Learn proven project management strategies as you master the world's #1 project management softwareHere's a winning combination: a series of successful project management strategies that cover every phase of the process AND an insider's guide to the most powerful and versatile project management software available anywhere. That's what you'll find in Managing Projects with Microsoft Project 2000.A synchronized learning system helps you get with the program Microsoft Project 2000 brings 21st-century power to this already formidable tool. Whether you're an experienced user preparing to upgrade to Microsoft Project 2000 or an aspiring project manager who needs to understand the big picture as you gain control of the details, this remarkable one-stop guide helps you make the most of this outstanding new program. It puts you in control of every new feature and enhanced capability, including how to: SCHEDULE TASKS AND TRACK PROGRESS using task calendars, deadline dates, estimated durations, baseline and interim plans, and more MANAGE RESOURCES FOR BETTER TASK SCHEDULING with new methods that let you vary resource availability, specify material resources, and set task priorities for resource leveling MODEL PROJECTS GRAPHICALLY WITH NETWORK DIAGRAM VIEW, which offers flexible viewing and formatting of program information in a graphical layout of tasks MANAGE TASKS AND RESOURCES ACROSS A WORKGROUP with Microsoft Project Central-a Web-based companion to Microsoft Project 2000 that allows for task delegation up and down organizational lines, task progress reporting, and narrative status reporting WORK FASTER AND SMARTER by jump-starting new products with templates, grouping tasks and resources, creating your own work breakdown structure numbering scheme-and much, much more

GWEN LOWERY gained insiders knowledge as an original member of Microsoft Projects software documentation team. A well-known writer of computer hardware and software manuals, she began her career at Hewlett-Packard before joining Microsoft.

Introducing Microsoft Project 2000

ix

What's New in Microsoft Project 2000

ix

What's Covered in This Book

xiv

Part 1 Your Project Takes Shape

1

(28)

The Elements of Project Management

3

(8)

What Is a Project?

3

(1)

What Is Project Management?

4

(1)

A Four-Phase Project Model

4

(3)

Managing It All: Tasks, Resources, Time, and Money

7

(1)

A Question of Balance

8

(1)

Your Main Tasks When You Manage a Project

9

(2)

How Microsoft Project Helps You Manage Projects

11

(10)

Assists You in Most Project Phases

12

(2)

Calculates Your Schedule Automatically

14

(1)

Fills in Many Fields For You

15

(1)

Displays Exactly the Project Information You Want

15

(2)

Publishes Project Information to Suit a Variety of Needs

17

(1)

Puts You at the Hub of a Project Communications Network

18

(1)

Shares Project Information with Other Programs

19

(2)

Starting a Project

21

(8)

Setting Project Goals, Scope, Limitations, and Assumptions

22

(2)

Entering Basic Project Information in Microsoft Project

24

(5)

Part 2 Creating and Refining Your Project

29

(128)

Entering and Structuring Your Tasks

31

(26)

Creating a Task List

31

(9)

Organizing Your Task List

40

(4)

Estimating the Time for a Task

44

(4)

Using a Work Breakdown Structure

48

(4)

Using Custom Outline Codes

52

(5)

Making Tasks Happen at the Right Time

57

(14)

Sequencing Your Tasks

58

(1)

Building Your Schedule Using Task Dependencies

58

(4)

Fine-Tuning Task Scheduling

62

(4)

Scheduling Tasks for Specific Dates

66

(5)

Assigning Resources to Tasks

71

(28)

Assembling Your Resources

72

(7)

Setting Working Time for Resources

79

(5)

Assigning Resources to Tasks

84

(11)

Creating Custom Outline Codes for Resources

95

(4)

Specifying Resource and Task Costs

99

(14)

Setting Costs

100

(8)

Viewing Costs

108

(3)

Plan Your Cash Flow by Setting Cost Accrual

111

(2)

Fine-Tuning Your Project

113

(44)

Checking the Assumptions of Your Project

114

(1)

How Microsoft Project Schedules

115

(6)

Shortening the Schedule

121

(15)

Balancing the Workload

136

(17)

Meeting Your Budget

153

(3)

Adjusting Project Scope

156

(1)

Part 3 Tracking and Updating Your Project

157

(84)

Keeping Your Project on Track

159

(26)

Setting the Baseline

160

(6)

Collecting and Entering Actual Project Information

166

(11)

Analyzing Variances from Your Baseline Data

177

(4)

Tracking Project Costs and Variances

181

(4)

Updating Task Information Using E-Mail

185

(24)

Sending Project Files, Notes, and Reminders

186

(4)

Communicating Information with Resources

190

(4)

Using E-Mail Workgroup Communication

194

(1)

Setting Up E-Mail Workgroup Communication

194

(5)

Exchanging Information with Resources Using E-Mail

199

(7)

Updating Task Information Using E-Mail (Resources)

206

(3)

Updating Task Information Using the Web

209

(32)

Overview of Microsoft Project Central

209

(1)

Setting Up Web Workgroup Communication

210

(6)

Setting Preferences for Microsoft Project Central

216

(5)

Exchanging Information with Resources Using the Web

221

(7)

Updating Task Information Using Microsoft Project Central (Resources)

228

(9)

Reviewing Project Information (Resources)

237

(4)

Part 4 Reviewing Project Information

241

(120)

Viewing Your Information

243

(38)

Selecting Views to Display Sets of Information

244

(10)

Applying Tables to Display Different Sets of Information

254

(7)

Filtering to Display Only Certain Tasks or Resources

261

(10)

Creating or Modifying a View, Table, or Filter

271

(4)

Modifying Detail Information in Special Views

275

(6)

Making Your Project Look How You Want

281

(30)

General Formatting in Views

282

(4)

Formatting Sheet Views

286

(3)

Formatting the Grantt Chart Views

289

(8)

Formatting the Task Usage and the Resource Usage Views

297

(1)

Formatting a Network Diagram

298

(6)

Formatting the Calendar View

304

(4)

Formatting the Resources Graph

308

(3)

Printing and Publishing Basics

311

(10)

Views Versus Reports

312

(1)

Print a View

313

(1)

Print a Report

314

(1)

Publish Project Information to a Web Site

315

(1)

Examples of Project Information You Can Print

316

(4)

Set Up a Printer or Plotter for Microsoft Project

320

(1)

Printing Views

321

(16)

Specifying Content Options for Views

321

(6)

Formatting the Page of the Printed View

327

(10)

Printing Reports

337

(24)

Specifying Content Options for Reports

338

(10)

Formatting the Page of the Printed Report

348

(8)

Creating or Modifying a Report

356

(5)

Part 5 Using Other Projects and Programs

361

(50)

Managing Several Projects at Once

363

(16)

Managing Several Projects in One Project File

364

(5)

Linking Tasks Between Projects

369

(2)

Sharing Resources Among Projects

371

(4)

Open Several Project Files at Once with a Workspace

375

(1)

Creating Projects Using a Project Template

376

(3)

Sharing Project Information with Other Programs

379

(32)

Methods of Sharing Project Information

380

(1)

Copying and Pasting Project Information

381

(5)

Importing and Exporting Project Information

386

(11)

Linking and Embedding Project Information

397

(7)

Hyperlinking from a Project File to Another Location

404

(7)

Part 6 Customizing Microsoft Project Tools

411

(26)

Customizing Microsoft Project

413

(24)

Creating and Customizing Menus and Commands

414

(5)

Creating and Customizing Toolbars and Buttons

419

(7)

Creating Your Own Forms for Project Information

426

(3)

Using and Enhancing Custom Fields

429

(4)

Automating Your Tasks Using Macros

433

(1)

Sharing Custom Tools Using the Organizer

434

(3)

Glossary

437

(14)

Index

451

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