3. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
defines the project
› Scope (the project deliverables),
› Tasks (what has to be done to produce
the project deliverables) and
› Work Packages (the lowest level of
work effort needed to complete the
tasks).”
IN MS Project, this is the Task list
4. The WBS must be
consistent
task oriented
contain nouns as identifiable task descriptions
tasks should be decomposed to a level of controllable items
contain discrete work elements
defined so that each work package can be accomplished
independently
Do not include nice to have‟s.
The task name must be a clear requirement.
5.
6. Enter all the tasks you can think of
They can be out of order – click and
drag to rearrange
As detailed as possible
Deliverables
To address complexity
› Use subtasks
7. 1. Begin entering a list of tasks. The order in which you
enter them is not important at this time. Enter tasks
such as ‟wall knock down, dry wall, paint, electrical
wiring, lighting, blinds, moving furniture, floor‟ as you
think of them.
2. If you wish to change the order of your tasks, click and
drag.
3. If you wish to insert a task above another task, right
click on the row above and choose insert. You should
be able to view a reasonably logical order when you
have completed the information entry.
4. To delete a task, select the row and press the Delete
key or choose Edit / Delete task or right click and
choose delete task
8. 1. To identify a task as a subtask of the one
above, click on it, then click on the
indent Icon. In the diagram shown, the
design related tasks are highlighted and
the indent button has been depressed.
2. Re-order tasks by selecting the task and
moving the cursor to the edge of the
task until a white arrow appears and
dragging to the appropriate line.
3. Group the tasks in logical groupings
such as Plumbing, Electrical, Structural,
and order these tasks. Give them titles
(outlining) and promote or demote with
the indent buttons.
9. create summary tasks and sub
tasks
Painting
› buy paint,
› tape-up windows and doors,
› wash walls,
› prime,
› dry,
› paint,
› dry,
› finish,
› dry and of course,
› everyone‟s favourite clean up
10. Refine the renovation plan with tasks
and subtasks
Specify durations of subtasks
11. capture information that does not
belong on the plan but is pertinent to
your project.
For instance, if you schedule a meeting
you can create a reminder note or a list
of attendees.
12.
13. Time Abbr. Example
minutes m 15m -> 15 working minutes
hours h 15h -> 15 working hours
days d 15d -> 15 working days
weeks w 15w -> 15 working weeks
elapsed minutes em 15em -> 15 consecutive elapsed minutes
elapsed hours eh 15eh -> 15 consecutive elapsed hours
elapsed days ed 15ed -> 15 consecutive elapsed days
elapsed weeks ew 15ew -> 15 consecutive elapsed weeks
14. Effort hours
Working Time
Elapsed Time
Availability
Contiguous Duration
Interruptible Duration
Productivity
15. Task that will start on a specific date
Finish date can also be specified
CONSTRAINT
Date becomes fixed
16. 1. For each task, specify duration. Specify
6h for painting and 24eh for drying
paint.
2. Adjust the order of the tasks and specify
predecessors such as Tiling comes
before grouting.
3. Type in the desired starting date for
each task. The Gantt Chart to the right
will estimate a finish date.
4. Editing a Task – to edit any cell in on
your task sheet, just click and type over
the original info.
18. Adjust the order of the tasks by moving them (for example
Tiling comes before grouting).
To specify Predecessors, click on a series of tasks that are in
the right order such as studs, drywall, taping and click on the
chain icon to link.
Widen the left part of the task pane by clicking and dragging
the window split (vertical). Notice that another column
appears for predecessors.
Specify the predecessor by filling in the task number. (on the
far left).
19. where the first must be finished
Finish to Start
(FS), before the next begins.
where 2 tasks must start at the same
Start to Start (SS),
time.
Finish to Finish where 2 tasks must end at the same
(FF), time.
where the start of the first is linked to
Start to Finish the completion of the second (with a
(SF) ,
lag time specified as well.
20. 1. Modify the dates and duration of a task by clicking
and dragging in the Gantt chart.
2. Add a new task such as install new window by
clicking on Insert / New Task. Give it a 3 day
duration.
3. Create links between tasks. Choose a task such as
painting by clicking on it and link it (FS) to drywall by
holding down the CTRL key and clicking on drywall,
then clicking on the link icon (chain).
4. Link a successor task to a predecessor by filling in the
information in the predecessor column (in the
successor row). Fill in the row number of the
predecessor and specify the type of link (FS, SS, SF,
FF).
5. Delete a link by clicking on a successor item and
clicking on the broken chain icon.
21.
22. 1. In the predecessor column of the drywall item,
specify that it must be 50% complete before
electrical work begins.
2. Add a 3 day lag time for any FS items because your
dry wallers are slow and unreliable. Add a lag time
for anything involving Air Canada, baggage or
Canada Post.
3. Specify the dates that you have hired contractors
for by including MSO as the constraint type for one
or two. Specify SNLT for one other and FNLT for
another. To insert constraints, right click on a task
and click Task Information or use the Insert menu.
Click on the advanced tab. Specify constraint type
and date. Click OK
23. 1. Add drying times for taping, primer, paint, grout by using the FS and
adding a lag of the drying time.
2. Add a new task such as organize meeting and
3. install new window by clicking on Insert / New Task. Give it a 3 day
duration.
4. Create links between tasks. Choose a task such as painting by
clicking on it and link it (FS) to drywall by holding down the CTRL key
and clicking on drywall, then clicking on the link icon (chain).
5. Link a successor task to a predecessor by filling in the information in
the predecessor column (in the successor row). Fill in the row number
of the predecessor and specify the type of link (FS, SS, SF, FF).
6. Delete a link by clicking on a successor item and clicking on the
broken chain icon.
25. right-click on the timescale dates on the right top
part of the Gantt Chart. Timescale is one option.
26.
27. Tools / Change Working Time
Custom Calendar:
New
Change default time to weeks:
› Tools / Options / Schedule
28.
29. On the right hand side of the screen, Right Click
on the days or months headings of the Gantt
Chart.
Alternately, select Format / Timescale.
The timescale option window appears. Specify
2 or 3 tier scales. Specify units for each of the
tiers (weeks or months.
30. Mark progress with Milestones
› Contract signed
› Plan complete
› In a renovation for example, a milestone may be hiring
all the contractors. In a house construction, a
milestone may be getting the
duration as 0 days
symbol indicates a milestone.
You may also create a milestone from a task on the WBS
list by double clicking on it, in the window that
appears, clicking on the Advanced tab, and checking off
the milestone option at the bottom.
add a column for milestone field onto your task page. In
the duration column, right click and choose Insert /
Column
31. 1. At the bottom of your WBS or task list, enter the
names of 4 milestones for this project.
2. Choose Insert / Column and select Milestone for
the field name.
3. In the Milestone column, specify yes for each of
the 4 milestones you decided on.
4. Click and drag the milestones to their appropriate
locations in the task list.
5. Change the „all tasks „ to milestones in the
standard toolbar to view milestone roll up. This is
great for presenting to clients.
32. 1. Add a note to describe the paint colours for the painting task.
Double click on the paint task and choose Insert Task Notes.
2. Add a column to the task view to show percentage complete.
3. Click on the Finish date column and choose Insert / Column.
4. You can choose “% Complete” or “% Work Complete” or
“Physical % Complete” It is best to use % complete
5. Insert 3 milestones: demolition complete, rough work
done, contractors gone. Specify durations of 0d.
6. View the properties of the project by clicking on File / Properties
and the Custom tab.
7. Modify the working times to reflect 2 weekends where you will
be working on the renovation. Also include at least one 16 hour
day. Choose Tools / Change Working Time. (This is a bad
idea, but we suggest it as an exercise.)
33. Create a task by clicking and dragging in
the Gantt Chart
Link by selecting the bars and holding the
CTRL key
34. Exercise: Recurring Tasks (MSP 6 a few other things)
Click on an empty row at the bottom of your task list.
Select the Insert Drop down menu and Recurring Task.
Specify a Monday Morning project update meeting, to occur
weekly during the project. Expect the time for the meeting to be 2
hours.
36. right click on the column heading and choose
Hide Column
To delete a column, select the column and hit the
delete key on your keyboard.
Note that the column information is still available
even if the column is not visible. You are not
deleting the data.
37.
38.
39. Pictorial to verify
› Links
› Starting points
› End points
Relationships
Mandatory
Procedural
Resource Based
VIEW / Network Diagram
40. Change the view to Network Diagram.
View / Network Diagram.
Identify any items that are independent
and not linked to any other.
Identify 3 items in the critical path (red)
41. The Critical path is the flow of tasks, of which,
a delay in any one of these tasks will cause
a delay to the project.
It is the longest path through the project
network diagram and the shortest possible
time to complete the project.
42. 1. Click on the wizard (magic wand) and reformat your Gantt Chart
to show the critical path.
2. Undo, then Choose Format / Text Styles.
3. In the window that appears, change All to Critical Tasks.
4. Select an alternate font style for those tasks.
5. To view only tasks on the critical path, in the formatting toolbar, as
shown below, where it normally says ALL Tasks, click on the down
arrow and choose critical.
› This is a very useful tool on the resource sheet to view only the critical resources.
6. Change the slack for Critical Task Identification to 2 days (Tools /
Options / Calculation … Note the new items on the critical path.
7. Change the table to schedule view (View / Table -> / Schedule).
› Note the critical items have 0 slack.
43. Must Start On
Must Finish On
As Soon as Possible
As Late as Possible
Finish no earlier than
Start no earlier than
Finish no later than
Start no later than
44. 1. To insert constraints, right click on a task
and click Task Information or double click
on task.
2. Click on the advanced tab.
3. Specify constraint type and date. Click
OK.
45. Dates are noted
Tasks are not constrained
Task relationships are maintained
Advanced TAB
46. Tasks completed on specific dates
Tasks of fixed length
Views / more Views / Task Entry – Task
Type
47. Labour
Materials
Equipment
Any dependencies for completion of
task
Productivity
Competence level
Cost
48.
49. Standard Rate Column
Overtime Rate Column
Cost Per Use
Accrued
› Start
› Prorated
› End
Fixed Costs
50. 1. Create a list of resources that you will need to complete this
renovation.
2. When you have completed the Sheet, click on View / Gantt
Chart and return to your task list.
3. Assign each of these tasks to the appropriate contractor or
yourself. (Use outside contractors for at least some of the
work.)
4. Specify yourself as a resource and for each task, include some
hours for yourself, to supervise and check on work. Include
some hours for yourself to phone and get estimates and make
arrangements.
51. To add notes to a resource, click in the
cell naming the resource on the resource
sheet. Double click and select the Notes
tab. You can also use the attach note
icon in the toolbar.
52. When a resource‟s real work schedule is
different from that of the base calendar
53. 1. For each resource that has
limited availability or more
availability than the base
calendar that you are using,
adjust the resource calendar.
2. In the resource sheet, select the
most appropriate Base
Calendar for the resource.
3. To fine-tune availability, choose
Tools / Change Working Time.
Modify the availability of each
resource in the window that
appears.
4. Click on the date that you
wish to adjust and specify
non-working if not
available, default if it matches
the base calendar for this
resource and working but
adjust the hours for
exceptions.
5. Add notes to 3 resources.
54. 1. On the Gantt Chart
1. To switch to the task sheet, choose View / Gantt Chart.
2. Type in the resource name in the column left of Predecessors.
2. Using the Assign Resources Window.
1. Click on the Assign Resources Icon (2 heads).
2. Click on a task.
3. Click on the names of the resource and choose assign.
4. Assign a Cost type resource to a task and enter the actual cost
amount, such as Permits, $300.
3. Using the Resource Management Toolbar
1. Turn on the Resource Management Toolbar and click on the Task
Entry View (splits the window).
2. In the lower portion of the view, enter the resources.
3. Assign a material to a task and enter the amount of the material in
the work column and click OK. Note how cost is calculated on
units of material used.
55.
56. 1. Assign resources to the tasks in the task sheet. First, open the Task
sheet view and type in the name of one of the resources.
2. Click on another task and click the resource assignment icon. Assign
resources to this task.
3. Click on another task and choose Insert / Resource Assignment.
Assign resources to this task.
4. Right-click on the next task and choose Task Information and click
on the Resources tab and specify resources for this task.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 until all tasks have resources assigned to them.
6. In the Text entry area in the bottom portion of the task view, you can
view resource assignments. The delay column allows you to delay
the start of work from first availability. If you have more than one
resource assigned to a task, the second can start later (to check on
work) or because they get out of bed late. Specify a delay for one
or more resources.
7. Fix the duration of at least one item in your project by specifying
fixed Duration in the Task type option of the advanced tab in the
task information window.
8. Delete a resource from a task.
9. Delete a resource from the project.
57.
58. 1. Right Click beside the Help drop down menu and activate
the Resource Management Toolbar.
2. Click the Go To Next Over allocation icon on the resource
management toolbar. Project selects the task where you
have an over allocated resource.
3. Another way of discovering an over allocated resource is to
choose View/ Resource Usage. Over allocated resources
are displayed in bold red.
4. To create a report on over allocated resources, Choose
Report / Reports . Then select Assignments and Over
allocated Resources
59. 1. Change to the Resource sheet, Resource
Usage, or Resource allocation views.
2. Select the resource name .
3. Choose Tools > Level Resources
› If you choose automatic leveling, MS Project will
automatically level the schedule each time you change a
task or resource assignment.
› Level only within Slack option means that you cannot
change the finish date of the project.
60. Architecture.mpp exercise
› Vini the architect is assigned to 3 of these projects.
› Open Architecture.mpp file and note the finish date of the
project
› Assign Vini to all the tasks
› Record the current finish date of the project.
› Turn on automatic levelling and level the project. Note
the new finish date.
› Save the file as Architecture 1 and save again as
architecture 2.
› Start a new project Architecture 1 and 2 in it. Note the
new finish dates.
Bathroom Start Exercise
MSP 13 Overallocations exercise
61. Finish Date – no slack
Does it make physical sense? - Predecessors and
links must be tightly defined.
62. To remove leveling, select a Task view.
To remove leveling from one task, select the task.
To select more than one task, hold down the CTRL
key and click. Choose Tools / Resource Leveling
and Clear.
63. In the Resource Allocation view, click the resource
name.
In the lower pane, you will see all Tasks assigned to
this resource
You can change a task‟s start date to correct the
over allocation.
64. 1. In the Resource allocation view, click the resource
name.
2. In the lower pane, click the task name.
3. In the Resource Name Area, select another Resource
by clicking on the overbooked resource name and the
down arrow beside it and selecting another.
Another way
› where a person cannot work full time on your
project
› In the Resource sheet, adjust the percentage units
available.
65.
66. 1. Determine whether any of your resources are over-
allocated in your project. If not, move some start dates
so that at least one is.
2. Perform automatic leveling.
1. Change the view to a Resource Sheet and choose Tools / Level
Resources.
2. Select options and choose Level Now.
3. Change a second start date to cause overallocation.
1. Perform manual adjustments by giving the over allocated
resource some overtime.
4. Change the availability of a resource from 1 Unit to .5
(1/2 and day).
1. Open the resource sheets and note the overbooking.
2. Adjust this person‟s overbooking manually by reassigning tasks.
5. Adjust the units available for a critical task (increase by
one).
68. Duration
of a Task,
Hours of
Resources Work
required
To view the peak units required, click on the Resource Graph
and right click and change the view to Peak Units. You may
also view the Peak Units in the Resource Usage View.
69. Display units as percentage or person or crew
Tools / Options / Schedule
Graphs available on Assign Resources Window
On Resource Usage Sheet , Right click and add
Peak Units to Display
On Resource Graph, Right click and add Peak Units
to display
70. Resource Usage View
Insert Column: Overtime
Overtime will change scheduling, not total
hours of work.
71.
72. Assign costs with Assign Resources
window (people) and enter value
73.
74. 1. Open Simple Project 1.
2. Note the Project start and end dates
3. Go to resource sheet and add resources –
Designer, Engineer, Subcontractor
4. Assign Designer to Plan tasks, Engineer to Site Prep tasks
and Subcontractor to build tasks.
5. Level the project
6. Note the changes in project end date.
75. to use a plan over again
Transfer project management
experience to the next project.
› share Task Sheets,
› Share Resource sheets
76. 1. Start a brand new project
2. Enter the Calendars and working hours and holidays
3. On the resource sheet, type out your typical company resources
4. Add in notes and other information for the resources
5. Save as my first resource sheet – save as a template.
› Note that this template is saved in a separate folder.
6. Close out of project completely and restart MS Project and choose File /
New… and choose Templates on Computer and open the resource sheet
that you just saved.
You are ready to enter your project scope…
77. 1. Save the simple project and call it Toronto Waterfront.
2. Save it again and call it Grand River Project.
3. Save it again and call it Arnprior development. Close.
4. Open a new blank project called parks and and create 2tasks in it
and save that as well.
5. Choose Insert / Project and insert the Arnprior, Grand River and Toronto
Waterfront Projects.
6. Double click on the Waterfront project and the Inserted Project
Information window will appear.
7. In the advanced tab, note that link to project is checked.
8. If you do not wish to have the master plan change the sub plans, click
on read only here.
78. Create links between projects that are in your master project.
› Click on one task. Click on Successor. Click on Chain Icon in toolbar to
link.
1. Link Project Subtasks by clicking on one task in one project, holding
the CTRL key, linking on a task in a second project and clicking the
chain icon.
2. Save and close all projects.
3. Reopen one of the projects that you just linked. Note that the link
appears as a grey task that you cannot edit. If you open the task,
the other file opens.
79.
80. In a new file, create a new project for a living
room renovation (tasks).
In a second file, create a landscaping project
definition (tasks).
Define a third project, kitchen reno (tasks).
Create a fourth Master Project and define a
resource pool.
Import the 3 projects into the master.
(page 41)
81. 1. Where you need to work with several project files on a regular
basis, create a workspace.
2. Open all the project files that you want to include in a workspace.
3. Arrange the files on the screen.
4. Click file and save workspace. Select the folder where you wish to
save
82.
83. In your project, use resources from
another project: click on
› Tools / Resource Sharing / Share
Resources
1. Open a new file and enter 2 resources and save as New Resources.
2. Open simple project 1 and Save as Park A. Choose Tools / Resource
Sharing / Share Resources and choose use resources and specify New
Resources.
3. Assign Resources. Save.
4. Save as Park B. Change a resource assignment or 2.
5. Save as Park C. Change a resource assignment or 2.
6. Close and Save all.
7. Re – open New Resources. A window appears and gives you 3 choices.
For this example, we choose choice 3, read write and see all.
8. Note that another file has opened: Project 1 and it contains Park A, B, and
C.
9. If you level this, it will level all resources across 3 projects. Change
anything and you change the original.
84. Reports / Reports / Assignments
› Who does What
› Who Does What When
› To Do List
Workload : Resource Usage
85. Program Evaluation and Review
Technique
multipoint estimating technique
Single point estimates limitation :
variance and risk
Estimate = ( optimistic + (4 x most likely ) +
pessimistic )
6
86. 1. Choose View / More Views
2. Select PA_Pert Entry Sheet and choose Apply.
3. Enter your optimistic, expected and pessimistic estimates
4. On the Pert Analysis Toolbar, click the calculator icon to calculate the
Optimistic , Expected and Pessimistic Start and Finish.
5. The other icons allow you to view the Expected, Optimistic and
Pessimistic Gantt Charts.
6. To view the end dates , on the Tools menu, click Options. Click the
View tab, and then select the Show project summary task check box.
7. To change the weights of each of the durations, click on Set PERT
weights
87. Reserve is money or time provided to address cost,
schedule or performance risk.
The estimated time and resources required for
completion are just that, estimates.
The PERT method provides us with risk information.
The reserve addresses the risk.
88. The Baseline records the approved plan
for future comparison
Everyonehas bought in / signed off
and then what happens
› Scope
› Date
› Resource
89. The Baseline records the approved plan
for future comparison
Now you have a document you can
refer to – project success or failure
can be measured against.
Can create multiple baselines to
compare approved and agreed
upon changes.
90. The Baseline records the approved plan
for future comparison - Now you have
a document you can refer to – project
success or failure can be measured
against.
Aspects
› technical baseline (tasks)
› baseline budget (costs)
› baseline schedule (time)
91. choose Tools / Tracking. Click Set Baseline.
› To save the baseline for the entire project, ensure that that
option is selected. If you wish only selected tasks, then
choose that option.
To view :View / Gantt chart. Choose Table / More
Tables and Baseline.
› A baseline column will appear in your task sheet. It will
show Baseline duration, start, finish, work and cost. To the
left, baseline will appear in contrast to the Gantt chart
drawing.
92. 1. To create a baseline, choose Tools / Tracking. Click Set Baseline.
2. To save the baseline for the entire project, ensure that that option is
selected. If you wish only selected tasks, then choose that option.
3. Select View / Gantt chart. Start the Gantt Chart Wizard (from the
icon on the left of the Standard Toolbar) and select baseline as the
type of Gantt chart. The baseline appears as a second line in
contrast to the Gantt chart bars.
4. Choose Table / More Tables and Baseline. A baseline column will
appear in your task sheet. It will show Baseline
duration, start, finish, work and cost.
5. Project plans change. Project scope has a tendency to grow.
Resources undergo modification. For comparison against continued
project progress., it is possible to save up to 10 sets of Baseline data.
6. As the project progresses, you may wish to save another baseline.
Click on Tools / Tracking / Set Baseline Set Baseline, choose
Baseline 1 or 2 and so on. You can save up to 10 additional
baselines
93. Baseline Cost = (Work * Standard Rate) +
(Overtime Work * Overtime Rate) +
Resource Per Use Cost + Task Fixed Cost
94. Baseline Cost = (Work * Standard Rate) +
(Overtime Work * Overtime Rate) + Per
Use Cost
95.
96. The Change Management The Change Management
Process Document Contains:
› Identify ( and submit to › Who
management ) the change › What
request › When
› Assess impact › Impact
› Get customer approval › Authorization
› Inform stakeholders
› Implement and document
› Distribute new plan
› Start the work
97. Duration
Work
Assignment Units
Controlling Changes
› Duration, work and units are tied, so when you
change one value, the others might change as
well
98.
99. 1. Percent of Work Complete
2. Actual Work Done and Work Remaining
3. Entering the hours of work done per time period
Pg 64…
100.
101.
102. 1. Change the view to the Tracking Gantt: choose View /
Tracking Gantt.
2. On the right side of the screen, note how the percentage
complete is shown. You can revise the actual %complete
number in the column to the left or click and drag over the bars
to indicate level of completion.
3. If %complete is not one of the columns shown, right click on the
column headings and select Insert Column and in the window
that appears select %complete for field name.
4. Fill in 3 items at 100%, 3 at 75%, 3 at 50% and 3 at 25% complete.
5. Select tasks and use the Tracking Toolbar to update.
6. Add a progress line.
7. Select 3 items and click on the Update as scheduled icon.
8. Click on project statistics.
9. Add a reminder.
103.
104. What is driving a task:
predecessor, successor, resource
availability?
Exercise:
› Turn on the task driver option and go through
your task list.
› Determine one task that is constrained by both
resource availability and predecessors,
› one that is constrained just by predecessors,
› and one that is constrained just by a resource.
105.
106. Task by Task
Group or quick updates
Updating a range of tasks by Date
107. On the resource usage view
Right click to add actual work
Enter actual work values
108. Tracking toolbar
Anything that was scheduled for a
previous date, not done, rescheduled to
today
Anything dependant on that task will be
rescheduled to follow as per links and
constraints
109. 3 week or one month look ahead report.
select Report / Reports / Current Activities /
Tasks Starting Soon
110. Calendar - Tools / Change Working Time
Report / Reports / Overview / Working
Days
114. 1. Open up a simple project :MSP 13 Overallocation
2. Link „New Window‟ Task to occur after studs are in.
3. Add in New Doors task after drywall and link
1. Duration is 2 days and assign General Labour to this task.
4. Remove second coat of paint and finishing.
5. Save this file as junk.
6. Turn on the Comparison Toolbar and run a
comparison
7. How many items are unique to 1 and 2?
8. How many items are changed? Unchanged?
119. Creating a table, or View
Available Task Tables
Available Resource Tables
Filtering
Sorting Information
120.
121. The toolbar and guide
Please turn on the guide and go through
a simple project from start to end using
the guide.
122. 1. We are a new Architectureal Firm 1. The duration of each item is 1 to 5
specializing in Parks days. Change Item 3 duration to 2
2. Create a Resource sheet with 2 hours. Add a lag between 3 and 4
architects, James and Greg, and a of 3 elapsed weeks.
case of beer ($43.25) 2. Save this as Niagra Park (start 3
3. Save this resource sheet as „ My days from today). Save again as
resource sheet‟ London Park (and start 3 days
4. Create a project called template later). Save again as Stittsville Park
called Park Template, with 4 tasks: (start on today).
1. Design 3. Add a constraint for the customer
2. Budget sign off as a date: March 15th (the
3. Customer Sign- Off only date that they can come in)
4. Build 4. Add in a document in the
5. Link 1, 2 start at the same time and customer sign off task that will be
must be completed before 3. the contract
5. Assign Resources from the pool
6. Level
7. Save the Baseline.
123. 1. In Stittsville, add a Task: Grand 1. Compare Stittsville and Niagara using
Opening. the compare projects.
2. Split the Build Task at about 75% 2. Open a new overall project and
duration and have Grand Opening incorporate Stittsville, Niagara and
start then. London.
3. Add in a change order paper in the 3. Open a new project for Kitchener
notes for the Task: Grand Opening. with all the same items as Niagara.
4. Change the allocation for the 4. We have some uncertainty about the
architect James to 50% on the permits and politics in Niagara.
project. Perform a Pert Analysis. Be Pessimistic.
5. Level again and resolve
overallocations.
6. Open Niagara and assign 50 % of
Greg and James (50%) to the project
and level within the resource pool
and resolve overallocations.
7. Open London and assign James and
Greg and level and resolve. Also
examine Stittsville and search for
date changes and overallocations.
8. Compare the Stittville current task to
the baseline.
Notas do Editor
Introduction including: welcome, background, Project course started 1997 – changed a lot, Fed. Gov’t asks for this format of electronic project plan – Ask what people do, what they have used Project for, anything that they are looking for in the next 2 days. 9-4, 9-3 second day roughlyLast hour day 2 for specific plan issues…No coffee, drinks on tablesWatch screen, talk, try on computer - best way to learn computer skills
Project Plan; the definition of the requirements, goals, objectives, and scope of the project, the identification of the resources available in terms of time, materials and labour and the identification and description of the tasks involved. Scheduling and Cost Control is dependant on the Project Plan. Every project is susceptible to scope creep. Scope creep can turn a successful project into a perceived failure Scope creep will occur if the initial scope is not well defined and documented. Whenever the scope of a project changes, a new baseline must be generated to document the change. A good definition of scope includes: What the project will do upon completionExclusions: what the project will not includeA definition of when the project is completeAny assumptions that can be identified.
To create a project plan, we must identify the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). This is a list of tasks or work products that need to be completed. This task list will be used to create the work schedule. “A detailed WBS will define the project Scope (the project deliverables), Tasks (what has to be done to produce the project deliverables) and Work Packages (the lowest level of work effort needed to complete the tasks).” Pp. R1-II, Scheduling and Cost Control, ESI International, The George Washington University, School of Business and Public Management
This is what WBS looks like… in MS Project - note task list, Gantt Chart on right… outlining.Start a simple project and do a memory dump of all the tasks that you can think of. The exercise (2 slides ahead) is good. Screen layout – mention toolbars, only need standard and formatting to start, view bar on the side(Doug: open up an old project and show them Calendar, Network Diagram)Formula bar, turn off project guide…We will go through many toolbars.Memory dump time…. - Project – write out every task we can think of..
Every task that you can think ofSimple project that everyone can understand – renovation
OutliningThis allows you to organize the work in a logical manner. . By creating tasks with subtasks, the project is easier to read and plan. In the formatting toolbar, you will notice some arrows and +- buttons. <- indicates promote. -> indicates demote or indent. + indicates show subtasks. – indicates hide subtasks. ++ is show all. To insert summary tasks (when subtasks are already defined), insert a blank row above the set of subtasks. Enter the task name. Select the subtasks and demote (-). Summary tasks have a start date of the earliest sub task and a finish date of the last ending subtask. You can have up to ten (10) levels of tasks and sub-tasks. The level of a task is its wbs number or work breakdown structure number (e.g. 2.1.3.2 ) If you wish to have a particular sub task show on the summary view, choose the summary task, hold the CTRL key and select the subtask. Click on the information button to display task information. On the General Tab, select Rollup Gant Bar to Summary option and click OK.
To insert a note, right click on the task and choose Task Notes or click on the task and choose the Task Information icon or click on Shift + F2.
Explain the opportunity for notes here and in the Gantt Chart on the task, point out how the note is available in the Indicators column. Add a note with a person’s name and phone number and note2. Create a spreadsheet in excel for a simple budget. Save the file. Use the Insert Object Icon to insert the excel spreadsheet. Use Link. Modify and change. Show how the change appears in both the excel and project.3. Insert a picture or pdf. - Explain the completeness of documentation.
The next step is to identify how long each task takes. The next column in this view contains the duration. The default duration is one day. Enter the duration in the second column. The default is one day. The table below shows valid duration abbreviations. To explain the difference between working hours and elapsed hours, consider the example of painting. A painter will require 3 working hours to do a job followed by 24 elapsed hours to finish drying the paint. On a Standard time basis, 24 hours covers 3 days of working time, while 24 elapsed hours covers one 24hr. day. Note that the Gantt Chart to the right updates as you enter various durations. The duration of the headings become the total duration for all items in the group. good to use the resources for estimates expertise help create an accurate time estimate Best practices include getting agreement on your estimates from people who will be doing the work. communicate the level of precision of the estimate of work for an item. Base your assumptions on the working conditions and circumstances.
Duration ConsiderationsEffort hoursThis is the hours required of a resource to complete a task. If a task requires 16 hours to complete, this is equivalent to 2 resource days using the standard calendar. Working TimeThe time that actual work on a task should be completed.Elapsed TimeTime from start to finish. Paint drying time changes the duration of the painting process from the 3 or 6 resource hours to 24 hours of elapsed time between coats of paint. AvailabilityResources are present and available for workContiguous DurationWork time that is not interrupted. In some complex tasks, contiguous work time must be provided. This is more difficult to plan than Interruptible durationInterruptible DurationThis is work time that may be interrupted.ProductivityAlthough not easy to measure, this is an important consideration in determining durations. When I drywall a room, my productivity is about 25% of the productivity of my friend Mark, a professional drywaller / builder.
Start Dates Sometimes a task cannot start until a specified date. The Start column is the next column shown in your view. This column holds the date when the work is scheduled to begin. By default it is assumed to be the project start date. Edit this date accordingly. The Finish date is the estimated date of completion, unless you are working from a Finish date in your product setup. Then this date is specified. This will fix the date and create a constraint. Start DATES should only be real constraint actual fixed dates And enteredonce contract book is signed and plan is really in place. Do not use this unless you really need to!
When a task is linked, this column displays the preceding tasks. You can use this column to establish links. Simply type in the row number of the predecessors separated by commas. To link tasks, click on a task, hold the control key and click on the task to follow, and then click on the Link Tasks icon (chain) to link.
Some tasks can occur independently of one another (you can pick strawberries while your partner strips the wallpaper). Some tasks must occur concurrently. SS (The new electrical wiring must be installed during the dry walling process before taping is complete, while the walls are open.) Some tasks must be complete before others are started. FS (The dry walling must be complete before painting can begin.) Finish to Finish (FF) Inspection has to occur at the end of the wiring task. Once the inspection is over, the wiring cannot be changed. The electrician is involved in both tasks and will have to wait until the inspector leaves before he is finished. Cooking dinner is another example of a series of FF tasks. You would prefer to have the potatoes completely prepared at the same time as the chicken. Start to Finish, where the previous task cannot finish unless the next task begins is an interesting one. The contractor is not finished until he receives the sign-off from the owner.
When you link tasks on a sheet, MS Project can modify the dates of the linked tasks. To link a task, go to the predecessor column in the task view. Click in the successor’s cell and specify the row number or Task ID of the predecessor and the relationship (finish to start ‘FS’ is the default). For example, if you want the task in row 5 to start when the task in row 4 is finished, in the predecessor column, click in row 5 and type 4FS. If you have a finish to start link to insert, you can also use the mouse and click and drag. Select one task, hold down the CTRL key and select the second task. Click on the chain icon (link tasks) or choose Edit / Link Tasks. To remove links between tasks, select the successor task and choose the Unlink Task icon (broken chain). (You may need to Insert>Column – to add (View) the Successor and Predecessor columns.)
Lead time causes a successor task to overlap a predecessor even though they are linked finish to start (FS). Lag time allows you to add a delay between the start of the successor and the end of the predecessor. Simply specify lead or lag time in the Predecessor column. Lead time is represented with a minus sign (-). Lag time is represented with a plus sign (+). For example, we cannot start the painting or primer until the drywall taping is dry. So Primer has a predecessor of Painting with a Lag of a day or + 1day. As another example, the inspection for the electrical is performed 2 days after we phone for an inspection. The task 11, call inspector must be performed 2 days before the inspection. Task 12, Inspection, has a predecessor 11 FS + 2 days. We can only call for an inspector after wiring is finished. Call Inspector, Task #11, has a predecessor of Task #10, rewire bathroom. But we can push things ahead a little by incorporating a lead of half a day when we can see that the wiring will be complete. So we specify the predecessor as 10FS - .5days. The link is finish to start with a lead time of ½ a day .
MS Project is resource driven scheduling. Some tasks must be completed on certain dates for other reasons (closing date of property purchase, tax filing). To fix these dates and override resource assignments, in the task entry view, [Choose Views > More Views > Task Entry] select a task and in the Task Type field click Fixed Duration. This will fix the duration. This can also be fixed in the task information window at the bottom of the resources tab, by specifying Task type as fixed duration
The Gantt Chart shows the progress of work for the project. Often it is difficult to view or adjust items with the timescale for the chart in its default format (days). To modify the Timescale, right-click on the timescale dates on the right top part of the Gantt Chart. Timescale is one option. Select and a window appears. Under top Tier, you can set the number of timescales (up to 3) and set the divisions (years, quarters, months, weeks, or days), for the top tier. Also you can select the middle tier, or bottom tier tab and set their scales. In this timescale window you can also select how non-working time is shown.
You can specify the Start date and have MS Project calculate the Finish Date, or specify the Finish date and have MS Project calculate the Start date. We recommend specifying the Start Date. You will be able to create the most robust and flexible plan in this manner. If you specify a Finish Date and work backwards, the project will be ‘back loaded’. Planned dates will, by default, appear as the latest possible start date.
In the case of a part-time project or a special working schedule that you adhere to, you may wish to create a custom calendar. Start with the most appropriate base calendar and choose Tools / Change Working Time. Click on the New button and choose Create New Base Calendar. Type in a name for this Calendar, so that it will be available for you for the next project.
Start by FIXING THE STANDARD CALENDAR TO SUIT YOUR COMPANY.Step one: entering the dates of the holidays under ExceptionsMake sure to click OK and not the x at the top to save click on Monday, Sept 7, in calendar, and under exceptions; type Labour Day etcThen Work Weeks – put in your own hoursTrades Calendar saveOptions buttonRain Days
Milestones let you gauge your progress through the project. In a renovation for example, a milestone may be hiring all the contractors. A milestone appears as a marker on the Gantt Chart. A classic example of a milestone task is Customer Sign-off at relevant points through the project. This task takes no time but is a marker of progress. To specify a milestone, insert a task and specify the duration as 0d. Note the different shape of Milestones. It’s good practice to include a Start and Finish Milestone for each division/part of your WBS. Mark tasks that represent major events in the project as milestones. The symbol indicates a milestone. You may also create a milestone from a task on the WBS list by double clicking on it, in the window that appears, clicking on the Advanced tab, and checking off the milestone option at the bottom. The simplest way to get a series of milestones defined, after inserting them as tasks into your project plan, is to add a column for milestones onto your task page. In the duration column, right click and choose Insert / Column. In the field name area of the window that pops up, choose Milestone. Milestones have no duration bar visible. It is a good idea therefore to have major task headings as milestones or a separate task as the milestone marker instead of one of the tasks that you are working on and tracking. All tasks in formatting toolbar – change to Milestones – and get Milestone roll upThis is very useful if you need to hand out presentation.
DO this exercise.
You can specify date information of a task by clicking and dragging directly in the Gantt chart. A Create Task box will appear. Type in the name of the task in the Task Name column. Similarly you can drag the edges of a task in the Gantt Chart to change the duration, finish, and/or start dates. You can also click and drag on a box and move it elsewhere in the chart. (This is a big ease of use feature)
Some tasks, such as project review meetings occur repeatedly. To insert this type of task, choose Insert / Recurring Task. Enter the name and duration for the task. ( For example, a project review meeting might last 2 hours.) Specify how often the task reoccurs. If the date for the reoccurrence happens on a non-working day, MS Project will ask you to reschedule the task. MS Project will, by default, automatically make this task recur to the end of the summary task.
For some projects, you may want to view other information on the task sheet. To do this, select a column to the right of the location to insert and choose Insert / Column or right click. If you choose a predefined field name, you can view the automatically calculated values for that predefined field (such as actual hours, cost variance, percent complete).
The network diagram provides a pictorial such that you can verify the tasks starting points, ending points, predecessors for all tasks except the first, successors for tasks. In examining the diagram, be aware of the various types sequencing: Mandatory, where B must follow A,Procedural, where B is just following A as planned but the order can be reversed with no adverse or minimal adverse effectsResource Based, where the resource for B is not available until A is complete. This is an artificial constraint since the introduction of ore resources would eliminate it. Only Mandatory links should be included in the project plan. The others are irrelevant and should be left out so as not to confuse viewers of the real project constraints. View / Network Diagram. The critical path is marked in red. Any items that have no arrows into or from them can be done independently of all other items. This is a very powerful tool for communicating the project flow to others. It is also a very useful tool for checking your project plan and the definitions of the relationships (predecessors and successors). It is a simple and uncluttered pictorial of the project. The diagram provided by MS Project includes start, finish duration and percent complete. Since project calculates the dates, there is no need to do the calculation passes (forward or backward passes to determine the float …. ES + duration = EF E + LAG = ES (successor) If you enter the start date, MS Project will calculate the earliest possible finish date. You may include lag and lead times that reflect the working realities of various tasks. The float will be the difference between the finish date that MS Project calculates and the necessary completion date that you set for the project. Limitations: There are a number of types of relationships between tasks or constraints which we discuss in following sections. The Network diagram cannot record these.
Move mouse over boxes, zoom in and out, Any box that is not linked properly is a floater.Easier to understand than a Gantt chart
The network diagram provides a pictorial such that you can verify the tasks starting points, ending points, predecessors for all tasks except the first, successors for tasks. In examining the diagram, be aware of the various types sequencing: Mandatory, where B must follow A,Procedural, where B is just following A as planned but the order can be reversed with no adverse or minimal adverse effectsResource Based, where the resource for B is not available until A is complete. This is an artificial constraint since the introduction of ore resources would eliminate it. Only Mandatory links should be included in the project plan. The others are irrelevant and should be left out so as not to confuse viewers of the real project constraints. View / Network Diagram. The critical path is marked in red. Any items that have no arrows into or from them can be done independently of all other items. This is a very powerful tool for communicating the project flow to others. It is also a very useful tool for checking your project plan and the definitions of the relationships (predecessors and successors). It is a simple and uncluttered pictorial of the project. The diagram provided by MS Project includes start, finish duration and percent complete. Since project calculates the dates, there is no need to do the calculation passes (forward or backward passes to determine the float …. ES + duration = EF E + LAG = ES (successor) If you enter the start date, MS Project will calculate the earliest possible finish date. You may include lag and lead times that reflect the working realities of various tasks. The float will be the difference between the finish date that MS Project calculates and the necessary completion date that you set for the project. Limitations: There are a number of types of relationships between tasks or constraints which we discuss in following sections. The Network diagram cannot record these.
DO THIS Exercise
Read and Explain Definition
Also show Table / Schedule and explain slackShow Tools Options calculation and show days….
Describe Constraint Abbr. - ask class to give you an example for each….Must Start On MSOSpecify a date to start a taskMust Finish On MFOSpecify a date that a task must be finished on.As Soon as Possible ASAPThe task starts as soon as possible after the completion of any predecessors.As Late as Possible ALAPThis item is moved to the back of the list and then moved forward based on successor requirements.Finish no earlier than FNETThis prevents a task from being moved earlier in the calendar. It is the default constraint if you specify a finishing date. (I cannot understand this one but I think that many some organizations use this as a policy.)Start no earlier than SNETThis prevents a task from being started before a specific date. This is useful when working with outside contractors who specify start dates. (This is how kids do projects – SNET Sunday night if the project is due on Monday.)Finish no later than FNLTFNLT yesterday for everything. This is life. Specifying FNLT allows the start date for a task to move earlier.Start no later than SNLTThis sets the absolute latest date when the task can commence but enables the task to start earlier than required.
Also cover the Advanced tab. The WBS field allows you to create your own task code. You can specify a deadline date in the deadline field.Effort Driven: You can remove the Effort driven option in which case this task. A task is effort driven if the total amount of work to complete a task is fixed. If more resources are added the duration will go down (3 people painting a room versus one). If the box is not checked, regardless of the application of resources, the duration will remain constant (paint drying comes to mind for this example, or electrical inspection.)In the advanced tab, you can also mark the task as a milestone. If so, it will be shown as a black diamond on the Gantt chart.
There are a few other options of note available here in the Advanced tab. The WBS field allows you to create your own task code. You can specify a deadline date in the deadline field.Effort Driven: You can remove the Effort driven option in which case this task. A task is effort driven if the total amount of work to complete a task is fixed. If more resources are added the duration will go down (3 people painting a room versus one). If the box is not checked, regardless of the application of resources, the duration will remain constant (paint drying comes to mind for this example, or electrical inspection.)In the advanced tab, you can also mark the task as a milestone. If so, it will be shown as a black diamond on the Gantt chart. Point out little white arrow at deadline
MS Project is resource driven scheduling. Some tasks must be completed on certain dates for other reasons (closing date of property purchase, tax filing). To fix these dates and override resource assignments, in the task entry view, [Choose Views > More Views > Task Entry] select a task and in the Task Type field click Fixed Duration. This will fix the duration. This can also be fixed in the task information window at the bottom of the resources tab, by specifying Task type as fixed duration
A Resource is anyone or any thing that does work or anyone or anything that adds a cost to the project. If you are being paid for the work, you are a resource. If the completion of a task is dependant on you, even if only for a signature, you are a resource. The case is similar for materials, locations, tools and equipment. Resources can be interchangeable or not. For example, we may have anyone of 3 electricians working on the bathroom lighting. We are not concerned with which electrician is available. On the other hand, we have a plumber and a junior apprentice available to do the plumbing. The junior apprentice may work half as fast as the plumber. Depending on who is working, the duration will change. In this case it is better to specify the two plumbers as separate resources.
hourly - standardhourly – overtimeper useProratedMaterial Label column allows you to specify more information such as the units that a material is costed at or other information about the material. Use the initials column to enter a short form for the resource. This prevents you from having to type in words like electrician. If you use work groups or teams, you can specify groups. You can specify a group called contractors for all outside contractors and employees for all internal people. Groups allows you to track contributions and performance. Code also allows you to use company information to specify the type of resource (or department) that you are using. Resources can be grouped (by department or general function). The junior apprentice and the plumber can be grouped under plumbing specialists. Occasionally you do not have complete control over a person’s time. Perhaps they can only dedicate an hour or two a day. In this case, the maximum units available are 12% or 25%. The Code field contains any code, abbreviation, or number you want to enter as part of a resource's information. These codes can be part identification or cost center codes for resources. You can filter by this field.
Std. Rate column allows you to enter the standard cost for work performed under normal working hours. Entering 20 means that the resource will be costed at $20 per hour. If a resource is costed per week, enter the appropriate abbreviation after the dollar amount. $2000/w refers to a cost of $2000 per week.Ovt. Rate column allows you to specify an overtime rate. For some contractors, there is a minimum cost associated with each visit. In this case, specify a cost/use. This will be accounted for in addition to the hourly rate. If there is only a cost per use, do not include a std. Rate. Accrued Resources must be paid for. Some are paid as soon as they start. (A courier charge is due when they pick up the package). Some are prorated based on the number of hours worked. Some become due only when the task is completed at the end. Fixed Costs such as a courier shipment have a fixed cost every time that they are performed. To specify a fixed cost, re-open the Gantt Chart by choosing View / Gantt Chart. Choose View / Table / Cost. If you cannot see it, use the scroll button on the bottom left.
Sometimes, a resource’s real working schedule is different from that of the base calendar that you are using. Select the resource and choose Tools / Change Working Time
To switch to the task sheet, choose View / Gantt Chart. Type in the resource name in the column left of Predecessors. You can also assign resources by choosing Insert / Resource Assignment. Click on the names of the resource and choose assign. In the task sheet, assign resources by clicking on the Resource Assignment Icon (people’s heads). . If the resource management toolbar is not visible choose View / Toolbars / Resource Management. Another way to assign resources is in the Task Information window. Click the Resources tab, choose the name or names, specify the units and click assign. In the task view, click on the task name. (Choose Windows /Split)In the lower pane, click below the last assigned resource name. A drop-down list appears. Click on a resource in the list to select it. You can also adjust the units of a particular resource such as electricians by clicking on the Units column at the bottom pane and adjust the number.
To remove a resource from a project, go to the Resource Sheet View and delete the row describing the resource.
MS Project can over allocate resources. You can assign a resource to 2 tasks each lasting a week on separate days of one week and MS Project may assign them full time to both tasks. (I had a boss once who used to do this.) To find over allocated resources, look at the status bar at the bottom of the screen after you have saved your project. A level 1 message suggests that you have over allocated a resource.
Leveling Order tells project how to choose which tasks to delay:Standard allows project to consider links, slack, dates and priorities.ID Only has MS Project leave tasks in order of their ID number. Task 5 will still come before 6. A delay may be introduced.Priority: the priority that you’ve assigned tasks will take precedence. You can change task priority in the Task information window. A medium priority is the default. When you have completed your choices, choose Level Now and MS Project will recalculate times and dates for tasks. Limitations: Schedules created from a finish date have no slack and cannot be fixed automatically.MS Project may move one task before another and this may make no sense. For example, your walls may be painted before they are put up. It is very important to have all predecessors tightly defined for this to work. If a task has started, MS Project can’t move it through leveling.
Limitations: Schedules created from a finish date have no slack and cannot be fixed automatically.MS Project may move one task before another and this may make no sense. For example, your walls may be painted before they are put up. It is very important to have all predecessors tightly defined for this to work. If a task has started, MS Project can’t move it through leveling.
To remove leveling, select a Task view. To remove leveling from one task, select the task. To select more than one task, hold down the CTRL key and click. Choose Tools / Resource Leveling and Clear.
These happen. Check your resource sheets and your tasks to make sure that enough hours have been assigned after you adjust over allocated resources. To minimize instances of under allocations and difficulty with over allocations it is a good idea to adjust resource calendars before allocating them as resources to tasks. Double click the resource name. Select the resource and choose Tools / Change Working Time. Adjust the calendar.
This tool allows you to view, at a glance, the resource levels being utilized by a project. Over-allocated resources are displayed in red. Click on View /Resource Graph to open the view. Click on View /Zoom and choose entire project to pinpoint problem areas. Click through the names of the resources at the bottom, left bar.
Duration of a Task, Hours of Work required to perform it and resources are all related. If you specify duration and assign a resource, the hours of work are calculated on a 1 to 1 basis. If you then double resources, MS Project assumes by default that the task is effort driven and halves the duration. If you fix the duration and specify the hours of work, MS Project will calculate the resources required or peak units. To view the peak units required, click on the Resource Graph and right click and change the view to Peak Units. You may also view the Peak Units in the Resource Usage View.
To specify overtime for salaried workers, simply change the working calander so that the resource has more hours in the day. To adjust hourly workers:In the task entry view, in the upper pane, click the task to assign overtime work to. Right-click in the lower pane and click resource work. Click the Ovt. Work cell for the resource and type the number of hours to authorize.
To view the amount of slack between tasks, open the Task Entry view. Slack between tasks is free slack. Total slack between a task and the finish date is total slack. This tells you how much a task can slip before it effects the project end date. To change the slack:Choose Tools / OptionsSelect the schedule tab.Double Click Tasks are Critical If Slack <= Days text box and type a new entry. For example if 3 days of slack is needed, type 3 to have MS Project designate any task with less than 3 days of total slack as critical. You can use lead and lag times to add slack to a schedule. Use constraints (task information window) such as ASAP, FNET, MFO to put something on a critical path.
Purpose to illustrate levelling on a simple project.
To view a complete template, choose File / New and select Templates on computer. Choose one such as Residential Construction. Save this file as a project file by choosing File / Save As and specifying type as project file (.mpp) and give the project your own name. This will prevent you from making changes to the template that are specific to the current project.Play around with changing this project file. Change some tasks, durations, and resources. Save the file again under your name.
If you find that the project is too complicated in this format, you can create a series of projects and insert them into a master project. For example, if we were renovating a whole house, we would do a project plan for each room, then open one master plan in insert the room projects into that master. If we wanted updates from the individual room plans to be reflected in the master, on the advanced tab of the task information, we would ensure that the Link to Project check mark was choose.
There are times when the subprojects of the master projects contain tasks that are linked. To ensure that this information is reflected in the project plan, select the two tasks and link them using the link or chain icon in the toolbar. The Links Between Projects dialog box appears. Use it to review information about tasks linked to and from other projects. You can also use this dialog box to update or delete links. There are two tabs on this dialog box: External Predecessors and External Successors.
The firstrow contains information about the task in the current project. The succeeding rows contain information about the predecessor tasks, which are from an external project file.The ID number of the task in the current project that is linked to an external predecessor. The abbreviations for the link types describing the task dependencies between the two tasks. Date The schedule date that is driving the successor.% Comp. The percentage of completion for the external predecessor task.Differences contains information about any changes to the predecessor task information that have not yet been updated in the current project. This can include any new start or finish dates of the external predecessor. You can set whether Microsoft Office Project automatically updates linked information between projects. Select Tools / Options, and then click the View tab. Select or clear the Show Links Between Projects dialog on open and Automatically accept new external data check boxes to reflect how you want to update external link information. If the Automatically accept new external data check box is cleared, you can see whether there are differences in this field, and then update them by clicking Accept or Accept All.Path shows the path of the source project. A series of command buttons are shown along the bottom.Accept accepts the changes to the selected links. This button is available only when a row containing link information is selected.Accepts all changes to the links between the active project and other projects.Delete Link deletes the link to the external project for the selected external task.Browse opens the Browse dialog box, which you can then use to locate the source project of the selected external task. Only use Browse when the location of a source project has changed and you need to correct the link references. If you use Browse to find a new project, existing links might be deleted or go to the wrong location. This button is available only when a row containing link information is selected.
Where you need to work with several project files on a regular basis, create a workspace.Open all the project files that you want to include in a workspace.Arrange the files on the screen.Click file and save workspace. Select the folder where you wish to save the workspace file.
Resource usage provides you with a summary of the hours assigned to a resource. You can view the written data to make detailed changed in usage. . Click on View /Resource Sheet to open the view.To edit a number of entries at once, select the entries by highlighting and click the information icon; the sheet beside unlink.
It is possible to share resources for your company across all projects and determine the loading on any resource.Open the file that contains the defined list of resources or resource sheet.Open or create the file that will use that resource sheet.Choose Tools / Resource Sharing / Share Resources. Choose Use Resources and click from and specify.Choose Sharer takes precedence if you the last project has priority. Choose pool is resources are spread. (Refer to your organizations organizational chart for the correct answer on this one.) Exercise 2 – please do this oneOpen a new file and enter 2 resources and save as New Resources.Open simple project 1 and Save as Park A. Choose Tools / Resource Sharing / Share Resources and choose use resources and specify New Resources.Assign Resources. Save.Save as Park B. Change a resource assignment or 2.Save as Park C. Change a resource assignment or 2.Close and Save all.Re – open New Resources. A window appears and gives you 3 choices. For this example, we choose choice 3, read write and see all. Note that another file has opened: Project 1 and it contains Park A, B, and C.If you level this, it will level all resources across 3 projects. Change anything and you change the original.
See resource assignments – reports – print outAlso Overview Reports: working days for Rain days
PERT is a multipoint estimating technique. My favourite quote about this estimating business is this one: “Estimates are guess, and budgets are only estimates” Keeping this in mind, we will look at PERT and some of the tools provided for this estimating method in MS Project. Single point estimates do not reflect duration variances for known or unknown risk events. PERT was an early diagramming method developed to mitigate risk in estimating schedules, and can be used to mitigate cost risk. The PERT formula is: Estimate = ( optimistic + (4 x most likely ) + pessimistic ) 6 If we can estimate optimistically, pessimistically and most likely, then weight the most likely events in our analysis, our estimate better reflects the most likely set of events. Also, we have a method of documenting and communicating variations in estimates. The PERT analysis is much like the bell curve. For example, if we believe that we can complete the work in a day, but pessimistically, if everything is delayed, it will be 3 days, but most likely it will take 12 hours, than the formula would be ( 8 + (4x12) + 24 ) / 6 = 13 1/3 hours or 1 day 5 hours and 20 minutes. Wow, that’s fun. On average, adding up all the times shown by PERT will result in a relatively close estimate of the actual time.
This will effect the weights for the whole plan. Enter the weights in the window that appears, click on the calculator to recalculate and see the changes.Classically, Standard Deviations have been calculated for each task to predict all possible scenarios. With the Pessimistic Pert Analysis and Gantt, we can see how bad things can get in pictorial format and with dates. Similarly, we can view the optimistic projectionsShow 3 charts – schedules….Pessimistic is for customerExpected is for financesOptimistic is for subcontractors
The baseline establishes a reference against which project managers can measure actual project progress. Baselines are sets of project information that you save for comparison with the current status of the project. They provide a reference point to measure performance against where the project should be. The project is now planned and set in stone. The client or department has signed off . The boss has signed off. ….. SCENARIOS – Excavating beguns and archeologically or sociologically significant discovery is made - an aquifer that was previously unknown ---- CHANGE IN SCOPE Circumstances change – we now need it by …. DATE change or time constraint …. Or Client – I cannot supply you with that until…. And is late on something - CHANGE IN TIME BILL IS PULLED OFF YOUR PROJECT AND GOES ONTO ANOTHER PROJECT OR BOB GETS PROMOTED OUT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT - Resource Change…
BASELINE IS THE RECORD OF THE PROJECT EVERYONE AGREED ON. Save one baseline after the initial project plan is completed, approved and documents are signed. This is the original baseline. A baseline must be saved before you start tracking the work done on your project. Any approved scope changes become subsequent baselines.
BASELINE IS THE RECORD OF THE PROJECT EVERYONE AGREED ON. There are three aspects to the baseline:the technical baseline (tasks)the baseline budget (costs)the baseline schedule (time)
Take Basement 5 before baseline or another project that has some depth to it. Save the baseline.Do the Gantt Chart Wizard and choose baseline.Change 2 or 3 dates in the Gantt chartAdd a taskDelete a taskNote the difference in the task plan and baseline.Show the baseline tableShow the cost table. Add 3 tasksSave as baseline 1Show Baseline 1 and Baseline using the Format / Bar Styles tool.
show the total planned cost for a task, a resource for all assigned tasks, or for work to be performed by a resource on a task. Baseline cost is also referred to as budget at completion (BAC), an earned value field. The time phased versions of these fields show values distributed over time. The baseline cost is calculated as the sum of the planned costs of all the assigned resources plus any fixed costs associated with the task. This is the same as the contents of the Cost field when the baseline is saved.The baseline cost information becomes available when you set cost information for the assigned resources and set the baseline for the task. Add the Baseline Cost field to a task sheet when you want to review total planned costs for tasks. You can review the baseline cost for the task to help set your budget for the task and the project. You can compare the values in the Baseline Cost and Cost fields to determine whether the task is still on track within your budget. The Cost Variance field compares these two fields. Example You have a task with a 10-hour duration and a single resource assigned at $20 per hour. The baseline cost for the task would be $200. When the task is 50 percent complete, the Actual Cost field will be calculated at $100. The Baseline Cost field contains 0.00 until you set a baseline for the project, which you can do even after the project has been started.. This copies the current total costs of tasks into the Baseline Cost field. The baseline cost does not change after it has been saved, even if work values change. If you edit the contents of the Baseline Cost field, it does not affect any baseline task cost calculations, nor any time phased baseline costs for the task. If you save another baseline after editing baseline costs, your edits are overwritten by the new baseline values.
The baseline cost is calculated as the sum of the planned costs of the resource, including scheduled work, scheduled overtime, and per-use costs for all work assigned to the resource. This is the same as the contents of the Cost field when the baseline is saved. Baseline Cost = (Work * Standard Rate) + (Overtime Work * Overtime Rate) + Per Use Cost Add the Baseline Cost field to a resource sheet when you want to review total baseline costs for resources. Review these baseline costs to help set your resource budget. Compare the values in the Baseline Cost and Cost fields to determine if the task is still on track within your budget. Better yet, use the Cost Variance field to compare the two fields. Example You have a resource at $20 per hour assigned to 10 different tasks for a total of 100 hours. The baseline cost for the resource would be $2,000. If you edit the contents of the Baseline Cost field, it does not affect any baseline resource cost calculations, nor any timephased baseline costs for the resource. If you save another baseline after editing baseline costs, your edits are overwritten by the new baseline values. The baseline cost does not change after it has been saved, even if work values change.
Resource Sheets provide you with a summary of the base information about your resources. . Click on View /Resource Sheet to open the view. You can enter hourly rates, specify maximum units available to your project and include identifying codes. To edit a number of entries at once, select the entries by highlighting and click the information icon; the sheet beside unlink. Select View and table to modify the content of the information presented.
The Task Sheet provides by default a concise list of tasks, start and finish dates, resource assignments and duration. This can be created with View / More Views. . Note the other forms of reporting available. The tracking Gantt for instance is useful in presenting work-in-progress information. By switching from Views / Table / Entry to Views / Table /Costs, you can track the costs of the project.