Using Microsoft Project 2010

Description

Using Microsoft Project 2010 is a customized, media-rich learning experience designed to help new users master Microsoft Project 2010 system quickly, and get the most out of it, fast! It starts with a concise, friendly, straight-to-the-point guide to Microsoft Project 2010 by Brian Kennemer, one of the world's most experienced Project training and consulting organizations. This exceptional book is fully integrated with an unprecedented collection of online learning resources: online video, screencasts, podcasts, and additional web content, all designed to reinforce key concepts and help you achieve real mastery. The book and online content work together to teach everything mainstream Microsoft Project 2010 users need to know. Their practical, approachable coverage guides you through mastering Project's brand-new Ribbon interface; then developing plans, assigning resources, tracking progress, managing budgets, analyzing workloads, collaborating with colleagues and partners, and much more.

* Practical, approachable coverage that completely flattens the Microsoft Project 2010 learning curve
* Tightly integrated with online video, screencast tutorials, podcasts, and more: the total learning experience for new Microsoft Project 2010 users

CONTENTS:

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

How This Book Is Organized 2

Using This Book 2

Special Features 3

About the UsingWeb Edition 3

1 Introduction to Managing Projects with Microsoft Project 2010 4

What Microsoft Project 2010 Can Do for You 4

What Version of Project 2010 Do You Need? 6

Laying a Foundation 6

  Project 7

  Task 7

  Resource 7

  Assignment 7

What's New in Project 2010? 7

  Updated User Interface 7

  Manually Scheduled Tasks 9

  Team Planner View 9

  Timeline 10

  New Table Customization 11

  SharePoint Collaboration 12

2 Navigating Project 2010 14

Using the Ribbon 14

Using the Timeline 15

  Share the Timeline with Others 16

Understanding Project Views 16

  What Views Are Available in Project 2010? 16

Working with Project Views 36

  Grouping Data in a View 36

  Sorting Data in a View 38

  Filtering Data in a View 40

  Highlighting Data in a View 41

  Displaying Two Views at Once 43

3 Starting a Project 45

Setting Up a Project 45

  Creating a New Project 45

  Saving a Project 47

Setting Project Properties and Options 49

  Setting Project Properties 49

  Setting Project Options 50

Choosing a Project Start or Finish Date 51

Setting Up Your Project's Calendars 52

  Modifying an Existing Base Calendar 53

  Changing a Working Day to a Nonworking Day 54

  Changing a Nonworking Day to a Working Day 55

  Changing Default Working Times 56

  Changing Working Times for a Specific Time Period 57

  Creating a New Base Calendar 57

  Setting Up Your Project's Calendar 59

How Does Project 2010 Schedule Tasks? 60

  Scheduling Methods in Project 2010 60

  What Factors Does the Project Scheduling Engine Consider? 61

  Which Scheduling Method Should I Use? 62

4 Working with Tasks 65

Understanding Task Types 65

  Fixed Units 66

  Fixed Work 66

  Fixed Duration 67

Adding Tasks to Your Project 67

  Adding a New Task 67

  Setting a Task Calendar 70

  Indenting and Outdenting Tasks 71

Setting Up Task Dependencies 72

  Adding Dependencies Between Tasks 74

Creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 76

  Setting Your Project's WBS Code Structure 78

5 Working with Resources 82

Understanding Resource Types and Other Factors 82

Adding Resources to Your Project 84

Adjusting Resource Calendars 86

Assigning Resources to Tasks 87

  Assigning a Resource Using the Task Information Dialog Box 87

  Assigning a Work Resource Using the Team Planner View 89

Editing an Existing Resource Assignment 89

  Splitting a Task to Create a Gap in Work 90

  Fine-Tuning a Resource's Work Schedule for a Task 91

  Assigning Remaining Work on a Task to Another Resource 92

6 Accounting for Project Costs 94

Understanding Types of Costs 94

Creating a Budget for Your Project 95

  Creating and Assigning Budget Resources 95

  Adding Values to Budget Resources 98

  Pairing Resources with Budgets 98

Comparing Actual Cost and Work Values with the Project Budget 100

Accounting for Overtime Spent on Project Tasks 102

  Planning for Overtime Work and Costs 102

  Recording Actual Overtime Work and Costs 103

7 Capturing Project Progress 106

Baselining Your Project 106

Gathering Status Updates from Resources 108

  Actual Start, Percent Work Complete, Remaining Work 109

  Actual Work Per Day, Remaining Work, Expected Finish Date 116

Assessing the Impacts of Updates 119

8 Sharing Your Project with Others 121

Reporting on Your Project 121

  Generating and Customizing a Visual Report 123

  Generating and Customizing a Basic Report 126

Sharing Data with Others 131

  Copying the Timeline 132

  Exporting Data to Excel 132

  Taking a Picture of Your Project Data 133

  Saving the Project As a PDF or XPS File 134

Collaborating with Others on Your Project 135

9 Customizing Project 2010 137

Creating Custom Fields 137

Adding and Removing Columns in a View 140

  Adding a Column to a View 141

  Hiding a Column in a View 142

Saving a Set of Columns as a Table 143

Creating and Editing Views 145

10 Understanding Project Options 149

General Project Options 150

  User Interface Options 150

  Project View 151

  Personalize Your Copy of Microsoft Office 153

Display Options 153

  Calendar 154

  Currency Options for This Project 154

  Show Indicators and Options Buttons For 156

  Show These Elements 156

Schedule Options 156

  Calendar Options for This Project 157

  Schedule 159

  Scheduling Options for This Project 160

  Schedule Alerts Options 162

  Calculation 163

  Calculation Options for This Project 163

Proofing Options 165

  AutoCorrect Options 165

  When Correcting Spelling in Microsoft Office Programs 166

When Correcting Spelling in Project 166

Save Options 167

  Save Projects 167

  Save Templates 168

  Cache 168

Language Options 169

Advanced Options 169

  General 170

  Project Web App 172

  Planning Wizard 172

  General Options for This Project 172

  Edit 174

  Display 174

  Display Options for This Project 177

  Cross Project Linking Options for This Project 179

  Earned Value Options for This Project 180

  Calculation Options for This Project 180

Customize Ribbon Options 182

  Customize the Ribbon 182

Quick Access Toolbar Options 184

  Customize the Quick Access Toolbar 186

Add-Ins Options 186

Trust Center Options 187

11 Dealing with Problems 189

Problem: One of My Resources Is Overallocated 189

Problem: My Schedule Goes Longer Than My Deadline 193

Problem: My Costs Are Exceeding My Budget 195

  Assigning Work to Fewer People 197

  Cutting Back on What Needs to Get Done 197

  Trimming Budget Amounts 197

Index 198