Step 1: How to start the application

1.1 To start with Microsoft Project, navigate to Start - All programs Microsoft
Office Microsoft Office Project 2007.
1.2 After starting the project , the Gantt chart view appears by default (same as Figure
below):

1.3 Depending on the information needed, it is possible to work in different views of the
project data. When starting a list of tasks or activities, it is easiest to start with Task
Sheet View (WBS View).
1.4 To display Task Sheet View, navigate to View (Menu item) More Views.

1.5 A new screen appears then select task sheet and click Apply (see Figure below).

1.6 Task sheet view appears with only few columns of data (see Figure below).

Step 2: Entering the project title

2.1 Navigate to File (Menu item) Properties.
2.2 Enter the Title of the project as specified in the Lab1 Assignment and then click OK.

Step 3: Entering the start date for the project

3.1 To do so, go to Project (Menu item) Project Information. Enter the Start date of
the project as specified in the Lab1 Assignment. Then click OK.

Step 4: Inserting a new column on the Task Sheet

4.1 We will need a column for hierarchical order of tasks. As a result, we need to
include in the Task Sheet a column for WBS Code. To do so, Select Insert (Menu
item) Column WBS and then click OK.

4.2 Alternate way to add a new column is as follows:

Highlight any column where you want to insert, right-click then select Insert
Column, it is inserted to the left side of the highlighted column.
After inserting a new column the view appears like on the figure below.

Step 5: Creating a unique WBS Code

5.1 After you add a WBS Column to the sheet, the next thing you need to do is to
create a unique WBS codes for each task/activity.
5.2 Select Project (Menu item) WBS Define Code. You can now add a code that
will prefix the number sequence (for example, 1, 1.1, 1.1.1, etc. as specified in
column #1 of Lab1 Assignment).
You can also create the numbering hierarchy.

5.3 For example, if we want to create four levels of hierarchy (like 1.1.1.1),
o select Numbers (ordered) in the first four rows of the sequence columns of the
WBS code definition dialog box.
o To separate the numbers using periods, select the period in the separator
column.
o Leave the two items Checked at the bottom of the screen as shown below

Step 6: Entering a task

6.1 To enter a task, click the empty cell in the column named Task Name once and start
entering the task name as specified in the column # 2 of Lab1 Assignment.
6.2 The alternate way to do this is as follows:
Double click the empty cell in the column named Task Name for each task to show
the Task Information screen and Go to General tab. Enter the names of the tasks as
given in the column # 2 of Lab1 Assignment. Then click OK.

The outcome of this step should look like a Figure below:

NOTE:
1. At this step, WBS column will not contain hierarchical codes, because we just
only defined them.
2. Values in Duration, Start, and Finish columns are by selected by applications
as default values; they have NO relevance to your project at this moment.

Step 7: Creating a hierarchy of tasks

7.1 Some of the tasks will be subtasks of other items. For example, Project Initiation
(code 1.1) requires Develop Project Charter (code 1.1.1) to be created.
7.2 To create hierarchy of tasks, select a task in the Task Name column that is to be
indented and then click the Indent button (->). Indent is on Project (Menu Item)
Outline Indent. Indent button is also located in the toolbar as shown below.

INDENT buttons
7.3 If your project WBS codes are not in correct sequence, you can Renumber WBS
codes of all tasks or selected task. To do so go to Project (Menu Item) WBS
Renumber. WBS Renumber dialog box appears as shown below, select Entire
project and click OK.

7.4 Create the hierarchy of tasks according to column # 1 in Lab1 Assignment.

The outcome of the step should look like on a figure below.
NOTE: Values in Duration, Start, and Finish columns are by selected by applications
as default values; they have NO relevance to your project at this moment.

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Step 8: Entering the duration for a task

8.1. Enter the durations as given in column # 3 of Lab1 Assignment, corresponding to
each task in the duration column by simply typing the number of days in that
column (like 3 or 2) or use the spin buttons to increment 1 day at a time.
8.2. Alternate way you can do is as follows: Double click the Corresponding cell in the
Task Name column for each task to show the Task Information screen and go to
General tab. Enter the durations for each task as given in the column # 3 of Lab1
Assignment. Then click OK.
8.3. Save this as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_1a.mpp (Figure 1) In order to save a
current status of the project, goto File (Menu item) Save As. Enter the filename
as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_1a.mpp
8.4. Navigate to View (Menu item) Gantt Chart. Save this as
Team#_Lab1_outcome1b.mpp (Figure 2) - In order to save a current status of the
project, goto File (Menu item) Save As. Enter the filename as
Team#_Lab1_Outcome_1b.mpp

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8.5. Navigate to View Network Diagram. Save this as Team#_Lab1_outcome1c.mpp

(Figure 3) - In order to save a current status of the project, goto File (Menu item)
Save As. Enter the filename as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_1c.mpp.

A note: As a result, the first three OUTCOMES of your project should look like
Figures 1, 2, 3
Figure 1 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_1a: Task Sheet View

Figure 2 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_1b: Gantt Diagram

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Figure 3 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_1c: Network Diagram

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Step 9: Assigning predecessors to tasks

9.1 To add a predecessor, you should enter the corresponding ID numbers specified
for every task in the column #4 of Lab1 Assignment in the Predecessors column.
9.2 Alternate way you can do is as follows:
Double-click on the cell in the Task Name Column that needs the predecessor,
select the Predecessors tab from the Task Information screen, enter in the ID for
the task on which the selected task is dependent and select the type of
dependency needed. (details are available on Pg 444 of the textbook)

NOTE: MS Project 2007 will only accept ID numbers (Column # 0) but not WBS Codes
(Column # 1)
For example, Task 1.2.4 Develop Schedule in Lab Assignment has ID number 12 and
Task 1.2.8 Project Plan Complete has ID number 16 and one of its Predecessors is ID
12.
9.3 Now save it as Team#_Lab1_outcome2a.mpp ( Figure 4) - In order to save a
current status of the project, Go to File (Menu item) Save As. Enter the filename
as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_2a.mpp

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9.4 Navigate to View(Menu item) Network Diagram and then save as

Team#_Lab1_outcome2b.mpp (Figure 5 ) - In order to save a current status of the
project, goto File (Menu item) Save As. Enter the filename as
Team#_Lab1_Outcome_2b.mpp
Figure 4 - Team0_Lab1_Outcome_2a: Gantt Diagram with relationships

Figure 5 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_2b: Network Diagram with relationships

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Step 10: Adding resources to WBS

10.1

Analyze the information in column # 5 (Human resources) of Lab1 Assignment

and identify a full list of unique (with no repetition) Human resources like Project
Manager1, Developer1, Developer2.etc.

10.2

Analyze the information in column # 6 (Material resources) of Lab1 Assignment

and identify a full list of unique (with no repetition) Material Resources like
Cellphone1, Cellphone2, PDA1. Etc

10.3

Before adding resources to tasks, first we need to define resources on the

Resource sheet. Based on identified list of unique resources, enter the Resource
names on the Resource Sheet

10.4

To do so, Navigate to View (Menu item) Resource sheet and enter the Human
resources as specified in column # 5 of Lab1 Assignment. Also enter Material
resources as specified in column # 6 of Lab1 Assignment by changing the
TYPE of resource from Work to Material.

10.3

Alternate way to do is as follows:

Double click an empty cell in the Resource Name Column in the resource sheet;
you will see the screen as below. Enter the information in the Resource name
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textbox, change the TYPE of the resource from Work to Material (if resource is
material), then click OK.
10.4

Then save it as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_3a.mpp ( Figure 6 ) - In order to save a

current status of the project, Goto File(Menu item) Save As. Enter the filename
as Team#_Lab1_Outcome3a.mpp

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Figure 6 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_3a.mpp: Resource Sheet

Step 11: Assigning Human and Material resources to tasks

11.1 Return to the Gantt chart view (View Gantt chart view), double-click the task that
needs a resource assigned to it. The Task Detail Information screen appears like
below, select the Resources tab, click the drop-down box below the resource name
and select the specified resources for a corresponding task from columns ## 5 and
6 in the Lab 1 Assignment. Follow the same procedure for all designated tasks.

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11.2 Now save it as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_3b.mpp (Figure 7) - In order to save a

current status of the project, goto File (Menu item) Save As. Enter the filename
as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_3b.mpp
11.3 Navigate to View (Menu item) Network Diagram and save it as
Lab1_outcome3c.mpp (Figure 8) - In order to save a current status of the project,
goto
File(Menu
item)

Save
As.
Enter
the
filename
as
Team#_Lab1_Outcome_3c.mpp
11.4 Now, come back to Resource sheet again and see any Over-allocated resources
exist (shown in red color). Then save it as Lab1_outcome3d.mpp (Figure 9) - In
order to save a current status of the project, goto File (Menu item) Save As.
Enter the filename as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_3d.mpp

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Figure 7 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_3b Gantt Diagram with Resources Assigned

Figure 8 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_3c: Network Diagram with Resources Assigned

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Figure 9 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_3d: Resources sheet with Overallocated

resources (Shown in red color or the warning signs on the left of Resource Name
column)

Step 12: Dealing with over-allocated resources

To get rid of this problem, you need to assign other resources to tasks or you must
extend the time to complete the task or by using the automated resource leveling
function in the MS-Project.
In order to use automated Resource Leveling, make sure to save the project before
leveling the resources as you might see some changes to the schedule that can be
difficult to identify.
Step 13: Leveling resources
When you level resources the project splits the tasks or adds a delay to task until the
over allocated resources can complete the task, based on individual persons (human
resources) schedule.
13.1 Navigate Tools (Menu item) Level resources.
13.2 Be sure that the following boxes are CHECKED/MARKED
1) Manual,

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2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Day-by-day basis,
Clear leveling values before leveling,
Level entire project,
Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task,
Leveling can create splits in remaining work. Then click Level now.

13.3 If a resource view that has selected resources was showing when you opened
the Resource Leveling dialog box, the Level Now dialog box appears as shown
below. Select Entire pool and then click OK.

13.4 Now you will see a difference in the duration column as number of days is
increased (Compare data in original Figure 7 to resulting Figure 9).
13.5 Switch to the Task Sheet view. Save it as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_3e.mpp.
(Figure 10) - In order to save a current status of the project, go to File (Menu
item) Save As. Enter the filename as Team#_Lab1_Outcome3e.mpp

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13.6 Go back to the Resource sheet view. There you will see that the problem with the
over allocated resources has been resolved. This means that the information in
RED has disappeared from the Resource sheet.
Figure 10 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_3e: Task sheet view after leveling the
resources

Step 14: Critical Path

14.1 To identify Critical Path, go to Format (Menu item) Gantt Chart Wizard.

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14.2 Click Next to continue, since our assignment is to show the critical path, Select
Critical Path radio button and then click Next.

14.3 Based on information that you want to display with Gantt bars, select the
corresponding radio button and click Next.

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14.4 To show the links between the tasks, select yes and then click Next.

14.5

Click Format It

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14.6

Save it as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_5a.mpp (Figure 11 ) - In order to save a

current status of the project, go to File(Menu item) Save As. Enter the
filename as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_5a.mpp

Figure 11 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_5a: Critical path

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Step 15: Generating reports

15.1 Navigate to Report (Menu item) Reports Overview. Select Project
Summary. You should get an electronic report like figure below, in order to put in
MS Word format.

15.2 ZOOM the Report to maximum by clicking Zoom button in the toolbar or by
pressing keys Alt+1.
15.3 Take the screenshot of the report. To do so press keys Ctrl+Alt+PrntScr.
15.4 Open Microsoft Office Word and paste the screenshot in the document as shown
in the figure below.

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15.5 Then File (Menu item)

Team#_Lab1_Outcome_6a.doc

Save

As.

Give

the

filename

as

15.6 In order to save a current status of the project, go to File (Menu item) Save As.
Enter the filename as Team#_Lab1_Outcome6a.doc. Type should be Microsoft
Office Word Document (*.doc) and then click save. The outcome should be
similar to Figure 12 Project Summary Document.
15.5 Return back to Task Sheet View. Navigate to Report (Menu item) Reports
Overview Critical Tasks. Repeat the same procedure from 15.2 15.4. Save
the filename as Team#_Lab1_Outcome_6b.doc. The outcome should be similar to
Figure 13 Critical Tasks Document

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Figure 12 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_6a: Project summary Document

Figure 13 Team0_Lab1_Outcome_6b: Critical Tasks Document

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Final Outcome: Final Comparison table

1. Create a word document with a table in it having four columns. Name them as
Phases, Start date, Final date, and Duration (Days).
2. Complete the table with the data about the following phases from Figure 10.
1.1 Project Initiation
1.2 Project Plan
1.3.1 Release 1
1.3.2 Release 2
Overall Project
3. The output data in the table should look like Figure 14 Final Outcome Table.
This is the main outcome and your results will be compared with the master data result
by instructor.
Figure 14 Team0_Lab1_Final _Outcome: Final Outcome Table

Start Date

Final Date

Duration
(Days)

1.1 Project Initiation

12/1/2011

12/27/2011

19

1.2 Project Plan

12/28/2011

1/16/2012

14

1.3.1 Release 1

1/17/2012

4/10/2012

61

1.3.2 Release 2

4/11/2012

5/22/2012

30

Overall Project

12/1/2011

5/23/2012

125

Phases

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