Microsoft Project Fundamentals

TERESA S. STOVER is a project management consultant and award-winning author of 15 books. She has consulted with the Microsoft Project team since version 4 and has served as the project manager for projects ranging from online help system development and instructional design to needs assessments and content management.

Introduction xiv

Part I: Manage Your Projects with Microsoft Project 1

Lesson 1: Project Management Basics 3

Projects and Project Managers 4

What Is a Project? 4

What Is a Project Manager? 5

The Project Triangle 6

Project Processes 7

Initiating 7

Planning 7

Executing 8

Monitoring and Controlling 8

Closing 8

Project Management Methodologies 9

Waterfall Project Management 9

Agile Project Management 10

Other Methodologies 10

More About Project Management 11

Key Terms 11

Review Questions 13

Lesson 2: Introducing Microsoft Project 17

How Microsoft Project Helps 18

Manage the Schedule 18

Calculate Costs 19

Balance Resources 20

Communicate Progress 21

Respond to Changes 21

Microsoft Project Solutions 22

Touring the Microsoft Project App 24

Browse Task and Resource Views 25

Browse Reports 26

Click Through the Ribbons 26

Go Backstage 27

Get Help with Project 29

Help Within Project 29

Help Outside Project 31

Key Terms 32

Review Questions 33

Part II: Plan Your Project 35

Lesson 3: Establish a Strong Foundation 37

Initiate the Project 38

Identify the Stakeholders and Project Sponsor 39

Authorize the Project Charter 39

Start Planning 40

Collect Requirements 41

Define the Scope 42

Organize Project Plan Documents 43

Key Terms 45

Review Questions 46

Lesson 4: Set Up the Project and Tasks 47

Start a New Project Plan 48

Create a New Blank Project 48

Copy an Existing Similar Project 49

Adapt a Project Template 50

Set the Project Start Date 51

Enter Task Names 53

Where Do Task Names Come From? 54

Name Your Tasks 55

Explore Task Views 56

Work with Tasks in the Task Sheet 57

Work with Tasks on the Task Board 60

Sequence Tasks 62

Reorder Tasks in the Task Sheet 62

Reorder Tasks on the Task Board 63

Organize the Task Outline 63

Key Terms 67

Review Questions 68

Lesson 5: Build the Schedule 69

Decide on Automatic Scheduling 70

Change All Tasks to Automatic Scheduling 71

Set Any New Tasks to Automatic Scheduling 72

Switch from Automatic to Manual Scheduling 72

Switch from Manual to Automatic Scheduling 72

Get to Know the Gantt Chart 73

Enter Task Durations 75

Enter Durations in the Gantt Chart 76

View Durations on the Task Board 77

Set Milestones 79

Link Dependent Tasks 80

Set Up Task Dependencies 81

View Dependencies on a Task Board 82

Schedule Sprints for an Agile Project 83

Add Sprints to Your Project 84

Add Tasks to Your Sprints 85

Modify Sprint Information 86

Identify Any Hardwired Dates 87

Enter Deadline Reminders 89

Use Project and Task Calendars 90

Review and Change the Project Calendar 91

Apply a Task Calendar 91

Key Terms 92

Review Questions 93

Lesson 6: Set Up Resources 97

Add Resources to the Plan 98

Define Human and Equipment Resources 99

Define Material Resources 99

Define Cost Resources 100

Enter Resource Costs 101

Specify Work Resource Costs 102

Specify Material Resource Costs 103

Specify Cost Resource Costs 103

Refine Resource Unit Availability 104

Change Resource Units 105

Specify Differing Availability Over Time 105

Customize Resource Calendars 106

Switch the Base Calendar 108

Change the Work Week in a Resource Calendar 108

Specify an Exception to a Resource Calendar 110

Key Terms 112

Review Questions 113

Lesson 7: Assign Resources to Tasks 115

Assign Work Resources to Tasks 116

Assign Material Resources to Tasks 118

Assign Cost Resources to Tasks 120

Review Resource Assignments 122

See Task Costs from Assignments 125

Review Task Costs 126

Review Task Costs on an Agile Planning Board 127

Review the Overall Project Cost Estimate 127

Change Assignments 128

Replace a Resource Assignment 129

Add or Remove a Resource Assignment 129

Change Duration on Tasks with Assignments 132

Key Terms 133

Review Questions 134

Lesson 8: Check and Adjust the Project 137

Check the Project Finish Date 138

Review the Project Finish Date 139

Bring In the Project Finish Date 142

Check Costs 145

Review the Total Project Cost 145

Reduce Costs 146

Check Resource Assignments 153

Resolve Overallocations in a Task Sheet 154

Resolve Assignment Problems in Team Planner 155

Set the Project Baseline 157

Key Terms 159

Review Questions 161

Part III: Monitor and Control Your Project 163

Lesson 9: Track Project Information 165

Collect Progress Information 167

Enter Actuals in a Waterfall Project 168

Enter Progress as Expected 168

Enter Different Types of Progress Information 169

Distinguish Baseline, Scheduled, and Actual Values 170

Update Status in an Agile Project 172

Enter Progress on the Task Board 172

Enter Progress in the Task Board Sheet 173

Specify Percent Complete on the Task Board 174

Enter Progress on the Current Sprint 176

Move Tasks from One Sprint to Another 177

Respond to Changes 178

Check the Project Finish Date 178

Check the Project Cost 179

Check Resource Allocations 179

Key Terms 180

Review Questions 181

Lesson 10: View Project Information 183

See the Data You Need 184

Zoom a View In or Out 184

Adjust the Timescale 185

Show a Specific Outline Level 186

Sort Project Information 187

Group Project Information 188

Filter Project Information 188

Highlight Project Information 189

Change Columns in a Sheet View 190

Add a Column 190

Move a Column 192

Hide a Column 192

Print a View 193

Work with More Views 194

Browse Graphical Views 195

Browse Combination Views 199

Key Terms 202

Review Questions 204

Lesson 11: Customize Project Information 207

Customize a Sheet View 208

Customize a Gantt View 210

Customize a Board View 212

Modify Board View Columns 212

Modify Task Cards 213

Set Options and Preferences 214

Key Terms 215

Review Questions 216

Lesson 12: Report Project Information 219

Work with Reports 220

Run a Report 221

Adjust the Design of a Report 222

Work with Dashboards 223

Create a New Report or Dashboard 224

Print a Report 226

Key Terms 228

Review Questions 229

Part IV: Close Your Project 231

Lesson 13: Obtain Project Acceptance 233

Present the Project to the Sponsor 234

Secure Official Project Sign-Off 236

Complete Final Refinements 236

Have the Sponsor Sign Off on the Project 238

Celebrate With Your Team 238

Key Terms 239

Review Questions 240

Lesson 14: Retain Project History 241

Document Lessons Learned 242

Identify the Information You Can Use 243

Gather Lessons Learned 243

Document and Share the Lessons Learned 244

Archive Project History 245

Clean Up Your Project Plan 245

Add Key Documents to the Project Plan 247

Organize the Archive File Structure 247

Key Terms 248

Review Questions 249

Appendix Answers to the Review Questions 251

Index 263