Learning Objectives

• Understand how project management principles apply when working in Microsoft Project 2019.
• Build a Work Breakdown Structure.
• Identify task types and relationships.
• Define resources within a project file.
• Enter work package estimates.
• Build an initial project schedule.
• Produce a resource-leveled schedule.
• Create projects from templates and Excel files.
• Build and use Global templates.
• Create formulas and graphical indicators.
• Record a basic macro.
• Format and print project reports.
• Integrate multiple projects into a consolidated view.
• Configure a project with a calendar, start date, and scheduling method.
• Understand the difference between Manual and Auto scheduling modes.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects.
• Set up a master project list with shared resources.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Microsoft Project

Explains how Project supports project management practices, reviews what is new in Project 2019, introduces navigation using the Ribbon and primary views, explains how to select views for tasks, resources, and assignments, describes how to switch between tables within a view, maps Project features to a five-step planning process, and highlights new accessibility features.

Module 2: A Practical Overview of Project Management with Microsoft Project

Walks through creating a new project file and preparing it for data entry, adding and sequencing tasks, defining resources, estimating task durations, assigning resources, setting a baseline, and recording project progress.

Module 3: Setting Up a Project

Demonstrates several methods for creating a new project, including importing from an Excel file and a SharePoint Tasks list, setting up calendars to define resource availability, and configuring the schedule calculation direction from either a start date or a finish date.

Module 4: Manual Scheduling vs. Auto Scheduling

Students switch tasks between Manual and Auto scheduling modes and examine the effect each mode has on individual tasks and the overall project schedule.

Module 5: Building a Work Breakdown Structure

Covers creating summary and subordinate tasks, working with milestones, developing WBS outlines, defining completion criteria, evaluating the structure of a WBS, and applying WBS templates.

Module 6: Defining Task Relationships

Reviews the available task relationship types, methods for establishing those relationships, techniques for displaying task sequence, the use of lag, lead, and delay, and the Task Paths feature.

Module 7: Defining Resources

Covers the different resource types, how to add individual resources to a project, how to assign costs to each resource type, and how to set availability using resource calendars and maximum unit values.

Module 8: Estimating Work Packages

Explains how to enter duration and cost estimates, distinguishes between task types, describes the relationship among work, units, and duration, introduces Effort Driven scheduling, and demonstrates assigning tasks to resources using the Team Planner view.

Module 9: Building an Initial Schedule

Covers calculating float, identifying the critical path, working with task constraints, adding milestones, and using the Task Inspector to diagnose and resolve scheduling issues.

Module 10: Resource Leveling the Schedule

Addresses how to adjust a schedule to account for limited resource availability, how to review overall project cost and timeline, how to identify over-allocated resources, and the various methods available to resolve over-allocation.

Module 11: Tracking and Managing the Project

Covers establishing a baseline, entering actual performance data, applying various tracking approaches, analyzing schedule and cost variances, rescheduling remaining work, inactivating tasks, and synchronizing project data with SharePoint.

Module 12: Formatting Output and Printing Reports

Covers print settings, view formatting, sorting, filtering, grouping, custom fields, built-in and custom reports, and exporting to other file formats for sharing project information.

Module 13: Working with Multiple Projects

Explains how to share resources across multiple projects, create task links between separate project files, and build a consolidated view that displays multiple projects together.

Module 14: Advanced Features

Covers personalizing the Ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar, customizing WBS codes, using formulas and graphical indicators, understanding the Global template and the Organizer, and recording a macro.