MS Project 2002 Getting Started PDF

MS Project 2002 Getting Started
Larry F. Vint
lvint@niu.edu
815-753-8053
Technical Advisory Group
Information Technology Services
Northern Illinois University
120 Swen Parson Hall
DeKalb, IL 60115
Copyright 2004
Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services
Microsoft Project Getting Started

MS Project Terminology
Getting Acquainted with MS Project 2002s Desktop
Project Guidelines
Mind Map
Help and Tutorial
Setting Up a New Project
Adding Project Tasks
12
Checking Accumulating Costs and Work
19
Supplemental Training and Reference Links
21
Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services
MS Project Terminology
MS Project 2002 is program that uses a lot of unique definitions. Key definitions are
listed below.
Term
Allocation
Baseline
Budget
Constraint - As Late As Possible
Constraint - As Soon As Possible
Constraint - Finish No Earlier Than
Constraint - Finish No Later Than
Constraint - Must Finish On
Constraint - Must Start On
Constraint - Start No Earlier Than
Constraint - Start No Later Than
Cost
Critical task
Duration
Lag time
Lead time
Leveling
Milestone
Overallocation
Predecessor
Priority
Resouces
Schedule
Scope
Successor
Task
Task Dependency - Finish-to-Finish
Task Dependency - Finish-to-Start
Task Dependency - Start-to-Finish
Task Dependency - Start-to-Start
Variance
Work
Definition
The percentage of a resource's capacity designated for a specific assignment.
The original plan you use to track progress during a project.
The estimated cost of a project (that is established by the baseline plan).
Flexible - The constraint type (which also means there is no constraint) is set
by default when a task is first created in a fixed finish date project.
Flexible - The constraint type (which means there is no constraint) is set by
default when a task is first created in a fixed start date project.
Moderate Flexibility - This constraint type indicates the earliest possible date a
task can begin. It can begin on or after the scheduled date.
Moderate Flexibility - This constraint type indicates the latest possible date a
task can finish. It can finish on or before the scheduled date.
Inflexible - This constraint type indicates the exact date a task must finish. All
other scheduling parameters become secondary to this requirement.
Inflexible - This constraint type indicates the exact date a task must begin. All
other scheduling parameters become secondary to this requirement.
Moderate Flexibility - This constraint type indicates the earliest possible date a
task can finish. It can finish on or after the scheduled date.
Moderate Flexibility - This constraint type indicates the latest possible date a
task can begin. It can start on or before the scheduled date.
The total scheduled cost for a task, assignment, resource or project.
A task that must be completed on schedule for the project to finish on time.
The total calendar or clock span of actual working time required to complete a
task.
A planned time delay between tasks.
An overlap between tasks that have a dependency; e.g. if a task can start when
its predecessor is half done, you can specify a finish-to-start dependency of
50% for the successor task.
The process of delaying or splitting certain tasks to resolve overallocation of
resources.
A reference point marking a major event in a project and used to monitor the
project's progress.
The result of assigning more tasks to a resource than the resource can
accomplish in the working time available.
A task that preceeds a dependent successor task.
A method of ranking the importance of tasks (default=500, higher is for higher
priority).
The time, people and material used to complete tasks in a project.
The timing or sequence of tasks within a project.
All work required, and only the work required, to complete a project
successfully.
A task that is dependent upon a preceeding or predecessor task.
An activity that has a beginning and an end.
Task B cannot finish until Task A finishes
Task B cannot start until Task A finishes.
Task B cannot finish until Task A starts.
Task B cannot start until Task A starts.
The difference between the baseline and scheduled task or resource
information.
The total labor or person-hours required for all resources to complete a task.
For resources, the total amount of work to which a resource is assigned for all
tasks.
Getting Acquainted with MS Project 2002s Desktop

Figure DT-01 shows MS Project 2002s desktop. While the basic Menu and Toolbar
layout has much in common with MS Office it contains a number of unique features.
The View Bar on the left hand side if the desktop facilitates quick changes in the many
ways Project permits you to look at and print information in your project. These many
views include calendar, Gantt chart, spreadsheet, and graphics that are useful in planning,
tracking and evaluating timelines, resource usage and expenditures in your project.
Dropdown Menus
Help Questions
Standard Toolbar
Formatting Toolbar
Project Guide Toolbar
Entry Bar
Indicators Column
Menu of Tables Shortcut
View Bar
Divider Bar
Task Pane
Split Bar
Figure DT-01
Project Guidelines
I. Set a clear project goal with a defined timeframe; e.g. The goal of the Wireless Web
Communication Project is to provide twenty ITS field technicians with the tools to obtain
and update trouble tickets and work orders, access information and knowledge resources,
and communicate with coworkers via the internet with conveniently portable devices in a
wireless environment by July 1, 2003.
II. Secure approval and funding for the project; e.g. the direct supervisor, director and
departmental vice president have all approved the project and set a budget of $30,000.
III. Outline the project into major phases and tasks; e.g..
1.
Evaluation Phase
a. Assemble team
b. Research
i. product features and functionality
ii. tech needs and desires
a. Establish specifications
c. Evaluate alternatives
d. Demo two to four products
e. Select one to two products for prototype testing
f. Negotiate prototype loan, lease, or price for three to four units
g. Obtain prototypes
h. Reevaluate and revise project plan
2.
Prototype Testing Phase

a. Draw up objective evaluation criteria
b. Write preliminary training protocol and usage documentation
c. Select technicians to test prototypes
d. Train testing technicians
e. Simulate utilization activities
f. Evaluate functionality
g. Finalize product decision
h. Rewrite training protocol and usage documentation
i. Reevaluate and revise project plan
3.
Deployment Phase
a. Solicit bids for production units
b. Order production units
c. Obtain production units
d. Train technicians
e. Deploy units
4.
PostMortem Phase
a. Evaluate effectiveness
b. Summarize project successes and failures in a formal report
Mind Map
Mind Maps can be a very useful way to develop a basic project plan. They can be used to
brainstorm ideas, processes, and task lists in a visual manner that assists most people in
understanding plan development. Below is a Mind Map of the Wireless Web
Communications Project.
Budget $30,000
WWC for 20 Techs
By 7/1/03
Assemble Team
Research Needs
Set Specifications
Evaluate Alternatives
Demo
Select
Obtain Prototypes
Revise Plan
Evaluation
Evaluate Effectiveness
Final Report
Summarize
Get Bids
Order
Obtain
Train
Deploy
Deploy
Test Prototypes
Set Criteria
Draft Protocol & Documentation
Technicians to Test
Train Test Techs
Simulate Use
Evaluate
Decide
Rewrite Protocol & Documentation
Revise Plan
Additional information on Mind Mapping can be found at:

http://www.jcu.edu.au/studying/services/studyskills/online.html
http://www.mind-map.com/
http://www.mindmapper.com/links.html
MS Project 2002 Help and Tutorial

Project initially opens up without the Microsoft Project 2002 Help window being opened.
However, before getting started it is a good idea to open the Help window to review new
features of Project 2002, take a quick tutorial, examine a project map, do a search on help
topics, or look at various Project related references. Take a few moments to look at
various components of Projects Help menu (Figure HT-01). Pressing F1 or clicking on
Help in the dropdown menus will allow you to return to Help at any time.
Figure HT-01
Click on the Tutorial link as in Figure HT-01. Take a few minutes to look it over.
Figure HT-02
Setting Up a New Project

MS Project 2002 is program that provides assistance in planning, tracking and evaluating
timelines, resource usage and expenditures in your project. To illustrate the basic
features of MS Project 2002 we will set up a simple project to evaluate, acquire, test and
deploy Wireless Web devices for our field technical staff.
1. Click on Blank Project in the New Project task pane
2. Click on Define the Project in the Tasks task pane
3. Type 1/6/2003 in the estimated date your project will begin box
4. Click on Save and go to Step 2 at bottom of task pane
5. Check the No box under Collaborate on your project
7. Click on the Save
link at the top of task pane
8. Click on Create New Folder icon

9. Enter Project as Name: and click OK (this creates a new folder called Project to
keep your Project files in
10. In the File name: box type in WWCProject then click on Save
12. Click on Save and Finish at the bottom of task pane
13. Click on Define general working times in the Tasks task pane
14. Click on Hint
, review commentary
15. Leave calendar set to Standard and click on Save

and go to Step 2 at bottom of task pane
16. Click on the button at I want to adjust the
working hours
17. Change the ending time from 5:00 PM to 4:30 PM
18. Click Apply to All Days as in Figure NP-01
Working time should now look like Figure NP-02 below.
Figure NP-01
Figure NP-02

20. Click on Change Working Time ... at top of task pane to add holidays
21. Scroll calendar back to January and click on the 20th (Martin Luthor King Jr.s
birthday)
22. Click on Non-working time
button as in figure NP-03
23. Scroll month to May and click on
the 26th (Memorial Day)
button
25. Scroll month to July and click on
the 4th (Independence Day)
button
Figure NP-03
27. Click OK
29. Redefine time units to 7.5 hour days and 37.5 hour work
weeks as in Figure NP-04
Figure NP-04
31. Click on Save and Finish at the bottom of task pane

Next lets set options to add financial estimates to time usage and auto save our active
projects.
32. Click on Tools in the dropdown menus
33.
Click on Options (explore

Options settings)
34.
Click on the General tab
35.
Reset Recently used file list:

to 8
36.
Enter $21.00/h as the Default

standard
rate
37.
Enter $28.50/h as the Default

overtime
rate (as in Figure NP-05)
38.
Click on Set as Default button
39.
Click on the Save tab
Figure NP-05
40.
Click on Modify button under File Locations to set default to Project folder in
My Documents
41.
Find and click on Project folder

then click OK
42.
Check Auto Save Save every:

box
43.
Select 15 minutes
44.
Click in Save all open project

files
45.
Uncheck Prompt Before Saving

(as in Figure NP-06)
46.
Click Set as Default button
47.
Click on Calendar tab
48.
Set Fiscal year starts in: to July
49.
Replace the 5:00 p.m. Default

end time: with 4:30 p.m.
50.
Confirm that the Hours per week:

box is set at 37.5 (as in Figure
NP-07)
51.
Click on Set as Default button
52.
Click OK
Now that we have set some of the basic

parameters involving labor resources to
be used in our project we could decide
to develop our project from a Finish
date rather than a Start date. To do this
Figure NP-06
Figure NP-07
32. Click on Project in the

dropdown menus
33. Click on Project Information
If we wanted to develop our project
from a Finish date and work backward
we could select Project Finish Date
from the Schedule From pick list and
define our Finish date. For the
purposes of this exercise lets leave the
project schedule at Schedule from
Project Start date and move on.
34. Click Cancel
Figure NP-08
10
We will next assign the primary personnel resources to our project.

34. Click on Resource Sheet in the View Bar
35. In the first cell under Resource Name type in Clark Kent
36. Under Type choose Work from the combo box pick list
37. Under Initials enter CK
Notice that the Max Units, Std. Rate, Ovt. Rate, Cost/Use, Accrue At, and Base Calendar
fields auto fill using the wage rates we previously assigned.
38. In the first cell under Resource Name type in Diana Prince
40. Under Initials enter DP
41. In the first cell under Resource Name type in Bruce Wayne
43. Under Initials enter BW
These are the primary personnel resources that will make up the project team. Others
may be added in the Prototype Testing Phase; however, we do not yet know whom those
individuals will be. They can be added at a later time. We are now ready to begin Adding
Tasks to our project.
44. Click on the Gantt Chart view in the View Bar
11
Adding Project Tasks

Our project outline is in an Excel workbook called WWCProject.xls. We want to add
these outlined tasks to our new project. To do so
1.
Click on List the tasks in the project
2.
Click on Import Wizard under Import Tasks from Excel
3.
In the Look in box find the F drive for your workstation ACS01-xx on
Acs\User (F:)
4.
Find the Excel folder and double-click on it
5.
Double-click on WWCProject.xls
6.
Click Next in the Microsoft Project Import Wizard
7.
Leave New Map checked and click Next
8.
Select Merge the data into the active project button and click Next
9.
Check Tasks and uncheck Import includes headers then click Next
10.
Select the Plan Outline worksheet from the Source worksheet name pick list
11.
Click on 3 from under From: Excel Field
12.
Click in To Microsoft Project Field: and select Name from pick list
13.
Click on Add All button
14.
Click in top row Microsoft Project Field: on the word Name
15.
Click on Set Merge Key button
16.
Click Next
17.
Click Finish
The Task Name list in the Gantt Chart view should now be filled in. This has copied our
project outline into Project and avoided a great deal of retyping of the project tasks
outlined in preliminary project planning. If copying task names from Excel they must be
in a single column and must be adjacent to each other as in the example Excel file. If we
were copying from Word or PowerPoint it would have been necessary to have each task
name on a separate line without the outline structure on page 4 of this exercise. If the
task names were in MS Access, they must be in a single field and only cells in that field
should be copied. Next we need to define phases and subtasks.
18.
Click Done in the middle of the task pane
19.
Click on Organize tasks into phases
20.
Highlight task names 2 (Assemble team) through 12 (Evaluate and revise

project plan)
21.
Click on the indent arrow
22.
Highlight task names 4 and 5
at the left of the Formatting Toolbar
12
23.
24.
Highlight task names 14 through 22
25.
26.
Highlight task names 24 through 28
27.
28.
Highlight task names 30 and 31
29.
30.
Click Done
The task name list should now look like Figure AP-01.
Notice that Project assigns 1 day? as a default duration
to new tasks. We now need to apply information
about duration, timing, and resources to each task.
31.
Click on task 2 (Assemble team)
32.
Click on Project in the dropdown menus
33.
Click on Task Information as in Figure AP-02
Figure AP-01
Click through the tabs to note the type of information

that can be entered in the Task Information window
on Figure AP-03.
34.
35.
Click in the Duration box
36.
Type 2h
As we type in a defined duration, the Estimated

box check mark clears. We will leave Start and
Finish date alone and proceed to adding resources.
Figure AP-02
37.
Click on the Resources tab
38.
In the first cell under Resource Name

choose Clark Kent
39.
In the second cell under Resource Name

choose Diana Prince
40.
In the third cell under Resource Name

choose Bruce Wayne
41.
Click on the Advanced tab
42.
Click in the Constrain task Deadline: and select 1/7/03 from the calendar
43.
Click OK
44.
Click on task 4 (product features and functionality)
45.
Right-click and choose the Task Information icon
Figure AP-03
from the popup menu
13
46.
47.
48.
Choose 3d from the Duration pick list
49.
Select 1/7/03 as the Dates Start: date and 1/9/03 as the Finish: date
50.
51.
Again select Clark Kent, Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne as resources as in steps
38 through 40 above, leave Units at 100%
52.
53.
54.
Select Start No Earlier Than under Constraint type:
55. Choose 1/7/03 as the Constraint date:

56.
Click OK
At the Assemble Team meeting, the necessity of developing a survey form was agreed
upon. It was decided that this must be done after available product features and
functionality were researched and before interviewing technicians for inputs on their
needs and desires. We will next add this task to our list.
57.
Click in task name box for task 5 (tech needs and desires)
58.
Click on Insert in the dropdown menus
59.
Click on New Task
60.
Type create tech needs survey into the newly inserted blank task
61.
Click on new task 5 (create tech needs survey)
62.
Right-click and select the Task Information icon
63.
64.
65.
Choose 1d from the Duration pick list
66.
67.
68.
Again select Clark Kent, Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne as resources as in steps
38 through 40 above, leave Units at 100%
69.
70.
71.
Select Must Finish On under Constraint type:
72.
Choose 1/10/03 as the Constraint date:
73.
Click OK
in the popup menu
14
Notice that an icon

indicating that a Must Finish On constraint has been added to the
Indicators column to the left of the product features Task Name. Also the total days has
been added to the Duration column and summed in the Evaluation Phase Duration.
74.
Double-click in task name box for task 6 (tech needs and desires)
75.
76.
Use the pick list arrows to select a 10d Duration:
77.
78.
Click on the Predecessors tab
79.
In the first task name box choose create tech needs survey from the pick list
80.
81.
Again select Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne as resources as in steps above;
however, change Dianas Units to75% and change Bruces to 25%
82.
83.
Select Start No Earlier Than under Constraint type:

85.
Select Fixed Duration from Task type: pick list
86.
Click OK
87.
Double- click in task name box for task 7 (Establish specifications)
88.
89.
Use the pick list arrows to select a 2d Duration:
90.
Check the Estimated box
91.
92.
93.
Select Clark Kent, Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne as resources, leave Units at
100%
94.
Click OK
95.
Double-click on task name box for task 8 (Evaluate alternatives)
96.
97.
Leave the Duration as 1d?
98.
Leave the Estimated box checked
99.
100. Click on the Predecessors tab

101. Choose Establish specifications from the pick list under task name
102. Choose Finish-to-Start (FS) under Type
15
103. Select 1d under Lag

104. Click on the Resources tab
105. Select Clark Kent, Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne as resources, leave Units at
100%
106. Click on the Advanced tab
107. Select Start No Later Than under Constraint type:
109. Click OK
110. Double-click in task name box for task 9 (Demo two to four products)
111. Click on the General tab
112. Change the Duration to 24h?
113. Leave the Estimated box checked
114. Select 2/10/03 as the Dates Start: date and 2/14/03 as the Finish: date
116. Choose Evaluate alternatives from the pick list under task name
118. Select 4d under Lag to avoid the week of February 3rd when a Tech Conference
is scheduled
100%
121. Type in Bruce Grayson and Linda Lee as added resources, at 100% Units
Bruce and Linda are Technicians who have been selected to help test prototypes
123. Select Start No Earlier Than under Constraint type:
125. Click OK
126. On the Gantt chart bar for task 9 (Demo two to four products) right-click
127. In the popup menu choose Split Task (Figure AP-04)
128. A Split Task: menu (Figure AP-05) pops up to prompt
you to click on the task 9 bar to split it, do so
129. Drag and stretch the pieces of each split so you have two pieces
Figure AP-04
130. Drag the edge of each piece to make

each very small and then drag the
Figure AP-05
16
small pieces into different days of

the week of 2/10/03 as in Figure AP-06
Figure AP-06
131. Reset Task List Duration to 15 hours if necessary

132. Double-click on task 10 ( Select one to two products for prototype testing)
134. Click in the Duration box
135. Choose 1d from the Duration pick list
136. Select 2/17/03 as the Dates Start: date
138. Choose Demo two to four products from the pick list under task name
141. Again select Clark Kent, Diana Prince and Bruce Wayne as resources, leave
Units at 100%
143. Click in the Constrain task Deadline: and select 2/17/03 from the calendar
146. Check Mark task as a milestone
147. Click OK
148. Double-click on task 11 (Negotiate prototype loan, lease, or price for three to
four units)
152. Check the Estimated box
153. Select 2/18/03 as the Dates Start: date
155. Choose Demo two to four products from the pick list under task name
17
158. Again select Clark Kent as the resource, leave Units at 100%
162. Click OK
163. Double-click on task 12 (Obtain prototypes)
167. Check the Estimated box
169. Choose Negotiate prototype loan, lease, or price for three to four units from the
pick list under task name
170. Choose Start-to-Start (SS) under Type
171. Select 9d as Lag
173. Again select Clark Kent as the resource, leave Units at 100%
175. Select Finish No Later Than under Constraint type:
177. Choose Fixed Duration as the Task type:
178. Click OK
179. Double-click on task 13 (Reevaluate and revise project plan)
182. Choose 2h from the Duration pick list
100%
188. Click OK
18
Checking Accumulating Costs and Work

We ended up selecting two products for prototype testing and decided to purchase two
units of each. To account for this cost we must return to the Resource Sheet and enter the
appropriate information.
1.
Click on Resource Sheet in the View Bar
2.
In the first empty cell under Resource Name type in Product 1
3.
Change Type to Material
4.
Enter ABC as Material Label
5.
Enter $500 as the Std. Rate
6.
In the next empty cell under Resource Name type in Product 2
7.
Change Type to Material
8.
Enter xyz as Material Label
9.
Enter $600 as the Std. Rate
10.
Click back to the Gantt chart view
11.
Double-click on task 12 (Obtain prototypes)
12.
13.
Select Product 1 and Product 2
14.
Select 2 Units of each
15.
Click OK
To look at summary information for our projects Evaluation Phase

16.
Click on Project in the dropdown menus
17.
Click on Project Information
18.
Click on the Statistics button
A summary of key statistics pops up as in Figure CC-01. To get a more detailed cost
breakdown
19. Click on the Close button
20.
Click on the View in the

Dropdown menus
21.
Move the cursor over

Table: Entry and select Cost
22.
Drag the Divider bar to the

right until the Total Costs column
is totally visible
Figure CC-01
19
Review the costs in Figure CC-02 then Proceed.

23.
Right-click on
the Menu of
Tables Shortcut
24.
Select Summary
25.
Click on the
Divider Bar and
drag it to the
right until the
Work column is
entirely visible as
in Figure CC-03
26.
Review
information
27.
Click on the
Save icon
Figure CC-02
Figure CC-03
20

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MS Project 2002 Getting Started

Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

Microsoft Project Getting Started

Getting Acquainted with MS Project 2002s Desktop

Help and Tutorial

Setting Up a New Project

Adding Project Tasks

Checking Accumulating Costs and Work

Supplemental Training and Reference Links

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

Getting Acquainted with MS Project 2002s Desktop

Menu of Tables Shortcut

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

Prototype Testing Phase

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

Additional information on Mind Mapping can be found at:

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

MS Project 2002 Help and Tutorial

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

Setting Up a New Project

link at the top of task pane

8. Click on Create New Folder icon

15. Leave calendar set to Standard and click on Save

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

19. Click on Save and go to Step 3 at bottom of task pane

31. Click on Save and Finish at the bottom of task pane

Click on Options (explore

Click on the General tab

Reset Recently used file list:

Enter $21.00/h as the Default

Enter $28.50/h as the Default

Click on Set as Default button

Click on the Save tab

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

Find and click on Project folder

Check Auto Save Save every:

Click in Save all open project

Uncheck Prompt Before Saving

Click Set as Default button

Click on Calendar tab

Set Fiscal year starts in: to July

Replace the 5:00 p.m. Default

Confirm that the Hours per week:

Click on Set as Default button

Now that we have set some of the basic

32. Click on Project in the

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

We will next assign the primary personnel resources to our project.

Copyright 2004 Northern Illinois University Information Technology Services

Adding Project Tasks

Click on List the tasks in the project

Click on Import Wizard under Import Tasks from Excel

Find the Excel folder and double-click on it

Click Next in the Microsoft Project Import Wizard

Leave New Map checked and click Next

Click on 3 from under From: Excel Field

Click on Add All button

Click in top row Microsoft Project Field: on the word Name

Click on Set Merge Key button

Click Done in the middle of the task pane

Click on Organize tasks into phases

Highlight task names 2 (Assemble team) through 12 (Evaluate and revise