule,costs, and other elements, creating a project plan. The more information you provide, the more accuratethe plan.

Like a spreadsheet, Microsoft Project displays results of its calculations immediately. But the project planisn't done until you enter critical information about all tasks. Only then do you see when your project willend or the dates when tasks are scheduled.

Microsoft Project keeps the information you enter and the information it calculates in fields, which containspecific types of information, such as task names or duration. In Microsoft Project, each field usuallyappears in a column.

Seeing the data you needToday, you're focused on deadlines. Tomorrow, costs. The project database contains a lot of information,but at any given time, you only need a portion of it. To get to information, use these tools:1. Views present a subset of project information in a format that's easy to interpret. For example, the Gantt

Chart displays basic task information in columns and a bar graph.2. Tables define the columns displayed.3. Filters focus on specific tasks or resources


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.Like TV channels, each view presents a different kind of information. Tables and filters fine-tune theinformation. Just as switching channels doesn't delete them, changing views, tables, or filters may hideinformation, but it doesn't delete it. It's still in the database and is still updated.

How Microsoft Project schedules

How does Microsoft Project schedule a task's start and finish? It takes into account many factors, includingtask dependencies, constraints, and interruptions, such as holidays or vacation days. Most importantly,

Microsoft Project schedules each task using the formuladuration = work/resource effort

,where:

1. Duration is the actual amount of time that passes before the task is done.2. Work is the effort required over a period of time to do the task.3. Resource effort is the amount of effort resources are assigned to the task and their allocation.

For example, if:Three painters work two days on a task, with an effort of 8 hours per day, the work for each resource is 16hours: (2 days * 8 hours).

1. The total effort of the resources is 24 hours per day: (3 painters * 8 hours).2. The total work for the task is 48 hours: (2 days * 8 hours * 3 painters).3. The duration is 2 days: 48 hours / (3 painters * 8 hours).

Understanding this formula is important to understanding how changes you make to tasks affect the projectschedule.

Putting it togetherAfter you've created the task list and provided schedule information, your plan is built. You can see a fullmodel of your project, including its finish date and the start and finish dates for every task.

Review critical paths for potential problems. A critical path is a series of linked tasks that must be done ontime for the project to finish on time. If any task on a critical path is delayed, it can end up delaying theproject's finish date.

Evaluate and optimize the plan until you're satisfied. Before you start your project and periodically during

the project, you'll need to evaluate and adjust the project plan. Consider scope, resources, and schedule.

Update Microsoft Project about the progress of tasks. In return, it'll show you an updated project plan. Youcan update the plan yourself, or your team can, with Microsoft Project Central or electronic mail. After theplan is updated, review it to see the effect of changes. Is the project over budget? Is a team member nowscheduled to work overtime? Is your project going to end late?

Getting HelpThis tutorial will help you get started, but you'll find additional components of Help by clicking the Homebutton or by using the Help menu.

The Project Map. Click through the phases of a project to learn about all steps of project management,including project management concepts and practices, as well as how to use Microsoft Project.

1. What's New.See What's New to learn about new features in Microsoft Project 2000.2. Quick Preview.Get an overview of the key parts of Microsoft Project 2000.3. The Office Assistant.The Office Assistant can answer your specific questions, leading you to the Help

topics that best answer your questions.

CREATE A PROJECT PLAN

When you have defined project goals and thought out the major phases of your project, it's time to begincreating your plan.


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First, enter and organize the list of tasks to be completed, along with each task's duration. Next, addpeople, equipment, and materials and their costs to your plan. Then assign these resources to tasks. Withthis information, Microsoft Project creates a schedule. You can verify the schedule and adjust it asnecessary.

HOW DO YOU SET UP A PROJECT?The first steps in creating a schedule are starting a new file, designating a project start or finish date, andentering general project information.

Create a new project

When you start a new project in Microsoft Project, you can enter your project's start or finish date, but notboth. It's recommended that you enter only your project's start date and let Microsoft Project calculate thefinish date after you have entered and scheduled tasks.

If your project must be finished by a certain date, enter only the project's finish date. Even if you initiallyschedule from the project finish date, it's best to schedule from the project start date after work begins onthe project.

Instructions1 On the File menu, click New .2 In the Project Information dialog box, type or select a start date or a finish date for your project, and

then click OK.3 Click Save .4 In the File name box, type a name for your project, and then click Save.

Project InformationStart Date: 3/1/01Schedule From: Project Start DateCurrent Date: 4/13/02Status Date: 9/4/01Priority: 500

Tip:You can change your project information at any time by clicking Project Information on the Project

menu.

Enter key project information

Each project has a unique set of ingredients: the tasks involved, the people who do them, and the projectgoal. To help remember and communicate important details, enter information about the project and refer toit when necessary.

Instructions1 On the File menu, click Properties, and then click the Summary tab.2 Enter any information you'd like about your project, such as the people who will manage it and

maintain the project file, the project goal, any known limitations that may make it difficult to reachthat goal, and other general project notes.

3 Click OK.

Tip:To look for a menu command that doesn't appear, click the arrows at the bottom of the menu. Themenu expands to show more commands. You can also expand a menu by double-clicking it.

Set up the project calendar

You can change the project calendar to reflect the working days and hours for everyone on your project.The calendar defaults are Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., with an hour off for lunch. Youcan specify nonworking times, such as weekends and evenings, as well as special days off, such asholidays.


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Instructions1 On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2 On the Tools menu, click Change Working Time.3 Select a date on the calendar.

To change one day of the week for the entire calendar, for example, to have Fridays end at 4:00P.M., click the abbreviation for that day at the top of the calendar.

To change all working days, for example, to begin working days Tuesday through Friday at 9:00A.M., click the abbreviation (such as T for Tuesday) for the first working day of the week. Hold downSHIFT, and then click the abbreviation for the last working day of the week (such as F for Friday).

4 Click Non working time for days off or Non default working time to change the hours worked.5 If you clicked Nondefault working time in step 3, type the times you want work to start in the Fromboxes, and the times you want work to end in the To boxes.

6 Click OK.

Calendar InformationSelect Change working Time option from Tools menuClick on NewName: supriya sankulTiming From 8 a.m. to 12 noon

From 1 p.m. to 5 a.m.Sunday Holiday

Click on OptionWeek starts on: SundayFiscal year starts in: JanuaryDefault start time: 8:00 AMDefault end time: 5:00 PMHours per day: 8.00Hours per week: 40.00Days per month: 20

Click on set as default

Open Project information from Project menuSelect Calendar: supriya sankul

HOW DO YOU ENTER AND ORGANIZE A TASK LIST?First, list the steps needed to accomplish your project's goals. Start with the large chunks of work and thenbreak down each chunk into tasks with single deliverables. Add milestones. Finally, gather and enterduration estimates.

After you enter task information, create an outline to help you see the project's structure.

Enter tasks and their duration

A typical project is a series of related tasks. A task represents an amount of work with a clear deliverable; itshould be short enough to track its progress regularly. Tasks should generally be between one day and twoweeks long.

Enter tasks in the order they will occur. Then estimate how long it will take to complete each task, and enteryour estimate as the duration. Microsoft Project uses duration to calculate the amount of work to be doneon the task.

Note:Don't enter dates in the Start and Finish fields for each task. Microsoft Project calculates the startand finish dates based on how the tasks are related.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. In the Task Name field, type a task name, and then press TAB. Microsoft Project enters an estimated

duration of one day for the task followed by a question mark.


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3. In the Duration field, type the amount of time each task will take in months, weeks, days, hours, orminutes, not counting non working time. You can use the following abbreviations:

months = moweeks = wdays = dhours = hminutes = m

Note: To show an estimated duration, type a question mark after the duration.

4 Press ENTER.

Tasks and Duration Details:Activity Duration

SITE MOBILIZATION 11dFOUNDATION 23dPLINTH WORK 31dR.C.C COLUMNS 214dROOF SHUTTERING & BAR BENDING 201dROOF CONCRETING 185dROOF DESHUTTERING 179d

"6"" BRICK MASONRY" 114dINTERNAL PLASTERING 101dOVERHEAD WATER TANK 31dWATER PROOFING 50dFILLING IN SUNLKEN PORTION 17dEXTERNAL PLASTERING 51dFLOORING 40dPLUMBING & SANITARY WORKS 69dWALL CLADDING FOR KITCHEN & TOILETS 16dELECTRIFICATION WORKS 87dUNDERGROUND WATER TANK 28dUNDERGROUND SEPTIC TANK 36d

DOOR FRAMES 93dDOOR SHUTTERS 53dALUMINIUM WINDOWS FOR ALL FLOORS 44dWINDOW GRILLS FOR ALL FLOORS 34dPAINTING 83dLIFT INSTALLATION 28dDRAINAGE WORKS 43dCOMPOUND WALL 52dMAIN ENTRANCE GATE 5dKITCHEN SINK FIXING 26dFIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM 27dSUB-STATION 31dPARKING 20dGENERATOR 15dSHED (SECURITY & SERVANT) 15dPUMP FOR CORPN. WATER 2dELECTRICITY BOARD WORKS 3dSITE CLEANING 7dLAND SCAPING 12d

Tip:You can also add a note about a task. In the Task Name field, select the task, and then click TaskNotes . Type your information in the Notes box, and then click OK.


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Note:The toolbar button you want may be temporarily hidden. It may not appear because there is notenough room to display all the buttons. Click More Buttons , and then click Task Notes .

Create a milestone

A milestone is a task you use to identify significant events in your schedule, such as the completion of amajor phase. When you enter a duration of zero days for a task, Microsoft Project displays the milestonesymbol on the Gantt Chart at the start of that day.

Instructions1 In the Duration field, click the duration of the task you want to make a milestone, and then type 0d.2 Press ENTER.

Note:Although a task with a duration of 0 is automatically marked as a milestone, you can make any task amilestone. To mark a task as a milestone, click the task in the Task Name field. Click Task Information ,click the Advanced tab, and then select the Mark task as milestone check box.

Tip:To see all milestones, click Milestones in the Filter list. To see the entire project again, click All Tasksin the Filter list.

Create a recurring task

Recurring tasks are tasks that repeat regularly, such as weekly meetings. A recurring task can take placedaily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. You can specify the duration of each occurrence, when it will occur, andfor how long or how many times it should occur.

Instructions1. In the Task Name field, click the row below where you want the recurring task to appear.2. On the Insert menu, click Recurring Task.3. In the Task Name box, type the task name.4. In the Duration box, type or select the duration of a single occurrence of the task.5. Under Recurrence pattern, click Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly.6. To the right of Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly, specify the task frequency.7. Under Range of recurrence, type a start date in the Start box and then select End after or End by.

If you selected End after, type the number of occurrences for the task. If you selected End by, type the date you want the recurring task to end.

8. Click OK.

Tip:To view all instances of a recurring task, click the plus sign next to the main recurring task.

Structure tasks into a logical outline

Outlining helps organize your tasks into more manageable chunks. You can indent related tasks under amore general task, creating a hierarchy. The general tasks are called summary tasks; the indented tasksbelow the summary task are subtasks. A summary task's start and finish dates are determined by the startand finish dates of its earliest and latest subtasks.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. Click the first task you want to make into a subtask.

3. On the Insert menu, click New Task.4. In the inserted row, type the name of the new summary task in the Task Name field.5. In the Task Name field, select the tasks you want to make into subtasks.6. Click Indent to indent these tasks.

SITE MOBILISATION

Site Cleaning & Levelling 3dLabour Shed 4dCement Shed 2dBorewell Drilling 4d


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Tools Shed 3dSite Office 5dGrid Line Marking 4dTemporary Electric 0.5dPump Installation 1d

FOUNDATION

Marking Of Footing 1dExcavation Of Footing 12dLaying P.C.C 10dMarking Of Column Footing 10d"Footing, Column Reinforcement" 7dFooting Shuttering 10dFooting Concreting 11dColumn Rib 11dColumn Concreting Below P.B 11d

Tip:You can indent or outdent a task quickly with the mouse. Select the task, and then position the pointerover the first letter of the task name. When the pointer changes to a two-way arrow, drag right to indent thetask or drag left to outdent the task.

Edit a task list

As you create a task list, you will probably want to break large tasks into smaller tasks and rearrange tasks.You may want to copy, delete, or move tasks in your project.You can also easily rearrange project phases in an outlined schedule. When you move or delete asummary task, the subtasks associated are moved or deleted as well.

Instructions1. In the ID field (the leftmost field), select the task you want to copy, move, or delete.

To select a row, click the task ID number. To select a group of adjacent rows, hold down SHIFT, and then click the first and last ID numbers of

the group. To select several nonadjacent rows, hold down CTRL, and then click the task ID numbers.

2. Copy, move, or delete the task. To copy the task, click Copy. To move the task, click Cut. To delete the task, press DELETE.

3. To move the selection you cut or repeat the selection you copied, select the rows where you want topaste it. Be sure to select entire rows.

4. Click Paste .

Tip:To add a new task between existing tasks, click a task ID number and then press the INSERT key.

Tasks renumber automatically after you insert a new task.

WHEN WILL TASKS START AND FINISH?After you create and outline your task list, it's time to address how the tasks relate to each other and tospecific dates. There are many types of task relationships, such as links that show one task starting asanother finishes. These links are called task dependencies. Microsoft Project automatically determines thestart and finish dates for tasks that have dependencies to other tasks.

The advantage of dependencies or "linked" tasks is that whenever a task changes, linked tasks areautomatically rescheduled. You can refine task schedules using constraints, overlap or delay tasks, andsplit tasks when work stops temporarily.


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Establish relationships between tasks

To establish relationships between tasks, use task dependencies. First, select the related tasks, link them,and then change the dependency type, if necessary. The task whose start or finish depends on anothertask is the successor. The task that the successor is dependent on is the predecessor.

After the tasks are linked, changes to the predecessor's dates affect the successor's dates. MicrosoftProject creates a finish-to-start task dependency by default. Because a finish-to-start dependency does notwork in every situation, you can change the task link to start-to-start, finish-to-finish, or start-to-finish tomodel your project realistically.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. In the Task Name field, select two or more tasks to link in the order you want them linked.

To select adjacent tasks, hold down SHIFT, and then click the first and last task you want to link.To select nonadjacent tasks, hold down CTRL, and then click the tasks you want to link, in order.

3. Click Link Tasks .4. To change the task link, double-click the link line between the tasks you want to change. The Task

Dependency dialog box appears. If the Bar Styles dialog box appears, you didn't click precisely on thetask link and need to close this dialog box and click on the task link again.

5 In the Type box, select the task link you want, and then click OK.

Activity Predecessor

Site MobilisationSite Cleaning & LevellingLabour Shed 2Cement Shed 2SS+1dBorewell Drilling 3SSTools Shed 3SSSite Office 3SSGrid Line Marking 7SS+4dTemporary Electric 2SS+1dPump Installation 4FoundationMarking Of Footing

Excavation Of Footing 12SSLaying P.C.C 13SS+4dMarking Of Column Footing 14SS+1d"Footing, Column Reinforcement" 15SS+1dFooting Shuttering 16SS+1dFooting Concreting 17SS+1dColumn Rib 18SS+3dColumn Concreting Below P.B 19SS+1dWater ProofingPlinth WorkR.C.C ColumnsRoof Shuttering & Bar BendingRoof ConcretingRoof Deshuttering"6"" Brick Masonry"Internal PlasteringOverhead Water TankWater ProofingFilling In Sunlken PortionFilling In Sunlken PortionExternal Plastering 100FlooringPlumbing & Sanitary Works


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Wall Cladding For Kitchen & ToiletsElectrification WorksUnderground Water TankUnderground Septic TankDoor Frames 76SSDoor ShuttersAluminium Windows For All Floors 92Window Grills For All Floors 161SSPainting

Lift Installation 96Drainage WorksCompound WallMain Entrance Gate 175Kitchen Sink Fixing 132Fire Protection System 123Sub-StationParking 172Generator 183SS+7dShed (Security & Servant) 183SSPump For Corpn. Water 183Electricity Board Works

Site Cleaning 185Land Scaping 190

Note:To unlink tasks, select the tasks you want to unlink in the Task Name field, and then click UnlinkTasks . The tasks are rescheduled based on existing links to other tasks, or constraints.

Overlap tasks or add lag time between them

After you've sequenced tasks by linking them, you can overlap or delay them as well. In Microsoft Project,delay tasks by adding lag time to the predecessor task, and overlap tasks by entering lead time. You canalso enter lead or lag time as a percentage of the task.

Instructions1. In the Task Name field, click the task you want to add lead or lag time to (it must have predecessors),

and then click Task Information .2. Click the Predecessors tab.3. In the Lag column, type the lead time or lag time you want, as a duration or as a percentage of the

predecessor task duration. Type lead time as a negative number (for example, 2d for two days lead time) or as a percentage. Type lag time as a positive number or as a percentage.

4. Click OK.

Example

Lag Footing Excavation by 2 days after Making of Footing

Task Name Type Lag

Making of Footing Start-to-Start (SS) 2d

Lead Making of Column Footing by 3 days before Laying PCC

Task Name Type Lag

Laying PCC Start-to-Start (SS) -3d

Tip:To quickly add lead or lag time to a successor task, double-click the link line on the Gantt Chart, andthen type the amount of lead or lag time in the Lag box of the Task Dependency dialog box.


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Set a specific start or finish date for a task

You can schedule your tasks most effectively by entering task duration, creating dependencies betweentasks, and then letting Microsoft Project calculate the start and finish dates for you. However, you can set aspecific start or finish date for a task if necessary.

Task constraints that tie tasks to specific dates are called inflexible constraints; the most inflexibleconstraints are specific start or finish dates. Because Microsoft Project takes constraints into account when

calculating your schedule, use these inflexible constraints only when tasks must start or finish on a specificdate.

In the Task Name field, click the task you want to set a start or finish date for, and then click TaskInformation .

Instructions1. Click the Advanced tab.2. In the Constraint type box, click a constraint type.3. Type or select a date in the Constraint date box, and then click OK.

Site Mobilisation As Soon As Possible NASite Cleaning & Levelling As Soon As Possible NA

Labour Shed Start No Earlier Than 3/5/01Cement Shed Start No Earlier Than 3/2/01Borewell Drilling Start No Earlier Than 3/5/01Tools Shed Start No Earlier Than 3/5/01Site Office Start No Earlier Than 3/5/01Grid Line Marking As Soon As Possible NATemporary Electric As Soon As Possible NAPump Installation As Soon As Possible NAFoundation As Soon As Possible NAMarking Of Footing Start No Earlier Than 3/14/01Excavation Of Footing Start No Earlier Than 3/14/01Laying P.C.C Start No Earlier Than 3/19/01

Marking Of Column Footing Start No Earlier Than 3/20/01"Footing, Column Reinforcement" Start No Earlier Than 3/21/01Footing Shuttering Start No Earlier Than 3/22/01Footing Concreting Start No Earlier Than 3/23/01Column Rib Start No Earlier Than 3/27/01Column Concreting Below P.B Start No Earlier Than 3/28/01Plinth Work As Soon As Possible NAR.C.C Columns As Soon As Possible NARoof Shuttering & Bar Bending As Soon As Possible NARoof Concreting As Soon As Possible NARoof Deshuttering As Soon As Possible NA"6"" Brick Masonry" As Soon As Possible NAInternal Plastering As Soon As Possible NA

Overhead Water Tank As Soon As Possible NAWater Proofing As Soon As Possible NAFilling In Sunlken Portion As Soon As Possible NAExternal Plastering Start No Earlier Than 1/17/02Flooring As Soon As Possible NAPlumbing & Sanitary Works As Soon As Possible NAWall Cladding For Kitchen &Toilets

As Soon As Possible NA

Electrification Works As Soon As Possible NAUnderground Water Tank As Soon As Possible NA


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Underground Septic Tank As Soon As Possible NADoor Frames Start No Earlier Than 9/20/01Door Shutters As Soon As Possible NAAluminium Windows For AllFloors

Finish No Earlier Than 2/21/02

Window Grills For All Floors Finish No Earlier Than 3/21/02Painting As Soon As Possible NALift Installation Finish No Earlier Than 2/28/02Drainage Works As Soon As Possible NA

Compound Wall As Soon As Possible NAMain Entrance Gate Finish No Earlier Than 6/7/02Kitchen Sink Fixing Finish No Earlier Than 4/11/02Fire Protection System Finish No Earlier Than 4/26/02Sub-Station As Soon As Possible NAParking As Soon As Possible NAGenerator As Soon As Possible NAShed (Security & Servant) As Soon As Possible NAPump For Corpn. Water As Soon As Possible NAElectricity Board Works As Soon As Possible NASite Cleaning As Soon As Possible NALand Scaping As Soon As Possible NA

Note:If you select a start date for a task in the Start field of the Gantt Chart, or if you drag a Gantt bar tochange the start date, Microsoft Project sets a Start No Earlier Than (SNET) constraint based on the newstart date. If you select a finish date for a task, Microsoft Project automatically assigns a Finish No EarlierThan (FNET) constraint.

Add a deadline to a task

When you set a deadline for a task, Microsoft Project displays an indicator if the task is scheduled to finishafter the deadline. Setting a deadline doesn't affect how tasks are scheduled. It's just a way to haveMicrosoft Project inform you that a task will finish past its deadline. You then have the option of adjustingthe schedule to meet that deadline.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. In the Task Name field, click the task that you want to set a deadline for.3. Click Task Information and then click the Advanced tab.4. Under Constrain task, type or select the deadline date in the Deadline box, and then click OK.

Example

Add dead line as, Footing must finish on 6 April 2001

Task Name: Footing Concreting Duration: 11dDeadline : NA

Constraint Type: Must Finish On Constraint Date: 4/6/01

Tip:You can drag the deadline symbol on the Gantt Chart to change the deadline date.

Split a task into segments

You can split a task if work on the task is interrupted and then resumes later in the schedule. This is useful,for example, when you need to temporarily stop work on a task to work on another task. You can split atask as many times as necessary.

Note that splitting a task into parts is not the same as entering a recurring task, a task that occurs at regularintervals, such as a staff meeting.


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Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. Click Split Task .3. On the task's Gantt bar, click the date where you want the split to occur and drag the second part of the

bar to the date that you want work to begin again.

Example

Split Brick Work Masonry into 2 segmentsSegment 1: From 1/3/01 to 20/4/01Segment 2: From 15/5/01 to 22/8/01

Tip:You can remove the split by dragging a portion of a split task so that it touches another portion.

How do you assign resources?You should assign resources to tasks when you want to:1. Track the amount of work done by people and equipment assigned to tasks or monitor materials used.2. Have more flexibility in scheduling tasks.3. Monitor resources with too little or too much work assigned.4. Keep track of resource costs.

If you don't enter resource information, Microsoft Project calculates your schedule using only task durationand dependencies.

Create a resource list

You can use the Resource Sheet in Microsoft Project to create a list of the people, equipment, and materialresources that make up your team and carry out the project tasks. Your resource list will consist of workresources or material resources. Work resources are people or equipment; material resources areconsumable materials or supplies, such as concrete, wood, or nails.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Resource Sheet.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Entry.

3. In the Resource Name field, type a resource name.4. To designate resource groups, in the Group field for the resource name, type the name of the group.5. In the Type field, specify the resource type:

For a work resource (people or equipment), set the resource type to Work. For a material resource (consumed throughout the project) set the resource type to Material.

6. For each work resource (people or equipment), type the number of resource units available for thisresource in the Max. Units field, as a percentage. For example, type 300% to indicate three full-timeunits of a particular resource.

7. For each material resource (supplies consumed throughout the project), in the Material Label field, typea measurement unit for the material resource, such as ton.

ResourceName

Type Max Unit Std. Rate Ovt. Rate Cost/Use

AccrueAt

BaseCalendar

ProjectManager

Work 10 Rs125.00/h Rs125.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankul

SiteEngineers


SiteSupervisors


Foreman Work 20 Rs16.00/h Rs16.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulHeadMason


Mason Work 50 Rs25.00/h Rs25.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulMale coolie Work 70 Rs12.50/h Rs12.50/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankul


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Femalecoolie


Bisthy Work 25 Rs12.50/h Rs12.50/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulBar Bender Work 25 Rs25.00/h Rs25.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulBar Benderhelper


Plumber Work 22 Rs30.00/h Rs30.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulPlumberhelper


Electrician Work 25 Rs26.00/h Rs26.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulElectricianHelper


Carpentor Work 7 Rs30.00/h Rs30.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulCarpenterhelper


Shutteringcarpenter


Shutteringcarpenterhelper


Aluminiumsubcontract

or


Fireprotectioncontrcator


Lift installingcontractor


Painter Work 6 Rs25.00/h Rs25.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulPainterhelper


Security Work 1 Rs16.00/h Rs16.00/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulWatchman Work 1 Rs12.50/h Rs12.50/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulstore keeper Work 5 Rs12.50/h Rs12.50/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankul

office boy Work 2 Rs12.50/h Rs12.50/h Rs0.00 Prorated supriya sankulconcretinggang


stonedressors


borewellcontrctor


steelfabricatorcontractor


Notes:

Resource groups can be used for sorting, filtering, or grouping tasks by resources belonging to a

particular group. You can use groups to indicate the department a human resource belongs to or tospecify accounting codes for billing purposes.

You cannot assign resource groups to tasks. If you want to specify consolidated resources, such as"Carpenters" or "Editors" or "Engineers," enter that as the resource name, and then assign theconsolidated resource name to tasks.

Tip: As you work in the Gantt Chart or other task views, you can enter additional resource names. Toassign additional resources, click Assign Resources , and then type a resource name in the Name field.You can also click Address and select a resource from your e-mail address book.


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Change the work schedule for a resource

The working hours and days off defined in the project calendar are the default working hours and days offfor each resource. When an individual resource works a different schedule entirely, or when you need toaccount for vacations or equipment downtime, you can modify an individual resource calendar.

Instructions

1. On the View menu, click Resource Sheet, and then select the resource whose schedule you want tochange.2. On the Project menu, click Resource Information, and then click the Working Time tab.3. On the calendar, select the days you want to change.

To change a day of the week for the entire calendar, click the abbreviation for the day at the top of thecalendar.

4. Click Use default, Non working time, or Non default working time.When you click Use default, the selected days return to the Microsoft Project Standard calendar default,which is Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., and 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

5. If you clicked Nondefault working time in step 4, type the times that you want work to start in the Fromboxes and the times that you want work to end in the To boxes.

6. Click OK.

Example

Change the working timings of Borewell Contractor to 6.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.

Tip:If a group of resources has the same special working hours and days off, you can create a new basecalendar for them. On the Tools menu, click Change Working Time. Click New, and type a name for thenew base calendar. Click Create new base calendar to begin with a default calendar.

Or to base the new calendar on an existing calendar, click Make a copy of, and then click the calendarname of the existing calendar in the Calendar box. Click OK, and then modify the days and hours on thecalendar. On the View menu, click Resource Sheet, and select the new base calendar in the BaseCalendar field for each resource that you want to assign the calendar to.

Assign resources to tasks

When you assign a resource to a task, you create an assignment. You can assign any resource to any taskand change assignments at any time.

You can assign more than one resource to a task and specify whether a resource works full-time or part-time on a task. If the work assigned to a resource exceeds the daily full-time allotment indicated in theresource's working times calendar, Microsoft Project displays the name of the overallocated resource in redin resource views.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.

2. In the Task Name field, click the task to which you want to assign a resource, and then click AssignResources

3. In the Name field, click the resource you want to assign to the task.4. To assign a resource part-time, type or select a percentage less than 100 in the Units column to

represent the percentage of working time you want the resource to spend on the task. To assign several different resources, hold down CTRL and click the names of the resources. To assign more than one of the same resource (such as two carpenters), type or select a

percentage greater than 100 in the Units column. If necessary, type the name of a new resource inthe Name column.

5. Click Assign. A check mark to the left of the Name column indicates that the resource is assigned to theselected task.


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6. Click Close.

Site mobilisationFoundationPlinth workR.c.c columnsRoof shuttering & bar bendingRoof concretingRoof deshuttering

"6"" brick masonry"Internal plasteringOverhead water tankWater proofingFilling in sunlken portionExternal plastering "Project Manager,Site Engineers,Site Supervisors[2],

Foreman[2],Head Mason,Mason[800 ],Male coolie[15],Femalecoolie[15],Bisthy[3]"

FlooringPlumbing & sanitary worksWall cladding for kitchen & toiletsElectrification worksUnderground water tankUnderground septic tankDoor frames "Site Engineers,Site Supervisors,Foreman,Carpentor[4],Carpenter

helper[3]"Door shuttersAluminium windows for all floors "Site Engineers,Project Manager,Site Supervisors,Foreman,Head

Mason,Mason[5],Male coolie[2],Aluminium subcontractor"Window grills for all floors "steel fabricator contractor,Site Engineers,Project Manager,Site

Supervisors,Male coolie[3],Mason[2]"PaintingLift installation "Project Manager,Site Engineers,Site Supervisors[2],

Foreman[2],Lift installing contractor"Drainage works

Compound wallMain entrance gate "Project Manager,Site Engineers,Site

Supervisors,Foreman,Mason[3],Male coolie[4],Female coolie[2]"Kitchen sink fixing "Project Manager,Site Engineers,Site Supervisors,Foreman,Head

Mason,Plumber[4],Plumber helper[6]"Fire protection system "Project Manager,Site Engineers,Site Supervisors,Foreman,Fire

protection contrcator"Sub-stationParking "Project Manager,Site Engineers,Site Supervisors,Foreman,Head

Mason,Mason[8],Male coolie[10],Female coolie[12],Bisthy[2],Plumber,Plumber helper,Electrician,Electrician Helper,Fireprotection contrcator,concreting gang[10],

Generator "Project Manager,Site Engineers,Site Supervisors,Foreman,HeadMason,Mason[3],Male coolie[5],Female coolie[5],Bisthy[2],BarBender[2],Bar Bender helper[2],Plumber,Plumberhelper,Electrician[4 ],Electrician Helper[4],Shuttering

Shed (security & servant) "Site Engineers,Site Supervisors,Foreman,HeadMason,Mason[3],Male coolie[5],Female coolie[5],Bisthy[2],BarBender,Bar Bender helper,Plumber,Plumberhelper,Electrician,Electrician Helper,Carpentor,Carpenterhelper,Shuttering carpenter[2],

Pump for corpn. Water "Project Manager,Site Engineers,SiteSupervisors,Plumber[2],Plumber helper[4]"

Electricity board works


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Assign costs to resources

Microsoft Project allows you to assign rates to human and material resources so you can manage projectcosts accurately. You can assign standard rates, overtime rates, or per-use rates to resources.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Resource Sheet.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Entry.3. In the Resource Name field, select a resource or type a new resource name.4. In the Type field, click Work if the resource is a worker or machine, or Material if the resource is material

or supplies (such as cement).5. For a work resource, in the Std. Rate, Ovt. Rate, or Cost/Use fields, type the resource rates. For a

material resource, in the Material Label field, type a measurement unit for the material resource (suchas ton), and in the Std. Rate or Cost/Use fields, type a rate.

6. Press ENTER.

Tip:You can set the default standard and overtime rates for any new resources you enter. On the Toolsmenu, click Options, and then click the General tab. In the Default standard rate and Default overtime rateboxes, type the new rates. If you want to set this default for all future projects, click Set as Default.

Note:If the rate for a resource will change over the course of the project or if the resource will be paid atdifferent rates for different assignments, or if you work with different grades of material, click ResourceSheet on the View menu. In the Resource Name field, select a resource and then click Resource

Information . Then, enter the information on the Costs tab.

Set fixed task costs

When you know an exact cost associated with a task, such as equipment costs, you can enter a fixed cost.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Cost.3. In the Fixed Cost field for the task, type the cost.4. Press ENTER.

Tip:In the Cost table, you can also change when the fixed cost is accrued by selecting an accrual methodin the Fixed Cost Accrual field.

Define when costs accrue

In Microsoft Project, resource costs are prorated by default. Their accrual is distributed over its duration.You can, however, change the accrual method so that resource costs take effect at the start or end of thetask instead.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Resource Sheet.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Entry.

3. In the Accrue At field, click the accrual method you want to use.

Notes:

When you enter timephased rate changes for a resource and use the prorated cost accrual method,your costs will be calculated using the rates for the appropriate time periods and may change duringthe completion of the task.

You cannot prorate per-use resource costs or accrue them at the end of a task assignment. Theyalways accrue at the start of the assignment.


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See the cost of tasks or resources

After you assign rates to resources or fixed costs to tasks, you may want to review the total cost of theseassignments to make sure they fall within your expectations. If the total cost of a task or resource does notmeet your budget, you may need to examine each individual task's costs and each resource's taskassignments to see where costs can be reduced.

Instructions

1. To see task costs, on the View menu, click More Views, and then click Task Sheet. To see resourcecosts, on the View menu, click Resource Sheet.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Cost.

Tips:

You can also view how costs are distributed over a task's duration in the Task Usage view bydisplaying its cost details. On the View menu, click Task Usage. On the Format menu, point toDetails, and then click Cost.

You can view resource costs in more detail by clicking Resource Usage on the View menu, pointingto Details on the Format menu, and then clicking Cost. You can also see resource cost totalsdisplayed graphically by clicking Resource Graph on the View menu, pointing to Details on theFormat menu, and then clicking Cost or Cumulative Cost.

See the cost of the entire project

You can view your project's current, baseline, actual, and remaining costs to see whether you're stayingwithin your overall budget. These costs are updated each time Microsoft Project recalculates your project.

Instructions1. On the Project menu, click Project Information.2. Click Statistics.3. Under Cost in the Current row, view the total planned cost of the project.

Tips:

After you set a baseline and begin to track actual costs, you can compare the Baseline and Actual

fields to see if total project costs are progressing as expected. As actual work progresses, you can also compare the variance between the Current and Remaining

fields to see if you will have enough money to complete the project.

How do you view the schedule and its details?After entering the basic project data, review it. Will you meet your deadlines? If not, examine the tasksleading up to milestones and make sure you have scheduled them efficiently.

First, look at the big picture: the start and finish date and the critical path. Then check the details. Displaytasks and resources in views that you can change to suit your needs.

See the entire project on the screen

You can get an overview of your project's start and finish dates and see when major phases will occur byzooming in and out on the Gantt Chart.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. On the View menu, click Zoom, click Entire project, and then click OK.

Tips:

To see the Gantt bars on a larger or smaller timescale, click Zoom In or Zoom Out .


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If you have to scroll down to see the project's finish date, and you have outlined tasks in a hierarchy,you can look at just the top-level summary tasks. Click the ID field heading (the left uppermost cellin the Gantt Chart) and then click Hide Subtasks .

To see tasks to a specific outline level, click the ID column heading (the left uppermost field in theGantt Chart). Click Show , and then click the outline level you want.

Check the project's finish or start date

You can review important project information, such as the finish date, to see if the project will meet your

expectations as it is currently scheduled.

On the Project menu, click Project Information, and then click Statistics.The project's start and finish dates are shown, as well as the project's total work and cost.

Identify the critical path

The critical path is a series of tasks that must be completed on time for a project to finish on schedule. Mosttasks in a typical project have some slack and can therefore be delayed a little without affecting theproject's finish date. Those tasks that cannot be delayed without affecting the project finish date are thecritical tasks. As you modify tasks to resolve overallocations or other problems in your schedule, be awareof the critical tasks; changes to critical tasks will affect your project finish date.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. Click GanttChartWizard .3. Follow the GanttChartWizard instructions to format critical path tasks.

Tips

You can filter your schedule so that only the critical tasks are displayed. On the Project menu, pointto Filtered for, and then click Critical. Click All Tasks in the Filter list to display all the tasks again.

After filtering critical tasks, you can sort them by duration so that the critical tasks will be in order,from the longest to the shortest. Sorting the critical tasks helps you see where to put your efforts inshortening tasks.

Switch to a different view

You can display project information in task views or resource views. Some task and resource views are insheet views, containing columns (called fields) of related information. You can change the table in a sheetview to see different fields of information. Other views show tasks or resource allocation graphically (suchas the Calendar, Network Diagram, and Resource Graph views), or tasks and resources related to atimescale (such as the Task Usage and Resource Usage views).

On the View menu, click the task or resource view you want.If the view you want to see isn't on the View menu, click More Views for more choices. Click a viewin the Views list, and then click Apply.

Note: Changing the view neither adds information to nor removes information from your project; it onlychanges what is displayed.

See different fields in a view

Instructions1. As you plan and track your schedule, it's useful to look at different combinations of information. By

changing the table applied to a sheet view, you can change the fields of information displayed in thatview.


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2. If necessary, on the View menu, click the view you want. To use a view that is not on the View menu,click More Views, click the view you want in the Views list, and then click Apply.

3. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click the table you want to apply. To apply a table that isn'ton the Table submenu, click More Tables, click the task or resource table you want, and then clickApply.

Note that the field headings change as you switch between tables.

Display specific information by using a filterWhen you want to focus on certain tasks or resources in the current view, you can apply a filter to the view.You can specify that the filter show or highlight only those tasks or resources that meet the filter criteria.

Instructions1. On the Project menu, point to Filtered for, and then click the filter you want to apply. To apply a filter

that isn't on the Filtered for submenu or to apply a highlighting filter, click More Filters.2. Click Apply to apply the filter, or click Highlight to apply a highlighting filter.3. If you apply an interactive filter, type the requested values, and then click OK.4. To turn off a filter, point to Filtered for on the Project menu, and then click All Tasks or All Resources.

Note:You cannot apply task filters to resource views or apply resource filters to task views.

Tip:You can set an AutoFilter in many views to quickly find a subset of data in a field. On the Projectmenu, point to Filtered for, and then click AutoFilter. Click the arrow in the column that contains theinformation you want to display, and then click a value you want to use to filter the table. To turn offAutoFilters, point to Filtered for on the Project menu, and then click AutoFilter again.

Sort information in a view

You can sort tasks or resources by criteria such as task name, finish date, and resource name. Sorting canbe useful when you want to see tasks in sequence. For example, you can see which tasks should start orfinish sooner. Sorting is maintained when you switch views and is saved when you close a project file.However, a custom sort cannot be saved.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. On the Project menu, point to Sort, and then click the sorting option you want.3. To customize a sort, on the Project menu, point to Sort, and then click Sort by.4. In the Sort by box, click the field you want to sort by, and then click Ascending or Descending to specify

the sort order. Specify sorting options. To sort by an additional field, click the field in the first Then by box, and then click Ascending or

Descending to specify the sort order. To permanently renumber your tasks, select the Permanently renumber tasks check box. To sort tasks within their outline structure so that subtasks remain with their summary tasks, select

the Keep outline structure check box. To reset the sort order back to the default sort order, click Reset.

Note:Clicking Reset only resets the sort options in the Sort dialog box to their default order. If your taskswere permanently reordered by using the Permanently renumber tasks check box, then clicking Reset willnot reset the numbered order of the tasks.

Group information in a view

In many views, you can group information for tasks or resources to compare and contrast data. Forexample, you may want to see all tasks that have a similar duration grouped together.

Instructions


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1. To group task information, on the View menu, click More Views, and then click Task Sheet. To groupresource information, on the View menu, click Resource Sheet.

2. On the Project menu, point to Group by, and then click the group you want to apply. To apply a groupthat isn't on the Group by submenu, click More Groups. For example, for the Task Sheet, click Durationto see tasks grouped by duration. For the Resource Sheet, click Resource Group to see resourcesgrouped by the information in the Group field.

3. To remove the grouping you applied, on the Project menu, point to Group by, and then click No Group.

HOW DO YOU ADJUST YOUR SCHEDULE?

If, after viewing your schedule, you find that you won't meet your project finish date, you can adjust tasks toshorten your schedule. Pay special attention to critical tasks because any changes to those tasks mayaffect the finish date.

Can a task begin earlier? Use lead time. Is there a date that a task must absolutely start? Add a constraint.Are some resources overworked and others free? Reassign resources to shorten tasks.

Check and adjust a task dependency

A task dependency describes how a task is related to the start or finish of another task. Microsoft Projectprovides four task dependencies you can use to connect a series of tasks in a schedule: finish-to-start (themost commonly used dependency), start-to-start, start-to-finish, and finish-to-finish. By using thesedependencies effectively, you can modify the critical path and shorten your project schedule.

Microsoft Project assigns a finish-to-start task dependency when you link tasks. If another relationshipbetter models your tasks, change the dependency type. For example, when two tasks need to start at thesame time, you can create a start-to-start link. When tasks need to finish at the same time, you can use afinish-to-finish link.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. Double-click the link line of the tasks you want to check. The Task Dependency dialog box appears. If

the Bar Styles dialog box appears, you didn't click precisely on the task link and need to close thisdialog box and double-click the task link again.

3. In the Type box, check the task dependency.4. To change the dependency, in the Type box, click the task link you want to use.

Tips:

If you have tasks that can be worked on at the same time, you can shorten the critical path most bychanging the task dependency. For example, if two tasks can be started at the same time, you canchange the task dependency to start-to-start. If two tasks should finish at the same time, you canchange the task dependency to finish-to-finish.

You can add lead or lag time to tasks to make their start or finish dates overlap each other or todelay a predecessor task. To quickly add lead or lag time to a successor task, double-click the linkline on the Gantt Chart, and then type the amount of lead or lag time in the Lag box of the TaskDependency dialog box. Type lead time as a negative number (for example, 2d for two days oflead time) or as a percentage. Type lag time as a positive number or as a percentage.

Overlap tasks

If you have tasks that can begin earlier than shown in your schedule, you can overlap (add lead time) tomore accurately model how the work will be done. For example, if the electricians can begin wiring outletsbefore the walls are all finished, you can use time more efficiently by starting the "Wire outlets" task afterhalf of the walls have been roughed in. To do this, you set up a lead time between the finish of the "Rough-in walls" task and the start of the "Wire outlets" task. In Microsoft Project, you type lead time as a negativenumber or as a negative percentage, such as 50 or 30%.

Instructions1. In the Task Name field, click the task you want, and then click Task Information .2. Click the Predecessors tab.


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3. In the Lag field, type the lead time you want, as a negative number or as a percentage.

Tips: You can quickly add lead time to a successor task by double-clicking the link on the Gantt Chart,

and then typing the amount of lead time in the Task Dependency dialog box. You can also delay tasks by adding lag time. For example, if you need a 2-day delay between the

finish of one task and the start of another, double-click the link line on the Gantt Chart, and thentype 2d in the Lag field of the Task Dependency dialog box.

Check and adjust constraints on tasks

Task constraints can help you create a more accurate schedule by tying tasks to specific dates. Forexample, you can specify that a task must start no earlier than a particular date or finish no later than aparticular date. You can change the constraint on a task from the default, As Soon As Possible, to sevenother constraints or reset it to the default constraint to better reflect when the task will be done.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click More Tables.3. In the Tables list, click Constraint Dates, and then click Apply.

You may need to drag the divider bar to the right to view the Constraint Type and Constraint Date fields.The Constraint Dates table shows the task name, duration, constraint type for all constraints, and the

constraint date, as applicable.

If the field you want to see isn't visible, press TAB to move to it.

4. For each task with a constraint other than the default, As Soon As Possible, look at the predecessortasks and successor tasks on the Gantt Chart to determine if you really need the constraint.

5. Change a constraint if necessary. To change a constraint type, in the Constraint Type field, click the arrow, and then click the

appropriate constraint. To change a constraint date, type or select the date in the Constraint Date field.

Notes:

If you type a start date for a task or drag a Gantt bar to change the start date, Microsoft Project setsa Start No Earlier Than (SNET) constraint based on the new start date. If you type a finish date for atask, Microsoft Project automatically assigns a Finish No Earlier Than (FNET) constraint.

If you're scheduling your project from a finish date, typing a start date for a task or dragging a Ganttbar to change the start date sets a Start No Later Than (SNLT) constraint. If you type a finish datefor a task, Microsoft Project automatically assigns a Finish No Later Than (FNLT) constraint.

Make tasks shorter by adding more resources

After you've assigned resources to a task, Microsoft Project recalculates the task's duration if you add orremove additional resources. For example, if you add another resource to an effort-driven task with a four-day duration and one assigned resource, the task will be shortened to two days. If you have more flexibility

with your resource assignments than schedule deadlines, adding resources can be an effective way toshorten your schedule.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. In the Task Name field, click the task to which you want to assign more resources, and then click

Assign Resources .3. In the Name field, click the resource you want to assign to the task. If necessary, type the name of a

new resource in the Name field.4. Click Assign.5. A check mark to the left of the Name field indicates that the resource is assigned to the selected task.


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Note:If the task duration isn't affected by adding resources, ensure the scheduling options are set to effort-driven scheduling. Click Task Information and then click the Advanced tab. Be sure the Effort driven checkbox is selected and the task type is Fixed Units or Fixed Work.Tips

If you don't know which resources are available to take on more work, you can see current resourceallocations by clicking Resource Usage on the View menu.

To assign a resource part-time, type a value less than 100 in the Units field to represent the

percentage of working time you want the resource to spend on the task. To assign more than one ofthe same resource (such as two carpenters), type a percentage amount greater than 100 in theUnits field.

To assign several different resources, hold down CTRL as you click nonadjacent resources or holddown SHIFT as you click adjacent resources.

Split a task into segments

Splitting tasks may help adjust your schedule. You can split a task so that the task is interrupted, and thenresumes later in the schedule.

Splitting tasks is useful when you need to stop work on a task temporarily to work on another task. You cansplit a task as many times as necessary. Splitting a task into parts is not the same as entering a recurringtask scheduled to occur at regular intervals, such as a staff meeting.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. Click Split Task .3. Move the pointer over the taskbar you want to split, and then click the taskbar where you want the split

to occur.

Note:The toolbar button you want may be temporarily hidden. It may not appear because there is notenough room to display all the buttons. Click More Buttons , and then click Split Task .Tips

You can create a longer split by clicking and dragging the taskbar to the right.

You can remove the split by dragging a portion of a split task so that it touches another portion.

HOW DO YOU SAVE THE PLAN ALONG THE WAY?

After you've entered task, resource, and cost information for your project, you can save a snapshot of youroriginal plan, called a baseline.

To save a checkpoint of actual progress on the project, you can save an interim plan and compare changesto your baseline plan.

After the project is underway, you can enter actual information and compare that data to the baseline.

Save a baseline plan

When you've entered all of your project information and you're ready to start actual work, you can save abaseline of your project's information to compare with the actual progress of your project. Using a baseline,you can track the progress of your schedule so you can make the necessary corrections. For example, youcan see which tasks started later than planned, how much work resources performed, and whether yourbudget's on track.

Instructions1. On the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Save Baseline.


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2. Click Entire project to save a project baseline. Click Selected tasks to add new tasks to an existingbaseline.

3. Click OK.

Tip:To create a budget, first assign resources and enter rate information or any fixed costs, and then savea baseline. The cost information in the baseline plan can serve as a budget. You cannot save thisinformation in an interim plan.

Note: If you haven't yet entered all your basic project information when you first save your file, you can

choose to save it without a baseline.

Save an interim plan

After you save a baseline of your project's information, you can save up to 10 interim plans as checkpointsduring the project.

Instruction1. On the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Save Baseline.2. Click Save interim plan.3. In the Copy box, click the name of the current interim plan.4. In the Into box, click a name for the next interim plan, or specify a new name.5. Click Entire project to save an interim plan for the whole project. Click Selected tasks to save a portion

of the schedule.6. Click OK.

Note:An interim plan saves the tasks' start and finish dates into Start and Finish fields. You can displaythese interim plan dates by adding the Start and Finish fields to a table.

TRACK AND MANAGE PROGRESS

When you manage a project, you need to monitor the elements of the project triangle: time, money, andscope. Adjusting one of these elements affects the other two. Events such as unexpected delays, costoverruns, and resource changes can cause problems in your schedule.

If you keep your project information up to date, you can always see the latest status of the project. Thatway, you can identify problems early that might affect your project's success and use Microsoft Project tofind solutions.

HOW DO YOU TRACK THE ACTUAL PROGRESS ON TASKS?

Once you've set up your project and work has begun, you can keep track of actual start and finish dates,tasks' percentage of completion, and actual work. Tracking actuals shows you how changes affect othertasks and, ultimately, the project's finish date.

Check if tasks are progressing according to plan

To keep your project on schedule, make sure that tasks start and finish on schedule. The Tracking Ganttview helps find trouble spots, tasks that vary from the baseline plan. You can then adjust taskdependencies, reassign resources, or delete some tasks to meet your deadlines. The Tracking Gantt viewpairs the current schedule with the original schedule for each task. When you've saved the project with abaseline, but before you've entered actual data on progress, the Tracking Gantt view shows tasks with thebaseline bars and the scheduled or actual bars synchronized.

As you enter actuals, the top bar may move to show a departure from plan. For example, if the start date ofa task moves by two days and is over half complete at 55%, the red scheduled bar extends two daysbeyond the lower baseline bar.

Instructions


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1. On the View menu, click Tracking Gantt.2. To view the variance fields, on the View menu, point to Table, and then click Variance.3. If necessary, press TAB to see the variance fields.4. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Tracking.5. Update the progress of the tasks in your project.

If the task has started as scheduled, click the task, and then click Update as Scheduled . If the task is not progressing as scheduled, to enter actual start and finish dates, enter the actual

duration of the task, or update a task's progress as a percentage.

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

Enter actual start and finish dates for a task

Tasks that start or finish late can throw an entire project off schedule by delaying the start or finish dates ofrelated tasks. Tasks that start or finish early can free resources to work on other tasks that are behindschedule. Microsoft Project uses the actual values you enter to reschedule the remaining portions of yourproject.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Tracking if it is not already selected.3. In the Task Name field, select the tasks you want to update. To select nonadjacent tasks, hold down

CTRL, and then click the tasks. To select adjacent tasks, hold down SHIFT, and then click the first andlast task to update.

4. Click Update Tasks5. Under Actual, type or select a date in the Start or Finish box.6. If you enter a finish date, make sure that the task is 100% complete; Microsoft Project will assume the

date is correct and reschedule tasks accordingly.7. Click OK.

Note:Entering an actual start date or actual finish date for a task changes the corresponding scheduleddate for that task. Baseline dates, however, are not affected.

Enter the actual duration of a taskIf you know the number of days a task has been in progress and if it is progressing as planned, you cantrack progress by entering the duration that the resource has been working on the task.When you enter the actual duration of a task, Microsoft Project updates the actual start date, the task'spercentage of completion, and the duration of the task remaining in the schedule.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. In the Task Name field, click the task for which you want to enter the actual duration.3. On the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Update Tasks.4. In the Actual dur box, type the actual duration of the task.5. Click OK.

Tip:If you think the task is going to be finished sooner or later than originally scheduled, you can enter anew value in the Remaining dur box.

Note: If you enter an actual duration longer than or equal to the scheduled duration, the task becomes100% complete, and the scheduled duration then equals the actual duration.

Update a task's progress as a percentage

You can indicate how much progress has been made on a task by entering the percentage of the taskduration that is complete. For relatively short tasks, it may not be worthwhile to track progress in such


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detail; but for long tasks, indicating the percentage of completion for the task helps you track actualprogress against the baseline plan.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart2. In the Task Name field, click the task for which you want to update progress.3. Click Task Information and then click the General tab.4. In the Percent complete box, type a whole number between 0 and 100.5. Click OK.

Notes:

Microsoft Project calculates the summary task's percentage of completion based on the progress ofits subtasks. You can also manually enter the summary task's percentage of completion, whichMicrosoft Project will use to calculate the percentage of completion for its subtasks.

By default, Microsoft Project indicates the task's percentage of completion as a thin, black linedrawn horizontally through the middle of each Gantt bar on the Gantt Chart.

When you mark a task as 100% complete, Microsoft Project displays a check mark in the Indicatorsfield.

Tip:You can use the buttons on the Tracking toolbar to update progress on a task and to perform othertracking activities. To view the Tracking toolbar, point to Toolbars on the View menu, and then clickTracking.

Update actual work by time period

You can track actual work using the timephased fields in Microsoft Project. Tracking using the timephasedfields helps you keep your project up to date periodically because you can enter information for a particularday in your schedule.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Task Usage.2. On the Format menu, point to Details, and then click Actual Work.3. In the timephased portion of the view, in the Actual Work field, type the actual work of each assigned

resource.

Tips: If it makes no difference which of the resources assigned to a task performs the work, in the Actual

Work field for the task, type a value for the combined work done on the task by all the resources.Microsoft Project divides the actual and remaining work among the resources based on when theyare scheduled on the task and the remaining work for each assignment.

You can also type actual work for a week at a time. On the View menu, click Zoom, and click 1month to display the timescale in weekly increments. Then, type actual work for the week in theActual Work field.

See if tasks have more or less work than planned

If you're managing resource assignments in your project, you need to make sure resources complete tasks

in the time scheduled. If you've saved a baseline for your project, you can check the variance information.Variances in your schedule can be good as well as bad, depending on the type and severity of thevariance. A task with less work than planned, for example, is usually good news but may indicate that yourresources are not allocated efficiently.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Work. If necessary, press TAB to view the Actual

field.


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3. Compare the values in the Work, Baseline, and Actual fields. The values in the Variance field show thedifference between the work scheduled and the originally planned amount of work saved in thebaseline.

Compare actual task information to the baseline

When you save a baseline plan and then update your schedule, you can compare the baseline plan to youractual progress to identify variances. Variances alert you to the areas of the project that are not going asplanned. To keep your project on schedule, make sure that tasks start and finish on time as much aspossible. Every project has variances, but it is important to find tasks that vary from the baseline plan assoon as possible so you can adjust task dependencies, reassign resources, or delete some tasks to meetyour deadlines.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Tracking Gantt. The Tracking Gantt view shows task variances graphically,

making it easier to see variances in your schedule.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Variance. If necessary, press TAB to view the

variance fields.

Note:You must update tasks' actual start and finish dates, actual work values, or actual durations beforevariances will appear. Microsoft Project calculates the other task information based on the information youenter.

HOW DO YOU TRACK THE ACTUAL WORK BY RESOURCE?You may need to track how much work each resource on your project completes task by task orcumulatively for the project. Then you can compare the planned and actual amounts of work. Thiscomparison can help you keep track of your resources' performance and plan workloads for future projects.

Enter the total actual work done by a resource

If you schedule tasks based on the availability of resources, track the progress of your tasks by updatingthe work completed on a task. Using this approach, you can track the work that each resource isperforming. When you update the actual work a resource has done on a task, Microsoft Projectautomatically calculates the work remaining by subtracting the actual work done by the resource from thetotal work the resource is scheduled to do.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Task Usage.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Work. In the Task Name field, both task and resource

names are listed. If necessary, press TAB to view the Actual field.3. In the Actual field for each resource, type the updated work value and the duration abbreviation for the

actual work of each assigned resource.

Tip:If it makes no difference which resource assigned to a task performs the work, then type a value forthe combined work done on the task by all the resources in the Actual field for the task. Microsoft Projectdivides the actual and remaining work among the resources based on when they are scheduled on the taskand the remaining work for each assignment.

Update a resource's actual work by time period

You can track actual work for individual resources using the timephased fields in Microsoft Project. Trackingresources' actual work by using the timephased fields can help you keep your project up to date by timeperiod because you can enter information for a particular day (or other time period) in your schedule.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Resource Usage.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Work.3. On the Format menu, point to Details, and then click Actual Work.4. In the Act. Work field for the resource, type the actual work value.


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See the variance between a resource's planned and actual work

If you schedule tasks based on the availability of resources and you track actual work, you can analyze howmuch total work a resource is accomplishing by looking at the variance between the baseline work andactual work. You can also compare those figures to the baseline work and actual work over time to see howthe resource's work is progressing in greater detail.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Resource Usage.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Work. If necessary, press TAB to view the Baseline

and Actual fields.3. Compare the values in the Baseline and Actual fields for each resource.4. Make sure the Work and Act. Work fields are displayed in the the timescaled portion of the view. On the

Format menu, point to Details, and then click Work if it's not already selected. On the Format menu,point to Details, and then click Actual Work, if it's not already selected, to display it as well.

5. In the timescale portion of the view, compare the Work and Act. Work fields for a daily summary of eachresource's work.

HOW DO YOU COMPARE ACTUAL COSTS TO BUDGET?You may want to track cost overruns in a phase of your project or learn how much a particular resourcecosts you on a certain day. Or you may simply need to see how much total cost has accrued.

Tracking costs for your project can help you see where changes need to be made to finish your project on

time and within budget and can help in planning budgets for future projects.

Enter actual task costs manually

Microsoft Project automatically updates actual costs as a task progresses based on the task's accrualmethod and the rates of the resources. But if you want to track actual costs separately from the actual workon a task, you can enter costs manually instead.To update costs manually you must first turn off the automatic updating of actual costs and then enter yourown actual cost for an assignment after the remaining work is zero.

Instructions1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Calculation tab.2. Clear the Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project check box.

3. Click OK.4. On the View menu, click Task Usage.5. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click Tracking.6. If necessary, press TAB to view the Act. Cost field.7. In the Act. Cost field, type the actual cost for the assignment whose costs you are updating.

Tips:

You can set the fixed cost for a task to accrue at the beginning or the completion of a task or to beprorated for the length of the task. Click Gantt Chart on the View menu. On the View menu, point toTable, and then click Cost. In the Fixed Cost Accrual field, type or select the accrual method youwant.

In addition to a standard rate, sometimes assignment costs include a fixed amount charged for aresource each time the resource is assigned to a task, such as equipment costs, setup charges,delivery, or rental fees. You can enter this per-use cost by clicking Resource Sheet on the Viewmenu, and then typing a new cost in the Cost/Use field for the resource whose per-use cost youwant to change.

Update actual costs by time period

You can track actual costs using the timephased fields in Microsoft Project. Tracking actual costs using thetimephased fields can help you keep your project up to date by time period because you can enterinformation for a particular day or other time period in your schedule.


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Instructions1. On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.2. On the View menu, point to Table, and then click More Tables.3. In the Tables list, click Earned Value, and then click Apply.4. Drag the divider bar to the right to display all of the Earned Value table fields. The values are calculated

based on the actual work and costs up through and including the current date. To change thecalculation date, on the Project menu, click Project Information. In the Status date box, type the dateyou want to use, and then click OK.

Tips:

Move the mouse pointer over a field name to get a description of the field; for example, position thepointer over the VAC field and click Help on VAC for a description of the field.

In the Task Usage view, you can view earned value data over time periods such as daily, weekly,monthly, quarterly, or yearly. On the Format menu, click Detail Styles, and then click the UsageDetails tab. In the Available fields list, hold down CTRL, click the earned value fields you want todisplay (such as ACWP, BCWP, CV, or SV), and then click Show. Double-click the timescale tochange the time periods that you see.

To see cost variances for the entire project, you can display the project summary task. On the Toolsmenu, click Options. Click the View tab and under Outline options, select the Project summary taskcheck box.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE A RESOURCE'S WORKLOAD?You should check your schedule for resources with too much or too little work. If some resources areoverallocated, see if adding more resources to a task or reassigning a task will give you the results youwant.

If this doesn't work, you can delay tasks assigned to an overworked resource until later in the schedule orreduce the amount of work for tasks.

Find overallocated resources and their task assignments

People and equipment are overallocated when they are assigned more work than they can complete intheir scheduled working hours. Before you can resolve overallocations, you must determine whichresources are overallocated, when they are overallocated, and what tasks they are assigned to at those

times. To resolve the problem, the people and equipment must be allocated differently or the task must berescheduled to a time when the resource is available.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Resource Usage. The Resource Usage view shows the total hours the

resource is working, the total hours the resource is working on each task, and the hours worked pertime period on the timescale. Resources with no tasks yet assigned do not have tasks listed under their names. Tasks with no resources assigned are listed under Unassigned in the Resource Name field.

2. On the Project menu, point to Filtered for and then click Overallocated Resources. Any work resourcesthat are overallocated are displayed and highlighted.

Tips:

If you see number signs (##) in the timescale portion of the Resource Usage view, the columns inthe timescale are not wide enough to display the information. To change the width of the columns,click Timescale on the Format menu, and then increase the value in the Size box.

You can see how much of a resource's work is allocated to particular tasks and per time period. Onthe Format menu, click Detail Styles. Click the Usage Details tab and in the Available fields list, clickPercent Allocation, and then click Show.

Reduce a resource's work

After you've assigned a resource to a task, you can change the total work values for the resource's work onthe task or change work values for a specific time period when the resource works on the task. Tailoringwork values this way can make your schedule more accurate at a finer level of detail.


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Instructions1. On the View menu, click Task Usage. Resources are grouped under the tasks they are assigned to.2. In the table (left) portion of the view, enter a new value in the Work field to change the total work value

for an assignment.

Tip:You can also use the Resource Usage view to see and edit work values for tasks grouped under theresources are assigned to them. On the View menu, click Resource Usage.

Note: You can also change the individual work values (or hours) for the assigned resources on thetimescale portion of the view.

Reassign work to another resource

If you have tried to resolve a resource overallocation using other methods and the overallocation persists, itmay be time to reassign the task to another resource with more time. This is an alternate method ofmanually leveling your schedule by reassigning work rather than delaying work.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click Resource Usage.2. On the Format menu, point to Details, and then click Overallocation.3. Look at the timescale on the right and, for each highlighted overallocation, examine the availability of

other resources on that day.4. Click the ID field to select the entire row of the task you need to reassign.5. Drag the task to the resource that you want to reassign it to.

Delay a task

A simple way to resolve a resource overallocation is to delay a task assigned to the resource until theresource has time to work on it. You can add delay to a task, check the effect on the resource's allocation,and then adjust the delay further if necessary.

Delaying a task also delays the start dates of its successors and can affect the finish date of your schedule.To avoid this, delay tasks with free slack first (noncritical tasks) and only delay them up to the amount ofslack that is available for each task. Experiment with adding delay to different tasks to see the effect onyour schedule.

Instructions1. On the View menu, click More Views.2. In the Views list, click Resource Allocation, and then click Apply.

In the timephased portion on the top right, overallocation for a resource is displayed in red. In the bar chart below, slack for tasks to which the resource is assigned appears graphically as a

thin slack bar adjoining the regular Gantt bar.3. In the Resource Name field in the top left portion of the view, click the resource name for the

overallocated resource with a task you want to delay.4. In the Leveling Delay field (bottom left portion of the view) for the task you want to delay, type the

amount of time that you want the task to be delayed. To ensure that successor tasks are not affected,do not enter more lag than the amount of free slack for that task.

5 To return to a single view, on the Window menu, click Remove Split.

Change a resource's working days and hours

The project calendar designates the default work schedule for the project, but you can create a resourcecalendar to indicate work hours, vacations, leaves of absence, and sick time for individual resources.

Instructions1. On the Tools menu, click Change Working Time.2. In the For box, click the resource whose calendar you want to change.3. On the calendar, select the days you want to change. To change a day of the week for the entire

calendar, select the day at the top of the calendar.4. Click Use default, Nonworking time, or Nondefault working time.


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5. If you clicked Nondefault working time in step 4, type the times you want work to start in the From boxesand the times you want work to end in the To

Documents

Ms Project Course Material