Microsoft Project Foundation Training Course

Microsoft Project Foundation Training Course Outline

This 1-day course teaches the basic commands and features of Microsoft Project.

Our Foundation/Intermediate course has proved to be very popular and details are also shown below.

Students will learn how to create and modify task lists, establish a project schedule, create calendars, assign resources to tasks, track costs, and work with different views and tables.

Contact us

Course topics include

1. Discuss basic project management concepts and principles; identify project view options, interface components, and Gantt chart elements; create and save a project file; and get help on using Microsoft Project.
2. Create a task list, using both manual and automatic scheduling modes; set durations; modify a task list; establish a Work Breakdown Structure; hide columns; set milestones; and format the Sheet pane and the Gantt chart.
3. Link tasks to establish a project schedule; modify task predecessors; set lag time and lead time; add recurring tasks; work in Network Diagram view; modify task relationships; apply different task types; and set task constraints.
4. Create a base calendar and edit the working time; create a resource pool and a resource calendar; assign resources to tasks; create and apply a task calendar; enter resource costs; and use the Cost table.
5. Use the Change Working Time dialog box to create a base calendar for the project, use the resource sheet to create a resource pool, assign resources to tasks, create task calendars, enter resource costs in Resource Sheet view, and use the Cost table in Gantt Chart view.

Additional topics can be included and the course tailored to the clients requirements to ensure the most comprehensive and effective training possible is delivered at this level.

Project Foundation course contents:

SESSION 1  INTRODUCTION
Project Management
Definition of Project Management
Project Constraints
The five phases of a project
Terminology used in Project
Microsoft Project Defaults
The Scheduling Formula
Tasks
Task Types
The zoom slider
Manual scheduling
Top-down summary tasks
Project Views:
The Ribbon
View Tab
Gantt chart view
Gantt Chart view with WBS
Network Diagram view
Calendar view
Resource Sheet view
Task Usage
Tracking Gantt
Resource Graph
Combination Views
The Backstage view
The Team Planner
The Timeline
The Task Inspector

SESSION 2  WORKING WITH MICROSOFT PROJECT
Creating a New Project
Enter Project Summary Information
Enter Project Tasks
Enter Task Durations

SESSION 3  TASKS
Types of tasks
Task Information
Task constraints
To Set a Task Constraint
Scheduling
Manually scheduled tasks
Auto scheduled Tasks.
How calendars affect the schedule
How resource assignments drive the schedule
Set Auto Scheduling options
Insert a New Task
Use Elapsed Time
Manual scheduling
Linking Tasks
Task Relationships
Lead and Lag Time
Adjust the Logic between Tasks
Using Lead or Lag Time on a Task

SESSION 4  ADJUSTING TASK DETAILS AND CREATING PHASES
Splite Tasks
Timescales
Adjust the Timescale
Multiple Task Relationships
Delete Task Relationships
Redefining the Logic
Split a Task
Creating project Phases
Creating Summary Tasks
Apply Outline Numbering
Insert a Project Summary
Hyperlinks and Task Notes

SESSION 5  RESOURCES: CREATING AND ASSIGNING
Setting up Resouces
Cost types
Entering Rates
Entering Work Resources
Enter Material and Cost Resources
Create a Text Field
Entering Data in a Custom Text Field
Assigning Resouces
The Scheduling Formula
Assigning Multiple Resources
Partial Assignment
Assign Equipment and Material to a Task
Using the Resource List Options
Assign a Resource to a Summary Task
Change the Format of the Gantt Chart

SESSION 6  INTRODUCTION TO TRACKING
Set a Baseline
View the Tracking Gantt and Tracking Tables
Adjust the Project Status Date
Entering Progress as a % Complete

SESSION 7  INTRODUCTION TO REPORTING & PRINTING
PRINT A VIEW OR REPORT
Create a Report
Create a PDF or XPS Document
Copy the Timeline for email or presentations

The topics are occasionaly changed and the course can be tailored to ensure the most comprehensive and effective training possible is delivered at this level. An instructor will discuss this with you.

Courses to meet your needs

The Foundation course is suited to trainees with no previous experience of this application and require a basic knowledge of MS Project. The Intermediate course is usually taken afterwards if further skills are required but our Foundation / Intermediate course could cover all the topics you require in one day. The Foundation/Intermediate course is quite comprehensive and covers a wider range of topics than a standard Foundation course but is still suitable for trainees with no prior experience of Microsoft Project; it is more demanding than the Foundation course but is a format that has proven to be popular. This course can also be tailored to meet any particular requirements. See topics below:

Contact us

Project Foundation / Intermediate Course content

This course is an alternative to the Foundation course. It is particularly suitable for delegates not undertaking the Intermediate and Advanced courses. It is more demanding than the Foundation course but provides delegates with many of the skills they require in a single day. 

Introduction
Project Management
Definition of Project Management
Project Constraints
The five phases of a project
Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project views
The Ribbon
View Tab
Gantt chart view
Gantt Chart view with WBS
Network Diagram view
Calendar view
Resource Sheet view
Task Usage
Tracking Gantt
Resource Graph
The Backstage view
The Team Planner
The Timeline
The Task Inspector
The zoom slider
Manual scheduling
Explore the Ribbon, Tabs, Groups and Views

Working with Microsoft Project
Terminology Used In Project
Project Information
Microsoft Project Defaults
The Scheduling Formula
Task Types
Effort-driven
Calendars
Deliverables
Creating a New Project
Enter Project Summary Information
Enter Project Tasks
Enter Task Durations

Tasks
Types of tasks
Task Information
Task constraints
To Set a Task Constraint
Insert a New Task
Use Elapsed Time
Linking Tasks
Task Relationships
Lead and Lag Time
Linking Tasks
Adjust the Logic between Tasks
Insert New Tasks
Deleting a Task
Using Lead OR Lag Time on a Task

Adjusting Task Details and Creating Phases
Split Tasks
Timescales
Adjust the Timescale
Multiple Task Relationships
Delete Task Relationships
Redefining the Logic
Split a Task
Creating Summary Tasks
Apply Outline Numbering
Insert a Project Summary
Insert a Hyperlink
Attach a Task Note

Resources: Creating and Assigning
Setting up resources
Resources
Cost types
Entering Rates
Enter Material Resource
Create a Text Field
Entering Work Resources
Assigning Resources
The Scheduling Formula
Assigning Multiple Resources
Assign a Single Resource to a Task
Assign Multiple Resources
Partial Assignment
Assign Equipment and Material to a Task
Tip: Assigning with the Assign Resources Dialog Box
Using the Resource List Options
Assign a Resource to a Summary Task
Assign a Resource to a Project
Change the Format of the Gantt Chart

Costs, Working Time and Overallocation
Adjusting Working Time
Adjusting Working Time for an individual Resource
View Project Costs
Entering Fixed Costs
Adjusting Working Time on a Task
Adjusting Working Time for a Resource
Overallocation and Resource Conflicts
Resource Overallocation and Levelling
Resolving resource overallocation
Resource levelling
Resource Leveling

Using Filters and Groups
Filtering Data
Grouping
Using Predefined Filters
Apply a Grouping

Introduction to Tracking a Project
Critical path
Tracking a Project
Baselines
Set a Baseline
View the Tracking Gantt and Tracking Table
Adjust the Project Status Date
Entering Progress as a % Complete
Progress Using Update Tasks
Tracking Work By Time Period

Introduction to Reporting & Printing
Print a view or report
Print a view
Create a Visual Report of Project data in Excel
Creating Reports
Copy the Timeline for email or presentations

 

Topics covered will vary slightly depending upon the version you are using, e.g. 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 or 365.

The above outlines the range of topics covered in this course. Courses can be tailored to suit client needs and the instructor will adapt the course and range of topics covered to ensure trainees receive the maximum benefit possible from their training day. Contact us for details.