MS PROJECT 2016

Philip Jacob Perakathu

Module 2 - Starting a new plan
In this Module you will learn how to:
 Start a new plan, set its start date, and save it.

 Review the available base calendars, and then

create a working-time exception in the project
calendar.
 Enter some properties about the plan.
Starting a new plan
 Starting a new plan, and setting its start date
 Step 1: In Project, if you see the File tab, click it, and then
click New.
 Step 2: In the list of available templates, click Blank Project.
 Step 3: On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click
Project Information.
 Step 4: In the Start Date box, type a date like 7/1/16, or
click the down arrow to display the calendar and select July
1, 2016.
 Step 5: Click OK to accept this start date and close the
Project Information dialog box.
 Step 6: On the File tab, click Save to save the plan and
close the Save As dialog box.
Contd…
 Setting non-working days in the project calendar
 Step 1: On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click
Project Information. The Project Information dialog box
appears.
 Step 2: In the Calendar box, click the down arrow. The list
that appears contains the three base calendars included
with Project:
 24 Hours - Has no nonworking time
 Night Shift - Covers a “graveyard” shift schedule of Monday night
through Saturday morning, 11 P.M.to 8 A.M., with a one-hour
break each day
 Standard - The traditional working day and week, Monday
through Friday from 8 A.M.to 5 P.M., with a one-hour break each
day
Contd…
 Setting non-working days (contd…)
 Step 3: Click Cancel to close the Project Information dialog
box without making any changes.
 Step 4: On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click
Change Working Time. The Change Working Time dialog
box appears.
 Step 5: In the Name field on the Exceptions tab in the lower
portion of the dialog box, type Eid ul-Fitr, and then click in
the Start field.
 Step 6: In the Start field, type 07/06/2016, and then click
the Finish field or press the Right Arrow key.
 Step 7: Click OK to close the Change Working Time dialog
box.
Contd…
 Setting non-working days (contd…)
 Step 7: (contd…) Other common examples of working
time adjustments include:
 Recurring holidays or other times off that follow a known
pattern, such as weekly, monthly, or annually. To set up
recurring nonworking times, click the Details button on the
Exceptions tab in the Change Working Time dialog box.
 Vary working times per week, for example, to address
seasonal changes in working times.
 Unique working hours for a resource.
Building a task list
 Entering task names
 Click the cell directly below the Task Name column
heading.
 Type Assign launch team members, and then press the
Enter key. The task you entered is given an unique ID
number.
 Enter the following task names, pressing Enter after
each task name:
 Design and order marketing material
 Public Lauch Phase
 Distribute advance copies
 Coordinate magazine feature articles
 Launch public web portal for book
Contd…
 Entering task duration
 Click the cell below the Duration column heading for task 1,
Assign launch team members. The Duration field for task 1 is
selected.
 Type 1d, and then press Enter.
Contd…
 Entering task duration
 Enter the following durations or text phrases for the
following tasks:

Task ID Task Name Duration

2 Design and order marketing Check with

material Marketing team
3 Public Launch Phase (Skip)

4 Distribute advance copies 2d

5 Launch public web portal for Type About two

the book weeks before launch
complete in the Start
field
Contd…
 Entering a milestone task
 Click the name of task 3, Public Launch Phase.
 On the Task tab, click Milestone.

 With <New Milestone> selected, type Planning complete !!

and then press Enter.
 The milestone task is added to your plan.
Contd…
 Creating summary tasks to outline the plan
 Select the names of tasks 5 through 7.
 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click Indent
Task.
 Select the names of tasks 1 through 3.

 On the Task tab, in the Insert group, click Summary.

 With <New Summary Task> selected, type Planning

Phase and press Enter.
 Now the plan is organized into two phases of work
Contd…
 Creating task dependencies with links
 Select the names of tasks 2 and 3.
 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click Link the
Selected Tasks
 Tasks 2 and 3 are linked with a finish-to-start relationship
 Select the name of task 4, Planning complete!
 On the Task tab, in the Properties group, click Information.
 Click the Predecessors tab.
 Click the empty cell below the Task Name column heading,
and then click the down arrow that appears.
 In the Task Name list, click Design and order marketing
material.
 Click OK to close the Task Information dialog box.
Contd…
 Creating task dependencies with links (contd…)
 Select the names of tasks 6 through 8.
 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click Link the
Selected Tasks. Tasks 6 through 8 are linked.
 In the chart portion of the Gantt Chart view, point the mouse
pointer at the summary task bar for task 1, Planning Phase,
and then click and drag down and to the right to the Gantt
bar for task 5, Public Launch Phase.
 When the mouse pointer is over the summary task bar for
task 5, release the mouse pointer. The summary tasks 1 and
5 are linked with a finish-to-start relationship.
 In the duration field for task 3, type 2w, and then press
Enter.
 Select the name of task 4.
 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click Respect Links.
Contd…
 Switching task scheduling from manual to automatic
 Select the names of tasks 2 through 4. These tasks are
currently set to be manually scheduled, as indicated by the
push-pin indicator in the Task Mode column.
 On the Task tab, in the Tasks group, click Auto Schedule.
Project switches these tasks to be automatically scheduled.
 Click the Task Mode field of task 6, and then click the arrow
that appears.
 In the list that appears, click Auto Scheduled.
 Select the names of tasks 7 and 8.
 On the Task tab, in the Tasks group, click Auto Schedule.
Project reschedules the remaining tasks. This extends the
duration of the Public Launch Phase and of the overall
project.
Contd…
 Manual to automatic (contd…)
 On the Task tab, in the Tasks group, click Mode and
then click Auto Schedule.
 In the Task Name field, below task 8, type Launch social
media programs for book and then press Enter.
 Select the names of tasks 8 and 9.

 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click Link the

Selected Tasks.
Contd…
 Checking the plan’s duration and finish date
 In the Timeline view above the Gantt Chart view, note the
plan’s current start and finish dates.
 On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click Project
Information. The Project Information dialog box appears.
 Click Statistics.

 Click Close to close the Project Statistics dialog box.

 Click anywhere in the Gantt Chart view. With the focus

now on the Gantt Chart view, the contextual label of the
Format tab changes to Gantt Chart Tools.
 On Format tab, in the Show/Hide group, select the Project
Summary Task check box.
Contd…
 Documenting tasks with notes and hyperlinks
 Select the name of task 6, Distribute advance copies.
 On the Task tab, in the Properties group, click Notes.

 In the Notes box, type Get recipient list from publicist.

 Click OK.

 Right-click the name of task 8, Launch public Web portal

for book, and then click Hyperlink on the shortcut menu.
 The Insert Hyperlink dialog box appears.

 In the Text to display box, type SAINTGITS.

 In the Address box, type http://www.saintgits.org/

 Click OK.
Setting up resources
 Entering work resource names and Entering resources’
maximum capacity
 On the View tab, in the Resource Views group, click
Resource Sheet.
 Click the cell directly below the Resource Name column
heading. Enter 5 different names. Enter the last name as
Copyeditors.
 Click the Max. Units field for the Copyeditors resource.
Type or select 400%, and then press Enter.
 Click the Max. Units field for Lionel Messi , type or select
50%, and then press Enter.
Contd…
 Entering resource pay rates
 On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click Change Working
Time. The Change Working Time dialog box appears. In the For
calendar box, click Novak Djokovic.
 On the Exceptions tab in the Change Working Time dialog box,
click in the first row directly below the Name column heading and
type “Match for Novak Djokovic.”.
 The description for the calendar exception is a handy reminder
for you and others who might view the plan later.
 Click in the Start field, and type or select 7/10/16.
 To see the updated calendar preview in the dialog box, click in
the Finish field.
Contd…
 Entering resource pay rates (contd…)
 In the For calendar box, click Virat Kohli.
 Click the Work Weeks tab in the Change Working Time
dialog box.
 Click [Default] directly under the Name column heading, and
then click Details.
 Under Selected Day(s), select Monday through Thursday.
 These are the weekdays Jun can normally work.
 Click Set day(s) to these specific working times.
 In row 2, in the To column click 5:00 PM and replace it with
7:00 PM, and then press Enter.
 Click Friday.
 Click Set days to nonworking time.
Contd…
 Setting up cost resources
 In the Resource Sheet view, click the next empty cell in
the Resource Name column.
 Type Travel and press the Tab key.

 In the Type field, click Cost.

Contd…
 Documenting resources with notes
 In the Resource Name column, click Kimi Raikkonen.
 On the Resource tab, in the Properties group, click the
Details button.
 Click anywhere in the Resource Form view. With the
focus now on the Resource Form, the contextual label of
the Format tab changes to Resource Form Tools.
 On the Format tab, in the Details group, click Notes.

 In the Notes box, type Kimi Raikkonen works for Ferrari.

 Click OK.
Contd…
 Documenting resources with notes (contd…)
 In the Resource Form view, click Previous to shift the
focus to Lionel Messi and display his details.
 In the Notes box, type Messi’s standard pay rate is
adjusted for his half-time work schedule. Then click OK.
 On the Resource tab, in the Properties group, click the
Details button. The Resource Form view is hidden,
leaving the Resource Sheet view displayed.
 Task Name Duration Predecessors

Simple Plan 39 days

Planning Phase 11 days
Assign launch team members 1 day
Complete author questionnaire 1 wk 2
Schedule author reviews 1 wk 2
Design and order marketing material 2 wks 2
Planning complete! 0 days 5
Internal Launch Phase 18 days 1
Kickoff book launch meeting 1 day
Plan author's travel itinerary 3 days 8
Channel Sales prep 2 wks 8
Complete book launch form 2 days 10
Prepare book sales kit 1 wk 8,10
Distribute internal marketing material 2 days 12
Public Launch Phase 10 days 7
Author travel and appearances 2 days
Author radio interview 1 day
Author reading and signing at book fair 1 day 16
Distribute advance copies 2 days
Distribute book sales kit 2 days
Coordinate magazine feature articles 6 days 18
Launch public web portal for book 1 day 20
Launch social media programs for book 1 day 21
Launch Complete 0 days 20,21,22
Assigning resources to tasks
 Assigning work resources to tasks
 On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click Project
Information, and then click Statistics. Note the current
duration of days and zero cost. After you assign work and
cost resources, you’ll check these values again.
 On the Resource tab, in the Assignments group, click Assign
Resources.
 In the Task Name column in the Gantt Chart view, click the
name of task 2, Assign launch team members.
 In the Resource Name column in the Assign Resources dialog
box, click Virat Kohli and Novak Djokovic, and then click
Assign.
Contd…
 Assigning work resources to tasks (contd…)
 In the Task Name column, click the name of task 3, Complete
author questionnaire.
 In the Resource Name column in the Assign Resources dialog
box, click {Another name}, and then click Assign.
 On the View tab, in the Split View group, select the Details
check box. Project splits the window into two panes. In the
upper pane is the Gantt Chart view, and below it is the Task
Form view.
 Click anywhere in the Task Form view and then, on the
Format tab, in the Details group, click Work. The Work
details appear.
 Assign all the resources to different tasks.
Contd…
 Assigning work resources to tasks (contd…)
 You can also use a different means of assigning
resources.
 Click in the Resource Names column for task 9, Plan
author’s travel itinerary, and then click the arrow that
appears.
 In the list of resource names, select the check boxes for
{names}, and then press the Enter key.
Contd…
 Controlling work when adding or removing resource
assignments.
 In the Gantt Chart view, click the name of task 5,
Design and order marketing material. Currently, P V
Sindhu is assigned to this task. A quick check of the
scheduling formula looks like this: 80 hours (the same as
10 days, or two weeks) task duration × 100% of
Sindhu ’s assignment units = 80 hours of work
 On the Resources tab, in the Assignments group, click
Assign Resources.
 In the Resource Name column in the Assign Resources
dialog box, click {another name}, and then click Assign.
Contd…
 Controlling work … (contd…)
 Click the name of task 5, and then click the Actions button
that appears just to the left of the task name. Read the
options carefully and you can use these options to choose
the scheduling result that you want. You can adjust the task’s
duration, the resources’ work, or the assignment units.
 Click the name of task 9, Plan author’s travel itinerary.
Currently, there are 2 work assigned to the task. In the
Resource Name column in the Assign Resources dialog box,
click {any name of the resource}, and then click Remove.
 Click the Actions button that appears just to the left of the
task name. Click Increase duration, but keep the same
amount of work.
Contd…
 Controlling work … (contd…)
 You can also change the default setting for a task such that
as you add resources to the task, its duration is decreased.
 In the Gantt Chart view, click the name of task 10, Channel
Sales prep. Currently, just Kimi Raikkonen is assigned to this
task, and it has a two-week duration.
 In the Task Form, click Effort driven, and then click OK in the
upper-right corner of the Task Form. There is no change to
the duration, units, or work values for this task, but watch
what happens when you assign an additional resource.
 In the Gantt Chart view, click the name of task 10, and then,
in the Assign Resources dialog box, click P V Sindhu, and
then click Assign.
Contd…
 Controlling work … (contd…)
 Thetask 10 duration is reduced from two weeks to one
week. The total work on the task remains 80 hours, but
now it is split evenly between Kimi Raikkonen and P V
Sindhu.
Contd…
 Assigning cost resources to tasks
 Click the name of task 17, Author reading and signing at
book fair. This task requires air travel by the author, and
you allocated $800 in anticipation of this expense.
 In the Resource Name column in the Assign Resources dialog
box, click {any other name}, and then click Assign.
 In the Assign Resources dialog box, select the Cost field for
the Travel cost resource, type 800, and then click Assign.
Project assigns the cost resource to the task.
 To see both assigned resources, scroll up the Resource list in
the Assign Resources dialog box.
Contd…
 Checking the plan’s duration, cost, and work
 On the View tab, in the Split View group, select the
Timeline check box.
 On the View tab, in the Data group, click Tables, and
then click Cost.
 On the Report tab, in the View Reports group, click
Resources and then click Resource Overview
Formatting and sharing the plan
 Customizing a Gantt chart view
 Inthe Task Name column, click the name of task 9.
 On the Task tab, in the Editing group, click Scroll to
Task.
 On the Format tab, in the Gantt Chart Style group, click
More to display the predefined color styles.
 The Gantt Chart styles are divided into two groups:
 Scheduling Styles distinguish between manually and
automatically scheduled tasks.
 Presentation Styles do not make that distinction.
 Under Presentation Styles, click the orange color
scheme.
Contd…
 Customizing a Gantt chart view (contd…)
 In the Task Name column, right-click the name of task 6,
Planning Complete!
 On the Mini Toolbar, click the arrow next to the
Background Color button, and under Standard Colors,
click yellow. On the Mini Toolbar, click the Italic button.
 With the name of task 6 still selected, on the Format
tab, in the Bar Styles group, click Format, and then click
Bar.
 In the Format Bar dialog box, under Start, click the
Shape drop-down list. Click the star symbol, and then
click OK.
Contd…
 Customizing a Gantt chart view (contd…)
 On the Format tab, in the Format group, click Gridlines,
and then click Gridlines.
 Under Lines to change, leave Gantt Rows selected, and
in the Type box under Normal, select the small dashed
line (the third option down), and then click OK. Project
draws dashed lines across the chart portion of the
Gantt Chart view.
Contd…
 Customizing a Timeline view
 Click anywhere in the Timeline view.
 On the Format tab, in the Insert group, click Existing
Tasks. The Add Tasks To Timeline dialog box appears.
This dialog box contains an outline of the summary and
subtasks in the plan.
 Select the boxes for the following task names and click
OK
 Planning Phase
 Planning complete!
 Internal Launch Phase
 Public Launch Phase
 Author travel and appearances
Contd…
 Customizing a Timeline view (contd…)
 In the Timeline view, click the bar for the Author travel
and appearances summary task.
 On the Format tab, in the Current Selection group, click
Display as Callout. Project displays this summary task
as a callout, which for this task has the advantage of
making the full task name visible.
 In the Task Name column in the Gantt chart view, click
the name of task 24, Launch complete!
 On the Task tab, in the Properties group, click Add to
Timeline.
Contd…
 Customizing report
 On the Report tab, in the View Reports group, click
Dashboards and then click Work Overview. The Work
Overview report appears.
 Click anywhere in the Work Stats column chart.

 Under Chart Tools, click the Design tab. Then in the

Chart Styles group, click the chart style with the black
background.
 On the View tab, in the Task Views group, click Gantt
Chart.
Contd…
 Copying views and reports
 In the Task Name column, click the name of task 7.
 On the Task tab, in the Editing group, click Scroll to
Task. The Gantt bars for the summary task and its
subtasks are displayed.
 In the Gantt Chart view, select the names of tasks 7
through 14.
 On the Task tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow
next to Copy, and then click Copy Picture. The Copy
Picture dialog box appears.
 Click OK.
Contd…
 Copying views and reports (contd…)
 Open WordPad and click Paste. WordPad pastes the
graphic image of the Gantt Chart view into the new
document.
 Switch back to Project. Click anywhere in the Timeline view.
 On the Format tab, in the Copy group, click Copy Timeline.
The Copy Timeline options appear.
 Click Full Size. Project copies a graphic image of the
timeline to the Clipboard.
 Switch back to WordPad and then press the Enter key to
add some space below the Gantt chart image.
 In WordPad, on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click
Paste.
Contd…
 Copying views and reports (contd…)
 Switch back to Project.
 Click anywhere in the Timeline view, and then on the
Format tab, in the Show/Hide group, click Detailed
Timeline. Project toggles the Timeline to its less detailed
format.
 On the Report tab, in the View Reports group, click
Dashboards and then click Work Overview. The same
Work Overview report you customized earlier
appears.
 Click anywhere in the Work Overview report and then,
under Report Tools, click the Design tab. In the Report
group, click Copy Report.
Contd…
 Copying views and reports (contd…)
 Switch back to WordPad, and then press the Enter key
to add some space below the Timeline image.
 In WordPad, click Paste.

 Close WordPad without saving the document, and

return to Project.
 On the View tab, in the Task Views group, click Gantt
Chart.
Contd…
 Printing views and reports
 On the File tab, click Print.
 Click the Multiple Pages button.

 Under Settings, on the left side of the Print Preview

window, click Print Entire Project to display additional
printing options.
 Click Print Specific Dates. Notice the two date fields
directly below the Print Specific Dates setting. In the
first date field, project start date should already be
displayed.
 In the To date field, type or select a date.
Contd…
 Printing views and reports
 Click the Back button to close the Backstage view.
 On the Report tab, in the View Reports group, click
Dashboards and then click Work Overview.
 Under Report Tools, click the Design tab, and in the
Page Setup group, click Page Breaks.
 On the File tab, click Print.

 Click the Multiple Pages button

 Click the Back button to close the Backstage view.

Tracking Progress
 Saving a baseline of the plan
 On the Project tab, in the Schedule group, click Set
Baseline, and then click Set Baseline. The Set Baseline
dialog box appears. Click OK. Project saves the
baseline, even though there’s no indication in the Gantt
Chart view that anything has changed. You will now see
some of the changes caused by saving the baseline.
 On the Task tab, in the View group click the down
arrow below Gantt Chart, and then click Task Sheet.
 On the View tab, in the Data group, click Tables. In the
listed tables, note the check mark next to Entry. This
means that the Entry table is currently displayed in the
Task Sheet view.
Contd…
 Saving a baseline of the plan (contd…)
 Click Variance. Because no actual work has occurred
yet and no changes to the scheduled work have been
made, the values in the Start and Baseline Start fields
are identical, as are the values in the Finish and
Baseline Finish fields. After actual work is recorded or
later schedule adjustments are made, the scheduled
start and finish values might differ from the baseline
values. You would then see the differences displayed in
the variance columns.
 On the View tab, in the Task Views group, click Gantt
Chart.
Contd…
 Tracking a plan as scheduled through a specific
date
 On the Project tab, in the Status group, click Update
Project.
 Make sure the Update work as complete through option
is selected. In the adjacent date box, type or select
today’s date.
 Click OK.
Contd…
 Entering a task’s completion percentage
 In the Task Name column, select the name of task 5, Design
and order marketing material.
 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click 100%
Complete. Project records the actual work for the task as
scheduled and extends a progress bar through the length of
the Gantt bar.
 In the Task Name column, select the name of task 6, Planning
complete!, and while holding down the Ctrl key, select the
name of task 8, Kickoff book launch meeting.
 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click 100%
Complete.
Contd…
 Entering a task’s completion percentage (contd…)
 Click the name of task 9.
 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click 50%
Complete.
 In the chart portion (on the right) in the Gantt Chart
view, hold the mouse pointer over the progress bar in
task 9’s Gantt bar. When the mouse pointer changes to
a percent symbol and right arrow, a Progress ScreenTip
appears.
Contd…
 Entering actual values for tasks
 On the View tab, in the Data group, click Tables and
then click Work. The Work table appears.
 In the Actual field for task 9, type or select 48, and
then press Enter.
 In the Task Name column, click task 10.

 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click the down

arrow to the right of the Mark on Track button, and
then click Update Tasks.
 In the Start field in the Actual group on the left side of
the dialog box, type or select completion date.
Contd…
 Entering actual values for tasks (contd…)
 In the Actual duration field, type or select 2w. Click OK.
 In the Task Name column, click task 11.

 On the Task tab, in the Schedule group, click the down

arrow to the right of the Mark on Track button, and
then click Update Tasks. The Update Tasks dialog box
appears.
 In the Actual duration field, type 16hrs, and then click
OK.