MS5927 Microsoft Office Project 2007, Managing Projects

This three-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to build, maintain, and control well-formed project plans. This is the first course in the Microsoft Office Project 2007 Official Curriculum series and will serve as the entry point for other Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC) courses covering Microsoft Office Project 2007 and the Microsoft EPM 2007 Solution

Prerequisites

    * Use a mouse
    * Type and use a keyboard
    * Navigate through Windows files and folders
    * Work with Windows – minimise, maximise, open and close
    * A basic understanding of project management concepts
    * Data entry in tables (e.g. Microsoft  Excel or Access) 

Delegates will learn how to

    * Get started with Microsoft Office Project 2007.
    * Create and define projects.
    * Work with estimates and dependencies
    * Work with deadlines, constraints, and task calendars
    * Work with resources.
    * Predict behavior by using task types and the scheduling formula.
    * Customise and format Microsoft Project views.
    * Analyse resource utilisation.
    * Track progress.
    * Create project reports which analyse project, resource, and task data.
    * Manage multiple projects.

Module & Lab 1: Getting Started with Microsoft Office Project 2007

This module provides an overview of Microsoft Office Project 2007 and project management concepts. It explains how to use the desktop interface and how to work with various file types. It also illustrates how to receive help and advice while working with Office Project 2007.

Module & Lab 2: Creating and Defining Projects

This module explains how to create new projects, how to define appropriate options, and how to enter, organise, and outline the task list. It also explores ways to import data from other sources and provides guidance on configuring the corporate calendar.

Module & Lab 3: Working with Estimates and Dependencies

This module explains the techniques for estimating tasks and how to generate a dynamic schedule by creating dependencies between tasks. Various linking and unlinking techniques will be explored in multiple views and link types will be modified to reflect real-world scenarios.

Module & Lab 4: Working with Deadlines, Constraints, and Task Calendars

This module explains how to incorporate restrictions in a schedule through the use of deadlines and constraints. Displaying, reading, and analysing the critical path will be discussed, along with how to use task drivers in the analysis. Task calendars will be presented as a technique to get a schedule back in line with a deadline or constraint.

Module & Lab 5: Working With Resources

This module explains the various types of resources that are needed on a schedule, how to enter the resource list, and how to assign resources to tasks. Changes to the project team will be implemented by modifying resource assignments. Various types of costs will also be covered including resource costs, task costs, and project budgets.

Module & Lab 6: Understanding Task Types and the Scheduling Formula

This module explains the scheduling formula and how the variables duration, work, and units interact. It also illustrates how recalculations occur when variables are changed. This module explains recommended procedures on changing task types and changing variables for various situations.

Module & Lab 7: Customizing and Formatting

This module explains how to format text, bars, and other screen elements. Custom objects will be created including templates, calendars, fields, tables, filters, groups, and views. This module also illustrates use of the Organizer to transfer custom objects to other files.

Module & Lab 8: Analysing Resource Utilisation

This module explains techniques for manipulating views to display resource allocation and how to identify causes of resource overallocation. Various options for managing limited resources will be explored. In addition, several techniques for solving overallocated resources will be explained, including the leveling feature.

Module & Lab 9: Tracking Progress

This module explains how to manage updates to a schedule by saving baselines and tracking duration, work, and cost updates. Comparison between expected and actual results will be illustrated with various views that display variance. In addition, this module provides guidelines on how to troubleshoot a schedule and how to get a troubled schedule back on track.

Module & Lab 10: Creating Reports

This module explains how to configure views for printing and how to generate standard and Visual reports. Customisations to printouts and modifications to existing reports will also be covered. This module will explain how to export data and explore techniques for solving printing issues.

Module & Lab 11: Managing Multiple Projects

This module explains how to create and manage multiple projects. It will cover links and the critical path across multiple projects. It also discusses how to create and use a shared resource pool and how to view resource allocation across multiple projects.