Managing Projects using Microsoft Project 2010 Desktop
Instructor Bio
Ellen Lehnert has over 20 years of corporate training experience, and is a specialist in Microsoft Project and Microsoft Project Server. She is a contributor to many reference books, writes a monthly help column for the MPUG (Microsoft Project User Group) newsletter, is a frequent meeting speaker and holds multiple MS Project certifications. Ellen also holds a PMP certification from the Project Management Institute as well as an MCT, MCTS and MCITP certifications from Microsoft. Ellen brings a unique combination of licensed teacher and programming background to the classes she teaches as well as process development, installations and consulting.
Course Overview
This course is intended for Project Managers, Project Schedulers, Managers,
Supervisors, Team Leads and other people responsible for managing projects. These individuals are involved in or responsible for scheduling, estimating, coordinating, controlling, budgeting and staffing of projects and supporting other users of Microsoft Project 2010.
Typical products and technologies that are used include Microsoft Project 2010, Microsoft Excel 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint Server.
Module 1: Overview of Microsoft Project 2010
This module provides an overview of Project 2010. Lessons presented in this module will review the success factors to project management and explore the new user interface (the Ribbon). You will learn about the project database, types of data included and what
constitutes a database view.
Lessons
Success Factors to Project Management
o What is a Project?
o Project Management Software
o Why use Microsoft Project 2010?
o Formulate a Strategy
o Success Checklist
Exploring the Ribbon
o What is the Ribbon?
o Task Tab
o Resource Tab
o Project Tab
o View Tab
o File Tab (Backstage) Exploring Project 2010 Views
o What is a View?
o Task Views
o Resource Views
o Combining Views
Module 2: Initializing a Project
This module describes how to initialize a project schedule prior to performing any work on your schedule. Lessons presented in this module will review how calendars work in Project and how to create and configure calendars. You will review the difference between duration and work/effort and understanding how they drive your project scheduling. You will also learn how to create project schedules from various methods.
Lessons
Creating and Configuring Calendars
o How Calendars Work in Project 2010?
o Creating a Base Calendar
o Setting Working Hours and Days
o Setting Non-Working Hours and Days
o Setting Calendar Options
o Saving the Base Calendar to the Global Template
o Practice: Creating Calendars
Configuring Schedule/Display Options
o Understanding Duration vs. Work / Effort
o What is Effort Driven Scheduling?
o Understanding Task Types
o Setting Schedule Options
o Setting Display and General Options
o Practice: Configuring Schedule/Display Options
Creating and Saving a Project Schedule
o Creating a New Project Schedule
o Adding Project Information
o Creating a Schedule from an Excel Workbook
o Creating a Schedule from a SharePoint Task List
o Importance of Naming Standards
o Saving the Schedule
o Setting Read-Only and Password Attributes
o Save and Send Options
Module 3: Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
This module describes working with a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Lessons presented in this module will review what a WBS is and why it is important. You will then create the WBS by entering tasks and estimating task lengths. You will also learn to set milestones and applying milestone filters.
Lessons
Overview of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
o What is a WBS?
o Task Types
o Best Practices
Creating the Work Breakdown Structure
o Entering Tasks
o Working with Task Information
o Outlining Tasks into a Hierarchy
o Displaying Outline Numbers & WBS
o Customizing WBS Codes
o Practice: Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
Estimating Task Lengths
o Overview of Estimating
o Entering Estimates
o Practice: Entering Estimates
Entering Milestones
o How to Set a Milestone
o Apply Milestone Filters
o Best Practices
o Practice: Entering Milestones
Module 4: Creating Task Relationships
This module describes how to task relationships work in a project schedule. Lessons presented in this module will explain the difference between automatic and manual scheduling and when to use them. You will work with task dependencies, understanding predecessors and how they work. You will also know the difference between leads and lags and when to use them.
Lessons
Manual vs. Automatic Scheduling
o Scheduling Overview
o Manual vs. Automatic Scheduling
o Setting Scheduling Option
o Adjusting Tasks in Manual Mode
o Practice: Working with Manual and Automatic Scheduling
Working with Dependencies
o Task Dependency Types
o Creating Dependencies
o Viewing Dependencies
o Best Practices for Using Dependencies
o Practice: Working with Dependencies
Understanding Leads and Lags
o What is Lag Time?
o What is Lead Time?
o Best Practices
o Practice: Working with Leads and Lags
Module 5: Configuring Advanced Task Information
This module describes how to work with advanced task information. Lessons presented in this module will explain task constraints and what actions create constraints automatically. You will learn about task deadlines, task form views. You will also learn how to split tasks and how to use the Task Inspector to examine your tasks to make suggestions.
Lessons
Working with Task Constraints
o What are Constraints?
o Constraint types
o Actions that Create Automatic Constraints
o Effects of Constraints
o Practice: Working with Task Constraints
Advanced Task Management
o Task Deadlines
o Using the Task Inspector
o Using Task Form Views
o Adding Notes to Tasks
o Applying a Calendar to a Task
o Splitting Tasks
o Changing the Start Date of a Project
o Working with Timescale
o Practice: Working with Advanced Task Management
This module describes how to create resources in your project schedule. Lessons
presented in this module will explain the different resource types and how to create them. You will also learn how to assign material, cost and budget resources to the project schedule. Lessons Resource Types o Work Resources o Cost Resources o Material Resources o Budget Resources
Creating Work and Material Resources
o Creating a Work Resource
o Resource Information - General
o Resource Information - Costs
o Resource Information - Notes and Custom Fields
o Inserting Resources
o Creating a Material Resource
o Practice: Creating Work and Material Resources
Creating Cost and Budget Resources
o Overview of Costing in Microsoft Project
o Creating a Cost Resource
o Creating a Budget Resource
o Entering a Fixed Cost
o Practice: Creating Cost and Budget Resources
Assigning Material, Cost and Budget Resources
o Assign a Cost Resource
o Assign a Material Resource
o Assign a Budget Resource
o Practice: Working with Resources
Module 7: Assigning and Leveling Work Resources
This module describes how to assign and level work resources against a project schedule. Lessons presented in this module will explain what an assignment is and how create various assignments. You will learn about factors that affect assignments and how to view resource assignments. You will also learn how to view and resolve resource allocations using manual and automatic resource leveling.
Lessons
o What is an Assignment?
o Assignment Formula
o How to Create Assignments
o Creating Fixed Unit Assignments
o Creating Fixed Duration Assignments
o Creating Fixed Work Tasks
o Practice: Creating Assignments
Factors that Affect Assignments
o Percentage Assignments
o Assignment Units and Peak Units Values
o Resource Calendar
o Delaying an Assignment
o Assigning Resources with Variable Units
o Rules for Creating Assignments
o Best Practices
o Practice: Working with Factors that Affect Assignments
Viewing Resource Assignments
o Resource Usage View
o Task Usage View
o Team Planner View
o Practice: Viewing Resource Assignments
Resolving Resource Overallocations
o Understanding Overallocations
o Views to Identify Overallocations
o Leveling Resources - Project Manager
o Leveling Resources - Microsoft Project
o Practice: Resolving Resource Overallocations
Module 8: Reviewing and Finalizing the Schedule
This module describes how to review and finalize the project schedule. Lessons presented in this module will explain what are groups and filters and how to use them. You will learn the Critical Path Method and how to format and view the critical path of a project schedule. You will also learn about project baselines and how to set and update a baseline.
Lessons
Working with Groups and Filters
o What are Groups?
o How to Use Groups
o What are Filters?
o How to Use Highlights
o How to Use AutoFilter
o Practice: Working with Groups and Filters
Understanding the Critical Path Method
o What is a Critical Path?
o Formatting Views to Display Critical Path
o Setting Slack Tolerance
o Shortening the Critical Path
o Practice: Working with the Critical Path
Setting a Project Baseline
o What is a Baseline?
o Fields Used in Setting a Baseline
o Setting the Baseline
o Updating a Baseline
o Views Using Baseline Data
o Practice: Setting a Project Baseline
Appendix
o Appendix - Default Groups
o Appendix - Default Filters
Module 9: Tracking and Updating Projects
This module describes how to track and update a project schedule. Lessons presented in this module will explain tracking and how to use the various tracking methods. You will learn how to update milestones, material and cost resources. You will also learn about project status and how to update the project status.
Lessons
Overview of Tracking Projects
o What is Tracking?
o Tracking Methods
o Options that Affect Tracking
o Best Practices of Tracking
Tracking Projects
o Preparing a Task to be Tracked
o Using Percent Complete
o Using Task Level Tracking - Task Duration
o Using Task Level Tracking - Task Work
o Using Resource Level Tracking - Task Details
o Using Resource Level Tracking - Resource Usage
Updating Milestones, Material and Cost Resources
o Updating Milestones
o Updating Material Resources
o Updating Cost Resources
o Practice: Updating Milestones, Material and Cost Resources
Updating Project Status
o Overview of Tracking Cycle
o Setting a Status Date
o Rescheduling Incomplete Work
o Getting the Project Back on Track
o Practice: Updating Project Status
Module 10: Managing Multiple Projects and Resource Pools
This module describes managing multiple projects and resource pools. Lessons presented in this module will explain what a resource pool is and how to create and share them with other users. You will learn about linking multiple projects and analyzing the effects of changing values in one project. You will also learn about master projects, how to create them and how to insert sub-projects.
Lessons
Linking Multiple Projects
o Overview of Multiple Projects
o Cross-Linking Projects
o Analyzing the Effects of Changing Values
o Practice: Linking Multiple Projects
Working with Master and Sub-Projects
o Overview of Master Projects
o Creating a Master Project and Inserting Sub-Projects
o Leveling Resources Across Projects
o Practice: Working with Master and Sub-Projects
Working with Resource Pools
o What is a Resource Pool?
o Creating a Resource Pool
o How to Share Resources across Multiple Projects
o Viewing Resource Usage in the Resource Pool
o Practice: Working with Resource Pools
Appendix A: Customizing Project 2010 Features
This module describes the Project 2010 features that can be customized and working with the Organizer. Lessons presented in this module will detail how to customize the quick access toolbar, ribbon and the formats and styles of a Gantt view. You will learn about the
Organizer and how to define and share the settings with other Project users. You will also learn about create custom fields, filters, groups, tables and views and how to create them.
Lessons
Customizing the User Interface
o Customize Quick Access Toolbar
o Customizing the Ribbon
o Exporting / Importing the Customization File
Customizing Formats and Views
o Overview on Custom Formats and Styles
o Customizing Gantt Views
o Customizing Timeline Views
Working with the Organizer
o What is an Object?
o Define Settings in Organizer
o Using the Organizer to Share Objects
Creating Custom Objects
o Creating a Custom Field
o Creating a Custom Filter
o Creating a Custom Group
o Creating a Custom Table
o Creating a Custom View
Appendix B: Communicating Project Information
This module describes the methods for communicating project information in your
organization. Lessons presented in this module will detail how to define print setting, work with Copy Picture, Project and Visual reports. You will also learn how to export project tables, publish a project schedule to a SharePoint list and how to import a SharePoint list into Project.
Lessons
Defining Print Settings
o Print Settings
o Define Page Setup
o Using Copy Picture
Working with Project Reports
o Selecting Project Reports
o Editing Project Report
o Creating Custom Project Reports
Working with Visual Reports
o Anatomy of a Pivot Table
o Viewing Visual Report
o Creating Visual Report Templates
Collaborating Project Information
o Export Project Table to Excel
o Publish a Project Schedule to SharePoint List
