Microsoft Project

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Microsoft Project

• Working with Resources
• Managing a Project

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MS Project Basics

• Database with three basic tables
• Task table
• Resource table
• Resource assignment table

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Assigning Resources

• Each task within a project needs to be assigned
  all resources necessary to complete the task
• Be consistent and accurate in naming resources
• A schedule is developed using the resource
  calendar with a project time estimate that
  includes resource limitations.
• Provides ability to tracking project costs.

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Work

• WORK is the amount of effort required by the
  resource to complete the task (e.g., 60 hours to
  paint)
• UNITS is the quantity of the resource assigned to
  the task (e.g., if units assigned to the task is
  100, then 1 full-time painter is assigned)

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Calculations

• If the duration of a task is estimated before a
  resource is assigned, Project uses the estimated
  duration of the task to calculate the amount of
  work that is required to perform the task
• Calculating Work
• DURATION X UNITS WORK
• Calculating Duration
• WORK / UNITS DURATION

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Ways to Assign Resources

• Assign Resource Tool
• Task Information
• Select more than one resource at a time with the
  ctrl key
• Select more than one task at a time with ctrl key

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Resource Costs

• Project budgets and analyze costs
• Resource costs
• Example hourly wage
• Prorated by hour
• Accrued at end or start of the task
• Costs tab in Resource Info box
• Fixed costs
• Task itself has cost associated with it
• Not time dependent
• Example contract
• Per-Use Cost - example one-time delivery fee

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Assigning Cost Rate Tables

• Resources may work at different rates
• Up to 5 different cost rates
• Resource Sheet view
• Double click resource
• Costs tab (tabs A-E)
• Change the assigned cost rate table in the
  Assignment Info box (in Task Usage view)

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Calendars

• Determine when resources are available to work
• Base calendars
• Define working days/hours for a project or set of
  resources
• DefaultStandard, other calendars24hour, Night
  Shift
• Resource calendar
• Define working days/hours for a specific resource

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Creating a New Base Calendar

• Do not create a new base calendar for just one
  resource
• Copy base calendar
• Tools menu - Change Working Time
• Click New - give it a new name, Example Dupont
  Schedule (make sure Make a copy of standard
  calendar option is selected)

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Modifying and Assigning Base Calendar

• Tools - Change Working Time - Edit
• To change calendar for certain days of the week
  (example all Tuesdays), select Tuesday heading
  and change To and From boxes
• In Resource Sheet view, double click resource
  name (Resource Info box appears)
• Base calendar - click down arrow to change

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Edit Resource Calendar

• Resource Info box
• Working time tab
• Scroll to month and year to edit
• Select day or days to edit - example nonworking
  option

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Be Careful Not to Over Allocate Resources
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Scheduling Methods

• Adjustments to project assignments and scope will
  be needed as projects progress
• How a task reacts to the addition and removal of
  resources scheduling methods
• Effort-Driven
• Non Effort-Driven

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Effort-Driven Scheduling

• The amount of work required remains constant and
  the duration varies as the number of resources
  assigned to complete the task is changed.
• Extends or shortens duration of a task to
  accommodate changes to resources
• Only affects new resources
• Effort driven calculations will apply only after
  the first resource is assigned to that task.
• Default Effort-driven
• To change Double click on task - advanced tab -
  deselect effort-driven

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More Work

• Work amount of effort (number of hours) a
  resource puts into a task
• Example Task Z
• If two units of resource A are initially assigned
  to task Z, the total work will be 16 hours
• As resources are added or removed, the total work
  is redistributed. For example, if resource B is
  assigned to task Z, the work remains the same so
  resource B works 5.33 hours and both units of
  resource A work 5.33 hours

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Task Types

• Need to be in Task Entry View to change
• Fixed Unit - resources added, duration affected
• Default
• Can designate effort-driven/non-effort driven
• Fixed Duration - resources added, duration same
• Change with task type down arrow
• Can designate effort-driven/non-effort driven
• Fixed Work - resources added, work remains same
• Must be effort-driven

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Non-Effort Driven

• DURATION (a constant) X UNITS (variable) WORK

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Over-Allocation

• A resource is OVER-ALLOCATED if the resource is
  assigned to complete more work than the resource
  can accomplish in a given time period. Usually
  occurs because of overlapping tasks assigned to
  work on two tasks at the same time with 100
  units. Over-allocated resources are shown in red
  and with a symbol in the Resource Usage sheet.
  The over-allocation symbol will provide a note
  that explains how the resource over-allocation
  should be handled.

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Resolving

• Add resources
• Partial assignments
• Overtime
• Replace resources
• Adjust the relationship (dependency links)
• Computer resolution (leveling), Tools menu -
  Resource Leveling

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Establishing a Baseline

• Make sure the resource and base calendars are
  correct.
• Review the task list for completeness.
• Review all task constraints for accuracy.
• Review dependency links for accuracy.
• Resolve resource overallocation.
• Compare the project deadline with the calculated
  project finish date.
• Review budget and compare to calculated budget.
• Find critical path to determine opportunities to
  shorten the duration of the project or to reduce
  costs.

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Scheduling Task Constraints

• Flexible constraints not tied to a specific
  date (preferred)
• Inflexible constraints tied to a specific date
• All tasks are assigned a constraint. If a project
  is scheduled from a start date, a task is entered
  with a default constraint of as soon as possible

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Flexible Constraint Types

• ASAP - as soon as possible
• ALAP - as late as possible
• FNET - finish no earlier than
• SNET - start no earlier than
• FNLT - finish no later than
• SNLT - start no later than

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Tracking Project Progress

• Gathering and entering task information into the
  schedule
• Tracking toolbar - helpful
• Three types of dates stored for each task
• Baseline - originally planned dates (do not
  change)
• Scheduled (current) - have not started/in
  progress
• Actual - in progress/completed, do not change
  once the task has been tracked

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Actual Data in Project

• Project calculates actual data based on what info
  is entered for a task (5 ways to enter)
• Actual start and finish dates
• Percentage complete
• Actual duration and remaining duration
• Actual and remaining work
• Actual and remaining cost

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Entering Actual Data

• Select task, Tools menu - Tracking - Update Tasks
• Double click task (Task Information box)
• Change actual finish date/remaining and actual
  duration/percentage complete
• To change actual work - use Task Usage view,
  Format menu - Details - Actual Work
• Change Actual work on Task Usage view

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Splitting Tasks

• Interrupt work and resume at a later point in the
  schedule
• Tasks can be split many times
• To Split
• Gantt Chart view
• Select task, on toolbar click Split Tasks button
• Click and drag mouse pointer to resume date

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Updating Remainder of a Project

• Tasks updated from 0 complete to 100 complete
• Tools menu - Tracking - Update Project
• Update Work as Complete Through option
• Select date and Entire Project

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Filters

• Can be used to focus on specific tasks or
  resources in a project
• Displays only those tasks or resources that meet
  the filter criteria
• Applying a filter does not change any project
  data, only the display
• Project menu - Filtered For - choose what you
  want to filter for
• Formatting toolbar - Filter down arrow

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AutoFilter

• Quick way to find information in a field
• Arrows appear on each column heading to the right
  of the column name
• All - removes any filter criteria
• Custom - filters a column by more than one
  criterion or applies operators

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Creating Custom Filters

• If a predefined filter does not meet specific
  criteria, a custom filter can be created
• Can have a single criterion or multiple criteria
  (using operators AND/OR)
• Project menu - Filtered For - More Filters -
  click New. Filter Dialog box opens
• Hint to find all tasks that start on or after
  4/21/82, syntax should be gt4/21/82

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Sorting Tasks And Resources

• Sorting creates an alternate display order of
  tasks or resources based on a specified field
• Ascending (low to high) or Descending (high to
  low) order
• Project menu - Sort - Sort by - choose key to
  sort with
• Default sort order is ascending (lowest to
  highest) by ID number

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Key Concepts

• Resource
• Work
• Base calendar
• Effort-driven scheduling
• Sorting and filtering a project
• Splitting tasks
• Customizing reports, tables, views

Project