Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xi
About the Authors xiii
Introduction 1
1 Introduction to Scheduling 5
Benefits of Scheduling 5
Estimates and Schedules 6
Communication 7
Tasks 7
Phases 8
Milestones 8
Gantt Charts and Reports 8
Rough Logic Diagram 9
Measuring Success 11
2 Creating the Microsoft® Project Schedule 13
Creating and Opening Microsoft® Project Files 14
Gantt Chart 16
Views 18
Adjusting the Timescale 20
Entering Task Names 21
Entering Task Duration 22
Entering Milestones 25
Entering Task Links 27
Identifying Critical Tasks 35
Entering Sort/Filter/Group Tasks 36
Schedule Options 40
Knowing the Basics 41
3 Managing Resources and Costs 43
Controlling Resources 43
Cash Flow 45
Two Types of Schedule 45
Creating Resource Lists 45
Assigning Costs to Resource Lists 52
Assigning Resources/Costs to Tasks 56
Adding Resource Notes 59
Managing Resources Efficiently 61
4 Monitoring and Updating the Schedule 63
Updating the Schedule 63
Copying the Schedule 64
Setting Baselines 66
Project Information Dialog Box 70
Recording Progress 72
Selecting the Status Date 77
Modifying the Schedule 80
Knowledge is Power 81
5 Updating Task Resources and Costs 83
Updating Project Resource and Cost Information 83
Comparing Baseline Costs with Actual Costs 84
Recording Actual Expenditures 84
Analyzing Costs 91
Splitting Tasks 93
Understanding Cost Details 95
6 Generating Reports 97
Communicating the Schedule 97
Executing Prints and Copies 98
Viewing Print Area 98
Projects Tab Reports Button 106
Editing Custom Reports 117
Copying Reports 127
Using Reports to Communicate 127
Glossary 129
Index 133
Figures
Introduction
I.1 View at 1600 × 1200 2
I.2 View at 1024 × 768 3
Chapter 1
1.1 Gantt chart 9
Chapter 2
2.1 A blank project file in Gantt chart view 14
2.2 File menu 14
2.3 Templates for creating new schedules 15
2.4 Project information dialog box 16
2.5 Gantt chart default view 17
2.6 Save As dialog box 17
2.7 Gantt chart 18
2.8 View tab 19
2.9 Timescale drop-down menu 20
2.10 Timescale dialog box 21
2.11 Task ID, Name, and Duration columns 22
2.12 Task drop-down menu 24
2.13 Recurring Task Information dialog box 25
2.14 Pour Slab task selected to place milestone before it 26
2.15 New milestone inserted 26
2.16 Milestone activity named 27
2.17 Linking tasks using the link button 27
2.18 Task dependency dialog box 28
2.19 Linked tasks displayed on Gantt chart 28
2.20 Linking the Clear Site and Under Slab Plumbing tasks 30
2.21 Task Details form 31
2.22 Choosing the task dependency type 32
2.23 Task dependency dialog box 33
2.24 Go To dialog box 34
2.25 Task dependency: lag and lead time 35
2.26 Gantt chart with critical path 36
2.27 Sort options 37
2.28 Sort levels 37
2.29 Filter options 38
2.30 Group options 39
2.31 Project options 40
2.32 Project Options dialog box 41
Chapter 3
3.1 Resource Sheet view 46
3.2 Resource type 47
3.3 Material unit of measure 48
3.4 Group field 49
3.5 Max. Units field 50
3.6 Std. Rate and Ovt. Rate fields 50
3.7 Std. Rate field for concrete 51
3.8 Resource Information dialog box (General tab selected) 52
3.9 Varying rates for different time periods 53
3.10 Fixed Cost field 54
3.11 Gantt chart 55
3.12 Adding a Cost column to the Gantt chart 56
3.13 Opening the Assign Resources dialog box 56
3.14 Assigning resources 57
3.15 Assigning resources to multiple tasks with the Ctrl key 58
3.16 Adding Notes 59
3.17 Notes tab 60
3.18 Note icon 60
Chapter 4
4.1 Save As function 65
4.2 Set Baseline dialog box 67
4.3 Set Baseline dialog box-Set interim plan 68
4.4 Set Baseline dialog box copy menu 69
4.5 Project Information dialog box 71
4.6 Project Statistics report 71
4.7 Update Tasks 72
4.8 Update Tasks dialog box (pre-update) 73
4.9 Update Tasks dialog box (pre-update) showing calendar 73
4.10 Update Tasks dialog box (after update)-Clear Site 74
4.11 Update Tasks dialog box (pre-update)-Building Layout 75
4.12 Update Tasks dialog box (after update)-Building Layout 75
4.13 Building Layout task in Gantt chart (after update) 76
4.14 Update Tasks dialog box (pre-update)-Prepare Slab for Pour 77
4.15 Project Information dialog box 78
4.16 Progress Lines 79
4.17 Progress Lines dialog box 79
4.18 Progress Lines dialog box with Baseline plan selected 80
4.19 Updated Gantt chart 80
Chapter 5
5.1 Accessing the Cost table 85
5.2 Cost table 85
5.3 Task Usage view 87
5.4 Actual Cost field 87
5.5 Accessing the Tracking Gantt view 87
5.6 Tracking Gantt view 88
5.7 Cost Table-Building Layout-Total Cost 89
5.8 Task Usage View-Building Layout-Work Hours 89
5.9 Building Layout (after update) 89
5.10 Prepare Slab for Pour (before update) 90
5.11 Cost Table-Prepare Slab for Pour-Total Cost 90
5.12 More Tables dialog box 91
5.13 Earned Value table 92
5.14 Building Layout task 94
5.15 Split Task dialog box 94
5.16 Split Task dialog box 94
5.17 Split Task results 94
Chapter 6
6.1 View tab 98
6.2 Page setup 99
6.3 Page scaling 99
6.4 Preview of Gantt chart 100
6.5 Printer selection 100
6.6 Calendar view-zoom 101
6.7 Gantt chart view 102
6.8 Network diagram view 103
6.9 Task usage view 103
6.10 Tracking Gantt view 104
6.11 Resource graph usage view 104
6.12 Resource sheet view 105
6.13 Resource usage view 105
6.14 More Views 106
6.15 More Views dialog box 106
6.16 Accessing the Reports dialog box 107
6.17 Reports dialog box 107
6.18 Overview Reports dialog box 108
6.19 Critical Tasks report 109
6.20 Selecting the Current Activities report 109
6.21 Current Activities dialog box 110
6.22 Tasks in Progress report 110
6.23 Selecting Costs reports 111
6.24 Cost Reports dialog box 112
6.25 Cash Flow report 112
6.26 Accessing assignments reports 113
6.27 Assignment reports dialog box 114
6.28 Who Does What report 114
6.29 Accessing workload reports 115
6.30 Workload reports dialog box 115
6.31 Resource Usage report 116
6.32 Accessing custom reports 117
6.33 Custom Reports dialog box 118
6.34 Task Report Definition tab 118
6.35 Text button 121
6.36 Text Styles dialog box 122
6.37 Task Report Details tab 123
6.38 Sort tab option 124
