Project 2003 Basic (2 days)

Overview and objectives

After completing this one-day course, students will know how to:

Apply project management concepts, identify tools in Project 2003, and start Project 2003. You will also know how to open existing files, use the Office Assistant, create, save, and close new project files, and close Project 2003.  Work in Gantt Chart view to add tasks and duration to a task list, insert and delete tasks, add project summary tasks, indent and outdent tasks, hide subtasks, add recurring tasks, view Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) codes, and define and apply WBS codes.  Create task links and unlink tasks, add lead-time, explore Network Diagram view, modify task links in Network Diagram view, insert task types, set milestones, and set task constraints.  Create a new base calendar, task calendar, and resource calendar, create a resource pool in Resource Sheet view, assign resources to tasks, filter for resources, use the Resource Graph to identify resource availability, and work with resource costs.  Examine and customize Calendar view, customize Gantt Chart view and Network Diagram view, and group assignments in Usage view.  Edit task constraints, edit effort-driven schedules, identify and resolve resource overallocation, and adjust resource leveling manually.  Use standard filters and AutoFilters to view data, create interactive filters, use predefined groups, create custom groups, sort task lists and resource lists, and renumber sorted resource lists.

 

Course overview:

Getting started

· Discussing project management concepts
· Discussing project management tools
· Exploring the Project 2003 window
· Starting Project 2003
· Examining the Project Guide
· Opening an existing project in Gantt Chart view
· Navigating views
· Using Help
· Using the Office Assistant
· Using the Help task pane
· Working with project files
· Creating a new project file
· Saving a project file
· Setting Auto Save
· Closing project files and closing Project 2003

 

Working with tasks

· Creating a task list
· Adding tasks and durations
· Calculating the estimated duration of a task
· Modifying a task list
· Inserting and deleting tasks
· Moving a task
· Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
· Adding a project summary task
· Indenting and outdenting tasks
· Hiding and unhiding subtasks

 

Scheduling tasks

· Setting up task links
· Linking and unlinking tasks
· Changing links by changing predecessors
· Adding lead and lag time to tasks
· Adding recurring tasks
· Working in Network Diagram view
· Exploring Network Diagram view
· Modifying links in Network Diagram view
· Working with advanced task options
· Changing a task type
· Setting a milestone
· Setting a task constraint

 

Managing resources

· Creating a new base calendar
· Working with resources and calendars
· Creating a resource pool in Resource Sheet view
· Creating a resource calendar
· Assigning a single resource to a task
· Assigning multiple tasks and multiple resources
· Creating and applying a task calendar
· Working with resource costs
· Entering resource costs
· Using the Cost table

 

Working with views and tables

· Working with views
· Exploring Calendar view
· Exploring a form view
· Working with tables
· Creating a new table from an existing table
· Modifying a table

 

Filtering, grouping, and sorting

· Working with filters
· Using a standard filter
· Using an AutoFilter
· Creating an interactive filter
· Working with groups
· Using a predefined group
· Creating a custom group
· Sorting tasks and resources
· Sorting a resource list
· Renumbering the sorted resource list

 

Finalizing the task plan

· Finalizing schedules
· Displaying the critical path
· Editing effort-driven and non-effort-driven tasks
· Resolving resource conflicts
· Identifying resource over-allocation
· Discussing resource over-allocation
· Filtering for resources in a specified group
· Levelling resources manually

 

Project 2003 Advanced (2 days)

 

Overview and objectives

After completing this two-day course, students will know how to:

Use the Project Guide to create project plans; save a baseline and an interim plan; update percentage of tasks completed, actual start date, actual work, and actual costs for a resource; use the Earned Value table to monitor the actual and estimated costs of tasks; and view task progress in Gantt Chart view and Network Diagram view.  Analyze the project by viewing the project status, critical path, and slack in the schedule and by performing a PERT analysis, reschedule the project by splitting tasks, and adjust resource schedules by delaying resource work and assigning overtime.  Format a project file by modifying bar styles and timescale, use the Drawing toolbar to enhance the Gantt Chart information, print views and reports, and create a custom report and a Crosstab report.  Set up an e-mail collaboration messaging system and communicate project schedules by sending schedule notes, task assignments, and status requests, and explain the setup of a Microsoft Project Server workgroup system by using Microsoft Project Central.  You will know how to export project data to the Web by saving the project file as a Web page, add hyperlinks to a project file, and save projects in a Microsoft Project 98 format.  Consolidate project files, link tasks across projects, assign task priorities, share and copy project elements and share resources across projects.  Import and export data from and to a Microsoft Excel worksheet and a Microsoft Access database, and copy and paste project information to a Microsoft Word document and a Microsoft Excel worksheet.  Create a custom Network Diagram view and a combination view, create and run macros to automate tasks, create a new toolbar and a new menu, and create a custom table by using the More Tables dialog box.

 

Who should attend?

The target students for this course should be competent users of a personal computer and Windows 2000 or later.  Students should know the basics of Microsoft Project 2003 and project management techniques.  Students will get most out of this course if their goal is to use Microsoft Project 2003 as a tool to become proficient managers and to create efficient and cost-effective projects for their organizations.

 

Course overview:

Tracking project work

· Managing a project
· Saving a baseline plan
· Updating the progress of tasks
· Updating the percent complete of a task
· Updating actual start and finish dates
· Updating tasks that are in progress
· Updating the actual work performed on a task
· Saving an interim plan
· Observing project progress
· Displaying the Earned Value table
· Viewing progress in Network Diagram view

 

Analyzing and adjusting the plan

· Analyzing the plan
· Viewing project statistics
· Displaying slippage and slack in a plan
· Rescheduling tasks
· Splitting a task
· Delaying resource work
· Assigning overtime

 

Formatting and reporting

· Formatting a project file
· Modifying a bar style
· Formatting a timescale
· Using drawing tools
· Using the Drawing toolbar
· Printing views and reports
· Printing the current view as a report
· Printing a report
· Customizing reports
· Creating a custom report
· Creating a Crosstab report

 

Customizing the project environment

· Creating custom views
· Creating a custom Network Diagram view
· Creating a combination view
· Creating macros
· Creating a macro
· Running a macro
· Creating a toolbar and a menu
· Creating a toolbar
· Deleting a toolbar
· Creating a new menu
· Deleting a menu
· Creating a custom table
· Creating a custom table

 

Managing multiple projects

· Consolidating and sharing projects
· Consolidating project files
· Linking tasks across projects
· Assigning project and task priorities
· Making an existing filter global
· Sharing a filter between projects
· Sharing resources across projects
· Sharing resources from another project

 

Project communications

· Communicating among a project team
· Discussing Microsoft Project Server 2003
· Sending task assignment requests
· Sending status requests
· Sending schedule notes
· Exporting project data to the Web
· Saving the project file as a Web page
· Viewing the project file as a Web page
· Working with hyperlinks
· Adding a hyperlink
· Saving projects to Microsoft Project 98
· Saving a project file to Microsoft Project 98
· Identifying lost elements

 

Exchanging project data

· Importing data
· Importing data from a Microsoft Excel workbook
· Importing data from a Microsoft Access database
· Exporting data
· Exporting data to a Microsoft Excel workbook
· Exporting data to a Microsoft Access database
· Copying data