New Perspectives on Microsoft Project 2007: Tracking Progress and Closing the Project

1. New Perspectives on Microsoft Project 2007: Tracking Progress and Closing the Project

2. In this tutorial you will: Set a baseline and create an interim plan. Review baseline, interim, actual, and scheduled dates. Work with the Variance and Tracking tables. Update and split tasks. Analyze variance, slack, and slippage. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

3. In this tutorial you will: Create a custom table. Use the Detail and Tracking Gantt Chart to track progress. Create a custom view and a custom report. Add progress lines. Close a project. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 3

4. Working with a Baseline A baseline is a record of the scheduled dates and costs for each task of a project at a particular point in time. The baseline records 20 primary reference points in five categories: Start dates Finish dates Durations Work Cost Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 4

5. Working with a Baseline Cont’d Set additional baselines to a total of 11 for each project. Help measure changes in the project plan. Save a separate baseline at the end of each phase to compare planned values against actual data. Baseline information is available in several table views. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 5

6. Save Baseline Dialog Box Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

7. Variance A variance is when the baseline data and actual data differ. It is a good practice to monitor variance and compare actual data with the baseline data on a regular basis. The variance information will serve as a guide to better estimate project costs and dates. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 7

8. Variance Cont’d Baseline dates and costs are used to calculate the variance. The formula for calculating variance is Variance = Current (date) – Baseline (date). Projects ahead of schedule have a negative variance. Projects behind schedule have a positive variance. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 8

9. Variance Table Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

10. Interim Plan An interim plan is a set of start and finish dates that you can save periodically as your project progresses. Interim plans save projected start and finish dates for the chosen tasks, but not cost information. Project 2007 allows you to save a maximum of 10 interim plans. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 10

11. Tracking Progress Record all of the actual progress entries based on progress documentation. Enter up-to-date progress information. Verify that actual versus planned reports are accurate. Identify the project Start date. Understanding the various dates (both project dates and task dates) is essential to successfully tracking progress in a project. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 11

12. Tracking Progress Cont’d The Project Statistics dialog box is a valuable overall summary of the date, duration, work, and cost information for a project in progress. Use a tracking form that records each resource’s actual progress for each task in the project. It is important to track on a daily or weekly basis. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 12

13. Buttons on the Tracking Toolbar Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

14. Project Statistics Dialog Boxwith Baseline Data Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

15. Understanding the Tracking Table If you see an error in the scheduled duration change the duration in the Tracking table. Use the Tracking toolbar to help productively update several actual fields simultaneously. Quickly report project progress by using the Tracking toolbar. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 15

16. Tracking Table Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

17. Updating Tasks Using the Update as Scheduled button records only actual data for tasks scheduled before the Status date. You can’t update actual values for a task “as scheduled” that is scheduled in the future. UsePercent Complete buttons to indicate progress for tasks ahead of schedule. Use the Tracking table to enter the specific progress dates, duration, cost, or work data. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 17

18. Updated Tasks that areahead of Schedule Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

19. Creating an Interim Plan An interim plan is a set of start and finish dates that you can save periodically as your project progresses. Compare baseline or current information to determine project progress. The interim plan does not save duration, work, or cost values, but rather only start and finish dates. Save up to 10 interim plans for a project. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 19

20. Reviewing Interim Plan Information Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

21. Conflicts and the Planning Wizard The planning wizard warns against scheduling conflicts. Project 2007 allows actual entries to override logic and does not track logic errors. If the warning in the planning wizard is overridden, you will not be reminded of the conflict in logic again. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 21

22. Planning Wizard Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

23. Rescheduling Tasks Project 2007 provides the Reschedule Work button to reschedule tasks that should have been finished but are not completed. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 23

24. Comparing Calculation Options Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

25. Updating a Project The business needs and the availability of the progress information determine how often you update progress. The preference can be up to you or management. It is a good idea to keep to the schedule and update the project accordingly. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 25

26. Methods for Updating a Project Update progress using the Update Tasks dialog box. Update actual progress on a project by using the Gantt Chart itself. Update a project by using the Update Project dialog box. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 26

27. Updating a Project Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

28. Tracking Costs Cost tracking is how you determine if the project is staying close to budget or not. Project 2007 tracks the costs for the tasks, resources, and assignments. As you update the progress of tasks, actual costs are automatically calculated. Total costs are the calculated costs of a project, task, resource, or assignment for the duration of a project. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 28

29. Tracking Costs Cont’d Total costs include actual fixed costs. Fixed costs are costs associated with the task but are neither specific nor driven by any particular resource. Fixed costs are inherent to the task itself. Timephased costs are task, resource, or assignment costs that are distributed over time. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 29

30. Calculating Costs Cost variances are calculated by Project 2007. By default, Project 2007 automatically calculates actual cost values as you update project progress. You can clear the actual costs that are always calculated within the Options dialog box. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 30

31. Creating a Custom Table Develop as many uniquetables as you need to communicate the information during a project. Preserve the default tables that Project 2007 provides. Task tables can be applied only to Task sheets. Resource tables can be applied only to Resource sheets. An estimated 200 different fields of information are available for each task and resource. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 31

32. Custom Tables Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

33. Custom Views A custom view is any view that is saved with a name and differs from the default views that Project 2007 provides. Custom views can contain a set of fields in a particular view, grouping, and/or a filter. Add a button for a new custom view in the View Bar. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 33

34. Creating a Custom View Create a custom view through the View option on the menu bar. Edit or copy a custom view just as you edit or copy a Project 2007 view. Use the Organizer dialog box to delete a custom view, copy a view or make a view available for every project. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 34

35. Creating a Custom View Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

36. Custom View Applies Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

37. Examine Slack and Slippage The Detail Gantt Chart shows total slack and slippage. Total slack (also called total float) is the amount of time that a task can be delayed without the delay affecting the entire project. Free slack is the amount of time that a task can be delayed without the delay affecting any successor tasks. If the task has no successors, free slack is the amount of time that a task can be delayed without delaying the entire project’s Finish date. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 37

38. Examine Slack and Slippage Cont’d Slippage, or simply slip, is the difference between a task’s scheduled start and baseline start date or its finish date and baseline finish date. A noncritical task can slip without affecting the project Finish date. Recall that a noncritical task is one that has some slip. If a noncritical task slips too much it can become critical. It is important to track slippage on all tasks. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 38

39. Determining Slippage Factors If there is slippage, that is a project falls behind schedule, below are several factors that may be responsible: Overestimated realistic start date. Did not apply sufficient resources. Encountered unforeseen problems during the project. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 39

40. Tracking Gantt Chart The Tracking Gantt Chart view allows you to compare the baseline to actual dates. The Tracking Gantt Chart displays two task bars. The lower bar shows baseline start and finish dates. The upper bar shows actual start and finish dates. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 40

41. Tracking Gantt Chart View Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

42. Slack and Deadline Dates Apply any of a variety of constraints to a task to ensure that the task is done in a timely manner. The deadline constraint is a flexible constraint. The deadline constraint works well when you are trying to realistically display total slack values and yet maintain task-scheduling flexibility. There are also inflexible constraints, such as the “Must Start On” or “Must Finish On” constraint. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 42

43. Creating an Interim Planfor the Entire Project Recall that an interim plan is a set of start and finish dates that you can save periodically as your project progresses. Compare baseline or current information with your interim plan to determine the progress of your entire project. Insert dates from your interim plan into the custom view to help analyze the progress. Determine which phases or time periods were realistically scheduled. To work extensively with interim plans define custom tables and views. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 43

44. Reviewing the Interim Plan Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

45. Adding Progress Lines Progress lines give you a visual representation of all tasks that are in progress. The lines connect the tasks to create a line chart. Peaks that point to the left indicate work that is behind schedule. Peaks that point to the right indicate work that is ahead of schedule. The lines are drawn based on the percentage completion value and the status date for each task. The Progress Lines dialog box provides options for setting preferences for the progress lines. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 45

46. Progress Lines on Gantt Chart Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

47. Using Project Progress Reports Project 2007 provides reports that summarize information and focus on various areas of a project. Reports help manage and prioritize work in progress. The Current Activities reports focus on current project date progress. The Costs reports focus on current project costs. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 47

48. Custom Reports Project 2007 allows you to edit any of its reports or to create an entirely new report by using the Custom report category. A custom report can be created using any custom tables, filters, and views that you have developed. Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin 12/20/2019 48

49. Report Dialog Boxes Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin

50. Project 2007 Reports used to Analyze a Closed Project Presentations Created by C. Hester - Microsoft Project 2007 by Bunin