Microsoft Project 13/16/19 - Like a Boss (Exam 74-343 prep)

In Microsoft Project 13/16/19, configure task duration by setting start, finish, and duration in the Gantt chart, using calendar settings, constraints, and optional descriptive text for stakeholders.

Add milestones in Microsoft Project by creating zero-duration tasks with no resources, shown as diamonds on Gantt chart; insert or convert tasks to milestones with start as soon as possible.

Learn to link tasks and milestones in a project, set finish-to-start or start-to-start relationships, view constraints in the Gantt chart, and adjust task timing while preserving flexibility.

Learn to schedule with the Gantt chart by using the task list and spreadsheet view to set durations and start and finish dates, while noting drag-and-drop limits.

Document task information using the task information dialogue to set duration and notes, rename tasks, and view indicators; add hyperlinks to documents or web resources and open them.

Discover how to track project duration and completion dates with the timeline, Gantt view, and project statistics, including non-working days and vacations.

Configure a project calendar exception for time off via the exceptions tab, name it Tax Day, and see shaded nonworking days shift task end dates in the Gantt chart.

Delete an alternate calendar using the project organizer to clean up working times and streamline calendars, then set the standard calendar as the global template for new projects.

Switch to the resource sheet view to list work, cost, and material resources. Identify people, equipment, and consumables like moving supplies; note fixed costs.

Configure resource capacity and type in a project by setting cost or material resources, adjusting maximum capacity and calendars, and applying the standard rate and cost per use for budgeting.

Configure standard and overtime rates in the resource sheet, choosing hourly or weekly pay and time-and-a-half, and automate defaults in project options for easier resource management.

Microsoft Project uses the scheduling formula—duration times units equals work—to determine task duration, work hours, and cost, with examples of single vs multiple assignees.

Explore the task form in the details view of the Gantt chart to assign resources, view work and cost, and learn how adding resources can shorten duration.

Configure a resource-specific calendar exception using the change working time dialog, marking PTO or personal time off, which lengthens a task from 3.5 to 4.5 days.

Learn how to delete a resource from the resource sheet, undo deletions, and replace a resource using assign resources to keep tasks on track.

Switch from manual to automatically scheduled tasks to harness the scheduling engine, letting start and finish dates adjust with task relationships. Learn to auto schedule single or multiple tasks.

Create a summary task in Microsoft Project by inserting and indenting subtasks under a top task; the summary duration is driven by subtasks, with a toggle to view the summary.

Master finish-to-start task relationships by configuring predecessors and successors, linking summary tasks, and using drag-and-drop and the information dialog to align durations, milestones, and automatic scheduling in a Gantt chart.

Master cut, copy, and paste in Microsoft Project, recognizing that copying a task includes task mode, duration, start, and finish, and beware scheduling conflicts with predecessors and resources.

Learn how to mitigate date constraints in project scheduling by converting constrained tasks to manual scheduling, enabling flexible rescheduling to meet deadlines.

Configure task deadlines in microsoft project, using deadlines instead of must finish on constraints, so tasks start as soon as possible and overruns are visible in the gantt chart.

Learn to change the default task entry from manual to auto scheduled in Microsoft Project, using the status bar toggle or backstage options, with changes reflected in project options.

Understand how effort-driven tasks keep work fixed while changing resource allocations automatically shorten or extend task duration, with the effort-driven checkbox affecting the project’s start, finish dates, and overall schedule.

Learn to assign a fixed cost resource in Microsoft Project by updating the cost during assignment, using the Gantt view, and reviewing project statistics for the new total.

Explore how to keep project information front and center by using the timeline, the project summary task, and data tables to view start and finish dates, duration, and costs.

Update actual task values in the Gantt chart by using the worktable to see baseline, variance, and actuals, then adjust percent complete and start dates via the update tasks dialog.

Format the gantt chart to communicate project information with color coding and milestone highlighting, using the format tab to mix scheduling and presentation styles and distinguish automatic from manual tasks.

Learn to highlight task paths, predecessors, and successors in a Gantt chart using bar styles, with quick reset to default and practical limits on formatting options.

Explore how the task inspector in Microsoft Project lets you inspect tasks, view suggestions and warnings. Reschedule tasks or change working time from the left pane to resolve overallocated resources.

Identify the critical path that drives the project finish date and how changes affect timelines. Use the Gantt view and detail Gantt to highlight critical tasks and dependencies.

Manually schedule a summary task in Microsoft Project by selecting subtasks, setting durations, and linking predecessors, so the Gantt chart shows the subtasks and the summary phase.

Inactivate a task to remove it from the plan while preserving data and freeing resources from affecting the schedule, then reactivate later to reapply relationships and run what-if scenarios.

Set up multiple pay rates for resources in Microsoft Project, including standard, overtime, and cost per use, with effective dates to forecast project costs.

Apply a contour to a task assignment to vary the hours per day for a resource on a fixed duration task, using flat, backloaded, or bell curve.

Learn to delay the start of a task by adjusting assignments and hours, keeping the original duration while redistributing work across days and additional resources.

Learn to manage resource capacity in Microsoft Project by switching to resource usage view, identifying over allocations, adjusting hours, and reassigning resources to keep schedules on track.

Update the project baseline to reflect changes in duration, work, and cost, and verify the updated baseline against current statistics in project information.

Update task progress and percent complete to track remaining work in Microsoft Project, then use the task usage view to compare work and actual values against baselines.

Enter manual costs for a task in the task usage or resource usage views, noting planned versus actual costs in the cost table.

Identify slack in the Gantt chart by enabling the Slack bar style, which shows slack as a black underline in linked tasks and affects the project end date.

Reschedule incomplete work to start after a date, for a selected task or the entire project, choosing to move, split, or do nothing based on percent complete.

Identify slipped tasks by comparing baseline and actual progress in Gantt views, track variance, and generate reports to pinpoint late finishes and rescheduling.

Explore and customize project reports in Microsoft Project from the report tab, viewing a dashboard overview of tasks and costs and adjusting charts and styles.

Master print options in Microsoft Project by printing the on-screen Gantt chart with its legend in landscape, using print preview and settings to print specific dates or pages.

Adjust printing by using page breaks in report design tools, resize margins, and drag elements to produce a clean, print ready report with properly aligned charts.

Learn to customize printed Gantt charts with page setup, including portrait or landscape, margins, and a configurable legend showing project title, date, and baseline cost.

Copy a picture of the Gantt chart or timeline from Microsoft Project into WordPad, a text document, or email to quickly share project status with stakeholders.

Highlight task relationships in the Gantt chart using the TASC Path feature to reveal predecessors and successors, and toggle driving or driven relationships to see related tasks.

Navigate the network diagram view in Microsoft Project to focus on task relationships, access it via the task tab, and customize data templates, box styles, progress marks, and milestone indicators.

Create a custom report from a blank template, insert a pie chart of baseline costs, and fine-tune fields, filters, outline level, and data labels for a tailored cost overview.

Learn to create, customize, and manage custom reports in Microsoft Project using the design tab, report tools, and organizer. Copy, rename, and move reports between project and the global template.

Compare projects by selecting two versions to generate a new comparison report that shows data differences in tasks and resources alongside a Gantt chart.

Use one project as a template by time-shifting dates and saving with a new name, while avoiding 'must start on' constraints to preserve schedule flexibility.

Create a dedicated resource pool by saving a project as a resource pool, clear tasks, verify resources in the resource sheet, and define max units, rates, and overtime rates.

Connect to a resource pool by sharing resources from an open pool and set precedence to govern resource and rate data, avoiding duplicate resources.

Open and use a resource pool to assign resources across multiple projects, checking for over allocations in the information column, and manage read/write access and backstage settings for shared work.

Create a blank master project and insert subprojects to consolidate across the enterprise, using the resource pool to track assignments, costs, and progress in a unified view.

Sort, filter, and group data using column headers to highlight critical tasks, milestones, and summary tasks, then print or share a Gantt chart update for stakeholders.

Import data from an Excel workbook to create a new Microsoft Project project, building a quick task list with headers, durations, and start and finish dates via the import wizard.