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Creating PERT Charts in Excel 2007
Written by: Michele McDonough Edited by: Jean Scheid
Updated May 27, 2010 Related Guides: MicrosoIt , Text Box , SoItware Applications
Whether you have access to other project management soItware or not, you can still construct a
proIessional-looking PERT chart in MicrosoIt Excel 2007. In this tutorial, we'll show how.
How to Create a PERT Chart
There are actually a number oI ways that you can create a PERT Chart in Excel 2007, but I`m
going to walk through the steps oI one oI my Iavorite methods one that allows a lot oI
Ilexibility while still giving a Iinal product that looks proIessional and is easy to read.
Step 1: Go to the Insert tab on the Excel ribbon and click on Text Box. (Click any image Ior a
larger view.)

Click on the area oI the spreadsheet where you want to insert the text box. You can then resize
the text box by clicking and dragging any oI the corners.

Step 2: With the text box still selected, go to the Format tab under Drawing Tools on the Excel
ribbon. Either expand or scroll through the available styles in the Shape Styles category to pick
one you like Ior the text box.

Step 3: Click on the inside oI the text box and begin entering any inIormation Ior a single task.
Make sure to include all oI the inIormation you want displayed.

Depending on how much inIormation you want to include, you may want to resize the text box
again. Also, you can edit the Iont size and style Irom the Home tab oI the Excel ribbon just as
you would edit any other text. When done, click anywhere on the spreadsheet outside the text
box to see how it will appear.
Step 4: To enter subsequent tasks, you can walk through Steps 1-3 again to create new text
boxes. However, since the inIormation you`re going to enter Ior other tasks is probably going to
be in the same Iormat as the Iirst, it`s generally easier to just copy and paste the Iirst text box and
edit the inIormation it contains. To do this, Iirst make sure that the text box is selected. Then,
right-click on the green circle above the text box and choose Copy.
Next, right-click on the area where you want the new text box to appear and select Paste.

Click anywhere in the new text box and edit the inIormation to reIlect the next task.

When done, click anywhere on the spreadsheet outside the text box to continue. Repeat this
process Ior each task that you want to add.
Step 5: Once you have all the task inIormation entered into text boxes, you`ll probably want to
add lines or arrows that show the Ilow oI the PERT chart. To do this, return to the Insert tab oI
the Excel ribbon and click on Shapes in the Illustrations category.

Pick any design that you want to use Ior the connector. For this example, I`ll choose one oI the
block arrows.
Next, click at the point in the spreadsheet where you want to insert the connector. Note that
you`ll probably have to resize it and may even have to rotate it in order to connect one box to
another. You can rotate the arrow by hovering the cursor over the green circle above the arrow
until it turns into a circular shape. Then, click and drag the mouse to rotate the shape.

You may want to experiment with diIIerent shapes to come up with the one that looks the best
Ior your PERT chart. The screenshot below shows a couple oI diIIerent alternatives.

//itional Resources: II you`re interested in learning how to create other types oI diagrams in
Excel, check out this overview on Excel project management tutorials and templates. Also, iI
you create PERT charts on a regular basis, you may be interested in PERT Chart Expert, a
project management application developed solely Ior the purpose oI constructing PERT charts
quickly and easily.

Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/oIIice/project-
management/articles/36049.aspx#ixzz1WSeyqkUJ

A Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) chart shows the completion oI a project
Irom beginning to end and aids in the decision making process. A PERT chart shows the steps oI
each task needed to complete the project, along with every subtask. For example, building a
house involves laying the Ioundation and building the Irame, then the subtasks oI plumbing,
electrical, heating, and various other subprojects. A PERT chart allows you to see where you are
in the project at any time in the process.
DiIIiculty:
Moderate
Instructions
1.
4 1
Determine all the steps you'll need to take to complete your project.
4 2
Sort them by order oI precedence. For example, iI you're building a car, then two
steps might be "mount engine block" and "install electronics." Since you can't
install the electronics until the engine block is mounted, mounting the engine
block would come Iirst in the list.
4 3
Write your sorted list in a spreadsheet putting each step in its own cell on column
B.
4 4
Type numbers into column A next to each step beginning with the lowest number
Iirst, and ending with the highest number. For example, mounting the engine
block may be step 50, and installing the electronics may be step 80.

Read more: How to Plan a Pert Chart in OIIice Excel 2007 , eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/how6472689plan-chart-oIIice-excel-2007.html#ixzz1WSIKMXQR

"Strategic Planning sounds a lofty pursuit and perhaps beyond our humble capabilities. Not
so with a SWOT Analysis. Learn how to do a SWOT analysis using the SWOT matrix and
become an effective strategic planner today, achieving your goals.
What's Strategic Planning Anyway?
Strategic planning is just management speak for long term future planning. Strategic
planning concerns anything that will bring results in anything from 1 year to 5 years or
beyond. Its good management practice to raise your head above the daily grind every now
and then, and take action now to positively affect your future.
Definition of SWOT
As with most management models, the clue is in the name.
S = Strengths
W = Weaknesses
O = Opportunities
T = Threats
The SWOT Matrix Explained
All the best management models have four quadrants, and the SWOT matrix is no
exception. You use each of the four quadrants in turn to analyze where you are now, where
you want to be, and then make an action plan to get there.

#egardless of whether you or your team are future planning for specific products, work,
personal or any other area, the SWOT analysis process is the same.
Step 1 - In the here and now.
List all strengths that exist now. Then in turn, list all weaknesses that exist now. Be realistic
but avoid modesty!
Step 2 - What might be.
List all opportunities that exist in the future. Opportunities are potential future strengths.
Then in turn, list all threats that exist in the future. Threats are potential future
weaknesses.
Step 3 - Plan of action.
#eview your SWOT matrix with a view to creating an action plan to address each of the four
areas.
In summary;
Strengths need to be maintained, built upon or leveraged.
Weaknesses need to be remedied or stopped.
Opportunities need to be prioritised and optimised.
Threats need to be countered or minimised.
SWOT Analysis Example
eres one I prepared earlier.