Overview
This three-day instructor-led course provides students with the knowledge and skills to build, maintain, and control well-formed project plans.

This is the first course in the Microsoft Office Project 2007 Official Curriculum series and will serve as the entry point for other Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC) courses covering Microsoft Office Project 2007 and the Microsoft EPM 2007 Solution.

Audience
This course is intended for both novice and experienced project managers and schedulers. These individuals would be involved in or responsible for scheduling, estimating, coordinating, controlling, budgeting, and staffing of projects and supporting other users of MS Office Project. A familiarity with key project management concepts and terminology is recommended as well as basic Windows navigation skills.

At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to:
• Get Started with Microsoft Office Project 2007.
• Create and Define Projects.
• Work with Estimates and Dependencies
• Work with Deadlines, Constraints, and Task Calendars
• Assign resources to tasks.
• Understand Task Types and the Schedule Formula.
• Analyze Resource Utilization.
• Track progress.
• Customize and Format Microsoft Project views.
• Create project reports which analyze project, resource and task data.
• Manage multiple projects.

Prerequisites
• Experience using Microsoft Office Project to create project schedules.
• Fundamental knowledge of project management.
• Experience with the Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista™ operating system.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Excel 2003.

Course Outline
Module 1: Getting Started with Microsoft Office Project 2007
This module provides an overview of MS Project, relational databases, and project management concepts. This module explains how to use the desktop interface and how to work with various file types. It also illustrates how to receive help and advice while working and how to configure various options that affect the functionality of MS Project.

Lessons
• Understanding The Nature Of Projects
• Discovering Office Project 2007
• Understanding Project 2007 File Types
• Navigating The Project 2007 Interface
• Getting Help And Guidance
• Configuring Options

Lab 1: Getting Started with Project 2007
• Hide And Insert Fields In Task And Resource Tables
• Respond To Smart Tags
• Interact With The Planning Wizard
• Use The Project Guide
• Set Appropriate Global And File Options Based On A Situation

Module 2: Creating and Defining Projects
This module explains how to create new projects, how to define appropriate options, and how to enter, organize, and outline the task list. It also explores ways to import data from other sources and provides guidance on configuring the corporate calendar.

Lessons
• Creating And Saving Projects
• Defining Properties And Options
• Creating And Organizing The Task List
• Importing Data
• Modifying And Applying Calendars
• Setting Scheduling Options

Lab 2: Creating and Defining Projects
• Enter Project And File Properties
• Update A Task List By Adding, Deleting And Rearranging Tasks
• Import Data From Excel And Create A Multi-Level Outline
• Set Corporate Holidays
• Set Appropriate Schedule Options Based On A Situation

Module 3: Working with Estimates and Dependencies
This module explains the techniques for estimating tasks and how to generate a dynamic schedule by creating dependencies between tasks. Various linking and unlinking techniques will be explored in multiple views and link types will be modified to reflect real-world scenarios.

Lessons
• Entering Task Estimates
• Using A PERT Analysis To Estimate Task Durations
• Linking And Unlinking Tasks Using The Gantt Chart View
• Linking And Unlinking Tasks Using The Network Diagram View
• Adding Lag Or Lead Time To A Linked Task

Lab 3: Working with Estimates and Dependencies
• Select A Duration Or Work Estimate Based On A Situation
• Enter Single And Multiple Task Estimates
• Generate A PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)Duration Estimate
• Create Links Between Tasks Using Single And Multiple Predecessors
• Modify Links Based On A Situation
• Enter Lag/Lead Time As Appropriate
• Display Link Information In Network Diagram View

Module 4: Working with Deadlines, Constraints, and Task Calendars
This module explains how to incorporate restrictions in a schedule through the use of deadlines and constraints. Displaying, reading and analyzing the critical path will be discussed along with how to use task drivers in the analysis. Task calendars will be presented as a technique to get a schedule back in line with a deadline or constraint.

Lessons
• Introducing Deadlines, Constraints, And Task Calendars
• Creating And Modifying Deadlines
• Creating And Modifying Constraints
• Creating And Modifying Task Calendars
• Identifying Critical Tasks
• Working With the Task Driver Pane

Lab 4: Working with Deadlines, Constraints, and Task Calendars
• Display The Critical Path
• Set A Deadline
• Set A Constraint
• Respond To Situations That Impact Deadlines And Constraints
• Create And Apply A Task Calendar To Meet A Deadline
• Find Constraints In A Schedule And Remove Them

Module 5: Working With Resources
This module explains the various types of resources that are needed on a schedule, how to enter the resource list and how to assign resources to tasks. Changes to the project team will be implemented by modifying resource assignments. Various types of costs will also be covered including resource costs, task costs, and project budgets.

Lessons
• Introducing Resources, Assignments, And Budgeting
• Adding Resources To The Resource Sheet
• Creating And Modifying Resource Assignments
• Entering Project Budgets

Lab 5: Working with Resources
• Group A List Of Resources By Type
• Complete The Resource Sheet View And Set Resource Properties
• Generate Single And Multiple Resource Assignments
• Change A Resource Assignment Due To Changes In Team Member Availability
• Review A Short Task List And Suggest An Appropriate Resource Assignment
• Enter The Amount Associated With Several Project Budget Items

Module 6: Understanding Task Types and the Schedule Formula
This module explains the scheduling formula and how the variables duration, work, and units interact. It also illustrates how recalculations occur when variables are changed. This module explains recommended procedures on changing task types and changing variables for various situations.

Lessons
• Introducing Task Types And The Schedule Formula
• Changing Variables And Predicting Behavior
• Applying Task Types To Produce Predictable Behavior

Lab 6: Understanding Task Types and the Schedule Formula
• Identify The Fixed Variable In A Task And How It Impacts The Schedule formula
• Follow Recommended Guidelines To Change Variables Involved In The Schedule Formula
• Analyze A Given Situation And Make Decisions Regarding Task Type And Data Entry To Generate A Desired Result

Module 7: Analyzing Resource Utilization
This module explains techniques for manipulating views to display resource allocation and how to identify causes of resource over allocation. Various options for managing limited resources will be explored. In addition, several techniques for solving over allocated resources will be explained including the leveling feature.

Lessons
• Introducing Resource Utilization Concepts
• Applying Views And Tables To Analyze Resource Utilization
• Applying Filters And Groups To Analyze Resource Utilization
• Viewing Resource Assignments, Allocation, And Utilization
• Managing Resource Availability
• Optimizing And Leveling Resource Assignments

Lab 7: Analyzing Resource Utilization
• Read And Interpret Resource Allocation Views
• Follow Recommended Guidelines To Change Resource Availability
• Modify A Resource Allocation View To Provide Information About A Resource Group
• Locate Causes Of Resource Over allocation
• Apply Leveling To Reduce Resource Over allocations
• Modify Assignments To Reduce Resource Over allocations

Module 8: Tracking Progress
This module explains how to manage updates to a schedule by saving baselines and tracking duration, work, and cost updates. Comparison between expected and actual results will be illustrated with various views that display variance. In addition, this module provides guidelines on how to troubleshoot a schedule and how to get a troubled schedule back on track.

Lessons
• Working With Baselines And Tracking Scenarios
• Entering Duration Updates
• Entering Work Updates
• Entering Cost Updates
• Discovering Variances
• Trouble Shooting And Getting Back On Track

Lab 8: Tracking Progress
• Capture And Update A Baseline
• Prepare And Update A Schedule Following Duration Guidelines
• Prepare And Update A Schedule Following Work Guidelines
• Prepare And Update A Schedule Following Cost Guidelines
• Follow Recommended Guidelines To Check A Schedule For Update Accuracy
• Generate And Interpret Duration, Work, And Cost Variance Views
• Apply Techniques To Shorten Duration, Reduce Work And Reduce Cost

Module 9: Customizing and Formatting
This module explains how to format text, bars, and other screen elements. Custom objects will be created including templates, calendars, fields, tables, filters, groups, and views. This module also illustrates use of the organizer to transfer custom objects to other files.

Lessons
• Formatting Screen Elements
• Creating And Modifying Templates
• Creating And Modifying Calendars
• Creating And Modifying Fields, Tables, And Formulas
• Creating And Modifying Filters And Groups
• Creating And Modifying Custom Views

Lab 9: Customizing and Formatting
• Modify A Template To Include Corporate Standards
• Create Alternate Calendars For Other Countries
• Create Simple And Complex Custom Fields
• Populate A New Table With Existing And Custom Fields
• Based On A Scenario Develop The Appropriate Filter And Group
• Create A Custom View Using Custom Objects From The Existing File And another File

Module 10: Creating Reports
This module explains how to configure views for printing and how to generate standard and Visual reports. Customizations to printouts and modifications to existing reports will also be covered. This module will explain how to export data and explore techniques for solving printing issues.

Lessons
• Selecting, Editing, And Creating Standard Reports
• Creating Notes And Drawings
• Configuring Print And Page Setup Options
• Setting Options To Correct Printing Issues
• Exporting Reporting Data
• Creating And Modifying Visual Reports

Lab 10: Creating Reports
• Configure The Header, Footer, And Legend
• Apply Solutions To Various Printing Scenarios
• Run Reports That Summarize Data By Project, By Resource, By Task, Or By cost
• Develop A New Report
• Export Data Using A Custom Map To Merge With Data In An Existing Excel Spreadsheet
• Run Visual Reports That Summarize Data By Project, By Resource, By Task Or By Cost
• Develop A New Visual Report Template

Module 11: Managing Multiple Projects
This module explains how to create and manage multiple projects. It will cover links and the critical path across multiple projects. It also discusses how to create and use a shared resource pool and how to view resource allocation across multiple projects.

Lessons
• Introducing Management Of Multiple Projects
• Creating Consolidated Views And Master Projects
• Creating Links Between Projects
• Calculating Single Or Multiple Critical Paths
• Saving And Opening Multiple Projects
• Sharing Resources And Analyzing Resource Utilization Across Multiple Projects

Lab 11: Managing Multiple Projects
• Consolidate Open Projects
• Insert Sub Projects Into A Master Project
• Create Links Across Projects And Manage Changes To Linked Tasks
• Display The Critical Path In A Consolidated And Master Project
• Create And Share A Resource Pool
• Read And Interpret Resource Usage Across Multiple Projects