Steps in demonstrating M/S Project to class in Session 6

Steps in demonstrating M/S Project to class in Session 6

1. Open M/S Project
2. Select the Blank Project icon
3. Select the Project tab and click on Project Information

1. enter project start date (can be in the past).  
2. Finish field automatically changes as project tasks are added

1. Go to File/Print/Page Setup and select Header tab to give file the project name.
2. Go back to blank project sheet and enter tasks:

1. use Task tab to set Task Mode column to Auto Schedule 
2. add tasks starting with 4 phases of a project, all at same level of display
3. then start adding sub-tasks

1. goto Task tab and select Task option (dropdown list displays) to add task -OR- a blank row, or
2. hover over line ID, right click, and add a task

1. after adding several sub-tasks to each main task (all still on same level), indent subtasks using arrows at top of Task tab; result is task-group heading in bold
2. go to Format tab and select Outline Number box □ to add WBS #s to tasks
3. enter durations for each task by typing the number + unit (day, week, etc.) in the Duration column; the Gantt chart will auto-populate with the appropriate bar length
4. begin linking tasks in predecessor-successor relationships

1. highlight rows containing tasks to be linked
2. use the link icon in Task tab (just under the 100% complete icon above it)
3. OR, simply use the Predecessors column to enter the line item # of the task preceding the task you are in
4. hover over the Task Mode column and right-click the mouse
5. select Insert Column and pick the % Complete choice at the top
6. begin marking the status of each task by either typing the % number in the appropriate box OR selecting one of the predefined choices at the top of the Task tab
7. double-click on a task to display the multi-tab window with choices for…

1. entering % complete or Manual vs. Auto Scheduling in the General tab
2. changing the predecessor-successor relationship
3. entering Notes, which will display as an icon to hover over in the ID column

1. For the Gantt chart part of display:

1. to add a vertical status line, goto the Project tab and select the Status Date to pick a date;
2. then goto the Format tab and Gridlines option, select “Gridlines” to get a dropdown list, then scroll down to select the “Status Date”.
3. Pick the Type and Color of the line you want to display on the Gantt calendar.  A light vertical line shows the selected status date on your Gantt calendar.  
4. to show the critical path (i.e., all tasks with zero “0” slack), just under the tab label “Format” on the Format tab is the check box □ for Critical Tasks,
5. for setting, clearing, and displaying baselines:

1. go to the Project tab and select Set Baseline/Set Baseline/Baseline1 from dropdown list
2. go to Format tab and select Baseline/Baseline1 to display the bottom grey baseline bar at each task
3. to clear a baseline, go to the Project tab and select Set Baseline/Clear Baseline from dropdown list and select the baseline(s) you want to clear
4. NOTES:  

1. If you add tasks after this point, they will not display a baseline until you re-baseline the project as above and select a subsequent baseline (e.g.,  Baseline2)
2. When you display the baseline, the % complete does not display.

1. Miscellaneous items:

1. to change the color of the weekend vertical bars, double-click on them to get choices
2. to change Sat. or Sun. to become work days, see link  (YouTube 1-min. tutorial, no sound).
3. to avoid printing the border and legend on each page, go to File/Print/Page Setup

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