Microsoft Project Training - Plan Communicate

Plan & Communicate Better with Microsoft Project
Microsoft Project is the worlds most popular project management software but even regular users would often benefit from a better understanding of its full capabilities. Non users know it might be handy for drawing project schedules but make do with an Excel imitation and fail to appreciate the powerful planning and tracking functionality. As project management becomes a core methodology underpinning most modern organisations it is time for companies and individuals to learn just how much more effective they could be by using Microsoft Project, alongside other everyday tools such as Word and PowerPoint. This Guide provides an overview of Microsoft Project and explains the range of training options that are available For those new to Microsoft Project, this Focus Factsheet introduces key aspects of the software package and explains the associated training and qualifications that are available. If you need any further help or advice, you will find our Project Management staff a knowledgeable, independent and friendly source of advice. Prepared by:
Steve Twine
Managing Director Focus On Training
About:
Focus on Training specialises in provision of Best Practice training within the fields of Project Management and IT Service Management. A comprehensive range of Microsoft Project, PRINCE2, MSP, PMI, MoR, PMI, APM and ITIL courses from leading accredited training organisations can be booked at our project management site: www.focusprojects.co.uk With a network of over 40 high quality training partners Focus specialises in offering you the widest choice of accredited Project and Programme Management courses in the UK, helping you achieve Best Practice performance and certification as an individual or an organisation. Steve Twine is Managing Director and leads the Project Management team at Focus. He has deep experience of complex and high profile international projects within the automotive industry info@focus-on-training.co.uk
Version 1.01 May 2008
Focus on Training
Tel: 0845 450 6120
Web: www.focus-on-training.co.uk
Microsoft, Windows, PowerPoint, Excel and Sharepoint are registered trade marks of Microsoft Corporation
2008 Focus on Training
Contents
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
What is Microsoft Project? How will MS Project help my Organisation? How will MS Project help me? What are the Different Versions of MS Project? Microsoft Project Training Where do I start? Introductory Courses Level 1 Advanced Courses Level 2 Microsoft Certified Training & Qualifications Specialist Courses
10. Why Focus?
Attachment
Features Comparison - Project 2003 & 2007
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Tel: 0845 450 6120
1. What is Microsoft Project?

Microsoft Office Project is a member of the Microsoft Office family. It is a powerful toolkit designed to help project managers and others involved with projects. It helps you to: Visualise your project plan Schedule tasks and resources Track tasks, duration and resources Exchange project information Communicate with other stakeholders Control your projects
These elements correspond to all commonly used project methodologies and techniques. Moreover, the same basic approach is applicable from stand alone desktop versions through to server based enterprise systems.
Microsoft Project enables you to break down project tasks and relate them to resources and timescales in a logical manner. Information can be analysed, displayed and distributed in a variety of ways including the ubiquitous bar (or Gantt) chart. As a project management software tool MS Project is not unique but as with other Microsoft Office programmes it has been progressively improved and is familiar and available to a very wide audience.
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2. How will MS Project help my Organisation?

In engineering and construction, project management has long been used to deliver complex, one-off, cross functional capital investment projects. Today, project management techniques are used to drive nearly every IT investment or business change initiative. Having the right project management skill sets and support tools becomes a core competency for many organisations.
Whether you are looking to find you way through a garden maze, or you are planning a significant business transformation you will find it much easier if you map your path from the end goal and if you gain a vantage point where you can explore options and potential hazards. In essence, this is what Microsoft Project helps you to do.
For organisations the end result of better project planning and control will be more consistent achievement of project objectives within time and budget constraints. The characteristics of such projects will include: Realistic estimates of resources required Full appreciation of critical path activities Clarity of responsibilities for all team members Early warning of potential deviation from plan Confidence in project delivery
3. How will MS Project help me?

There is great demand for Project Managers who are organised, consistently aware of project progress and who deliver on time and within budget. Leading Project Managers have (at least) 3 areas of competency: Core skill sets such as planning, communication and risk management (based on experience and training inputs such as APM) Understanding of project management methodology (based on company specific approaches or generic models such as PRINCE2) Knowledge of project management tools and techniques (including Microsoft Project) Experience of using Microsoft Project will demonstrate your professionalism and awareness of applying project management techniques in a systematic and practical way. There are also new Microsoft qualifications which will come to provide recognition for specialist project planners and PPSO (programme and project support office) staff.
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4. What are the Different Versions of MS Project?

First launched in 1990, Microsoft Project has been through a series of releases. The most widely used is 2003 and the most recent is 2007. The Microsoft charts appended highlight features of these two versions.
Critical path scheduling has remained the core element while successive releases have added functionality and communications capability. Important features of Project 2007 include:
Task Drivers tool to determine prerequisites and resource constraints Reverse changes tool to experiment with what-if scenarios Change Highlights tool to quickly assess all impacts of a change Greater options for budget allocation and cost assignment Scope to tailor reports and easily interface with Excel and Visio
Most project managers will use Microsoft Project Standard 2007. There is a Professional edition which provides collaborative enterprise project management capabilities. In conjunction with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 and Windows SharePoint, multiple authorised users can access timesheets, graphical resource analysis and administrative tools across the Internet.
Green highlights indicate the effect of changes
The Visual Reports window with an Excel report
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5. Microsoft Project Training Where do I Start?

There is no simple answer! It depends very much on your current familiarity with projects and project management software tools. You also need to take into account the skill sets that you are looking to achieve.
Basic Awareness You want to be able to set up project timelines using Microsoft Project and understand the basic tracking and reporting functionality If you are starting from scratch we would recommend a 2 day Introductory (Level 1) course. If you already have some familiarity with the software (perhaps from an earlier release) then a 1 day course would be appropriate If you are totally new to a project environment then introductory project management training may be a useful start point. This will help you to understand project organisation and timelines
Advanced User You already know how to set up a project but you want to be confident in using Microsoft Project to update plans, produce custom reports and interface effectively with other programmes You have probably already been on a Level 1 course and should now choose an Advanced (Level 2) course Depending on your level of existing knowledge choose a 1 or 2 day course
Certified Professional If you need certification or you require the expertise to deploy Microsoft Project in an enterprise environment then follow the official Microsoft courses These will prepare you to take the relevant Microsoft exam
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The content of these courses is explained in the following sections.
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6. Introductory Courses Level 1

If you need to understand how to build and manage project plans, an Introduction, or "Level 1", course in Microsoft Project will get you started. Courses cover the essential skills necessary to create and modify a project plan including tasks and resources. The emphasis will be on creating the initial plan. There are versions of these training courses tailored to align with both 2003 and 2007 releases of Microsoft Project.
Build and edit a project plan Create and assign resources Manage project costs Track progress Filter and print project plans Communicate your plans Produce reports
There are options of one or two day courses depending upon your previous knowledge and experience. The one day course assumes basic awareness of projects and project planning - perhaps from an earlier version of Microsoft Project.
If you are completely new to project management you will find it beneficial to attend a general project management introduction course first.
Please check the different training course outlines which may have a slightly different content.
The Level 1 training is not accredited by Microsoft or associated with an exam. However, all Focus courses are developed and delivered by Microsoft partner companies with a deep knowledge of the subject.
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7. Advanced Courses Level 2

Advanced or "Level 2" Microsoft Project training courses are designed for existing MS Project users who want to add to their basic skills. They will also benefit Project Managers wishing to learn how to customise Microsoft Project to their own specific requirements. You will learn to use advanced features to plan, track and analyse variances from plan. The emphasis is on how you work with a plan in the implementation phase.
Resolve resource over-allocations Manage multiple projects Integrate MS Project with other Office applications Customise the MS Project interface (fields, tables, views, filters and reports) Record and run simple macros Exchange project plan data with other applications including Excel & Word Create and print custom reports Import data Track project progress
There are versions of these training courses tailored to align with both 2003 and 2007 releases of Microsoft Project. There are also options of one or two day courses depending upon your previous knowledge and experience.
Please check the different training course outlines which may have slightly different course content.
The Level 2 training is not accredited by Microsoft or associated with an exam. However, all Focus courses are developed and delivered by Microsoft partner companies with a deep knowledge of the subject.
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8. Microsoft Certified Training & Qualifications

Microsoft operates a comprehensive structure of internationally recognised certifications. Project 2007 skills have recently been incorporated into the MCTS (Certified Technology Specialist) and MCITP (Certified IT Professional) framework. The MS5927 Managing Projects course is a 3 day course which provides the entry point for the other Project 2007 training. A basic knowledge of project management and experience of using MS Project to create project schedules are pre-requisites. These are new courses and there is little scheduled availability at this stage.
9. Specialist Courses
For those looking to apply Microsoft Project to specific environments there are other specialist courses available. Amongst them is one which relates specially to use of Microsoft Project to manage PRINCE2TM projects. This covers similar topics to the Level 1 course but includes guidance on how to model PRINCE2 TM processes within MS Project.
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10
10. Why Focus?

Focus is the leading UK training organisation specialising in Project Management. Working in conjunction with high quality training companies throughout the UK we can arrange the right Microsoft Project training for you at a location and on a date which is convenient.
As well as Microsoft Project, Focus offers accredited training for courses including PRINCE2, APM and ITIL.
Our project management website makes finding and booking the right course fast and simple. The Focus Process is designed to give you all the information you need to make an informed choice. For further help and advice, you will find our project management staff very knowledgeable and friendly.
Any Questions - Just Ask ! Email our Bookings Team on sales@focus-on-training.co.uk or call on 0845 450 6120
Booking with Focus makes more sense: A course close to home avoids hotel and travel We offer more choice than anyone We can provide independent advice Booking is online and fast
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Attachment
Features Comparison - Project 2003 & 2007
Set up projects quickly

= Feature Included
Features Import Outlook Tasks dialog box Easily import task data from the Microsoft Outlook To-Do Bar to create a Project plan. Excel Import Wizard Easily import and use data from Microsoft Office Excel to start a Project plan. Resource information import Import resource information from the Active Directory directory service or your Microsoft Exchange Server address book. Smart Tags Get automatic, contextual suggestions alerting you to scheduling options. Built-in online help Use Microsoft Office Online to get training, templates, and more. Additional Project templates Jump-start common projects and promote consistency. Interactive, step-by-step planning aid Set up and manage projects effectively with the Project Guide. Calendar wizard Simplify the setup process for project calendars and changing working time. Manage non-working time Named vacations and the option of setting up alternative work weeks enable users to control and understand when resources can work. Change Highlighting When changes are made to a project, all affected task and resource fields are highlighted. Easily see how your change affects the dates of successor tasks, summary costs, and more. Multiple Level Undo Reverse the most recent series of changes; that is, undo and redo changes to views, data and options. This functionality also enables you to undo actions or sets of actions from macros or third-party applications.
= Improved in Office Project Standard 2007
= New in Office Project Standard 2007

2003 2007
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Present project data and print custom reports

= Feature Included
Features Presentation Wizard Smoothly transfer Project data to Microsoft Office PowerPoint, Microsoft Office Word, or Microsoft Office Visio. Printing Wizard Easily format and print concise custom Project reports. Visual Reports for Excel Use Excel to produce charts and graphs based on Office Project 2007 data. Analyze different dimensions of your project with PivotTable views and charts. Visual Reports for Visio Professional Build work breakdown structure (WBS) or resource diagrams in Office Visio Professional. With data-driven diagrams, users can show progress bars, flag important tasks, colorcode on cost, or create custom diagrams to match their project needs. Report templates Office Project 2007 offers report templates for Office Visio and Office Excel to help a user analyze resource availability, understand project progress and costs, and perform other tasks. Users can customize these reports or create their own templates in Office Visio and Office Excel to share with other Office Project users. Desktop OLAP cube Create customer reports or archive Project values with data exported from Office Project 2007 into a Microsoft Office Access database and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) cubes. Six cubes are generated: task time-phased, task non-time-phased, resource timephased, resource non-time-phased, assignment time-phased, and assignment non-timephased. Background Cell Highlighting Highlight important dates, costs, or tasks by changing the background color of cells in the table portion of the view.

2003 2007
Easily follow task and resource interdependencies

= Feature Included
Features Gantt charts, calendars, and task sheets Present Project data in versatile views. Network Diagram view Group tasks and display graphical indicators in the Network Diagram view. Cross-project critical path Calculate the critical path across all inserted projects to see a single critical path for the overall master project. Task Driver pane Shows prerequisites and resource constraints that drive the start date of the selected task. The user can click these drivers to link to the relevant information.

2003 2007
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Information to track and analyse projects

= Feature Included
Features Reschedule uncompleted work Maintain constraints when uncompleted work is rescheduled, and select any reschedule date. Assign a deadline to a task Keep track of when a task finishes without constraining the project plan. Formulas and graphical indicators Assign formulas, pick lists, and apply graphical indicators to custom fields to keep track of projects. Grouping Consolidate and report project information in a variety of ways by using predefined groups or creating custom groups. Group on assignment fields in addition to tasks and resources, and roll up time-phased data totals to group summary rows in Usage views. Material resources Specify consumable resources such as lumber or concrete and assign them to tasks. Allocate these resources in units that make sense, such as tons. Resource availability graphs Evaluate resource workload and availability using the Graphs button in the Assign Resources dialog box to identify the best resource available for the task. Add-in for comparing Project files Compare two versions of the same project and report results. Baseline rollup Control how baseline data is rolled up to summary tasks to help ensure up-to-date tracking of projects. Cost Resources Helps enable users to define multiple named time-phased fixed costs on a task. These costs can be grouped and reported as part of a cost type. Supports integration of Office Project 2007 with accounting systems. Budget Tracking Define a budget at a high level (program or project) so the project manager can allocate funds and track costs, work, and materials against the budget.

2003 2007
Refer to the Microsoft Office Project web pages for further product information: http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/project/default.aspx
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Plan & Communicate Better with Microsoft Project

Version 1.01 May 2008

Tel: 0845 450 6120

10. Why Focus?

Tel: 0845 450 6120

1. What is Microsoft Project?

Tel: 0845 450 6120

2. How will MS Project help my Organisation?

3. How will MS Project help me?

4. What are the Different Versions of MS Project?

Green highlights indicate the effect of changes

The Visual Reports window with an Excel report

Tel: 0845 450 6120

5. Microsoft Project Training Where do I Start?

Tel: 0845 450 6120

The content of these courses is explained in the following sections.

Tel: 0845 450 6120

6. Introductory Courses Level 1

Tel: 0845 450 6120

7. Advanced Courses Level 2

Tel: 0845 450 6120

8. Microsoft Certified Training & Qualifications

Tel: 0845 450 6120

10. Why Focus?

Tel: 0845 450 6120

Set up projects quickly

= Improved in Office Project Standard 2007

= New in Office Project Standard 2007

Tel: 0845 450 6120

Present project data and print custom reports

= Improved in Office Project Standard 2007

= New in Office Project Standard 2007

Easily follow task and resource interdependencies

= Improved in Office Project Standard 2007

= New in Office Project Standard 2007

Tel: 0845 450 6120

Information to track and analyse projects

= Improved in Office Project Standard 2007

= New in Office Project Standard 2007

Tel: 0845 450 6120

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