Schedule Tasks

1
Schedule Tasks
2
Lesson When will tasks start and finish?

• how to address the tasks relate to each other and
  to specific dates. There are many types of task
  relationships, such as links that show one task
  starting as another finishes. These links are
  called task dependencies. Microsoft Project
  automatically determines the start and finish
  dates for tasks that have dependencies to other
  tasks.
• The advantage of dependencies or "linked" tasks
  is that whenever a task changes, linked tasks are
  automatically rescheduled. You can refine task
  schedules using constraints, overlap or delay
  tasks, and split tasks when work stops
  temporarily.

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Establish relationships between tasks

• To establish relationships between tasks, use
  task dependencies. First, select the related
  tasks, link them, and then change the dependency
  type, if necessary. The task whose start or
  finish depends on another task is the successor.
  The task that the successor is dependent on is
  the predecessor. For example, if you link "Hang
  clock" to "Paint wall," then "Hang clock" is the
  successor and "Paint wall" is the predecessor.
• After the tasks are linked, changes to the
  predecessor's dates affect the successor's dates.
  Microsoft Project creates a finish-to-start task
  dependency by default. Because a finish-to-start
  dependency does not work in every situation, you
  can change the task link to start-to-start,
  finish-to-finish, or start-to-finish to model
  your project realistically.

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How?

• On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.
• In the Task Name field, select two or more tasks
  to link in the order you want them linked. To
  select adjacent tasks, hold down SHIFT, and then
  click the first and last task you want to link.
• To select nonadjacent tasks, hold down CTRL, and
  then click the tasks you want to link, in order.
• Click Link Tasks
• To change the task link, double-click the link
  line between the tasks you want to change.
• The Task Dependency dialog box appears. If the
  Bar Styles dialog box appears, you didn't click
  precisely on the task link and need to close this
  dialog box and click on the task link again.
• 5. In the Type box, select the task link you
  want, and then click OK.
• Note   To unlink tasks, select the tasks you want
  to unlink in the Task Name field, and then click
  Unlink Tasks . The tasks are rescheduled based
  on existing links to other tasks, or constraints.

5
Link task
Unlink task
6
Overlap tasks or add lag time between them

• After you've sequenced tasks by linking them, you
  can overlap or delay them as well. In Microsoft
  Project, delay tasks by adding lag time to the
  predecessor task, and overlap tasks by entering
  lead time. You can also enter lead or lag time as
  a percentage of the task.
• 1 In the Task Name field, click the task you want
  to add lead or lag time to (it must have
  predecessors), and then click Task Information
• 2 Click the Predecessors tab.
• 3 In the Lag column, type the lead time or lag
  time you want, as a duration or as a percentage
  of the predecessor task duration.
• Type lead time as a negative number (for example,
  2d for two days lead time) or as a percentage.
• Type lag time as a positive number or as a
  percentage.
• 4 Click OK.

7
Set a specific start or finish date for a task

• You can schedule your tasks most effectively by
  entering task durations, creating dependencies
  between tasks, and then letting Microsoft Project
  calculate the start and finish dates for you.
  However, you can set a specific start or finish
  date for a task if necessary. Task constraints
  that tie tasks to specific dates are called
  inflexible constraints the most inflexible
  constraints are specific start or finish dates.
  Because Microsoft Project takes constraints into
  account when calculating your schedule, use these
  inflexible constraints only when tasks must start
  or finish on a specific date.
• 1 In the Task Name field, click the task you want
  to set a start or finish date for, and then click
  Task Information .
• 2 Click the Advanced tab.
• 3 In the Constraint type box, click a constraint
  type.
• 4 Type or select a date in the Constraint date
  box, and then click OK.
• Note   If you select a start date for a task in
  the Start field of the Gantt Chart, or if you
  drag a Gantt bar to change the start date,
  Microsoft Project sets a Start No Earlier Than
  (SNET) constraint based on the new start date. If
  you select a finish date for a task, Microsoft
  Project automatically assigns a Finish No Earlier
  Than (FNET) constraint.

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Add a deadline to a task

• When you set a deadline for a task, Microsoft
  Project displays an indicator if the task is
  scheduled to finish after the deadline.
• Setting a deadline doesn't affect how tasks are
  scheduled. It's just a way to have Microsoft
  Project inform you that a task will finish past
  its deadline. You then have the option of
  adjusting the schedule to meet that deadline.
• 1 On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.
• 2 In the Task Name field, click the task that you
  want to set a deadline for.
• 3 Click Task Information and then click the
  Advanced tab.
• 4 Under Constrain task, type or select the
  deadline date in the Deadline box, and then click
  OK.
• Tip   You can drag the deadline symbol on the
  Gantt Chart to change the deadline date.

9
Split a task into segments

• You can split a task if work on the task is
  interrupted and then resumes later in the
  schedule. This is useful, for example, when you
  need to temporarily stop work on a task to work
  on another task. You can split a task as many
  times as necessary.
• Note that splitting a task into parts is not the
  same as entering a recurring task, a task that
  occurs at regular intervals, such as a staff
  meeting.
• 1 On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.
• 2 Click Split Task .
• 3 On the task's Gantt bar, click the date where
  you want the split to occur and drag the second
  part of the bar to the date that you want work to
  begin again.
• Tip   You can remove the split by dragging a
  portion of a split task so that it touches
  another portion.

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Adding Resources
11
Lesson How do you assign resources?

• You should assign resources to tasks when you
  want to
• Track the amount of work done by people and
  equipment assigned to tasks or monitor materials
  used.
• Have more flexibility in scheduling tasks.
• Monitor resources with too little or too much
  work assigned

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Create a resource list

• You can use the Resource Sheet in Microsoft
  Project to create a list of the people,
  equipment, and material resources that make up
  your team and carry out the project tasks.
• Your resource list will consist of work
  resources or material resources. Work resources
  are people or equipment material resources are
  consumable materials or supplies, such as
  concrete, wood, or nails

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How

• 1 On the View menu, click Resource Sheet.
• 2 On the View menu, point to Table, and then
  click Entry.
• 3 In the Resource Name field, type a resource
  name.
• 4 To designate resource groups, in the Group
  field for the resource name, type the name of the
  group.
• 5 In the Type field, specify the resource type
• For a work resource (people or equipment), set
  the resource type to Work.
• For a material resource (consumed throughout the
  project) set the resource type to Material.
• 6 For each work resource (people or equipment),
  type the number of resource units available for
  this resource in the Max. Units field, as a
  percentage. For example, type 300 to indicate
  three full-time units of a particular resource.
• 7 For each material resource (supplies consumed
  throughout the project), in the Material Label
  field, type a measurement unit for the material
  resource, such as ton.

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Notes

• Resource groups can be used for sorting,
  filtering, or grouping tasks by resources
  belonging to a particular group. You can use
  groups to indicate the department a human
  resource belongs to or to specify accounting
  codes for billing purposes.
• You cannot assign resource groups to tasks. If
  you want to specify consolidated resources, such
  as "Carpenters" or "Editors" or "Engineers,"
  enter that as the resource name, and then assign
  the consolidated resource name to tasks.
• Tip   As you work in the Gantt Chart or other
  task views, you can enter additional resource
  names. To assign additional resources, click
  Assign Resources , and then type a resource name
  in the Name field. You can also click Address and
  select a resource from your e-mail address book

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Change the work schedule for a resource

• The working hours and days off defined in the
  project calendar are the default working hours
  and days off for each resource. When an
  individual resource works a different schedule
  entirely, or when you need to account for
  vacations or equipment downtime, you can modify
  an individual resource calendar.

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How

• 1 On the View menu, click Resource Sheet, and
  then select the resource whose schedule you want
  to change.
• 2 On the Project menu, click Resource
  Information, and then click the Working Time tab.
• 3 On the calendar, select the days you want to
  change. To change a day of the week for the
  entire calendar, click the abbreviation for the
  day at the top of the calendar.
• 4 Click Use default, Nonworking time, or
  Nondefault working time. When you click Use
  default, the selected days return to the
  Microsoft Project Standard calendar default,
  which is Monday through Friday, 800 A.M. to
  1200 P.M., and 100 P.M. to 500 P.M.
• 5 If you clicked Nondefault working time in step
  4, type the times that you want work to start in
  the From boxes and the times that you want work
  to end in the To boxes.6Click OK.

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Tip  

• If a group of resources has the same special
  working hours and days off, you can create a new
  base calendar for them. On the Tools menu, click
  Change Working Time. Click New, and type a name
  for the new base calendar. Click Create new base
  calendar to begin with a default calendar.
• Or to base the new calendar on an existing
  calendar, click Make a copy of, and then click
  the calendar name of the existing calendar in the
  Calendar box. Click OK, and then modify the days
  and hours on the calendar. On the View menu,
  click Resource Sheet, and select the new base
  calendar in the Base Calendar field for each
  resource that you want to assign the calendar to.

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Assign resources to tasks

• When you assign a resource to a task, you create
  an assignment. You can assign any resource to any
  task and change assignments at any time.
• You can assign more than one resource to a task
  and specify whether a resource works full-time or
  part-time on a task. If the work assigned to a
  resource exceeds the daily full-time allotment
  indicated in the resource's working times
  calendar, Microsoft Project displays the name of
  the overallocated resource in red in resource
  views.

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How

• 1 On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.
• 2 In the Task Name field, click the task to which
  you want to assign a resource, and then click
  Assign Resources .
• 3 In the Name field, click the resource you want
  to assign to the task.
• 4 To assign a resource part-time, type or select
  a percentage less than 100 in the Units column to
  represent the percentage of working time you want
  the resource to spend on the task.
• To assign several different resources, hold down
  CTRL and click the names of the resources.
• To assign more than one of the same resource
  (such as two carpenters), type or select a
  percentage greater than 100 in the Units column.
  If necessary, type the name of a new resource in
  the Name column.
• 5 Click Assign.
• A check mark to the left of the Name column
  indicates that the resource is assigned to the
  selected task.
• 6 Click Close.

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Tip  

• You can replace one resource with another. Select
  the task whose resource you want to replace. In
  the Assign Resources dialog box, select the
  assigned resource and click Replace. Select one
  or more resources to assign, and then click OK.

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Enter Cost
26
Lesson How do you enter costs?

• Whether you need to account for each task's
  expenses or the overall cost of the project,
  entering rates for a resource's work on tasks or
  for fixed task costs enables you to see whether
  you are staying within budget.
• You can choose when to accrue costs, enter
  per-use and overtime rates for resources, and
  plan for raises.
• When you've completed this lesson, you will have
  entered cost information for resources and tasks.
  If you don't need to keep track of costs in your
  project, click View the schedule at the left to
  go on to the next lesson.
• This lesson has five procedures. Use the
  navigation bar at the top of the screen to move
  through the lesson

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Assign costs to resources

• Microsoft Project allows you to assign rates to
  human and material resources so you can manage
  project costs accurately. You can assign standard
  rates, overtime rates, or per-use rates to
  resources.

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How

• 1 On the View menu, click Resource Sheet.
• 2 On the View menu, point to Table, and then
  click Entry.
• 3 In the Resource Name field, select a resource
  or type a new resource name.
• 4 In the Type field, click Work if the resource
  is a worker or machine, or Material if the
  resource is material or supplies (such as
  cement).
• 5 For a work resource, in the Std. Rate, Ovt.
  Rate, or Cost/Use fields, type the resource
  rates. For a material resource, in the Material
  Label field, type a measurement unit for the
  material resource (such as ton), and in the Std.
  Rate or Cost/Use fields, type a rate.
• 6 Press ENTER.

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Tip  

• You can set the default standard and overtime
  rates for any new resources you enter. On the
  Tools menu, click Options, and then click the
  General tab. In the Default standard rate and
  Default overtime rate boxes, type the new rates.
  If you want to set this default for all future
  projects, click Set as Default.
• Note   If the rate for a resource will change
  over the course of the project or if the resource
  will be paid at different rates for different
  assignments, or if you work with different grades
  of material, click Resource Sheet on the View
  menu. In the Resource Name field, select a
  resource and then click Resource Information .
  Then, enter the information on the Costs tab

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Set fixed task costs

• When you know an exact cost associated with a
  task, such as equipment costs, you can enter a
  fixed cost.
• 1 On the View menu, click Gantt Chart.
• 2 On the View menu, point to Table, and then
  click Cost.
• 3 In the Fixed Cost field for the task, type the
  cost.
• 4 Press ENTER.
• Tip   In the Cost table, you can also change when
  the fixed cost is accrued by selecting an accrual
  method in the Fixed Cost Accrual field.

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Define when costs accrue

• In Microsoft Project, resource costs are prorated
  by default. Their accrual is distributed over its
  duration. You can, however, change the accrual
  method so that resource costs take effect at the
  start or end of the task instead.
• 1 On the View menu, click Resource Sheet.
• 2 On the View menu, point to Table, and then
  click Entry.
• 3 In the Accrue At field, click the accrual
  method you want to use.
• Notes
• When you enter timephased rate changes for a
  resource and use the prorated cost accrual
  method, your costs will be calculated using the
  rates for the appropriate time periods and may
  change during the completion of the task.
• You cannot prorate per-use resource costs or
  accrue them at the end of a task assignment. They
  always accrue at the start of the assignment.

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See the cost of tasks or resources

• After you assign rates to resources or fixed
  costs to tasks, you may want to review the total
  cost of these assignments to make sure they fall
  within your expectations. If the total cost of a
  task or resource does not meet your budget, you
  may need to examine each individual task's costs
  and each resource's task assignments to see where
  costs can be reduced.
• 1 To see task costs, on the View menu, click More
  Views, and then click Task Sheet. To see resource
  costs, on the View menu, click Resource Sheet.
• 2 On the View menu, point to Table, and then
  click Cost.

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Tips

• You can also view how costs are distributed over
  a task's duration in the Task Usage view by
  displaying its cost details. On the View menu,
  click Task Usage. On the Format menu, point to
  Details, and then click Cost.
• You can view resource costs in more detail by
  clicking Resource Usage on the View menu,
  pointing to Details on the Format menu, and then
  clicking Cost. You can also see resource cost
  totals displayed graphically by clicking Resource
  Graph on the View menu, pointing to Details on
  the Format menu, and then clicking Cost or
  Cumulative Cost.

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See the cost of the entire project

• You can view your project's current, baseline,
  actual, and remaining costs to see whether you're
  staying within your overall budget. These costs
  are updated each time Microsoft Project
  recalculates your project.
• 1 On the Project menu, click Project Information.
• 2 Click Statistics.
• 3 Under Cost in the Current row, view the total
  planned cost of the project.
• Tips
• After you set a baseline and begin to track
  actual costs, you can compare the Baseline and
  Actual fields to see if total project costs are
  progressing as expected.
• As actual work progresses, you can also compare
  the variance between the Current and Remaining
  fields to see if you will have enough money to
  complete the project.