This course is not currently offered by Global Knowledge. Information here is provided for reference only.

In this hands-on course with intensive skills training, you will learn the key techniques to effectively manage projects using Microsoft Project 2007. Learn to create project calendars and resources; appropriately identify, enter, organize, and relate project tasks; assign resources and costs; baseline your project; use different views within the software to understand budget, status, and allocations; and run standard and customized reports.

This course incorporates material from the Official Microsoft Learning Product 5927: Microsoft Office Project 2007, Managing Projects.

What You'll Learn

• 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
• Customize and format Microsoft Project views
• Analyze resource utilization
• Track progress
• Create project reports that analyze project, resource, and task data
• Manage multiple projects

Who Needs to Attend

Associate project managers, project managers, IT project managers, project coordinators, project analysts, project leaders, senior project managers, team leaders, product managers, program managers, project team members, stakeholders, and senior managers who want to use Microsoft Project 2007 to create and monitor excellent project plans.

Prerequisites

• Experience using Microsoft Office Project to create project schedules
• Fundamental knowledge of project management
• Experience with the Windows Vista or Microsoft Windows XP operating system
• Experience with Microsoft Office Excel 2003

Follow-On Courses

• IT Risk Management (PM12)
• Program Management (PM85)

Certification Programs and Certificate Tracks

This course is part of the following programs or tracks:

• MCTS: Managing Projects with Microsoft Office Project 2007

Course Outline

1. Getting Started with Microsoft Office Project 2007

• Understanding the Nature of Projects
• Discovering Project 2007
• Understanding Project 2007 File Types
• Navigating the Project 2007 Interface
• Getting Help and Guidance
• Configuring Options

2. Creating and Defining Projects

• Creating and Saving Projects
• Defining Properties and Options
• Creating and Organizing the Task List
• Importing Data
• Modifying and Applying Calendars
• Setting Scheduling Options

3. Working with Estimates and Dependencies

• Entering Task Estimates
• Using a PERT Analysis to Estimate Task Duration
• Linking and Unlinking Tasks by Using the Gantt Chart View
• Linking and Unlinking Tasks by Using the Network Diagram View
• Adding Lag or Lead Time to a Linked Task

4. Working with Deadlines, Constraints, and Task Calendars

• Introducing Deadlines, Constraints, and Task Calendars
• Creating and Modifying Deadlines
• Creating and Modifying Constraints
• Creating and Modifying Task Calendars
• Identifying Critical Tasks
• Working with Task Driver

5. Working With Resources

• Resources, Assignments, and Budgeting
• Adding Resources to the Resource Sheet
• Creating and Modifying Resource Assignments
• Entering Project Budgets

6. Predicting Behavior by Using Task Types and the Scheduling Formula

• Using Task Types and the Scheduling Formula
• Changing Variables and Predicting Behavior
• Applying Task Types to Produce Predictable Behavior
• Special Situations with Effort-Driven Scheduling

7. Customizing and Formatting

• Formatting Screen Elements
• Creating and Modifying Templates
• Creating and Modifying Fields, Tables, and Formulas
• Creating and Modifying Filters and Groups
• Creating and Modifying Custom Views

8. Analyzing Resource Utilization

• Resource Utilization Concepts
• Viewing Resource Assignments, Allocation, and Utilization
• Managing Resource Availability
• Optimizing and Leveling Resource Assignments

9. Tracking Progress

• Working With Baselines
• Entering Duration Updates
• Entering Work Updates
• Entering Cost Updates
• Discovering Variances
• Troubleshooting and Getting Back on Track

10. Creating Reports

• Selecting, Editing, and Creating Basic Reports
• Configuring Print and Page Setup Options
• Setting Options to Correct Printing Issues
• Exporting Reporting Data
• Creating and Modifying Visual Reports

11. Managing Multiple Projects

• Introducing Management of Multiple Projects
• Creating Master Projects
• Creating Links Between Projects
• Calculating Single or Multiple Critical Paths
• Saving and Opening Multiple Projects
• Sharing Resources and Analyzing Resource Utilization Across Multiple Projects

Labs

Lab - Course Topic 2: Creating and Defining Projects

• Entering Project and File Properties
• Setting Appropriate Schedule Options
• Setting Corporate Holidays
• Importing Data from Office Excel
• Update a Task List
• Creating a Multilevel Outline

Lab - Course Topic 3: Working with Estimates and Dependencies

• Entering a Duration or Work Estimate
• Creating Links Between Tasks
• Adding Lag or Lead Times
• Displaying Links in Network Diagram View

Lab - Course Topic 4: Working with Deadlines, Constraints, and Task Calendars

• Displaying the Critical Path
• Setting a Deadline
• Setting a Constraint
• Responding to Situations Triggered by Deadlines and Constraints
• Creating and Apply a Task Calendar to Meet a Deadline
• Finding and Removing Constraints in a Schedule

Lab - Course Topic 5: Working with Resources

• Adding Resources to the Resource Sheet View
• Creating and Modifying Resource Assignments
• Entering Project Costs and Project Budgets

Lab - Course Topic 6: Understanding Task Types and the Scheduling Formula

• Identifying the Fixed Variable in a Task and How It Affects the Scheduling Formula
• Making Decisions about Task Type and Effort-Driven Settings
• Predicting the Scheduling Formula When Changing Variables

Lab - Course Topic 7: Customizing and Formatting

• Modifying a Template to Include Corporate Standards
• Creating Simple and Complex Custom Fields
• Populating a New Table with Existing and Custom Fields
• Developing a New Filter And Group
• Moving an Object from a Project to the Global.mpp File

Lab - Course Topic 8: Analyzing Resource Utilization

• Reading and Interpreting Resource Allocation Views
• Changing Resource Availability and Interpreting Results
• Identifying and Correcting Causes of Resource Overallocation

Lab - Course Topic 9: Tracking Progress

• Setting and Revising a Baseline
• Entering Actual Results Updates for Tasks and Resources
• Controlling Projects by Finding Variance and Suggesting Corrective Action
• Applying Techniques to Shorten Duration, Reduce Work, and Reduce Cost

Lab - Course Topic 10: Creating Reports

• Applying Solutions to Various Printing Scenarios
• Running Basic Reports That Summarize Data by Project, by Resource, by Task, or by Cost
• Developing a New Basic Report
• Exporting Data by Using a Custom Map to Merge with Data in an Existing Excel Spreadsheet
• Running Visual Reports That Summarize Data by Project, by Resource, by Task, or by Cost
• Developing a New Visual Report Template

Lab - Course Topic 11: Managing Multiple Projects

• Inserting Subprojects into a Master Project
• Creating Links Across Projects and Managing Changes to Linked Tasks
• Displaying the Critical Path in a Master Project
• Creating and Sharing a Resource Pool
• Reading and Interpreting Resource Usage Across Multiple Projects