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Introduction to Microsoft Project

Overview / who should attend and why?

Designed for a user who would like to learn how to create a basic project schedule with tasks and task relationships.

No previous experience of using Microsoft Project is required for this course, however it is assumed you have basic PC fundamentals and are used to using other programmes within the Microsoft Windows environment.

Course Objectives

This course is to introduce a user to the basic functions of Microsoft Project.

Course Content

Getting started

• What is project management?
• Defining the goals and requirements of a project
• Identifying potential problems in a project schedule and potential opportunities for reducing costs
• Tracking the progress of a project
• Resolving resource over-allocation problems
• Reporting the progress of a project
• Evaluating a completed project; what is Microsoft Project?
• Starting Microsoft Project; the Microsoft Project application window
• Working with Microsoft Project menus
• Changing the project view; resetting the working folder
• Displaying help information; exiting from Microsoft Project

Building a simple project

• Entering a new project start date; creating a project schedule
• Entering a milestone; inserting and deleting tasks
• Reordering a task list; saving a project/closing a project file

Developing a project plan

• Outlining a task list; types of task relationships
• Linking tasks in a finish-to-start relationship
• Changing the time-scale of a Gantt chart
• Linking tasks in a finish-to-finish relationship
• Adding lag time between tasks; adding lead time between tasks
• Using work breakdown structure codes
• Creating a network diagram
• The resource sheet; allocating resources to tasks
• Revising resource information
• Assigning additional units of a resource to a task
• Adding new resources to the resource sheet; assigning new resources
• Contouring a resource assignment; revising the project calendar
• Creating new calendars for resources
• Creating and applying a task calendar
• Working with cost rate tables
• Identifying the critical path of a project and slack time in a project schedule
• Assigning a constraint or deadline to a task
• Defining a fixed-duration task
• Additional project planning topics

Sharing data with other applications

• Copying a Microsoft Project view into a Microsoft Word document
• Exporting Microsoft Project sheet entries into a Microsoft Excel worksheet
• Importing Microsoft Excel worksheet entries into Microsoft Project

Benefits for attendee

A good basic knowledge of Microsoft Project which will enable you to:

• Start and exit from Microsoft Project
• Open and close a project file
• Change the project view
• Enter task names and durations into a task list
• Outline a task list
• Link and unlink tasks
• Allocate resources to tasks
• Work with data in other programmes

Costs / Duration and Location

• The cost of this training course is £320 + VAT
• The duration is 1 day
• Various dates and locations throughout the UK, contact us for further informatio