Microsoft Project Training Manual

1. Open Microsoft Project Template found at G/DATA/Projects(Do not use DZ)/Microsoft Project
-Save As using the project’s title as the Microsoft Project file name

2. Set Project Start/End Dates

a. Go to the Project Tab
b. Select Project Information
c. Edit the Project Start date in the window that appears.
d. Hit Ok.

B A

D
 3. Navigating Views Within Microsoft Project

a. Select the View Tab.

b. For our purposes, the Gantt Chart, Tracking Gantt, and Resource Graph will be used, and can be
navigated to from the Gantt Chart dropdown menu.
c. Windows can be modified by dragging and dropping the horizontal and vertical lines that separate
views. This can be used to show or hide columns in the work area.
d. The zoom and timescale can be adjusted with the tools found in box D.
e. The screen can be split into an upper and a lower work area by checking the box next to Details. The
dropdown menu next to details is used to choose which view is displayed in the bottom portion of the
screen. In this case, the Details box is checked, and the Resource Graph was chosen to be displayed at
the bottom of the screen.

D E
A

C
 4. Set A Maximum Resource Limit – For our purposes, only “Electrician” will be an available resource to
use in Microsoft Project. However, a maximum number of Electricians must be entered for our projects.

a. Select the Task Tab.

b. Click on the drop down menu “Gantt Chart.”
c. Select “Resource Sheet.”
d. Specify the maximum number of electricians working on the project at its peak.
e. Return to the Gantt Chart by again using the drop down menu from part B.

C
D

D
5. General Contractor Milestones – The template already contains several general contractor
milestones with generic dates. Be certain to Add, Delete, and Modify the Milestones to reflect the
Milestones obtained from the GC’s schedule.

To Add
a. Select the Task Tab.
b. Select Milestone.
To Edit – Much like Microsoft Excel, click on the cell you would like to modify, and type in your changes.
c. Also, more advanced changes can be made by double clicking on a task name to bring up the Task
Information Window.
To Delete – Right click on the Task Name you would like to delete, and then select Delete Task.

Constraints – Milestones and Tasks may have hard times that must be met in order to avoid delaying the
project schedule that can be entered as constraints.

d. Select the Advanced Tab in the Task Information Window(double click on a task to open) where you
will find a Constraint Type: drop down menu and a dropdown menu to set the Constraint Date.

A
B

D
6. Defining Tasks - Microsoft Project allows for the use of both Summary Tasks and Subtasks. As per
the PM Manual, Summary Tasks will account for major areas of work on the project such as gymnasium,
auditorium, first floor, second floor, or basement. Subtasks will include activities typical of the work
performed under a Summary Task such as Feeder Conduit, Fixtures and Lamps, or Fire Alarm System.

To Add
a. Select the Task Tab.
b. First, add a Summary Task by clicking “Summary” and then add Sub Tasks under it by clicking on
“Task.”
c. It is possible to indent tasks once they have been created using the tools found in box C to switch
tasks back and forth between being summary tasks and sub tasks.
To Delete – Similar to deleting Milestones, right click on the task you wish to delete, and then select
Delete Task.
To Edit/Enter Task Information – Similar to editing Milestones, select the cell you would like to change,
and enter new information whether it be duration, start date, predecessor, or resources used.
Additionally, the Task Information window can be opened for entering advanced information by double
clicking on the task of interest.
A
C B
7. Add Work, Links, and Resources to Tasks – To create this example, a date was chosen for the “Stud
Wall Finish” Milestone to emphasize the GC’s progress allowing the commencement of electrical work
on the First Floor.

a. Enter the estimated amount of work(hours) into the Work column. This Template is Work Driven
meaning that hours will be held constant if the duration is changed to allow for automatic
updating of our resource graphs.
b. Once a start date is set for the Summary Task, begin adding task dependencies by entering
Predecessors for Sub Tasks by typing task item numbers in the Predecessor column. Notice in
the numbered column on the left that Branch Conduit is Task #23, and it is preceded by Task #22
Feeder Conduit.
**Summary Tasks can be linked to follow immediately after Milestones in the same way, but in
order for tasks to automatically update the Task Mode needs to be on Auto Schedule.
c. As task dependencies(links) are added, successive task start/finish dates should automatically
update. Also, the Gantt chart will rearrange itself to reflect the links between tasks.
d. Assign Electrician to each task performed by using the drop down menu in Resource Names.
Don’t assign Electrician to Milestones or other tasks performed by the GC.

Denotes the Stud Wall

Finish Milestone

B D

The Task Mode column allows for

Auto and Manual scheduling
7. Assigning A Number Of Electricians To A Task

a. Double click on Branch Conduit to bring up the Task Information window.

b. Click on the Resources tab.
c. Edit the number of electricians to be assigned to that task.
d. Select OK.
e. Notice how Branch Conduit now has “Electrician[3]” listed under the Resource Names column.
Referring to the last page, notice how the Branch Conduit task duration has automatically changed from
8 days to 2.67 days with the addition of more electricians to this task.

C D

A Double Click E Compare with previous page to notice the

changes automatically made.
8. Assigning Lag And Lead To Tasks

a. Double click on the task name for which you wish to add Lag/Lead to bring up the Task
Information window.
b. Select the Predecessors tab inside the Task Information window.
c. Select the Type of Lag/Lead(explained on the following page) and length of the Lag/Lead. Any Lag
less than zero will become Lead in Microsoft Project.
d. Select Ok.
e. In this example, the start of “Fixtures and Lamps” Lags the finish of “Branch Conduit” by four days.

E
A Double Click
8. Understanding Types of Dependencies

The four types of dependencies to choose from when linking tasks have been displayed in the
screenshot below.

Start-to-Start relationships mean Task 1(predecessor) must start before Task 2(successor) can start.
Finish-to-Start relationships mean Task1 must finish before Task 2 is allowed to start.
Finish-to-Finish relationships mean Task 1 must finish so that Task 2 can finish.
Start-to-Finish relationships mean Task 1 must start in order for Task 2 to finish.
9. Setting A Baseline – Set the Baseline Schedule once the initial project schedule has been created.
This allows us to see changes visually when we update the schedule at a later date.

a. Select the Project Tab.

b. Select Set Baseline, click on Set Baseline…, and then click OK in the box that appears. If needed, you
can also clear any Baselines using this drop down menu as well.

10. Setting A Status Date – Set a Status Date when both creating and updating the schedule to show the
reader when the schedule was last updated.

c. Click on Status Date and select the date for when the schedule was updated. The status date will now
appear on any Gantt Charts, Tracking Gantts, and Resource Graphs that are printed out to show the
reader when the PM last updated the project schedule.

A B C
11. Updating The Schedule - The “Tracking Gantt” view is best for using visuals to show tasks that have
run off of the original baseline schedule. Make sure you have a baseline schedule set first.

Editing Start Dates/Finish Dates/ Durations To Update The Schedule

a. Click on the Gantt Chart drop down menu and select Tracking Gantt.
b. Change any start dates/finish dates/durations that underwent changes since the baseline was set.
c. In this example, the “Branch Conduit” task’s start date was changed from 6/8/12 to 6/11/12. Notice
that the progress bar has been split into two portions. The bottom portion represents the baseline
schedule we created, and the top portion shows the delay in the updated schedule. Because auto
schedule is turned on, the delay in branch conduit is automatically carried into the next tasks.

B
11. Updating The Schedule Using % Complete

a. Go to the Project Tab.

b. Update % Complete for tasks by modifying the % Complete column.
c. Once % Complete has been updated for all tasks, click on “Update Project.”
d. In the Update Project window that appears, select “Reschedule uncompleted work to start after:” and
ensure that the status date is set for today’s date.
e. Select OK.
f. In this example, Feeder Conduit is behind schedule, and was updated to %80 complete. Noticed how
the remaining 20% has been pushed back to the status date, which in turn pushed back all successive
tasks.

A
B C

Ensure today’s date

is the Status Date

F
12. Splitting A Task

a. Go to the Task Tab.

b. Click on the Split Task icon
c. Click on the Task bar to be split while specifying the date of the split.
d. Click and hold on the leading portion of the newly split task’s bar to drag and drop the task on the
date work will resume.

A B

C In this example, Branch Conduit D Click and hold to drag and drop the newly
was split on Sun 6/17/12. created leading portion of Branch Conduit
on the date work will resume.
 13. Printing The Gantt Chart And Tracking Gantt – First, adjustments must be made to select columns
and a timeframe that will be included on your print out.

a. Select the vertical bar separating the grid spreadsheet and timeline. Drag this bar left/right so the
columns you wish to print are visible. Only the columns made visible in this window will appear on the
printout.
b. Select a time scale for your schedule’s bar chart by clicking on the “View” Tab. Next, use the
dropdown timescale menu so select your desired timescale.
c. Select the File Tab, go to print, select the range of dates to be printed, and then chose the
paper/printer settings as desired.

**Printing the Tracking Gantt to show how delays have affected the schedule is very similar. Go to the
Gantt Chart drop down menu, select Tracking Gantt, and repeat steps A-C above.

C B

**

Only columns Task Mode through Finish

will appear in the printout.

A Drag this middle bar

14. Printing the Man-Hour Loading Chart – First, we need to make the Man-Hour Loading Chart visible
in Microsoft Project.

a. Select the View Tab

b. Check the box next to Details, and then use the drop down menu to select “Resource Graph.”
c. Change the timescale you wish to print.
d. Click on a task that has Electrician allocated to it as a resource, and the Man-Hour Loading Chart for
the entire project will appear in the lower right window.

Printing
e. Click on “Resource Graph” in the lower left of the screen. Notice how “Resource Graph” is selected in
dark blue and “Gantt Chart” is now selected in a light blue. This means that the printing function will
now work for the Resource Graph rather than the Gantt Chart.
f. Select File, then Print, and notice under Settings that you can set a specific range of dates for printing.

C B
A

D click on Electrician

E Click