STUDENT MANUAL. Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2

Transcription

1 STUDENT MANUAL Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2

2 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2

3 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Part Number: Course Edition: 1.0 Acknowledgements PROJECT TEAM Author Media Designer Content Editor Sunni K. Brock Brian Sullivan Angie French Logical Operations wishes to thank the Logical Operations Instructor Community, and in particular Tom Allen, Elizabeth Robinson, and John Wilson for contributing their technical and instructional expertise during the creation of this course. Notices DISCLAIMER While Logical Operations, Inc. takes care to ensure the accuracy and quality of these materials, we cannot guarantee their accuracy, and all materials are provided without any warranty whatsoever, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The name used in the data files for this course is that of a fictitious company. Any resemblance to current or future companies is purely coincidental. We do not believe we have used anyone's name in creating this course, but if we have, please notify us and we will change the name in the next revision of the course. Logical Operations is an independent provider of integrated training solutions for individuals, businesses, educational institutions, and government agencies. The use of screenshots, photographs of another entity's products, or another entity's product name or service in this book is for editorial purposes only. No such use should be construed to imply sponsorship or endorsement of the book by nor any affiliation of such entity with Logical Operations. This courseware may contain links to sites on the Internet that are owned and operated by third parties (the "External Sites"). Logical Operations is not responsible for the availability of, or the content located on or through, any External Site. Please contact Logical Operations if you have any concerns regarding such links or External Sites. TRADEMARK NOTICES Logical Operations and the Logical Operations logo are trademarks of Logical Operations, Inc. and its affiliates. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. The other Microsoft products and services discussed or described may be trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other product and service names used may be common law or registered trademarks of their respective proprietors. Copyright 2016 Logical Operations, Inc. All rights reserved. Screenshots used for illustrative purposes are the property of the software proprietor. This publication, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without express written permission of Logical Operations, 3535 Winton Place, Rochester, NY 14623, in the United States and Canada, in all other countries. Logical Operations World Wide Web site is located at This book conveys no rights in the software or other products about which it was written; all use or licensing of such software or other products is the responsibility of the user according to terms and conditions of the owner. Do not make illegal copies of books or software. If you believe that this book, related materials, or any other Logical Operations materials are being reproduced or transmitted without permission, please call in the United States and Canada, in all other countries.

4 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Lesson 1: Executing a Project...1 Topic A: Enter Task Progress... 2 Topic B: Update Task Progress with SharePoint...8 Topic C: Update Work...11 Topic D: Update Costs...14 Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A: View Project Progress Topic B: Add Custom Fields...30 Topic C: Create Custom Views...41 Topic D: Create a Network Diagram...48 Topic E: Analyze a Project Plan Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic A: Edit the Task List Topic B: Reschedule Tasks...65 Topic C: Update a Baseline Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress...73 Topic A: Format and Share a Chart View... 74

5 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Topic B: View Existing Reports...80 Topic C: Create Custom Reports...87 Topic D: Create a Visual Report Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A: Change Project Options Topic B: Create a Project Plan Template Topic C: Share Resources Topic D: Link Project Plans Appendix A: Extending Project with Macros and Apps Topic A: Extend Project with Macros and Apps Glossary Index

6 About This Course Welcome to Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2. This course is designed to familiarize you with the advanced features and functions of Microsoft Project Professional 2016 so that you can use it effectively and efficiently in a real-world environment. In Microsoft Project 2016: Part 1, you learned the basic features of Microsoft Project 2016 during the planning phase of a project. Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 covers the advanced knowledge and skills a project manager needs to update a project plan in Project 2016 during the execution, monitoring, and controlling phases of a project. In other words, once your project plan is approved by the project sponsor, this course will enable you to manage the project so that it is completed on time, within budget, and according to scope. Course Description Target Student This course is designed for students with an understanding of project management concepts who are responsible for creating and maintaining project plans. Target students will be looking to acquire the advanced knowledge and skills a project manager needs to update a project plan in Project 2016 during the execution, monitoring, and controlling phases of a project. Course Prerequisites To ensure your success in this course, you should have basic project management knowledge and skills. Additionally, you should be able to create a new project plan, manage time in a project plan, manage tasks in a project plan, manage resources in a project plan, and share a project plan using Microsoft Office Project The following Logical Operations courses can help you in meeting this requirement: Project Management Professional (PMP) Training: Aligned with PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition Microsoft Project 2016: Part 1 You should also have basic knowledge and skills for using any current Windows operating system preferably Windows 10. The following Logical Operations courses can help you meet this requirement: Using Microsoft Windows 10 Microsoft Windows 10 Transition from Windows 7 Course Objectives Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to manage an existing Microsoft Project 2016 project plan. You will:

7 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Update a project plan to reflect progress as you execute the project. Monitor project progress in the project plan. Adjust the project plan to control constraints. Create project reports to share a project s status. Customize project settings and share customizations with other projects. The CHOICE Home Screen Logon and access information for your CHOICE environment will be provided with your class experience. The CHOICE platform is your entry point to the CHOICE learning experience, of which this course manual is only one part. On the CHOICE Home screen, you can access the CHOICE Course screens for your specific courses. Visit the CHOICE Course screen both during and after class to make use of the world of support and instructional resources that make up the CHOICE experience. Each CHOICE Course screen will give you access to the following resources: Classroom: A link to your training provider's classroom environment. ebook: An interactive electronic version of the printed book for your course. Files: Any course files available to download. Checklists: Step-by-step procedures and general guidelines you can use as a reference during and after class. LearnTOs: Brief animated videos that enhance and extend the classroom learning experience. Assessment: A course assessment for your self-assessment of the course content. Social media resources that enable you to collaborate with others in the learning community using professional communications sites such as LinkedIn or microblogging tools such as Twitter. Depending on the nature of your course and the components chosen by your learning provider, the CHOICE Course screen may also include access to elements such as: LogicalLABS, a virtual technical environment for your course. Various partner resources related to the courseware. Related certifications or credentials. A link to your training provider's website. Notices from the CHOICE administrator. Newsletters and other communications from your learning provider. Mentoring services. Visit your CHOICE Home screen often to connect, communicate, and extend your learning experience! How to Use This Book As You Learn This book is divided into lessons and topics, covering a subject or a set of related subjects. In most cases, lessons are arranged in order of increasing proficiency. The results-oriented topics include relevant and supporting information you need to master the content. Each topic has various types of activities designed to enable you to solidify your understanding of the informational material presented in the course. Information is provided for reference and reflection to facilitate understanding and practice. Data files for various activities as well as other supporting files for the course are available by download from the CHOICE Course screen. In addition to sample data for the course exercises, the course files may contain media components to enhance your learning and additional reference materials for use both during and after the course. About This Course

8 Checklists of procedures and guidelines can be used during class and as after-class references when you're back on the job and need to refresh your understanding. At the back of the book, you will find a glossary of the definitions of the terms and concepts used throughout the course. You will also find an index to assist in locating information within the instructional components of the book. As You Review Any method of instruction is only as effective as the time and effort you, the student, are willing to invest in it. In addition, some of the information that you learn in class may not be important to you immediately, but it may become important later. For this reason, we encourage you to spend some time reviewing the content of the course after your time in the classroom. As a Reference The organization and layout of this book make it an easy-to-use resource for future reference. Taking advantage of the glossary, index, and table of contents, you can use this book as a first source of definitions, background information, and summaries. Course Icons Watch throughout the material for the following visual cues. Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Icon Description A Note provides additional information, guidance, or hints about a topic or task. A Caution note makes you aware of places where you need to be particularly careful with your actions, settings, or decisions so that you can be sure to get the desired results of an activity or task. LearnTO notes show you where an associated LearnTO is particularly relevant to the content. Access LearnTOs from your CHOICE Course screen. Checklists provide job aids you can use after class as a reference to perform skills back on the job. Access checklists from your CHOICE Course screen. Social notes remind you to check your CHOICE Course screen for opportunities to interact with the CHOICE community using social media. About This Course

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10 1 Executing a Project Lesson Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Lesson Objectives In this lesson, you will update the project plan to reflect the team's progress. You will: Enter progress on tasks and update the project plan. Update Task progress from a SharePoint task list. Update task progress to reflect work completed and revise work needed. Update cost information in a task. Lesson Introduction Once you have created a Microsoft Project plan, shared it with your sponsor, stakeholders, and team members, and received approval to start doing the work, you have entered the execution phase of the project. During this phase, it is very important to measure your progress against the plan so that you can make good decisions to keep the project on track.

11 2 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC A Enter Task Progress As the project team works to complete tasks, you need to capture the status of the tasks in the project plan so that you can later effectively track and report your project's status. In this topic, you will enter progress on tasks and update the project plan. Task Progress Ask the students how they request task status from team members and the responses. For example, they may ask "When do you think you'll have that done?" and the response could be "I'm almost finished" or "about half done, I need a few more days." The Status Date Dialog Box Task Progress Task progress is the progress information about a task that you need to capture to keep the project plan up to date when a project is in the execution phase. The task progress can include the percentage complete, the actual start date, and the actual or projected finish date of the task. When you update the progress on a task, Project may automatically update the amount of work completed and the associated cost depending on the task settings. Also, any successor tasks dependent on the task you are updating will be automatically rescheduled if they are set to auto-scheduled mode if the update causes a change in the dependency dates. For example, if you complete a task a day early, Project may assume that the next task that is supposed to start when that task finishes can also start a day early. The Status Date Dialog Box The Status Date dialog box enables you to change the status date for the project. When you update task status, you can specify the status as of the current date or for a status date. A status date is a date that you specify for reporting on a project. If you don t set a status date, Project assumes that progress updates are relative to the current date. For example, if your team reports task status to you on Friday and you enter your updates for last week on Monday, you can set the status date to the date corresponding to last Friday so that your reporting and estimates are accurate. You can access the Status Date dialog box in the Status group on the Project tab. Figure 1-1: Set the date for your status updates in the Status Date dialog box. Ask the students if they would like to save time updating task status in their project plan. The Mark on Track Command The Mark on Track command will update the selected tasks so that they are on schedule as of the status date. For example, if you have a task that lasts two weeks and as of the first week, you use the Mark on Track command to update it, Project will update the progress to 50% complete as of the status date you have set. You can select multiple tasks to quickly mark them as on track as of the status date. You can find the Mark on Track command on the Task tab. in the Schedule group Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic A

12 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 3 The Update Tasks Dialog Box The Update Tasks dialog box gives you more control over updating a task. To prevent a delay in one task from affecting the entire project and to maintain an accurate record of the project s progress, you should update the actual start date for a task that does not start according to plan. Also, sometimes a task will start on schedule but finish before or after the planned date. In this case, you should update the actual finish date for the task because its finish date might affect the start date of other tasks. You can use the Update Tasks dialog box to enter a task s actual start and finish dates. The Update Tasks Dialog Box Figure 1-2: Use the Update Tasks dialog box to update the status of tasks that are not on schedule. Percent Complete Project uses percent complete to calculate the progress of a task. A task that has not been started is 0% complete, and a task that is finished is 100% complete. When a task is in progress and you want to update its progress in the project plan, you can select the task and select one of the % Complete buttons on the Task tab. Use these buttons if the task in progress is 25%, 50%, or 75% complete. If the percentage of completion falls somewhere between these values, you can use the Update Tasks dialog box to enter any percentage value. Entering a percent-complete value for a task helps you compare the actual progress against the baseline plan. In the Update Tasks dialog box, you can specify a percent complete value from 0 to 100. For example, in an office construction project, you can specify that the task Build foundation is 80% complete. Actual Duration The actual duration is the amount of time spent on a task to date. It is calculated as: Actual Duration = Duration Percent Duration Complete. For example, if the task Purchase materials has a scheduled duration of 4 days, and the task is 25% complete, the actual duration is 1 day. If you enter an actual duration value that is greater than the scheduled duration, Project updates the scheduled duration to equal the new actual duration, sets the remaining duration to zero, and sets the task to 100% complete. Percent Complete Actual Duration Demonstrate a couple of examples with simple math. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic A

13 4 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 1-3: Actual duration is calculated by multiplying the percent complete and the total duration. Remaining Duration Remaining Duration The remaining duration is the amount of time left for the task to be completed. If you enter a value for actual duration, the remaining duration is calculated as: Remaining Duration = Duration Actual duration. If you enter a value in the % Complete field, the remaining duration is calculated as: Remaining Duration = Duration - (Duration Percent Complete). If you enter or edit a remaining duration value, Project calculates a new task duration and a new completion percentage. For example, suppose that the task Review blueprints has a scheduled duration of five days. Three days of this task schedule have passed, but the resource assigned to the task informs you that an extra three days will be required to complete the task. You must then update the task by adding three more days to the remaining duration value. Project will then automatically update the schedule and the completion percentage for the task. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic A

14 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 5 Figure 1-4: The remaining duration is calculated as the duration minus the actual duration. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Enter Task Progress. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic A

15 6 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 1-1 Entering Task Progress Data File C:\91063Data\Executing a Project\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp Before You Begin Microsoft Project Professional 2016 is installed on your machine. Scenario Building with Heart, located in Greene City, is a non-profit home construction organization whose purpose is to build a two- or three-bedroom home for each qualifying family. These homes have a mortgage with a very reasonable interest rate, and because many materials and labor are donated, the mortgage is much less than if everything had to be purchased outright. As a volunteer project manager at Building with Heart, you have started a new construction project to build a three-bedroom home for a qualifying family whose previous residence was destroyed by a storm. You have already created a project plan in Microsoft Project Now, your team is starting to work on the tasks, and you need to record their progress. All of the plans, contracts, and permits have been completed, and the demolition team has finished tearing down the old house. Your volunteers report that as of Friday, June 10, 2016, they have been working on sorting the debris, but they think they will need an extra day to finish. You decide to make these progress updates to the plan. Let the students know that the project plan has already been approved and baselined. Notify students of any changes to activities based on digital software updates issued by the software vendor. Note: This course uses a streamlined notation for ribbon commands. They'll appear as [Ribbon Tab] [Group] [Button or Control] as in "Select Task Insert Milestone. " If the group name isn't needed for navigation or there isn't a group, it's omitted, as in "Select File New." For selections that open menus and submenus, this notation will continue until you are directed to select the final command or option, as in "Select Task Editing Clear Clear All." Some Project 2016 command buttons are split, meaning there are actually two separate buttons you can select independently. This is often the case with commands that have multiple options/ variations accessible by selecting a drop-down arrow. The Paste command button in the Clipboard group on the Task tab is an example of this. For these commands, you will be directed to either select just the button, as in "Select Task Clipboard Paste, " or you will be directed to select the drop-down arrow if necessary, as in "Select Task Clipboard Paste drop-down arrow Paste Special." Note: Activities may vary slightly if the software vendor has issued digital updates. Your instructor will notify you of any changes. 1. From the task bar, select the Project icon to open Project Open the Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp project plan file. a) On the Start screen, select Open Other Projects. b) On the Open screen, select This PC, and then select Browse. c) In the Open dialog box, navigate to the folder containing your class files, and open C:\91063Data \Executing a Project\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp. d) Verify that the Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp project plan file opens to the Gantt Chart view. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic A

16 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Set the status date to June 10, a) On the ribbon, select Project Status Status Date. b) In the Status Date dialog box, in the Select Date field, select Fri 06/10/16, and then select OK. 4. Mark contract tasks as on track. a) In the Task Entry table, select Task 2 (Finalize plans and develop estimate with owner). b) On the ribbon, select Task Schedule Mark on Track. Verify that a check mark appears in the Task Information column indicating that the task is complete. c) Repeat steps a and b to mark Task 3 (Sign contract and notice to proceed) on track. 5. Update progress on demolition tasks. a) In the Task Entry table, select Task 5 (Demolition of Old House), hold down the Shift key, and select Task 6 (Place Containers) to select both tasks. b) On the ribbon, select Task Schedule 100%. Verify that a check mark appears in the Task Information column indicating that the task is complete. c) In the Task Entry table, select Task 7 (Sort Debris). d) On the ribbon, select Task Schedule Mark on Track. e) On the ribbon, select Task Schedule Mark on Track drop-down arrow Update Tasks. f) In the Update Tasks dialog box, in the Remaining Duration field, enter 4d, and then select OK. 6. Update permit tasks. a) In the Task Entry table, select Task 11 (Secure foundation permit), and then hold down the Shift key and select Task 16 (Secure miscellaneous permits). Verify that tasks 11 through 16 are selected. b) On the ribbon, select Task Schedule Mark on Track drop-down arrow Update Tasks. c) In the Update Tasks dialog box, in the Actual section, in the Finish field, select Fri 05/27/16, and then select OK. Explain that students first use the Mark on Track without opening the dialog box so that Project calculates the values as if we were current on progress to the status date as a starting point. 7. Save the file as C:\091063Data\Executing a Project\My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp a) On the ribbon, select File Save As. b) Select Browse and then navigate to C:\091063Data\Executing a Project\. c) In the File name field, enter My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute and select Save. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic A

17 8 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC B Update Task Progress with SharePoint In addition to making progress updates directly to tasks in a project plan, you can save time by synchronizing task progress from SharePoint. In this topic, you will learn how to update task progress from a SharePoint task list. SharePoint Synchronization SharePoint Synchronization If your organization uses Microsoft SharePoint, you can synchronize your Microsoft Project Professional task list with a SharePoint task list. Project team members can view the schedule on SharePoint. When they update their work progress on SharePoint, you will see their changes in Project. Conversely, any changes you make in Project will be updated on SharePoint so that team members can see them. SharePoint Libraries You can save a project in a Microsoft SharePoint library for team collaboration. A SharePoint library is a location on a SharePoint site where you can store, share, and manage files. Team members can log in to access the project file and, depending on the permissions you set, update task status, availability, and other information. This option does not require Project Server. SharePoint functionality is available in the Professional edition of Project The Sync with SharePoint Dialog Box The Sync with SharePoint Dialog Box When you select the Sync with SharePoint button on the Share screen, you will be prompted to go to the Save As screen. When you select the Sync with SharePoint button on the Save As screen, you will have the option of syncing with a new SharePoint site or an existing one. In either case, you will need a valid SharePoint Site address, User Name, and Password. Figure 1-5: Syncing with SharePoint is integrated into the Save As screen. Note: You can access the Sync with SharePoint button directly from the Save As screen if you wish. Once you have synchronized a project plan to SharePoint, you can continue to synchronize the tasks in your project with the task list in SharePoint. As team members update task progress in Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic B

18 SharePoint, you will have the option to synchronize the updates with the project plan. You can then modify the tasks, if necessary, and sync further changes to SharePoint as needed. Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 9 Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Sync a Project with SharePoint. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic B

19 10 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 1-2 Updating Task Progress with SharePoint (Optional Instructor Activity) Before You Begin Microsoft Project 2016 is open. You are signed into a Microsoft SharePoint site and have permissions to create new team sites. This is an optional instructor activity that can be demonstrated if you have completed the optional SharePoint setup instructions. Scenario Building with Heart has just installed a new SharePoint server for you and your colleagues to collaborate on projects. You want to create a new project plan that you can share on SharePoint to manage the transition to sharing your documents on SharePoint. 1. Create a new Simple Project plan. a) In Project, select File New. b) On the New page, select Simple project plan. c) In the Simple project plan dialog box, select Create. Verify that a new Simple project plan opens. 2. Sync to SharePoint and create a new team site. a) Select File Save As. b) On the Save As page, select Sync with SharePoint. c) In the Sync with field, select New SharePoint Site. d) In the Site address field, enter the URL to your SharePoint site. e) Click Save. If necessary, enter the credentials to login to your SharePoint site. 3. Update task progress on SharePoint. a) In the browser, navigate to your new site if necessary. b) In the navigation list, select Tasks. c) In the Tasks list, check the check box next to Task 1 to mark it complete. d) Select the name of Task 2 to open the task. e) On the Task 2 page, on the ribbon, select Edit Item. f) In the Assigned To field, enter your name as it appears in your credentials for the SharePoint site. g) In the % Complete field, enter 50. h) Select Save. 4. Sync with SharePoint. a) On the taskbar, select Project b) Select File Info. Verify that the Save and Sync Your Project group displays the last saved time and the URL to your SharePoint site. c) Select Save. Once the Sync with SharePoint status dialog box finishes, verify that the updates you made to the tasks on SharePoint are now reflected in the Gantt Chart view. 5. Close the project plan. a) Select File Close. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic B

20 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 11 TOPIC C Update Work Many project tasks require the effort of multiple resources and resources that aren't always available for the project full time. In these cases, you'll need to track the progress of the overall task, and also the contribution of the various resources. Fortunately, Project 2016 enables you to focus on the fine details within a task so that you can better manage overall progress and resource allocation. In this topic, you will update task progress to reflect work completed and revise work needed. Actual Work In addition to tracking the progress of tasks as a percentage and recording the actual start and finish dates, you can track the actual work performed on a task. Actual work refers to the amount of work that has already been completed by resources assigned to tasks. For example, a resource working part-time on a task may complete 20 hours of work on that task during the status week. Project uses actual work to calculate the real costs of the task. The Actual Work Field The Actual Work field tracks all the work completed to date for a task by the assigned resources. You can add the Actual Work field to a task or resource sheet so that you can review and compare actual work values against baseline work values. You can also use the field to filter a task or resource sheet, or to manually enter actual work information. If you enter a value in a task s Actual Work field, Project divides the value among the resources assigned to that task. Make sure the students understand the difference between duration and work. The Actual Work Field Figure 1-6: You can add the Actual Work field to the Task Entry table. Overtime Work Overtime work is work scheduled to take place beyond the regular working hours of a resource. Assigning overtime to a resource does not change the original amount of work on the task and does not necessarily affect the duration; overtime work is recorded separately for each task. When you enter overtime work for a resource, the cost for that portion of the work is calculated based on the overtime rate for the resource. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic C

21 12 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 The Work Table You may want to demonstrate how to add the Overtime Work column to the Work table. The Work Table The Work table contains the work fields that you need to update to reflect work completed on task assignments. You can use this table to update Actual Work and Remaining Work. You can also add the Overtime Work field to this table. Figure 1-7: Update work fields in the Work table. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Update Work. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic C

22 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 13 ACTIVITY 1-3 Updating Work Before You Begin The My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp project plan file is open. Scenario To make sure that your project plan accurately reflects the work performed, you need to make a small change to the work on the Sort Debris task because your volunteers put in an additional 4 hours (1 hour each). You also want to make sure that the permit tasks do not show any work since you are not tracking work for them. 1. Update the Actual Work on the Sort Debris task. a) Right-click the Table selection button, and then select Work. b) In the Work table, in the row for Task 7 (Sort Debris), select the Actual Work field, and increase the value from 96 hrs to 100 hrs. c) Note: After updating fields, click outside the field to see the updated results. In the same row, in the Remaining Work field, increase the value to 192 hrs. 2. Set the Actual Work for the permit tasks to zero. a) In the Work table, select Task 11 (Secure foundation permit). b) On the ribbon, select Task Properties Details to display the Details pane. c) In the Details pane, select the Actual radio button. d) In the General contractor resource row, in the Work field, enter 0h, and then select OK. e) Click Next to proceed to the next task. f) Repeat steps d through e to update the Actual Work field for Tasks 12 through 16. g) Select Task Properties Details to close the Details pane. 3. Save your changes to My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp. a) On the Quick Launch bar, select Save. Inform the students that you can't multi-select tasks in the details pane. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic C

23 14 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC D Update Costs In addition to using Work to calculate the costs in a project plan, Project also tracks materials and other costs accrued during the project execution. To make sure these costs are calculated correctly, you need to update the project plan with the actual costs as they are incurred. In this topic, you will update cost information in a task. The Cost Table The Cost Table The Cost table enables you to enter fixed costs for tasks or resources. You can update the fixed cost and set the accrual method that Project uses to distribute the cost across the duration of the project schedule. Figure 1-8: Enter actual costs in the Cost table. The Assignment Information Tracking Tab The Assignment Information Tracking Tab You can enter actual costs for materials and cost resources in the Assignment Information dialog box's Tracking tab. The tab enables you to update the Actual cost field for an assignment between a task and a resource. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic D

24 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 15 Ask the students to explain what an assignment is (links a task and resource). Figure 1-9: Update costs for an assignment in the Assignment Information Tracking tab. Updating Material Costs When you open the Assignment Information dialog box for an assignment between a task and a material resource, the Work fields are expressed in the material's units instead of units of time. For example, if you have a material resource called "wood siding" and it is purchased in "square feet," the Work fields will show the number of square feet estimated, actual, and remaining to complete the task. To update the amount of materials used, enter the actual amount of units used in the Actual Work field. Updating Cost Resources To update the Actual Cost for a cost resource, you simply update the Cost field for the assignment in the Task Usage table. Project automatically calculates the Actual Cost by default. Since the original planned cost was saved when creating a baseline, you can still monitor progress against the plan. However, if you want more control over how Project calculates Actual Cost, you can modify the default settings for the project in the Options dialog box for the project plan. Updating Material Costs Explain that cost resources accrue as a task completes by default. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Update Costs. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic D

25 16 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 1-4 Updating Costs Before You Begin The My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp project plan file is open. Scenario To make sure that your project plan accurately reflects the costs accrued, you need to make changes to the Place Containers and Sort Debris task because you ended up using three containers instead of two. You also need to update the actual waste dump fee to 30 tons to reflect the new amount. 1. Update the Place Containers cost. a) Right-click the Table selection button, and then select Cost. b) In the Cost table, in the row for Task 6 (Place Containers), select the Actual field, and increase the value from $40.00 to $ Explain that unchecking Effort driven will enable modifying the work values without changing the duration of the task. 2. Update the Sort Debris task. a) In the Cost table, select Task 7 (Sort Debris). b) On the ribbon, select Task Properties Details to display the Details pane. c) In the Details pane, uncheck the Effort driven check box. d) Select the Actual radio button. e) In the row for the Container resource, increase the Units field to 300% and the Work field to 108h. f) Select OK. 3. Update the Haul Waste task. a) In the Work table, select Task 9 (Haul Waste). b) In the Details pane, in the Waste Dump Fee resource row, increase the Work field to 30 ton. c) Click OK. d) Select Task Properties Details to close the Details pane. 4. Save your changes to My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Execute.mpp and then close the file. a) On the Quick Launch bar, select Save. b) Select File Close. Lesson 1: Executing a Project Topic D

26 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 17 Summary In this lesson, you updated task progress in a number of ways. You also updated work and costs associated with resource assignments. Which ribbon commands of the Task tab are you most likely to use during your next project to update task progress? A: Answers will vary, but might include Mark on Track, 100 %, or Update Task Progress. What is an advantage of updating assignment work and costs in the project plan? A: Answers will vary, but may include making sure that the project is staying under budget and preventing overallocation of resources. Note: Check your CHOICE Course screen for opportunities to interact with your classmates, peers, and the larger CHOICE online community about the topics covered in this course or other topics you are interested in. From the Course screen you can also access available resources for a more continuous learning experience. Encourage students to use the social networking tools provided on the CHOICE Course screen to follow up with their peers after the course is completed for further discussion and resources to support continued learning. Lesson 1: Executing a Project

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28 2 Monitoring Project Progress Lesson Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes Lesson Objectives In this lesson, you will monitor project progress in the project plan. You will: View project progress using project plan views. Add custom fields to a project plan. Create customized project plan views. Create a network diagram to analyze tasks. Analyze the progress of a project plan. Lesson Introduction As you update task progress and actual work and cost data, Microsoft Project 2016 gives you many options for monitoring and analyzing progress against the project plan. By carefully tracking and monitoring performance information and using the tools and techniques to analyze this data, you will be able to identify possible risks to your project and respond to them appropriately. You also lay the foundation for communicating performance measurements to the project team and stakeholders.

29 20 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC A View Project Progress So far, you may have only worked with a few of the views that are available in Microsoft Project There is much more project information you can see with views, and views can be customized to meet your needs. In this topic, you will explore the many views accessible through the View Bar, and several commands on the View tab of the ribbon that can be used to review the project plan's progress. Views Views in Microsoft Project provide a visual representation of project data that is useful in tracking your project. You can use a variety of views to focus on specific aspects of your project. Views typically contain a combination of two or more tables and charts. For example, you can have a view that helps you track the progress, or a view that shows you how your team resources are being used. Ask students which of these views they have used. Focus on the common views and let the students know they can use this information as reference. Default Views By default, the View Bar displays the views that Project 2016 considers to be the most commonly used. Here is a table of those views and what they show. These views are in the order that they appear on the View Bar. View Description Use To Calendar Gantt Chart Network Diagram Task Form Task Sheet Task Usage Timeline Shows the project schedule in calendar format. You can view tasks by month, week, or by a custom time period. Shows project tasks in two ways: as a list, and as bars plotted against the project timeline. This is the default view. Shows the dependencies between tasks. Shows information about each task, one task per screen. Shows all of the project tasks as a list. It is similar to the Gantt Chart without depicting the tasks as bars plotted against the project timeline. Shows how many hours each task or assigned resource is scheduled to use per unit of time shown in the timeline. Shows only those tasks you wish to see plotted against the project timeline. This is the same view that is shown by default in the pane above the main view. Tracking Gantt Shows baseline and scheduled Gantt bars for each task. See which tasks are scheduled for a particular day or week. See a list of tasks and a graphical depiction of when they are scheduled to occur. See a graphical depiction of how tasks are sequenced. Work on one task at a time without using the Task Information dialog box. See a list of tasks. See the number of hours a task or its assigned resources will use in total or for a unit of time. See key tasks in a time plot. Compare the baseline schedule with the actual schedule. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

30 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 21 View Description Use To Resource Form Shows information about each resource, one resource per screen. Resource Graph Shows what percentage of each resource is being used per unit of time shown in the timeline, one resource per screen. Overallocated resources appear in red. Resource Sheet Shows all of the project resources as a list. You are already familiar with this view. Resource Usage Team Planner Shows as a table all of the resources, which tasks each resource is assigned, and how many hours each task is scheduled to take per unit of time shown in the timeline. Shows in a graph all the resources and the tasks to which each resource is assigned per unit of time shown in the timeline. Overallocated resources appear in red. You should already be familiar with this view. Work on one resource at a time without using the Resource Information dialog box. See when each resource is allocated and overallocated. See a list of all project resources and detailed information about each one. See a list of all resources and the tasks to which each resource is assigned. See a graphical depiction of each resource, the tasks to which each is assigned, and when each resource will work on its assigned tasks. The More Views Dialog Box In addition to the 13 views shown on the View Bar, there are 14 others from which you can choose. You can access the More Views dialog box by selecting More Views at the bottom of the View Bar or any of the Other Views commands. Here is a table of those views and what they show. View Description Use To Bar Rollup Shows only summary tasks. See a high-level summary of a complex project plan. Descriptive Network Diagram Detail Gantt Gantt with Timeline Leveling Gantt Milestone Date Rollup Milestone Rollup Shows more information for each node than in the regular network diagram. Shows more information about each task bar than in the regular Gantt Chart, including the critical path. Shows the Timeline view in the upper pane and the Gantt Chart view in the lower pane. Shows schedule delays caused by resource leveling. Shows all tasks concisely labeled with milestone marks and dates on summary Gantt bars. Shows all tasks concisely labeled with milestone marks on summary Gantt bars. Review or prepare to print a detailed network diagram. Review or prepare to print a detailed Gantt Chart. Compare the high-level timeline and the details Gantt chart. Identify changes made by automatic levelling of resources. View only milestones when preparing a status update. See a high-level summary with milestones. The More Views Dialog Box The New, Edit, Copy, and Organizer buttons in the More Views dialog box will be discussed in the next topic. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

31 22 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 View Description Use To Multiple Baselines Gantt Relationship Diagram Resource Allocation Resource Name Form Task Detail Form Task Entry Task Name Form Shows a Gantt Chart with baselines for all tasks displayed against the timeline. Shows each task, one task per screen, along with its predecessors and successors and the type of dependencies it has with its predecessors and successors. This is a split view that shows the Resource Usage view in the top pane. When a task is selected, a Gantt Chart of just that task is shown in the bottom pane. This view is similar to the Resource Form view, but shows less detail about the resource. This view is similar to the Task Form view, but shows more detail about the task. This is a split view that shows the Gantt Chart view in the top pane and the Task Form view in the bottom pane. When you select a task in the upper pane, its information is shown in the bottom pane. This view is similar to the Task Form view, but shows less detail about the task. Visually compare schedules between multiple baselines. Review the relationships in detail for individual tasks. Review how resources are allocated to individual tasks. Prepare a report of project resources. Review or prepare to print details about project tasks. Modify details on tasks. Prepare a report of project tasks. The Sort Command The Sort Command You can use the Sort button to arrange the tasks or resources in a different order than they currently appear. When you select this button, a drop-down menu will be displayed. You can choose one of the pre-defined sort criteria (by Start Date, Finish Date, Cost, Priority, or ID), or you can specify your own sort criteria. If you choose to specify your own sort criteria, the Sort dialog box will be displayed. You can use the dialog box to specify up to three fields for sorting data. You can specify whether each field should be sorted in ascending or descending order. You can also specify whether you want tasks permanently renumbered and whether you want to keep the outline structure. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

32 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 23 Figure 2-1: The Sort dialog box enables you to customize how a table is sorted. Selecting Sort sets the sort parameters you changed and closes the dialog box. Cancel closes the dialog box without setting the sort parameters you changed. Reset returns the sort parameters to their default state. Note: You can also sort views by selecting the drop-down arrow adjacent to a column header in the view. You can choose to sort the column in ascending or descending order. The Outline Command You can use the Outline button to specify how much detail about the project is shown. This is helpful when your project has summary tasks and subtasks (perhaps several levels for complex projects). When you select this button, Project displays a drop-down menu: Selecting the Show Subtasks option displays all the subtasks under the currently selected task. Selecting the Hide Subtasks option hides all the subtasks under the currently selected task. Selecting the All Subtasks option displays all of the subtasks in the entire project. Selecting the Level 1 though Level 9 options displays tasks at the selected level of indentation. The Outline Command Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

33 24 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 2-2: Use the Outline button to hide or show levels of tasks. The Table Command Demonstrate how to change tables in a view. The Tables Command You can use the Tables button to display different sets of fields in the current view. When you select this button, Project display a drop-down menu of available tables. Figure 2-3: The Tables button enables you to switch tables in a view. The Entry table is the default configuration for many views. There are several other built-in tables you can choose from this menu, or you can see additional tables by selecting the More Tables option. This table explains the use of each of the other primary built-in tables. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

34 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 25 Table Cost Hyperlink Schedule Summary Tracking Usage Variance Work Use to View Cost information about project tasks including baseline, actual, and variance. Links to additional task information on a computer, network, or web page. Schedule information about project tasks including start dates, finish dates, free slack, and total slack. Basic project information including task duration, start and finish dates, percent completed, cost, and work. Actual task information rather than planned task information. Task work, duration, and start and finish dates. The difference between baseline and actual dates. The difference between baseline and actual work, as well as work remaining. Tables are not just for viewing project information. You can also use tables to edit existing information or add new information. You can customize the selected table for your needs (for example, by adding and subtracting columns). You can also use the Tables menu to reset a customized table to its default configuration or save it as a new table. The Highlight Command You can use the Highlight command to focus on items in the current view that meet specific criteria. When you select this field, Project displays a drop-down menu of highlight criteria. The Highlight Command Figure 2-4: Highlighting fields based on criteria enables you to quickly identify areas of concern. There are several built-in highlight criteria you can choose from this menu, or you can choose other criteria by selecting the More Highlight Filters option. Selecting the Clear Highlight option will Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

35 26 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 remove highlighting from the current view. If you select the New Highlight Filter option, you can create a custom highlight filter. The Filter Command The Filter Command You can use the Filter command to show only items in the current view that meet specific criteria. When you select this field, Project displays a drop-down of filter criteria. Figure 2-5: Filtering enables you to customize which items are shown in a view. There are several built-in filter criteria you can choose from this menu, or you can choose other criteria by selecting the More Filters option. Selecting the Clear Filter option will remove filtering from the current view. If you select the New Filter option, you can create a custom filter. Selecting the Display AutoFilter option toggles off and on the ability to apply sorting, filtering, and grouping by selecting the drop-down arrow adjacent to a column header in the view. Selecting the Show Related Summary Rows option toggles off and on the display of summary tasks containing subtasks that meet the filtering criteria. Note: If Display AutoFilter is toggled on, you can also filter views by selecting the drop-down arrow adjacent to a column header in the view. The Group Command The Group Command You can use the Group command to group like items together in the current view based on criteria. When you select this command, Project displays a drop-down list of criteria. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

36 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 27 Figure 2-6: Group criteria give you different ways to summarize like items. There are several built-in group criteria you can choose from this menu, or you can choose other criteria by selecting More Groups. Selecting Clear Group removes grouping from the current view. If you select New Group by, you can create a custom grouping. The Timescale Dialog Box The Timescale dialog box enables you to customize your project view by formatting the timescale to suit your preferences. When you customize the timescale, you change the increments of time that are displayed. The timescale can represent time from minutes to years. There are three tiers in the timescale: Top Tier, Middle Tier, and Bottom Tier. By default, the timescale displays two tiers, but you can choose to display One tier (Middle), Two tiers (Middle, Bottom), or Three tiers (Top, Middle, Bottom). By default, only the middle and bottom tiers are active, with the top tier showing the date at the start of each week, and the bottom tier showing the days of the week. You can change these increments by using the Timescale dialog box. You can also change the labels and the alignment for the timescale. The Timescale Dialog Box Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

37 28 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 2-7: The Timescale dialog box enables you to format the time periods for time-based views. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to View Project Progress. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

38 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 29 ACTIVITY 2-1 Viewing Project Progress Data File C:\091063Data\Monitoring Project Progress\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Monitoring.mpp Before You Begin Microsoft Project Professional 2016 is open. Scenario You have now been executing the project for a few months and recording task progress. As a project manager, you would like to sort the tasks by start date so that you can monitor which tasks are starting soon. You would also like to group the tasks by resource so that you can easily identify which tasks a resource is working on when you communicate with them to gather status. You decide to use the view commands to make these changes. 1. Open C:\091063Data\Monitoring Project Progress\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Monitoring.mpp. 2. Make sure you are viewing the Gantt Chart. 3. Use the Sort command to sort the tasks by Start. a) Select the View tab on the ribbon. b) In the Data command group, select the Sort button. c) In the Sort by drop-down list, select the by Start Date option. Notice that the Gantt Chart and Task Entry Table are now sorted by Start Date. 4. Use the Group by command. a) On the Quick Access Toolbar, select the Undo button to return the Gantt Chart to its original state. b) Select View Data Group by Resource. Notice that the tasks in the Gantt Chart are now grouped by milestones and non-milestones. 5. On the Quick Access Toolbar, select the Undo button to return the Gantt Chart to its original state. 6. Save the file in C:\091063Data\Monitoring Project Progress as My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Monitoring.mpp and leave it open for the next activity. Remind the students to use the zoom and scroll controls to view the results. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic A

39 30 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC B Add Custom Fields Microsoft Project Professional 2016 comes packed with hundreds of fields for capturing information about project tasks and resources. However, there may be situations in which you need additional or different data fields than those provided; for example, if your organization needs to track vendor categories on resources or uses a custom formula to calculate estimated cost. In this topic, you'll see how to add custom fields to a project. Custom Fields Ask students to offer some examples of custom fields they might need to create and use. Custom fields are data fields that you can configure for your unique project or organizational needs. Dozens of these custom fields already exist as placeholders in Project 2016, ready for you to use. There are several ways to use custom fields. You can: Insert data that is important to your organization. Write formulas that will perform calculations. Add lookup tables to make data entry more accurate. Build graphical indicators to call attention to important items. Create hierarchical coding structures. When you create a custom field, you need to specify the appropriate data type. Text is the default data type, but you can also select Cost, Date, Duration, Number, and other options. When you create a custom text field, you can create a simple text field that accepts any text, such as notes and reminders to yourself, or you can create or import a lookup table so that your custom text field is populated with predefined options. Creating a custom field makes it available for use in Project, but it will not appear in any table, views, or reports until you add it. The Custom Fields Dialog Box The Custom Fields Dialog Box The Custom Fields dialog box enables you to customize the built-in custom fields to suit your needs. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

40 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 31 Figure 2-8: Modify custom fields using the Custom Fields dialog box. The Custom Fields dialog box gives you many options for configuring custom fields. Section of Dialog Box Field Custom attributes Options and Functions Select the Task option to customize a task field. Select the Resource option to customize a resource field. Regardless of whether you want to customize a task or resource field, from the Type drop-down list, select the type of field (Cost, Date, Duration, Finish, Flag, Number, Start, Text or Outline Code) you want to customize. A fixed number of each type of field is assigned to both tasks and resources. For example, 30 customizable text fields are set aside for tasks, and 30 customizable text fields are set aside for resources. Similarly, 10 customizable cost fields are set aside for tasks, and 10 customizable cost fields are set aside for resources. Select Rename to rename fields from their default names to something more descriptive of their functions. Select Delete to remove a customized field. When you do this, you are actually returning the field to its pre-customized state. Select the Lookup option to create a lookup table. A lookup table is useful when you want to be able to populate a field by selecting a value from a drop-down list. For example, you might create a lookup table called Priority Code with the values High, Medium, and Low. When you select the Lookup button, an Edit Lookup Table dialog box will be displayed where you can enter the data for your lookup table and set parameters for the table. Select the Formula option to create a formula field. A formula is useful when you want Project 2016 to perform a calculation for you. When you select the Formula button, the Formula dialog box will be displayed for you to compile your formula. Let the class know that lookup tables will be discussed later in this topic. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

41 32 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Section of Dialog Box Calculation for task and group summary rows Calculation for assignment rows Values to display Options and Functions Select the Rollup option and select a rollup option from the drop-down list to customize how Project 2016 calculates task and group summary rows. In project management, to rollup means to include lower-level project information at higher levels of the project. Select the Use formula option if you want to use the formula field you created for the rollup calculation. Select the Roll down unless manually entered option if you want the values of the customized field to be spread evenly across each assignment. Select the Data option to see the actual information entered into a field. Select the Graphical Indicators option and then select the Graphical Indicators button to apply graphical indicators to your custom field. When you select the Graphical Indicators button, the Graphical Indicators dialog box will be displayed, where you can select criteria for what to display and when. Caution: Be careful with the Delete option because deleting a customized field will also delete any project data entered into the custom field. Field Lookup Tables Field Lookup Tables Ask the students to name some types of fields that would benefit from lookup tables. A field lookup table is a set of predefined values that you create or import. A field is populated with the values in a lookup table so that you can select only those predefined values; any attempt to enter values other than those defined in the lookup table returns an error. This kind of field ensures data integrity. For example, when you fill out your mailing address in an online form, you may choose from a list of states or provinces. The values that are available for you to choose from are stored in a lookup table. You can use the same method to prepopulate a list of values in a field in Project Figure 2-9: Keep values in a custom field uniform by using a field lookup table. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

42 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 33 The Edit Lookup Table Dialog Box When you select the Lookup button in the Custom Fields dialog box, the Edit Lookup Table dialog box will open. Use this dialog box to enter the data for your lookup table and set parameters for it. There are several options you can specify for a lookup table. These include selecting a value from the table as the default entry value, sorting the values in different ways, and allowing values not listed in the table to be entered. The Edit Lookup Table Dialog Box Figure 2-10: The Edit Lookup Table dialog box enables you to specify values to pick from for a field. Custom Field Formulas Formulas are scripts that generate values by calculating the values in other fields. In other words, formulas enable you to work with existing values to create new values that are important to you. For example, you can create a custom field that displays the number of days remaining, from the current date, until each task is scheduled to start. This value would be derived by calculating the value in each task s start date field against the current date. Make sure when you create a customer for a formula that you choose the field type that matches the result of your formula. For example, if you are calculating the number of days between two dates, the result will be a number, not a date, so you would choose a number field type. Custom Field Formulas Inform the students that scripting instruction is beyond the scope of this course. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

43 34 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 2-11: You can use a formula to have Project calculate the value of a field. Note: You ll need to be familiar with scripting syntax to write formulas in Project, but the buttons and options in the Formula dialog box can help you build the expressions. The Formula Dialog Box The Formula Dialog Box The Formula dialog box enables you to enter or build a formula for calculating custom values in a field. There are three methods for entering a formula in the Formula dialog box. You can: Type the formula. Construct the formula using the field, function, and operator controls provided. Import the formula from another Project file. Figure 2-12: Enter a formula for a field in the Formula dialog box. The Graphical Indicators Dialog Box The Graphical Indicators Dialog Box Ask the students if they would like to create a dashboard with stop lights for status. The Graphical Indicators dialog box enables you to set up custom visual cues that are based on criteria that you define. For example, you can create a custom field named Cost Alert that displays a warning icon if a task has a scheduled cost that s greater than its baseline cost. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

44 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 35 Figure 2-13: Create custom visual alerts in the Graphical Indicators dialog box. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Add Custom Fields. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

45 36 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 2-2 Adding Custom Fields Before You Begin The My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Monitoring.mpp project plan file is open. Scenario You have hired contract resources for the construction project. One of the grants your organization was awarded requires that a certain percentage of contractors meet one or more specific criteria. You want to add a custom lookup table to your project plan so that you can easily capture this information about each contractor. Since you are creating a custom field, you also decide to add a formula field so that you can determine the number of days between the current date and the finish date for each task in your schedule. 1. Rename the Resources Text1 field to Grant Criteria a) Select Project Properties Custom Fields b) In the Custom Fields dialog box, select the Resource radio button. c) In the Type drop-down list, make sure Text is selected. d) In the Field section, make sure Text1 is selected. e) Select Rename. f) In the Rename Field dialog box, type Grant Criteria as the new name for the field. g) Select OK to close the Rename Field dialog box. 2. Make the Grant Criteria custom field into a lookup table. a) In the Custom Fields dialog box, select the Resource option and make sure the Grant Criteria (Text1) custom field is selected. b) In the Custom attributes section, select the Lookup button. c) In the Edit Lookup Table for Grant Criteria dialog box, select the first cell of the Value column and type W d) Select the first cell of the Description column and type Women Owned e) Select the second cell of the Value column and type M f) Select the second cell of the Description column and type Minority Owned g) Select the third cell of the Value column and type V h) Select the third cell of the Description column and type Veteran Owned i) Select the fourth cell of the Value column and type >1 Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

46 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 37 j) Select the fourth cell of the Description column and type More Than One k) Select Close to close the Edit Lookup Table for Grant Criteria dialog box. 3. Add a graphical indicator to the Grant Criteria custom field. a) In the Custom Fields dialog box, select the Resource option and make sure the Grant Criteria (Text1) custom field is selected. b) In the Values to display section, select the Graphical Indicators button. c) In the Graphical Indicators dialog box, select the first cell of the Test for 'Grant Criteria' column and select equals from the drop-down list. d) Select the first cell of the Value(s) column and type W e) Select the first cell of the Image column and select the first half-filled circle from the drop-down list. f) Select the second cell of the Test for 'Grant Criteria' column and select equals from the drop-down list. g) Select the second cell of the Value(s) column and type M h) Select the second cell of the Image column and select the second half-filled circle from the dropdown list. i) Select the third cell of the Test for 'Grant Criteria' column and select equals from the drop-down list. j) Select the third cell of the Value(s) column and type V k) Select the third cell of the Image column and select the third half-filled circle from the drop-down list. l) Select the fourth cell of the Test for 'Grant Criteria' column and select equals from the drop-down list. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

47 38 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 m) Select the fourth cell of the Value(s) column and type >1 n) Select the fourth cell of the Image column and select a solid circle from the drop-down list. o) Select OK to close the Graphical Indicators dialog box. p) Verify that, in the Values to display section, the Graphical Indicators radio button is now selected. Note: Once you select the Graphical Indicators button and configure the graphical indicators, the Graphical Indicators radio button is automatically selected in the Custom Fields dialog box. q) Select OK to close the Custom Fields dialog box. 4. Create a custom formula field. a) Select Project Properties Custom Fields. b) If necessary, select the Task radio button. In the Type drop-down list, select Number. c) Rename the Number1 field to Days Left and select OK. d) Select the Formula button. e) In the Formula dialog box, select the Function button, choose Date / Time from the drop-down list, and select DateDiff. f) In the formula, select interval with the mouse pointer. Replace it by typing "d" (with quotation marks) for day. g) In the formula, select date1 with the mouse pointer. Replace it by selecting the Function button, choosing Date / Time from the drop-down list, and selecting Now(). h) In the formula, select date2 with the mouse pointer. Replace it by selecting the Field button, choosing Date from the drop-down list, and selecting Finish. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

48 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 39 i) In the formula, highlight firstdayofweek, firstweekofyear and delete the text by pressing the Delete key. If necessary, delete all extraneous spaces and the comma in the formula. j) Select OK to close the Formula dialog box. k) If necessary, in the Microsoft Project dialog box about replacing all the data in the Days Left field, select OK. l) Select OK to close the Custom Fields dialog box. 5. Verify that the View Bar is visible on the left side of the Project 2016 interface. 6. Add a Grant Criteria column to the Resource Sheet. a) Find and select the Resource Sheet button on the View Bar. Note: You may need to select the down arrow at the bottom of the View Bar to find the Resource Sheet button. b) In the Resource Sheet view, select the Material column. c) Right-click and select Insert Column. d) In the Type Column Name field, type Grant Criteria and press Enter. Verify that the view contains a new column titled Grant Criteria. Note: If you select a cell in the Grant Criteria column, select the down arrow, and select an option. Project 2016 will convert your choice into the corresponding graphical indicator. 7. Add a Days Left column to the Gantt Chart. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

49 40 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 a) Select the Gantt Chart button on the View Bar. b) In the Gantt Chart view, select the Predecessors column. c) Right-click and select Insert Column. d) In the Type Column Name field, type Days Left and press Enter. Verify that the view contains a new column titled Days Left. Note: To see values in this column, you may need to expand subtasks and scroll vertically. The values may be rather large because the formula uses your computer's current date as the Now value for the calculation. 8. Save the file. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic B

50 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 41 TOPIC C Create Custom Views Even though Project 2016 provides you with 27 built-in views, you may need to build your own to show the information you want about your project. In this topic, you will create custom views. New Views Project provides several views, but you can also create your own custom views, which you can quickly access from the View bar or a view button. For example, when looking at tasks in Network Diagram view, you might want to see resource names and the percent complete in the nodes; these two data points are not part of the default Network Diagram view, but you can add them to a custom view. You can also create combination views for when you want to see information from two views simultaneously. You can begin to create a new view by selecting New in the More Views dialog box. New Views Figure 2-14: Use the New button in the More Views dialog box to create a new view. The Define New View Dialog Box The Define New View dialog box will be displayed. You have the option of creating a Single view or a Combination view. The Define New View Dialog Box Figure 2-15: Define New View dialog box. Select Single view if you only want to see project information in a single pane. Select Combination view if you want to see overall project information in one pane and details about selected items in another pane. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic C

51 42 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Single View Single View If you select Single view, a View Definition dialog box will be displayed. Figure 2-16: View Definition dialog box for a new single view. Use the View Definition dialog box to configure the view: Specify a Name for the new view. Select a Screen (a previously existing view) upon which the new view will be based. Select a Table that will be applied to the new view. Select a Group that will be applied to the new view. Select a Filter that will be applied to the new view. Choose whether to add highlighting for the filter in the new view. Choose whether to show the new view in the menu. Note: The Screen you choose as the basis for your new view may constrain your choices in the Table, Group, and Filter fields. You may need to make a selection in each field to close the dialog box, or you may not be able to make selections in some fields. Combination View Combination View While managing and tracking a project, you might want to view different aspects of it at the same time. For example, you might want to view the Gantt view and the Task Details form simultaneously. You can do this by creating a combination view. A combination view is a custom split-pane view. If you select Combination view, a different View Definition dialog box will be displayed. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic C

52 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 43 Figure 2-17: Create a new combination view to add the details pane to a view. In this View Definition dialog box, you have different options to configure the view: Specify a Name for the new view. Select a Primary View to include in the main pane of the new view. Select a second view to include in the Details Pane of the new view. Choose whether to show the new view in the menu. The Edit Button In many cases, you may find that editing a built-in view is more efficient than creating a new view. You can edit a built-in view (or a custom view) by selecting Edit in the More Views dialog box. The Edit Button Figure 2-18: Edit button in the More Views dialog box. Selecting Edit will open a View Definition dialog box similar to one for new views. The Copy Button If you want to edit a built-in view, it's a good idea to make a copy of it first so that the original view is unchanged. You can copy a built-in view (or a new view) by selecting Copy in the More Views dialog box. Copy Views Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic C

53 44 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 2-19: Copy button in the More Views dialog box. Selecting Copy will open a View Definition dialog box similar to one for new views. You may want to show LearnTO Customize Views from the CHOICE Course screen or have students navigate out to the Course screen and watch it themselves as a supplement to your instruction. If not, please remind students to visit the LearnTOs for this course on their CHOICE Course screen after class for supplemental information and additional resources. Ask students if they are familiar with the default templates in other Office programs such as Word and Excel. The Organizer Note: To further explore customizing Project 2016 views, you can access the LearnTO Customize Views presentation from the LearnTO tile on the CHOICE Course screen. The Global Template The Global template is a collection of default settings, such as views, tables, macros, and custom fields, that are available to all projects on your system. These settings exist within a special project on your computer (Global.MPT) and are used in all of your projects. You can modify the settings used in the Global template to provide new and updated project standards across your projects. The Organizer The Organizer is a tool you can use to copy reports, calendars, and other elements to other projects, or to the Global template (Global.MPT). Copying an element to the Global template makes it available to all your projects. However, you may not need to use the Organizer to accomplish what you want. In fact, Project s default behavior is to automatically copy all new views and related elements you create to the Global template. If you have unchecked the setting and want to copy selected elements to the Global template, or if you want to copy an element from one project to another, you ll need to use the Organizer. The Organizer can also copy custom text styles to other projects or to the Global template. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic C

54 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 45 Figure 2-20: Use the Organizer to copy custom elements to the Global template or between project files. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Create a Custom View. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic C

55 46 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 2-3 Creating Custom Views Before You Begin C:\091063Data\Monitoring Project Progress\My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Monitoring.mpp is open. Scenario It is now six months into implementation of the construction project. Overall, the project is on schedule and within budget. About a third of the tasks have been completed. You would like to see a list of pending tasks without the completed tasks. You would also like to see the same view with the details for a single selected task so that you can quickly make updates if needed. You decide to create a new single view and a new combination view. 1. Create a new single view. a) Scroll down to the bottom of the View Bar. b) Select the More Views button. c) In the More Views dialog box, select New. d) In the Define New View dialog box, select Single view and select OK. e) In the View Definition dialog box, in the Name field, type My Incomplete Tasks f) In the Screen field, verify that Gantt Chart is selected from the drop-down list. g) In the Table field, from the drop-down list, select Entry. h) In the Group field, from the drop-down list, select No Group. i) In the Filter field, from the drop-down list, select Incomplete Tasks. j) Verify that the Highlight filter check box is unchecked. k) Verify that the Show in menu check box is checked. l) Select OK to close the View Definition dialog box. m) Select Apply to close the More Views dialog box. Notice that your new view is displayed, showing only uncompleted tasks. 2. Create a new combination view. a) Scroll down to the bottom of the View Bar. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic C

56 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 47 b) Select the More Views button. c) In the More Views dialog box, select New. d) In the Define New View dialog box, select Combination view and select OK. e) In the View Definition dialog box, in the Name field, type My Detailed Incomplete Tasks f) In the Primary View field, from the drop-down list, select My Incomplete Tasks. g) In the Details Pane field, rom the drop-down list, select Task Details Formf. h) Verify that the Show in menu check box is checked. i) Select OK to close the View Definition dialog box. j) Ensure that the My Detailed Incomplete Tasks view is selected, and then select Apply to apply the view and close the More Views dialog box. k) Notice that your new view is displayed, showing only incomplete tasks. Also notice that, when you select a task in the top pane, its details appear in the bottom pane. 3. Save the file. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic C

57 48 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC D Create a Network Diagram Up to now, you have mainly looked at projects though the lens of the Gantt Chart which is the most well-known way to illustrate project information. However, every project manager should be familiar with another important method for illustrating project information: the network diagram, which gives you a visual logical map of how the project tasks relate to each other. This visual diagram can help you see which tasks are most important and how the interdependencies work together. It is also a great tool for communicating the project plan with your team. In this topic, you will explore network diagramming. Network Diagrams Network Diagrams Network diagramming (also called Precedence Diagramming Method or PDM) is a method for illustrating project information that emphasizes task sequencing and dependencies among tasks. In this methodology, tasks are depicted as boxes (known as nodes), and dependencies are depicted as arrows connecting the nodes. Figure 2-21: A network diagram is another way to view project tasks. Ask students for some situations where they might want to use network diagramming rather than Gantt charting. The Network Diagram View A network diagram is especially useful when you need to pay more attention to task sequencing rather than task scheduling. Note: PDM was developed in the early 1960s by the H.B. Zachry Company in cooperation with IBM. The Network Diagram View Another way to monitor project progress is to use Network Diagram view. In this view, a task that is 100% complete is crossed out ( ), and tasks that are in progress have a slash (\) through them. Whenever you add tasks to a Gantt Chart and link them together, Project 2016 creates a network diagram behind the scenes. To see it, select the Network Diagram button on the View Bar. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic D

58 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 49 Figure 2-22: View the task paths and progress in Network Diagram view. Task Nodes A task node is a node in the network diagram that represents a task. When you switch to the Network Diagram view, you will see your project plan tasks depicted as nodes. You can also use the Network Diagram view to construct your initial project plan. To start building a project plan, open a blank project, select the Network Diagram view, and select the Insert Task button on the Task tab on the ribbon. A node will appear representing the new task. Task Nodes Figure 2-23: A node represents a task. Node Task Fields The node displays six task fields: Name of the task, which initially will be blank or have a <New Task> placeholder. You can type a desired task name directly into this field. Start date of the task, which will initially be the computer's current date. ID number of the task, which is automatically assigned by Project Finish date of the task, which will be the Start date plus the Duration. Duration of the task, which will initially be 1 day (estimated). You can type a different duration directly into this field. Explain each field in the task node. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic D

59 50 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Resource Names assigned to the task, which initially will be vacant. You can type resource names directly into this field. Milestones and Summary Task Nodes Milestones and Summary Nodes In Network Diagram view, milestone nodes are shown as hexagons and summary nodes are shown as parallelograms. Figure 2-24: Milestone and summary task nodes are shaped differently than regular task nodes. Paths Ask students for examples of a simple project path. Paths A path is a chain of linked tasks from a starting point to an ending point. Simple projects may have a single path, whereas complex projects can have multiple paths that run in parallel diverging and converging. Figure 2-25: Many project plans will have multiple paths of related tasks. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Create a Network Diagram. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic D

60 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 51 ACTIVITY 2-4 Creating a Network Diagram Before You Begin C:\091063Data\Monitoring Project Progress\My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Monitoring.mpp is open. Scenario You would like to see how your project plan looks as a network diagram so that you can see the different task paths and dependencies. You recently learned that a tankless high-efficiency water heater was donated for the project, so you decide to add that task as a new network node. 1. On the View Bar, select the Network Diagram button. If necessary, select Task Properties Details to close the Details pane. 2. Review the network diagram. a) In the Network Diagram view, scroll to the upper-left corner of the large pane so that the first tasks are visible. b) Notice that the nodes for completed tasks appear crossed out. c) In the status bar at the bottom of the Project window, use the Zoom control to zoom out so that you can see the task paths. d) Scroll right to review the task paths for your project. Zoom in as needed to read the nodes. 3. Create the Install Tankless Water Heater task node. a) Locate the Install appliances task node. Note: Scroll to the end of the project (bottom right). The Install appliances task node is the fifth from the end just above and to the left of the Cleanup for occupancy task node. b) Click and hold the left mouse button inside the Install appliances task node. c) Drag the mouse pointer outside the node toward the right. The mouse pointer will change appearance. d) Release the left mouse button. Notice that a new rectangular node appears. e) In the top cell of the new node, type Install Tankless Water Heater Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic D

61 52 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 f) Click and hold the left mouse button inside the Install Tankless Water Heater node, then drag the mouse pointer down to the Cleanup for Occupancy node and release it to link the tasks. Remind the students to use the zoom and scroll controls to view the results. 4. Save the file. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic D

62 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 53 TOPIC E Analyze a Project Plan Now that you have viewed the project plan in a number of ways, you are ready to apply analysis to the progress so that you can determine if the project is on track and prepare to take any corrective actions. Fortunately, Project provides you with a number of analysis tools to help you get the most from your project plan. In this topic, you will analyze the progress of a project plan using various methods. The Project Statistics Dialog Box The Project Statistics dialog box displays overall project statistics for start and finish dates, duration, and cost of the current project. You can open the Project Statistics dialog box by selecting Project Properties Project Information to open the Project Information dialog box, and then select the Statistics button. The Project Statistics Dialog Box Figure 2-26: Use the Project Statistics dialog box to review scheduled and actual start and finish dates, durations, work, and costs. Variance In project management, variance is the difference between the baseline and actual performance. Variances can occur in scope, time, and cost factors. Small variances at the task level frequently result in large variances at the project level. Project 2016 includes a number of built-in tables that show you variance. You can access these tables on the View tab of the ribbon, in the Data command group, in the Tables button dropdown menu. The Cost table shows variances between planned and actual costs. The Variance table shows variances in planned and actual dates and duration. The Work table shows variances in planned and actual work. Variance can be positive (indicating that the project is exceeding the plan) or negative (indicating that the project is under the plan). Variance Demonstrate how to view variance tables. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic E

63 54 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 2-27: The Variance table shows how a project in execution differs from the original plan. Slippage Slippage Slippage is the amount of additional schedule duration caused by slipping a scheduled date. For example, missing a milestone because a task took longer than planned may cause an additional week of slippage in a project plan. You can choose which baseline fields are used to calculate slippage in a Gantt chart by using the Slippage bar styles formatting command. Figure 2-28: Slippage is displayed in the Gantt chart as a line between the Baseline bar and the Task bar. Earned Value Table Gauge the level of depth as appropriate for the students in covering EVM. The Earned Value Table If your organization uses Earned Value Management (EVM) to measure project performance, you can access several earned value tables on the View tab of the ribbon, in the Data command group, in the Tables button drop-down menu. When you select this button, you will see several options. If you select the More Tables option, the More Tables dialog box will open. In this dialog box, you can select from three task-related earned value tables and one resource-related earned value table. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic E

64 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 55 Figure 2-29: Earned Value table. Note: You must be in a task-related view (such as Gantt Chart) to generate the three taskrelated earned value tables. Similarly, you must be in a resource-related view (such as Resource Sheet) to generate the resource-related earned value table. Note: To further explore analyzing earned value with Project 2016, you can access the LearnTO Analyze Earned Value presentation from the LearnTO tile on the CHOICE Course screen. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Analyze a Project Plan. You may want to show LearnTO Analyze Earned Value from the CHOICE Course screen or have students navigate out to the Course screen and watch it themselves as a supplement to your instruction. If not, please remind students to visit the LearnTOs for this course on their CHOICE Course screen after class for supplemental information and additional resources. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic E

65 56 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 2-5 Analyzing a Project Plan Before You Begin C:\091063Data\Monitoring Project Progress\My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Monitoring.mpp is open. Scenario The Woods residential construction project is now three months into execution. During project planning, you entered cost rates for each resource. As soon as the project plan was approved, you baselined the project. Now, your project sponsor, Sylvia Deaton, has asked for some numbers for her status report. She wants to know the percentage complete for the overall project and the values for the project's earned value. 1. Review the Project Statistics. a) On the ribbon, select the Project tab. b) Select the Project Information button. c) In the Project Information dialog box, select Statistics. Examine the Project Statistics dialog box and locate the percentage complete for duration and work. 2. Generate an earned value table. a) Click Close to return to the Gantt Chart view. b) On the ribbon, select the View tab. c) In the Data command group, select the Tables button. d) From the drop-down menu, select the More Tables option. e) In the More Tables dialog box, select the Task option. f) Select Earned Value. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic E

66 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 57 g) Select Apply to close the More Tables dialog box. Examine the Earned Value table. 3. Save the file and then close it. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress Topic E

67 58 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Encourage students to use the social networking tools provided on the CHOICE Course screen to follow up with their peers after the course is completed for further discussion and resources to support continued learning. Summary In this lesson, you monitored and analyzed a project plan using the various views and tables available in Project, and explored how to customize those views for your needs. You also learned how to work with a network diagram. What types of custom fields might you use in your next project? A: Answers will vary, but might include organizational categories, such as department, formulas to calculate key performance indicators, and graphical indicators to quickly identify tasks that are on track versus off track. Which views are most helpful for monitoring project progress? A: Answers will vary, but may include task usage views, tracking Gantt view, and custom views. Note: Check your CHOICE Course screen for opportunities to interact with your classmates, peers, and the larger CHOICE online community about the topics covered in this course or other topics you are interested in. From the Course screen you can also access available resources for a more continuous learning experience. Lesson 2: Monitoring Project Progress

68 3 Controlling a Project Plan Lesson Time: 1 hour Lesson Objectives In this lesson, you will adjust the project plan to control constraints. You will: Edit tasks to reflect changes in the plan. Reschedule tasks to control the project plan. Update the Baseline fields and create an Interim Plan. Lesson Introduction Up to now, you have updated the project progress in the project and monitored progress with various views and tables. As a project progresses, it rarely goes exactly as planned. Controlling a project means bringing a project back on track when it is not going according to the plan. You may need to make changes to the project plan based on performance or unforeseen circumstances. This lesson covers the common actions that a project manager will take to adjust a Microsoft Project plan to bring it back on track.

69 60 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC A Edit the Task List As a project progresses, there are often new tasks that are discovered that need to be completed before the project can proceed. Also, there may be tasks that are no longer needed or that may be decided to be out of scope to bring the project back on track. As a project manager, you need to keep the project plan current so that it reflects the actual work. In this topic, you will edit tasks to reflect changes in the plan. Schedule Options Demonstrate how to verify that the Autolink inserted or moved tasks check box is checked. Schedule Options Before you try inserting a new task into an existing task list, it's a good idea to make sure that the Autolink inserted or moved tasks check box is checked. When this feature is enabled, project will automatically manage the dependencies between the tasks for you. You can find this option by selecting File on the ribbon, selecting the Options tab on the Backstage, and selecting the Schedule tab in the Project Options dialog box. Figure 3-1: Enable the Autolink inserted or moved tasks option to make inserting and moving tasks easier. Remind students how to set the New Tasks Created option to Auto Scheduled using the status bar. Ask students for examples of when they might need to insert a task into an existing task list. You should also make sure that the New Tasks Created option is set to Auto Scheduled by looking at the status bar. Insert Tasks After you have verified that these options are set, go to the Gantt Chart view and select the task below the point where you want the new task to appear. Then, on the ribbon, select the Task tab, find the Insert command group, and select the Task button. A new task will be inserted in the Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic A

70 Gantt Chart just before the task you had selected. You can rename the new task in the Gantt Chart view or in the Task Information dialog box. If the selected task was part of a path, the new task will be automatically inserted into the path. The selected task will become the successor of the new task, and the task that was the predecessor of the selected task will become the predecessor of the new task. The new task will not inherit any other characteristics of the selected task. You will need to set the task duration, assign resources to it, and make any other adjustments needed. Note: Be aware that inserting a new task into an existing task structure may affect the scheduling for the entire project. Successor tasks may have to be rescheduled (automatically or manually), and the entire project may finish later than originally planned. Inserting new tasks may also increase the cost of the project. Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 61 Insert Task Options There are several other ways you can use the Insert Task button while in the Gantt Chart view: Insert recurring tasks. For example, you might want the task Submit status to project sponsor to occur on a certain day each month. Insert blank rows. For example, you might want to separate groups of related tasks with blank rows. Import tasks from Outlook. For example, you might want to convert an Outlook task into a Microsoft Project task. Figure 3-2: You can use the Insert Task button options to insert different types of task rows. Inactive Tasks An inactive task is a task that is no longer needed, but does not affect resource availability, or the project schedule. When you inactivate a task, the task stays in the task list, but the text is grayed out and has a line through it. It is a good idea to inactivate tasks that are no longer needed rather than delete them. This will ensure that your baseline and original project plan stay intact, while still reflecting the new plan. You can mark a task as inactive in the Task Information dialog box or by selecting Inactive in the Schedule group of the Task tab on the ribbon. Inactive Tasks Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic A

71 62 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 3-3: An inactive task doesn't affect the project schedule. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Edit the Task List. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic A

72 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 63 ACTIVITY 3-1 Editing the Task List Data Files C:\091063Data\Controlling a Project Plan\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Controlling.mpp Before You Begin Microsoft Project Professional 2016 is open. Scenario As the project progresses, you are informed that you need to add a task for installing a skylight in the upstairs bathroom. The interior decorator has also let you know that the client has decided against wallpaper, so you need to make that task inactive. 1. Open C:\091063Data\Controlling a Project Plan\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Controlling.mpp. 2. Make sure the autolink option is active. a) Select the File Options. b) In the Project Options dialog box, select Schedule. c) Scroll down to the Scheduling options for this project section. d) Verify that the Autolink inserted or moved tasks check box is checked. e) Select OK to close the Project Options dialog box. 3. Insert a new task into the task structure. a) Make sure you are in Gantt Chart view. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic A

73 64 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 b) In the status bar, make sure the New Tasks option is set to Auto Scheduled. c) In the Task Entry table, select row 46, Hang 1st floor exterior doors. d) If necessary, select the Task tab on the ribbon. e) In the Insert command group, select the Insert Task button. f) Rename <New Task> to Install master bath skylight g) Change the duration of the new task from 1 day? to 1 day Notice that Project 2016 automatically inserted the new task into the existing path, making Install felt, flashing and shingles the predecessor of the new task and Hang 1st floor exterior doors the successor of the new task. 4. Mark a task inactive. a) On the ribbon, select View Zoom Entire Project. b) Select row 78, Hang wallpaper entry and kitchen - 1st floor. c) Select Task Schedule Inactivate. Notice that Project 2016 displays the task as inactive in the Gantt chart view. 5. Rename a task. a) Select row 77, Paint all except entry and kitchen - 1st floor b) Rename Paint all except entry and kitchen - 1st floor to Paint all - 1st floor 6. Save the file in C:\091063Data\Controlling a Project Plan as My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Controlling.mpp Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic A

74 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 65 TOPIC B Reschedule Tasks A critical part of controlling a project plan is rescheduling tasks that have gone off track. Because the scheduling of a task can impact the entire project plan, it is essential that you understand the various methods of modifying a task's schedule and controlling the impacts to the overall plan. In this topic, you will use various tools to handle rescheduling of tasks. The Update Project Dialog Box Rescheduling a task is often necessary when a delay occurs. Project can automatically reschedule any remaining work based on tasks you select after a specific date. To do this, select the tasks you wish to reschedule, and then use the Update Project command to specify the date to reschedule uncompleted work. For example, you may have an emergency weather delay which stops all outdoor work. You can select the tasks that are affected, and then specify the date that work resumes in the Reschedule uncompleted work to start after drop-down list. Tasks that have already been started may be split by Project to reflect the break in work. The Update Project Dialog Box Ask the students to identify some scenarios in which they may need to reschedule work. Update ProjectFigure 3-4: Reschedule work for selected tasks in the Update Project dialog box. Split Tasks Project 2016 assumes that once an assigned resource starts a task, that person continues working on it until it is complete. In reality, however, there may be situations when a resource needs to work on a task in two or more chunks of time. This is called splitting a task. To manually split a task, select the Task tab on the ribbon, find the Schedule command group, and select the Split Task button. Then, in the Gantt Chart, split a task bar and drag the split piece of the task bar to a new date. Project 2016 will connect the two halves of the split task bar with a dotted line. Split Tasks Ask students for examples of when they might need to split a task. Figure 3-5: A split task reflects a break in work. Note: Be aware that splitting a task may cause the project schedule to change. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic B

75 66 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Task Inspector Task Inspector As you are changing your task list, occasionally Project 2016 will underline a date in red. This indicates that there is a scheduling conflict that needs your attention. You can use Task Inspector to help you identify and resolve the problem. Open Task Inspector by selecting the Inspect button on the Task tab of the ribbon. If you then select the task with the conflict, Task Inspector will show you the cause of the problem and suggest potential solutions. Figure 3-6: Task Inspector helps identify scheduling issues and potential resolutions. If you select the arrowhead to the right of the Inspect button, Project 2016 will show you a dropdown menu containing Task Inspector options. The Inspect Task option toggles Task Inspector on and off. The other three buttons toggle their respective features on and off in Task Inspector. The Move Command The Move Command The Move command enables you to move selected tasks forward or backward in the schedule. You can also reschedule the task to when resources are available. You can find the Move command in the Tasks group of the Task tab on the ribbon. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic B

76 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 67 Figure 3-7: Use the Move command to quickly reschedule a task. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Reschedule Tasks. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic B

77 68 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 3-2 Rescheduling Tasks Before You Begin The My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Controlling.mpp project plan is open. Scenario As the project progresses, you realize that the Woods 3BR Home Project may not finish on time unless you reschedule some tasks. Also, the Masonry contractor has decided to take the week of Thanksgiving off. You need to split the task to finish the week after Thanksgiving. However, the Framing Contractor can complete his work before Thanksgiving as long as most of the brick work has been completed. You make the changes to the schedule. 1. Split a task. a) In the left pane of the Gantt Chart, select row 51, Complete exterior brick. b) On the ribbon, select View Zoom Selected Tasks in order to view the task bar in the Gantt chart pane. c) Select the Task tab on the ribbon. d) In the Schedule command group, select the Split Task button. Notice that the mouse pointer changes its appearance to indicate that it is in task splitting mode. This procedure is rather tricky. Students may need to attempt it several times before they are successful. e) In the right pane of the Gantt Chart, hover the changed mouse pointer over the middle of the task bar in row 51 until the split indicator shows 11/19/16 as the Scheduled Start date. f) Click the left mouse button to split the task bar. g) Drag the right half of the split task bar until the split indicator shows 11/28/16 as the Task Start date. Notice that the two halves of the split task are connected by a dotted line. 2. Move tasks. a) Select row 52 Complete Exterior Siding. b) On the ribbon, select Task Tasks Manually Schedule. c) In the right pane of the Gantt Chart, drag the task bar backwards until the indicator displays 11/21/16 as the Scheduled Start date. You may need to zoom in to get the dates correct. 3. Verify the new finish date and save your changes. a) Scroll to the end of the task list. Verify that row 120 Ready for Move-In now displays 12/30/16 as the Finish date. b) Save the file. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic B

78 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 69 TOPIC C Update a Baseline As the project plan is updated, you may find it necessary to update your baseline to reflect the new plan. By updating the baseline properly, you can still retain information about the original plan, but still track progress against the updated plan. By keeping a record of baselines, you will be able to analyze performance to improve future projects. The Set Baseline Dialog Box You can easily set a new project baseline by selecting the Project tab on the ribbon, finding the Schedule command group, selecting the Set Baseline button, and selecting the Set Baseline option. Selecting this option will display the Set Baseline dialog box. Project 2016 allows you to set up to 11 baselines. The best practice is to use Baseline (without a number) for the project plan when it is initially approved, and then to use Baseline 1 10 when the project sponsor approves later changes to the project plan. For example, if the project sponsor approves the addition of several new project tasks a month into project execution, you should capture the change by setting Baseline 1. You can also use the Set Baseline dialog box to take a snapshot of interim plans or baseline selected tasks rather than the entire project. If your project plan has summary tasks and subtasks, you can use the dialog box to specify how you want baselines handled between the summary tasks and subtasks. Finally, you can use Set as Default to save your baseline preferences for selected tasks. The Set Baseline Dialog Box Figure 3-8: Use the Set Baseline dialog box to set a new baseline. Note: As a project manager, you should have a clearly defined process for evaluating and approving changes to the project baseline. The positive and negative effects of potential changes to project scope, time, or cost must be carefully considered before implementing them. You may want to show LearnTO Baseline a Project from the CHOICE Course screen or have students navigate out to the Course screen and watch it themselves as a supplement to your instruction. If not, please remind students to visit the LearnTOs for this course on their CHOICE Course screen after class for supplemental information and additional resources. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic C

79 70 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Note: To further explore how to baseline projects, you can access the LearnTO Baseline a Project presentation from the LearnTO tile on the CHOICE Course screen. Interim Plans An interim plan is a snapshot of the current project start dates and end dates that you can use to compare against the project baseline to see how the project is progressing. You can save up to 10 interim plans in a project plan. If you need to keep records of extensive project data during the planning phase, it is a good idea to set multiple baselines instead of using interim plans. For example, you may want to set a baseline at each major planning milestone. Then, if you need to save only task start dates and finish dates after the project begins, you can set multiple interim plans. For example, you may want to set an interim plan on a monthly or quarterly basis. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Update a Baseline. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic C

80 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 71 ACTIVITY 3-3 Updating a Baseline Before You Begin The My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Controlling.mpp project plan is open. Scenario Now that you've made changes to your project plan, you would like to create a new baseline so that you can compare progress to the new plan. However, you want to save the old baseline so that you can compare progress to both in the future. You also want to compare your new baseline against the old baseline to see how the project plan has changed. 1. Set a new baseline as Baseline 1. a) On the ribbon, select the Project tab. b) In the Schedule command group, select the Set Baseline button. c) In the Set Baseline dialog box, verify that the Set Baseline radio button is selected, and in the dropdown field, select Baseline 1. d) Select OK to close the dialog box. 2. Compare the baselines. a) Select View Resource Views Other Views More Views. b) In the More Views dialog box, in the Views list, select Multiple Baselines Gantt. c) Select Apply. d) In the Gantt pane, zoom and scroll to compare the baseline bars. For example, notice the differences in the red and blue bars for the Dry In tasks. 3. Save and close the project file. If for some reason the baseline has been set before on the datafile being used, students may see text in the Set baseline field showing the date it was last saved and they may receive a dialog box warning them that the baseline has already been set once they select OK. If so, have them select Yes to overwrite the previous baseline and proceed with the activity. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan Topic C

81 72 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Encourage students to use the social networking tools provided on the CHOICE Course screen to follow up with their peers after the course is completed for further discussion and resources to support continued learning. Summary In this lesson, you rescheduled work by moving and splitting tasks and inserted new tasks into the project plan. You also updated a baseline for the project plan. In what scenarios might you split a task? A: Answers will vary but may include work-stoppage due to weather, resource availability issues, or other circumstances where a task is started but not finished until later. When would you use an interim plan? A: Answers will vary but may include for creating a checkpoint at a regular basis, or to align with organizational reporting goals. Note: Check your CHOICE Course screen for opportunities to interact with your classmates, peers, and the larger CHOICE online community about the topics covered in this course or other topics you are interested in. From the Course screen you can also access available resources for a more continuous learning experience. Lesson 3: Controlling a Project Plan

82 4 Reporting on Progress Lesson Time: 1 hour Lesson Objectives In this lesson, you will create project reports to share a project s status. You will: Format and share the Gantt Chart and Timeline views. View the built-in reports. Create and customize new reports. Create and export Visual Reports. Lesson Introduction As a project progresses, keeping your stakeholders and other members of your organization informed is a very important part of project management. By keeping your project plan up to date and carefully recording progress accurately, you have paved the way to communicate your project status through the rich reporting capabilities that Microsoft Project 2016 provides. By creating and sharing reports, you and your stakeholders can easily assess the project's status and make critical decisions with the right information at the right time.

83 74 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC A Format and Share a Chart View Project 2016 provides many visual representations of projects in the form of charts. Project makes it easy to prepare chart views that you can quickly share with others. In this topic, you will format and share the Gantt Chart and Timeline views. The Gantt Chart Tools Format Contextual Tab The Gantt Chart Format Contextual Tab If you generate a new chart report, a Gantt Chart Tools Format contextual tab will appear on the ribbon. You can use the commands on this tab to format any shapes or text boxes in the chart report. Gantt Chart views allow you see, at a glance, task information in columns and rows with corresponding bars along a timeline. You can customize the chart part of these views in Project to better suit your needs. For example, you can change how nonworking time is displayed, or you may want to format a Gantt Chart view to quickly identify specific tasks, or perhaps you want to add text to specific bars to help you identify them. Keep in mind that any changes you make to one Gantt Chart view does not change the look of another Gantt Chart view. Figure 4-1: The Gantt Chart Tools Format tab enables you to modify the Gantt chart. Note: These commands are very similar to the Drawing Tools Format contextual tab commands found in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The Bar Styles Dialog Box The Bar Styles Dialog Box To call attention to task bars on a Gantt Chart view, such as a milestone or summary task, you can change their color, shape, or pattern to separate them from other bars of a particular type using the features of the Bar Styles dialog box. If you want to spotlight a particular task category that is not represented by its own Gantt bar, you can create a new Gantt bar style. For example, you can create a type of Gantt bar to show available slack or to call attention to delayed tasks. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic A

84 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 75 Figure 4-2: Modify how the bars of the Gantt chart appear in the Bar Styles dialog box. The Timeline View You may already be familiar with the Timeline view as a component of the Project 2016 interface. By default, whenever you create a new Project file, the Timeline view will be visible as a secondary, horizontal pane below the ribbon. You can make the Timeline smaller or larger by sliding the divider bar at the bottom of the Timeline pane up or down. You can even completely hide the Timeline by sliding the divider bar all the way up. Timeline View Figure 4-3: You can control which tasks appear in the Timeline view. You can control which tasks are displayed on the Timeline by checking and unchecking the Display on Timeline field in the Task Information dialog box. Generally speaking, you should show high-level summary tasks on the Timeline. However, there may be circumstances when you want to show important, lower-level tasks. Note: Unlike previous versions, Project 2016 supports multiple timelines so that you can format them for different purposes, such as a milestone and summary view. The Timeline Tools Format Contextual Tab Whenever you select a pane containing the Timeline view, Project 2016 will display the Timeline Tools Format contextual tab on the ribbon. These controls enable you to change how the Timeline displays. The Timeline Tools Format Tab Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic A

85 76 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 4-4: Modify the Timeline view with the commands on the Timeline Tools Format contextual tab. Here is a table of the commands on this tab and what they do. Command Text Styles Font Command Group Date Format Detailed Timeline Overlapped Tasks Pan & Zoom Text Lines Description Changes the font, size, color, and other attributes of all text on the Timeline. Changes the font, size, color, and other attributes of selected text on the Timeline. Changes how dates are displayed and which dates are displayed on the Timeline. Changes how much detail is displayed on the timeline. This command is only active when the Timeline is visible as a secondary pane below the ribbon. If the command is toggled off, most of the text will be hidden on the Timeline and the Timeline height will be shorter. If the command is toggled on, more text will be shown on the Timeline and the Timeline height will be taller. Changes how tasks that overlap chronologically are displayed on the Timeline. If this field is checked, overlapping tasks are displayed on different rows. If this field is unchecked, overlapping tasks are displayed on the same row. Changes whether Pan & Zoom is active. If this field is checked, you can pan and zoom to navigate the Timeline view. Changes the height of task bars in the Timeline. The minimum is 1 (shortest) and maximum is 10 (tallest). Existing Tasks Changes which tasks are displayed on the Timeline. If you select this button, Project 2016 will open the Add Tasks to Timeline dialog box, which shows all the project tasks in a dynamic outline You can check tasks you want to be visible on the Timeline and uncheck those you do not want to be visible on the Timeline. Insert Task Insert Callout Task Insert Milestone Display as Bar Adds a new task to the Timeline as a bar chart. (This new task is also added to the project's task list.) If you select this button, Project 2016 will open the Task Information dialog box. Adds a new task to the Timeline as a callout. (This new task is also added to the project's task list.) This command is only active when the Timeline is visible as the primary pane. If you select this button, Project 2016 will open the Task Information dialog box. Adds a new milestone task to the Timeline. (This new milestone is also added to the project's task list.) This command is only active when the Timeline is visible as the primary pane. If you select this button, Project 2016 will open the Task Information dialog box. Changes whether a selected task on the Timeline is displayed as a bar. You must select a task before this command is active. If the selected task is not displayed as a bar, it will be displayed as a callout. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic A

86 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 77 Command Display as Callout Remove from Timeline Description Changes whether a selected task on the Timeline is displayed as a callout. You must select a task before this command is active. If the selected task is not displayed as a callout, it will be displayed as a bar. Removes the selected task from the Timeline. You must select a task before this command is active. Removing a task from the Timeline does not delete the task from the project. Copy Timeline Provides various options for you to copy the Timeline. Note: The Copy Timeline option will be discussed in the next section. The Copy Timeline Command Whenever you select the Copy Timeline command on the Timeline Tools Format contextual tab, Project 2016 gives you three options for copying the timeline. Here is a table of the options and how to use them. The Copy Timeline Command Figure 4-5: Copy Timeline options. Option For For Presentation Full Size Use Copies the Timeline to the Windows clipboard so that you can paste it into the body of an Outlook message. The pasted image will be relatively small in both visual and data size. The pasted image may not look exactly like the copied Timeline. Copies the Timeline to the Windows clipboard so that you can paste it into a PowerPoint slide. The pasted image will be larger in both visual and data size. Again, the pasted image may not look exactly like the copied Timeline. Copies the Timeline to the Windows clipboard at its current zoom level be it large, medium, or small. You can paste it into any Office document. You may find this option especially useful for Word, Publisher, or Visio documents you plan to print. The visual and data size of the pasted image depends on the zoom level of the copied Timeline. The pasted image will look exactly like the copied Timeline. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Format and Share a Chart View. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic A

87 78 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 4-1 Formatting and Sharing a Chart View Data Files C:\091063Data\Reporting on Progress\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Reporting.mpp Before You Begin Microsoft Project Professional 2016 is open. Scenario The monthly Building with Heart construction project team meeting will take place next Monday. During the meeting, you plan to give a presentation of the project. You want to make a few formatting changes to the timeline and then put the project timeline into a PowerPoint slide. 1. Open C:\091063Data\Reporting on Progress\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Reporting.mpp. 2. Format the Timeline. a) In the upper pane, select the Timeline view. You may want to slide the pane divider down so that the Timeline view pane is about the same size as the Gantt Chart view pane. b) In the Timeline Tools Format contextual tab, select the Text Styles button. In the Text Styles dialog box, change the font for the entire Timeline from Segoe UI to Lucida Console. Change the font size for the entire Timeline from 8 to 9. Select OK to close the dialog box. Notice that the font has changed in the entire Timeline. c) Select the Date Format button. In the drop-down, change the Format from Default to 1/28. Notice that the month and day (but not the year) are displayed on the Timeline. d) Select the Text Lines field. Change the number from 1 to 2. Notice that the task rows are taller. e) Select the Final Acceptance bar. In the Font group, select the Background Color button and choose a bright color for the task. The bar should have a different color. 3. Copy the Timeline from Project and paste it into PowerPoint. a) Select the Copy Timeline button. From the drop-down, select the For Presentation option. b) From the Windows 10 Start menu, open Microsoft PowerPoint c) In the PowerPoint Welcome Center, select the Blank Presentation option. d) On the first slide, select Click to add title and type Residential Construction e) Also on the first slide, select Click to add subtitle and add Monthly Project Team Meeting f) Select the New Slide button on the Home tab of the ribbon. g) On the new slide, select Click to add title and type Timeline Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic A

88 h) Also on the new slide, select the Click to add text content box. On the ribbon, on the Home tab, select the arrow under the Paste button, and from the drop-down, select the Picture option. Notice that an image of the Timeline has been added to the slide. Microsoft Project 2016: Part Save the PowerPoint file in C:\091063Data\Reporting on Progress as My_Timeline.pptx and then close PowerPoint. Save the Project file in C:\091063Data\Reporting on Progress as My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Reporting.mpp Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic A

89 80 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC B View Existing Reports One of the most useful tools for sharing project information is a report. Fortunately, Project 2016 provides a variety of built-in reports that are ready for you to use without much effort. In this topic, you will look at the various reports that Project prepares for you automatically. Dashboard Reports Dashboard Reports Project 2016 has 20 built-in reports, all of which you can access from the Report tab on the ribbon. These built-in reports are grouped into four types: Dashboards, Resources, Costs, and In Progress. Dashboards are eye-catching, dynamic reports that show important project indicators. Figure 4-6: Dashboard reports are available from the Report tab. Types of Dashboard Reports To save time, don't cover each report in detail. Allow the students to use this table as a reference. There are five dashboard reports. Report Description Use Burndown Shows two side-by-side line charts. The Work Burndown chart depicts how much work you have completed and how much you have left. If the remaining cumulative work line is steeper, then the project may be late. The Task Burndown chart depicts how many tasks you have completed and how many you have left. If the remaining tasks line is steeper, then your project may be late. To see if your project is ahead of schedule, on time, or late. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic B

90 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 81 Report Description Use Cost Overview Shows three charts and tables depicting the status of project costs. The Progress Versus Cost chart shows progress made versus the cost spent over time. If the % Complete line is below the cumulative cost line, your project may be over budget. The Cost Status table shows the cost status for top-level tasks. The Cost Status chart also shows the cost status for top-level tasks graphically. Project Overview Upcoming Tasks Work Overview Shows three charts and tables depicting the status of project tasks. The % Complete chart shows the status for all top-level tasks. The Milestone Due table shows milestones that are coming soon. The Late Tasks table shows tasks that are past due. Shows two charts and tables depicting tasks with start or finish dates within the next week. The Tasks Starting Soon table shows the status of tasks starting in the next 7 days. The Remaining Tasks chart shows the status of tasks that are due in the next 7 days. Shows four charts depicting work and resource data. The Work Burndown chart was described previously. The Work Stats chart shows work stats for all top-level tasks. The Resource Stats chart shows work stats for all your resources. The Remaining Availability chart shows the remaining availability for all work resources. To see if your project is under budget, on budget, or over budget. To see how much of your project is complete. To see how much of your project remains to be done. To see how much work has been completed and how much work remains to be done. Resource Reports Resource reports show important resource information about your project. Resource Reports Figure 4-7: Resource reports are available from the Report tab. Types of Resource Reports There are two resource reports. To save time, don't cover each report in detail. Allow the students to use this table as a reference. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic B

91 82 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Report Description Use Overallocated Resources Resource Overview Shows two charts depicting information about overallocated resources. The Work Status chart shows the actual and remaining work for overallocated resources. The Overallocation chart shows surplus work assigned to overallocated resources. Shows three charts and tables depicting information about project resources. The Resource Stats chart shows the work status for all work resources. The Work Status chart shows the percent of work done by all the work resources. The Resource Status table shows the remaining work for all work resources. To see which resources are assigned more work than they can accomplish. To see the status of all your project resources. Cost Reports Cost Reports Cost reports show important cost information about your project. Figure 4-8: Cost reports are available from the Report tab. To save time, don't cover each report in detail. Allow the students to use this table as a reference. Types of Cost Reports There are five cost reports. Report Description Use Cash Flow Cost Overruns Shows two charts and tables depicting project costs. The chart shows the project's cumulative cost and the cost per quarter. The table shows cost information for all top-level tasks. Shows four charts and tables depicting project overspending on tasks and resources. The Task Cost Variance chart and table show cost variance for all top-level tasks in the project. The Resource Cost Variance chart and table show cost variance for all work resources in the project. To see how much money you've spent on the project. To see which tasks and resources are over budget. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic B

92 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 83 Report Description Use Earned Value Report Resource Cost Overview Task Cost Overview As discussed earlier in the course, shows a chart depicting earned value compared to the budgeted cost of work scheduled (BCWS) and the actual cost of work performed (ACWP). Shows two charts and a table depicting resource costs. The Cost Status chart shows the cost status for work resources. The Cost Distribution chart shows how costs are spread out amongst different resource types. The Cost Details table shows cost information for all work resources in the project. This is similar to the Resource Cost Overview report, but shows task information rather than resource information. To see if the project is behind schedule or over budget. To see the cost status of project resources. To see the cost status of project tasks. In Progress Reports In Progress reports show how your active tasks and pending milestones are performing. In Progress Reports Figure 4-9: In Progress reports are available from the Report tab. Types of In Progress Reports There are four progress reports. Report Description Use Critical Tasks Late Tasks Shows a pie chart and table of all tasks on the critical path. Tasks on the critical path have no room for schedule slippage. Shows a pie chart and table of all tasks that are behind schedule. To see the status of all tasks on the critical path. To see which tasks are behind schedule. To save time, don't cover each report in detail. Allow the students to use this table as a reference. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic B

93 84 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Report Description Use Milestone Report Slipping Tasks Shows three charts and tables about project milestones. The Late Milestone table shows milestones that are past due. The Milestones Up Next table shows milestones that are due in the next 30 days. The Completed Milestones table shows milestones that are 100% complete. Shows a line chart and table of all tasks that are behind schedule. To see the status of all milestones. To see tasks that have been or will be completed later than planned. You may want to show LearnTO Manage the Critical Path from the CHOICE Course screen or have students navigate out to the Course screen and watch it themselves as a supplement to your instruction. If not, please remind students to visit the LearnTOs for this course on their CHOICE Course screen after class for supplemental information and additional resources. Note: To further explore the management of critical paths, you can access the LearnTO Manage the Critical Path presentation from the LearnTO tile on the CHOICE Course screen. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to View Existing Reports. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic B

94 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 85 ACTIVITY 4-2 Viewing Existing Reports Before You Begin The My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Reporting.mpp project plan file is open in Microsoft Project Professional Scenario The Woods 3BR Home project is underway. Your manager has asked for an overview of the project's status, resources, and what is needed to complete the project on time. You prepare a variety of existing reports to gather this information. 1. Generate a dashboard report. a) On the ribbon, select Report View Report Dashboards Project Overview. If necessary, resize the Timeline pane so that the report displays fully. Notice the project completion percentage. Notice which top-level tasks are complete, in progress, and not yet started. 2. Generate a resources report. a) If necessary, select the Report tab on the ribbon again. b) Under the View Reports group, select the Resources button. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic B

95 86 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 c) From the View Resource Reports drop-down list, select the Resource Overview report. Notice which resources have remaining work. 3. Generate a progress report. a) If necessary, select the Report tab on the ribbon again. b) Under the View Reports group, select the In Progress button. c) From the View In Progress Reports drop-down list, select the Critical Tasks report. Notice the list of tasks on the critical path that are not complete. 4. Save the file. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic B

96 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 87 TOPIC C Create Custom Reports Although Project 2016 provides many useful reports that are ready for you to use, there may be situations where you need to create a custom report to meet your specific project needs. In this topic, you will create and customize new reports. The New Report Command You can start creating a new report by selecting the New Report command from the View Reports section. Selecting this button will display four report options. The New Report Command Figure 4-10: Create a custom report with the New Report command. New Report Types There are four types of new reports available. You can customize each of these new report formats to meet your needs. Report Description Use Blank Report Generates a report that is empty except for the report title. To create a report from scratch. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

97 88 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Report Description Use Chart Table Comparison Generates a report that contains a report title and a single chart. Generates a report that contains a report title and a single table. Generates a report that contains a report title and two side-by-side charts. To show project information graphically. To show project information in a tabular format. To graphically compare two sets of project information. The Report Tools Design Contextual Tab The Report Tools Design Contextual Tab Whenever you generate a new report, the Report Tools Design contextual tab will appear on the ribbon. You can use the commands on this tab to change the overall look of the report. Figure 4-11: Create report elements using the Report Tools Design contextual tab. The following table lists the commands on the Report Tools Design Contextual tab and indicates what they do. Command Description Themes Changes the graphic theme for the report. You can choose from over 20 themes. Colors Fonts Effects Images Shapes Chart Table Text Box Manage Copy Report Page Breaks Margins Changes the color palette of the report. You can choose from over 20 color palettes or create a custom palette. Changes the font combinations used in the report. You can choose from over 20 font combinations or create your own. Applies 3D effects to objects in the report. Inserts photos or graphics (such as your company logo) into the report. Inserts geometric shapes into the report. Inserts a chart into the report. Inserts a table into the report. Inserts a text box into the report. Enables you to rename the report. Also allows you to organize reports. Selecting the Organizer option will open the Organizer dialog box to the Reports tab. The Reports tab works exactly like the Views tab you learned about earlier in this course. Copies the report to your Windows clipboard so that you can paste it into another document. Allows you to see where the report will break when it is printed. Allows you to set the margins for the printed report. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

98 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 89 Command Orientation Size Description Allows you to print the report in either Portrait or Landscape mode. Allows you to specify a page size for the printed report. Chart Types There are eight types of charts you can insert into a report, as well as several variations of each type from which to choose. Chart Type Column Example Chart Types Ask students when they might use each type of chart. Line Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

99 90 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Chart Type Pie Example Bar Area Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

100 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 91 Chart Type Surface Example Radar Combo Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

101 92 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 The Chart Tools Design Contextual Tab The Chart Tools Design Contextual Tab If you generate a new chart report, a Chart Design Tools contextual tab will appear on the ribbon. You can use the commands on this tab to change the look of the chart in the report. Figure 4-12: Change the look of a chart using the Chart Tools Design commands. The following table lists the commands on the Chart Tools Design Contextual tab and indicates what they do. Command Add Chart Element Quick Layout Change Colors Chart Styles Chart Data Change Chart Type Description Adds titles, labels, and other elements to the chart. Changes how information is presented in the chart. Changes the color scheme for the data elements (bars, lines, etc.) in the chart. Changes the graphical look of the chart. Makes the Field List appear and disappear on the right side of the screen. Changes the chart type (for example, from column chart to line chart). Note: You will learn how to use the Field List later in this topic. The Chart Tools Format Contextual Tab The Chart Tools Format Contextual Tab If you generate a new chart report, a Chart Tools Format contextual tab will appear on the ribbon. You can use the commands on this tab to format any shapes or text boxes in the chart report. Figure 4-13: Use the commands on the Chart Tools Format tab to modify the elements in a chart report. Note: These commands are very similar to the Drawing Tools Format contextual tab commands found in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

102 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 93 The Table Tools Design Contextual Tab If you generate a new table report, a Table Tools Design contextual tab will appear on the ribbon. You can use the commands on this tab to change the look of the table in the report. The Table Tools Design Contextual Tab Figure 4-14: The Table Tools Design commands enable you to format a table in a report. The following table lists the commands on the Table Tools Design Contextual tab and indicates what they do. Command Table Style Options Table Styles Shading Effects WordArt Styles Table Data Description Adds rows and columns to the table. Changes the graphical look of the table. Changes the shading of cells in the table. Adds a shadow or reflection effects to the table. Applies and formats WordArt in the table. Makes the Field List appear and disappear on the right side of the screen. The Table Tools Layout Contextual Tab If you generate a new table report, a Table Tools Layout contextual tab will appear on the ribbon. You can use the commands on this tab to change the layout of the table in the report. The Table Tools Layout Contextual Tab Figure 4-15: The Table Tools Layout commands enable you to change the layout of a table in a report. The following table lists the commands on the Table Tools Layout Contextual tab and indicates what they do. Command Select Delete Height (in the Cell Size command group) Description Selects the entire table, a column, or a row for layout. Removes the table from the report. Changes the height of the selected rows. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

103 94 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Command Width (in the Cell Size command group) Distribute Rows Distribute Columns Align Left Center Align Right Align Top Center Vertically Align Bottom Text Direction Height (in the Table Size command group) Width (in the Table Size command group) Bring Forward Send Backward Description Changes the width of the selected columns. Makes all selected rows the same height. Makes all selected columns the same width. Aligns text in the selection to the left. Aligns text in the selection to the horizontal center. Aligns text in the selection to the right. Aligns text in the selection to the top. Aligns text in the selection to the vertical center. Aligns text in the selection to the bottom. Changes the direction of text in the selection. Changes the height of the entire table. Changes the width of the entire table. If objects in the report overlap, brings the selected table forward or to the front. If objects in the report overlap, sends the selected table backward or to the back. The Field List Task Pane The Field List Task Pane The Field List task pane enables you to change which types of fields are displayed in the selected chart or table of a report. If a chart or table shows task information, selecting the Resources tab in the Field List task pane will cause resource information to be displayed in the chart (and vice versa). Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

104 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 95 Figure 4-16: Specify how data appears in a report using the Field List task pane. The Field List task pane includes many options for customizing charts and tables. Area of Field List Tasks Resources Select Category Select Fields Filter Group By Outline Level Sort By Use Choose to display task or resource information in the chart or table. Choose which type of data to display in the chart or table. Choose which fields to display in the chart or table. For example, you might want to display cumulative cost or work fields. Choose a criterion for displaying task or resource information in the chart or table. For example, you can use this field to specify a date range for information. Choose a criterion for grouping task or resource information in the chart or table. Choose the level of task information to be displayed in the chart or table. (Not active when displaying resource information.) Choose a criterion for sorting task or resource information in the chart or table. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

105 96 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 You may want to show LearnTO Customize Reports from the CHOICE Course screen or have students navigate out to the Course screen and watch it themselves as a supplement to your instruction. If not, please remind students to visit the LearnTOs for this course on their CHOICE Course screen after class for supplemental information and additional resources. Note: To further explore how to customize Project 2016 reports, you can access the LearnTO Customize Reports presentation from the LearnTO tile on the CHOICE Course screen. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Create a Custom Report. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

106 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 97 ACTIVITY 4-3 Creating Custom Reports Data File C:\091063Data\Reporting on Progress\building_with_heart.png Before You Begin The My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Reporting.mpp project plan file is open in Microsoft Project Professional Scenario The Woods 3BR Home Project has been chosen as a showcase project for Building with Heart. Your manager asks you to generate a new custom report for the board of directors with the following elements: A table of high-level tasks (or phases) that have been completed. A chart of remaining work. A link to the Building with Heart website. The Building with Heart logo. 1. Create a new table report. a) On the ribbon, select Report View Reports New Report Table. b) In the Report Name dialog box, in the Name field, type BWH Woods 3BR Home c) Select OK to close the dialog box. Notice that a new table report appears, and that the Table Tools contextual tab and the Field List are now visible so that you can modify the table. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

107 98 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 2. Design the table. a) Verify that the table in the report is selected. b) On the Table Tools contextual tab, select Design Table Styles Medium Style 2 - Accent 6. Notice the table now has a green style. 3. Select fields using the Field List. a) Verify that the table in the report is selected. b) At the top of the Field List pane, verify that Tasks is selected. c) In the Filter drop-down list, select Completed Tasks. d) In the Outline Level drop-down list, select Level 1. e) Select the Close button in the upper-right corner of the Field List to close it. Notice that the table now contains information about high-level completed tasks. 4. Add a chart to the report. a) Scroll down the report until the table is no longer visible on the screen. b) On the Report Tools contextual tab, select Design Insert Chart. c) In the Insert Chart dialog box, find and select Clustered Column and then select OK. 5. Edit the chart. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

108 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 99 a) If necessary, select the chart to display the chart edit buttons. b) Select the Chart Elements button. c) In the CHART ELEMENTS pop-up box, uncheck the Gridlines check box. Notice that the gridlines are no longer visible on the chart. d) If necessary, select the chart to display the chart edit buttons again. e) Select the Chart Styles button. f) From the Chart Styles pop-up box, select the Color tab. g) Scroll down to Color 10 (which is different shades of green) and select it. Notice that the bars on the chart are now different shades of green. h) If necessary, select the chart to display the chart edit buttons again. i) Select the Chart Filters button. j) In the Chart Filters pop-up box, in the Series section, uncheck the Actual Work and Work check boxes, leaving only the Remaining Work check box checked. Select the Apply button. Notice that only the Remaining Work series is displayed on the chart. 6. Insert a hyperlinked text box. a) Scroll up to the top of the report. b) On the ribbon, on the Report Tools contextual tab, select Design Insert Text Box. c) Move the mouse pointer to the white space below the report title and draw a text box. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

109 100 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 d) Type in the text field. The URL was selected to align with the fictional organization in the course storyline, but this is not a live site. If students click the hyperlink, it will fail. If you want students to see a live hyperlink in action, even if it doesn't match the scenario, substitute logicaloperations.com or another URL of your choice. e) Right-click the text field and select the Hyperlink option. f) In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, make sure Existing File or Web Page is selected, and in the Address field, type g) Select OK to close the Insert Hyperlink dialog box. 7. Insert an image. a) On the ribbon, on the Report Tools contextual tab, select Design Insert Images. b) In the Insert Picture dialog box, navigate to C:\091063Data\Reporting on Progress, select building_with_heart.png, and then select the Insert button. c) Move the logo under the title to the right of the hyperlink. 8. Save the file. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic C

110 Microsoft Project 2016: Part TOPIC D Create a Visual Report While Project 2016 is a very useful analysis and report tool itself, you may find the need to use the powerful features of Microsoft Excel or Visio to create more complex reports and perform additional analysis. Fortunately, Project's Visual Reports feature allows you to do just that. Visual Reports Visual Reports enable you to export your project's data to a PivotChart in Microsoft Excel and to a PivotDiagram in Microsoft Visio. These views provide a way for you to choose what fields, including custom fields, to display in a report while viewing it, and quickly modify how the report is displayed without having to regenerate it from within Project With this flexibility, Visual Reports provide a more agile reporting solution than basic reports. The Visual Reports Dialog Box When you select the Visual Reports button, the Visual Reports - Create Report dialog box will be displayed. In this dialog box, you can choose which built-in Excel or Visio templates you want to use and what timescale you want to include in the report. The Visual Report generated by the dialog box will automatically open as a new Excel or Visio file. You can modify the Visual Report in Excel or Visio and save it in those file formats. Ask students if they would find the Visual Reports feature useful in their work environment. This is a complex dialog box. Demonstrate how to use it. The Visual Reports Dialog Box Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic D

111 102 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 4-17: Access ready-made report templates in the Visual Reports - Create Report dialog box. Note: You can do much with Visual Reports from this dialog box. However, given the complexity of the procedures and the limited number of students who are likely to use them, they are not covered in detail in this course. Ask if anyone in the class has experience using Excel PivotCharts. Ask if anyone in the class has experience using Visio PivotDiagrams. Excel PivotCharts In Excel, a PivotChart report can help you visualize Project 2016 data so that you can easily see comparisons, patterns, and trends. This will enable you to make informed decisions about critical data in your project. In Project, when a visual report is generated, it is displayed as a PivotChart and PivotTable. The PivotTable contains data from the project plan. A PivotChart report is an interactive chart that graphically represents the data in a PivotTable report. PivotChart reports can be created only from an existing PivotTable report. Once a report has been created, you can make changes to it by filtering the content or changing the layout. Visio PivotDiagrams In Microsoft Visio, a PivotDiagram is a collection of shapes arranged in a tree structure that helps you to analyze and summarize data in a visual, easy-to-understand format. It starts out as a single shape, called a top node, that contains information imported from Project You can break the Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic D

112 top node into a level of subnodes to view your data in various ways. When a visual report is displayed in Visio, it is displayed as PivotDiagrams. This is similar to the PivotTables and PivotCharts displayed in Excel. The PivotDiagrams in Visio are mainly used for hierarchical data such as work breakdown structures. You can also customize these diagrams and perform calculations in them. Microsoft Project 2016: Part Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Create a Visual Report. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic D

113 104 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 4-4 Creating Visual Reports Before You Begin My_Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Reporting.mpp is open. Scenario Your manager asks you to generate a Baseline Work Report for the Woods 3BR Home construction project that she can manipulate in Excel. 1. Open the Visual Reports - Create Report dialog box. a) On the ribbon, select the Report tab. b) Find the Export command group. c) Select the Visual Reports button. The Visual Reports - Create Report dialog box will open. Tell the students to explore the other worksheet tab and explain that the data can be manipulated outside of Project and that it will not effect the project plan file. 2. Set the parameters for the Visual Report. a) In the Visual Reports - Create Report dialog box, select the All tab. b) On the All tab, select the Baseline Work Report with an Excel icon next to it. c) In the Select level of usage data to include in the report field, select Days from the drop-down list. d) Select View. e) Wait for Project 2016 to generate an Excel PivotChart. This can take several seconds. Notice that Excel 2016 opens automatically and displays a PivotChart. 3. Save the created Excel file in C:\091063Data\Reporting on Progress as My Baseline Work Report.xlsx and close the file. If Microsoft Excel displays a Compatibility Checker message, select Continue. a) Close Excel. b) Select Close to close the Visual Reports - Create Report dialog box. 4. Save and close the Project file. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress Topic D

114 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Summary In this lesson, you formatted and shared the Timeline view. You also reported progress using the existing reports in Project 2016 and created a custom report. What is the most important thing to do in Project to create a helpful report? A: Answers will vary but should include keeping the Project progress up to date, formatting and filtering to highlight important data, and utilizing applications such as Excel. Which reports will you use on your next project? A: Answers will vary. Note: Check your CHOICE Course screen for opportunities to interact with your classmates, peers, and the larger CHOICE online community about the topics covered in this course or other topics you are interested in. From the Course screen you can also access available resources for a more continuous learning experience. Encourage students to use the social networking tools provided on the CHOICE Course screen to follow up with their peers after the course is completed for further discussion and resources to support continued learning. Lesson 4: Reporting on Progress

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116 5 Customizing the Application Lesson Time: 1 hour Lesson Objectives In this lesson, you will customize project settings and share customizations with other projects. You will: Manage the options of the application environment. Create a custom project plan template. Share resources using a resource pool. Link project plans using master projects and subprojects. Lesson Introduction Microsoft Project 2016 is a powerful tool for managing a project plan throughout the life of a project. Up to now, you have used the various features of Project to monitor a project, control a project to keep it on track, and created a number of views and reports to communicate status information. Whether you are a new or experienced Microsoft Project user, there are many options that you can use to customize the way Project works to suit your particular needs.

117 108 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC A Change Project Options Project 2016 provides many options for controlling various aspects of a project and the application. Knowing about these options will give you an understanding of how best to customize Project to meet the needs of your organization, and it will save you time and effort by enabling you to modify the default settings to match the way that you work. The Backstage The Backstage As its name implies, the Backstage is a behind-the-scenes section of Project 2016 (and other applications in the Office 2016 suite). You can access the Backstage by selecting the File tab on the ribbon. If you select the Options tab on the Backstage, the Project Options dialog box will open. Figure 5-1: The Backstage. General Project Options General Project Options The Project Options dialog box is packed with a multitude of options grouped into eleven screens. On the General screen you can change: How ScreenTips are displayed. The default view. The date format. Your user name. Your initials. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

118 Microsoft Project 2016: Part The Office background. The Office theme. Whether the Start screen displays when the application opens. Figure 5-2: The General tab of the Project Options dialog box enables you to change basic options for the program. Project Display Options On the Display screen you can change: The calendar type. Currency options. How indicators are displayed. Which elements appear in the user interface. Project Display Options Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

119 110 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 5-3: Customize the way Project looks using the Display Options. Project Schedule Options Project Schedule Options On the Schedule screen you can change: The first day of the week. The fiscal year. Daily start and end times. Hours per day and week. Days per month. How assignment units are displayed. Whether new tasks are automatically or manually scheduled. Whether auto scheduled tasks begin on the project start date or calendar date. Which time units are used for task duration and work. The default task type (Fixed Units, Fixed Duration, or Fixed Work). Whether alerts and suggestions are displayed. Calculation options. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

120 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Figure 5-4: The Schedule options enable you to customize how Project schedules tasks. Project Proofing Options On the Proofing screen you can change: AutoCorrect options. Spelling settings. Which fields are spell checked. Project Proofing Options Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

121 112 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 5-5: Change how Project proofs text with Proofing options. Project Save Options Project Save Options On the Save screen you can change: The default file type. Where files are saved. Auto save options. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

122 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Figure 5-6: Save options enable you to change how Project saves files. Project Language Options On the Language tab you can change which language(s) are used for spell check, the program interface, and Help. Project Language Options Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

123 114 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 5-7: Change language options on the Language tab of the Project Options dialog box. Project Advanced Options Project Advanced Options On the Advanced screen you can change: What happens when you open Project 2016 or start a new project. Planning Wizard options. Standard and overtime rates for new resources and tasks. Editing options. Abbreviations for time units. Options for linking projects. Earned value settings. Advanced calculation options. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

124 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Figure 5-8: Set advanced options in the Advanced tab of the Project Options dialog box. Ribbon Customization Options On the Customize Ribbon screen you can change the configuration of the ribbon. The left column lists the available tabs, groups, and commands. The right column lists the current configuration of the ribbon. Using the buttons on this page, you can: Add new tabs and groups. Add items from the left column to the right column. Remove items from the right column to the left column. Move items up or down in the right column. Reset customizations. Ribbon Customization Options Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

125 116 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Figure 5-9: Customize the ribbon to easily access commands. If you create a new tab, Project 2016 will also automatically create a new group under the new tab. Before you can add a command from the left column to the right column, you must create a new group in a new or existing tab. If you reset the ribbon, the Quick Access Toolbar will reset as well. Quick Access Toolbar Options Quick Access Toolbar Options On the Customize Ribbon screen you can change the configuration of the Quick Access Toolbar. This page works much like the Customize Ribbon page. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

126 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Figure 5-10: The Quick Access Toolbar. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Change Project Options. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

127 118 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 5-1 Changing Project Options Data File C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Customizing.mpp Before You Begin Microsoft Project Professional 2016 is open. Scenario You have been using Microsoft Project 2016 to manage your project and you notice that there are some commands that you use frequently. You decide to customize your project options so that these commands are easier to access. You also want to change your theme to match Building with Heart's environmentally friendly mission. 1. Open C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Customizing.mpp. 2. Open the Project Options dialog box. a) On the ribbon, select the File tab. b) On the Backstage, select the Options tab. c) If necessary, select the General tab. d) In the Office Background drop-down list, select Tree Rings and then select OK. e) Verify that the Microsoft Project title bar displays a tree ring pattern. 3. Customize the ribbon. a) Select the Customize Ribbon option. b) Select the New Tab button. In the right column, notice that Project 2016 created New Tab (Custom) and New Group (Custom). c) Select New Tab (Custom), then select the Move Up button until New Tab (Custom) and New Group (Custom) are at the top of the right column. d) Select New Group (Custom), select the first command at the top of the left column, 100% Complete, and select the Add button. Notice that Project 2016 added the selected command to New Group (Custom). e) Add the Entire Project and Project Information commands from the left column to New Group (Custom). f) In the right column, select New Tab (Custom) and then select the Rename button. g) In the Rename dialog box, in the Display name field, type My Tab and then select OK. h) In the right column, select New Group (Custom) and then select the Rename button. i) In the Rename dialog box, in the Display name field, type Quick Status and then select OK. j) Select OK to close the dialog box. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

128 Microsoft Project 2016: Part k) On the ribbon, select My Tab. Notice that the ribbon now displays a My Tab with a Quick Status group containing three commands. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic A

129 120 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC B Create a Project Plan Template You have spent a lot of time customizing your project plan. It would be great if you could reuse your work in future projects. Project plan templates allow you to do just that. Ask the students if they've used templates in other programs. The Save As Template Dialog Box Review some scenarios with the class for removing data from a template. Project Plan Templates A project plan template is a special type of project plan file that you can use to create new projects with default data and other elements already defined. You can create your own project plan templates by saving a project file as a template. Not only will this save you time on future projects, but using templates helps ensure success by reusing strategies that worked in the past, such as default tasks and relationships. It also captures people or resources and reporting methods and views that worked for the previous plan. The Save As Template Dialog Box When you save a project plan as a template, Project displays the Save As Template dialog box. This enables you to choose which data you want to clear from the file when it is saved as a template. For example, you will probably want to clear the actuals and baselines. You may also want to exclude team member's salary or other cost data. Figure 5-11: Clear data from a project plan template using the Save As Template dialog box. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Create a Project Plan Template. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic B

130 Microsoft Project 2016: Part ACTIVITY 5-2 Creating a Project Plan Template Before You Begin The C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application \Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Customizing.mpp file is open. Scenario As your building project nears completion, you realize that you will soon need to start another building project for Building with Heart. You decide to save your current project plan as a template so that your future projects benefit from your customizations. 1. Save the project plan as a template. a) Select File Export. b) On the Export screen, select Save Project as File. c) In the Save Project as File list, select Project Template. d) Select Save As. e) In the Save As dialog box, navigate to C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application f) In the File name field, type My_Home_Building_Project_Plan g) In the Save as type drop-down list, make sure that Project Template (*.mpt) is selected, and then select Save. h) In the Save As Template dialog box, check the Values of all baselines and Actual Values check boxes, and then select Save. 2. Close the template file. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic B

131 122 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC C Share Resources In an organization, resources often work on multiple projects. It can be challenging to understand who is available. However, sharing resources across projects can make this challenge much easier. In addition, you can centralize information about the resources so that you don't have to keep them updated in multiple places. Resource Pools A resource pool is a single central file that contains all of the resource information. You can use a resource pool to identify assignment conflicts and view time allocation for each project. Resource pools are created by saving a blank project plan file that contains only the resource pool information. If you use Project Professional 2016 and your organization uses an enterprise resource pool, such as with Microsoft Project Server or Project Online, you don't need to create another resource pool. The Share Resources Dialog Box The Share Resources Dialog Box After you create a shared resource pool, the information for each shared project comes from this resource pool, and all information like assignments, cost rates and availability are in this central location. You can choose whether to use local resources or a resource pool in the Share Resources dialog box. Select Sharer takes precedence if you want information in your project to override any conflicting information from the resource pool. Figure 5-12: Share resources between projects with the Share Resources dialog box. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Share Resources. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic C

132 Microsoft Project 2016: Part ACTIVITY 5-3 Sharing Resources Data Files C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application\BWH_Resource_Pool.mpp C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Customizing.mpp Before You Begin Microsoft Project 2016 is open. Scenario You have decided to centralize your resources in a resource pool. You already created a new blank project file and copied your resources into it. Now, you want to modify your project plan file to use the new resource pool. 1. Open C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application\BWH_Resource_Pool.mpp. 2. Open C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application\Woods_3BR_Home_Project_Customizing.mpp. 3. Select the resource pool. a) Select Resource Assignments Resource Pool Share Resources. b) In the Share Resources dialog box, select the Use resources (requires at least one open resource pool) radio button, and in the From drop-down list, select BWH_Resource_Pool.mpp. c) Select OK. 4. Close all of the open files but do not save the changes. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic C

133 124 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC D Link Project Plans There are situations where you may want to manage multiple projects that are dependent on one another. For example, a master construction project may have multiple subprojects that are managed by different project managers. Project 2016 allows you to link multiple projects so that you manage external dependencies. Linked Projects You already know how to link tasks within a project file. It is also possible to link separate project files, and to link tasks that are in separate project files. Linking projects and tasks in different projects establishes a relationship between the project files. Master Projects and Subprojects Ask a couple of students to briefly describe the most complex project upon which they have worked. A master project is one that is linked to one or more smaller subprojects. Conversely, a subproject is one that is linked to a larger master project. If you are managing a large, complex project, you may find it easier to create several small Project 2016 files and combine them with a master Project 2016 file. For example, the master project Mission to Mars.mpp might be composed of these subprojects: Launch from Earth.mpp Travel from Earth to Mars.mpp Land on Mars.mpp Explore Mars.mpp Launch from Mars.mpp Travel from Mars to Earth.mpp Land on Earth.mpp One of the advantages to combining your subprojects into a master project is that it enables you to view all of your resources across projects and make sure none of them are overallocated. You can easily link a subproject to a master project by selecting the Project tab on the ribbon, finding the Insert command group, and selecting the Insert Subproject button. Note: To insert a subproject into a master project, you must be in a task-related view (such as Gantt Chart or Network Diagram). The Insert Subproject button will be disabled if you are in another type of view (such as Calendar or Resource Sheet). The Insert Subproject Options Insert Subproject Options When you select the Insert Subproject button, the Insert Project dialog box will open. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic D

134 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Figure 5-13: Select a subproject in the Insert Project dialog box. The Insert Project dialog box allows you three options for creating a link between the two files. Option Link to project + Insert Link to project + Insert Read-Only Insert Result A two-way link is established between the subproject and the master project. A change made in either file will be reflected in the other. This is the default option. A one-way link is established between the subproject and the master project. A change made in the subproject file will be reflected in the master project file, but changes in the master file will not be reflected in the subproject file. This option protects the original subproject files from unwanted changes. This option inserts a copy of the subproject data into the master project file. No link is established between the two files. A change made to either file will not be reflected in the other. A subproject inserted into a master project looks and behaves much like a summary task. You can expand the subproject in the master project to see the subproject's tasks. You can collapse the subproject in the master project to hide the subproject's tasks. Note: If you have a subproject with a two-way link to a master project, you can make a change to the subproject within the master project, and then save the master project. Project 2016 will ask you whether or not you want save the change to the subproject. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic D

135 126 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Dependencies Review the types of dependencies. As you may recall when you link two tasks together in Microsoft Project 2016, you are creating a dependency between their start and finish dates. Dependencies drive the project schedule. A task may be linked to predecessors or successors. Every change you make to a linked task will affect its successors. The Links Between Projects Dialog Box When subprojects are linked to a master project, you can establish dependencies between the tasks of the subprojects or between the tasks of the master project and its subprojects. This is done exactly like establishing dependencies between tasks in an independent project. External Predecessors and Successors You can easily see the dependences that exist between a project and other projects by selecting the Project tab on the ribbon, finding the Properties command group, and selecting the Links Between Projects button. Selecting this button will display the Links Between Projects dialog box, which has two tabs. The External Predecessors tab shows you which tasks in the project have predecessor tasks in other projects. The External Successors tab shows you which tasks in the project have successor tasks in other projects. For example, in the following image, the project has one external predecessor: there is an FS dependency between Subproject Task 2C (which is in another project) and Master Project Task 0A (which is in this project). Figure 5-14: View external dependencies in the Links Between Projects dialog box. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic D

136 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Note: The Links Between Projects dialog box will be automatically displayed whenever you open a project file that has tasks with unsynchronized links to tasks in other projects. This gives you the opportunity to review any differences. You can use the buttons at the bottom of the dialog box to accept a single selected difference or accept all differences shown. Access the Checklist tile on your CHOICE Course screen for reference information and job aids on How to Link Project Plans. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic D

137 128 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 ACTIVITY 5-4 Linking Project Plans Data Files C:\091063Data\Customize the Application\Residential Construction.mpp C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application\Commercial Construction.mpp Scenario You work for a public-private partnership that is planning to construct a new planned community called GreeneCentre in the blighted heart of Greene City. The vision for this new neighborhood is to have everything "young urban pioneers" could want within easy walking or biking distance. You are the project manager for both the residential and commercial construction aspects of the initiative. You currently have separate project plans for each aspect. However, you realize that they could be better managed as a single master project. 1. Create a new blank project file to be the master project. a) In the Project 2016 New screen, select the Blank Project option. Notice that a new, blank project is displayed in the Gantt Chart view. 2. Insert Residential Construction.mpp and Commercial Construction.mpp into the new master project as subprojects. The subprojects used in this activity (and later activities) are based on the Residential Construction and Commercial Construction project templates available on the Project 2016 Welcome or New screens. These templates contain a number of over-allocated resources. In a realworld environment, overallocated resources should be leveled. a) In the Gantt Chart of the blank project, select the first empty row. b) On the ribbon, select the Project tab. c) Select the Insert Subproject button. d) In the Insert Project dialog box, navigate to C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application and select Residential Construction.mpp and select Insert. e) Select the second empty row. f) Select the Insert Subproject button again. g) In the Insert Project dialog box, navigate to C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application and select Commercial Construction.mpp and select Insert. Notice that both subprojects are visible in the Gantt Chart of the master project and behave much like summary tasks. 3. Create a dependency between tasks in two subprojects. a) In the Gantt Chart of the master project, expand the Residential Construction subproject by selecting the arrowhead () next to the subproject name. b) Scroll down to the bottom of the Gantt Chart and also expand the Commercial Construction subproject. c) In the Residential Construction subproject, select row 105, Complete final inspection for certificate of occupancy. d) Scroll down to the Commercial Construction subproject, press the Ctrl key, and select row 142, Obtain certificate of occupancy. e) Select the Task tab on the ribbon. f) In the Schedule command group, select the Link the Selected Tasks button. Note: Project 2016 automatically renumbers row 142 as row 143. g) In the right pane of the Gantt Chart, notice that there is now an arrow linking the Complete final inspection for certificate of occupancy and Obtain certificate of occupancy task bars. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic D

138 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Note: You may need to scroll or change the zoom level to see the task bars in the right pane. 4. Save the master project. a) On the ribbon, select the File tab. b) On the Backstage, select Save As. c) In the Save As pane, select This PC. d) In the This PC pane, select Browse. e) In the Save As dialog box, navigate to C:\091063Data\Customizing the Application f) In the File name text box, type My Master Construction Project.mpp g) Select Save to close the dialog box. h) When Project 2016 asks you whether you want to save your changes to Residential Construction.mpp or Commercial Construction.mpp, select Yes to All. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application Topic D

139 130 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 Encourage students to use the social networking tools provided on the CHOICE Course screen to follow up with their peers after the course is completed for further discussion and resources to support continued learning. Summary In this lesson, you customized Microsoft Project 2016 to meet your project and organizational needs by setting project options, customizing the interface, and reusing project information across multiple projects. What commands might you add to the ribbon or Quick Access Toolbar? A: Answers will vary, but might include setting the status date, sending , and so on. What features of Project would you use to reuse your work in another project? A: Answers will vary, but might include creating templates, sharing resources, and linking project plans. Note: Check your CHOICE Course screen for opportunities to interact with your classmates, peers, and the larger CHOICE online community about the topics covered in this course or other topics you are interested in. From the Course screen you can also access available resources for a more continuous learning experience. Lesson 5: Customizing the Application

140 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Course Follow-Up Congratulations! You have completed the Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 course. You are now able to use many of the advanced features and functions of Microsoft Project Professional 2016 so that you can use it effectively and efficiently in a real-world environment. The ability to complete projects on time, within budget, and according to specifications is crucial for all professionals regardless of whether project management is an official part of your duties. Microsoft Project 2016 is a powerful tool that can enable you to manage projects effectively and efficiently. What's Next? Spend as much time as you can, as soon as you can, using Project 2016 to create and manage actual project plans. The more real-world experience you have with the program, the more proficient you will become. Since Project 2016 has many features in common with other Office programs, also consider taking additional Office 2016 course offerings from Logical Operations. You are encouraged to explore Microsoft Project further by actively participating in any of the social media forums set up by your instructor or training administrator through the Social Media tile on the CHOICE Course screen. Course Follow up

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142 A Extending Project with Macros and Apps Introduction In this appendix, you will extend functionality with macros and apps for Office.

143 134 Microsoft Project 2016: Part 2 TOPIC A Extend Project with Macros and Apps Now you will discover how to extend Project's functionality with macros and apps for Office. Macros A macro is a series of commands or instructions that you can run together as a single command to perform a common task automatically. You can use macros to automate frequent tasks, such as common formatting changes that you make regularly. You can write a macro from scratch using Visual Basic for Application code, or you can record a sequence of actions to create a new macro. The Record Macro Dialog Box You can use the Record Macro Dialog Box to record a new macro. Once you start the recording, all of your actions will be recorded until you click Stop Recording. You can use the mouse to click commands and options, but not to select text. For best results in a macro, use the keyboard to select text and other objects when possible. Figure A-1: Use the Record Macro dialog box to record a series of actions as a new macro. Item Macro name Shortcut key Store macro in Description Description Enables you to enter a name for the new macro. Enables you to to choose a shortcut key combination to run the macro. Enables you to specify the template or project plan file in which you want to store the macro. To make your macro available to all projects, make sure to choose Global File. Enables you to enter a description of the macro. Appendix A : Extending Project with Macros and Apps Topic A

144 Microsoft Project 2016: Part Item Row references Column references Description Specifies whether the macro runs on an exact row or relative to the current row. For example, if you want to format text in the current row when you run the macro, make sure to choose Relative. Specifies whether the macro runs on an exact column or relative to the current column. For example, if you want to format text in the current column when you run the macro, make sure to choose Relative. Methods of Running a Macro You can run a macro by selecting the macro from the Macros command in the View tab on the ribbon or you can use the macro's shortcut key combination to run it. You can also assign a macro to the Quick Access Toolbar or by adding the command to the ribbon in the Project Options dialog box. The Apps for Office Dialog Box You've probably had the experience of visiting an online "app store" and downloading an app to your smartphone or mobile device. The Office Store is the app store for the entire Microsoft Office 2016 suite including Project It contains a number of apps, developed by third-party vendors, that enhance Project Some of the apps are free, while others must be purchased. You can access the Office Store from the Project tab of the ribbon by selecting the Browse Office Store button. You can access any apps you previously installed by selecting the My Add-Ins button. Project will open Apps for Office in a pop-up window and show you apps for all applications in the Office suite. By default, the PLAN AND MANAGE PROJECTS add-ins are displayed at the top. You can filter the list further by using the search field. Select an app to learn more about it. Demonstrate how to install an app from the Office Store. Figure A-2: The Office Add-Ins window showing PLAN AND MANAGE PROJECTS add-ins. Appendix A : Extending Project with Macros and Apps Topic A