Msproject Courseware Part 2

ENGINEERS CADD CENTRE (P) LTD, AMEERPET, HYD, PH98661-31068 (reference material only) Page 313

Microsoft Project 2003 Training Courseware

Lesson 17: Leveling

Microsoft Corporation June 2003



Lesson 17: Leveling Published: June 2003 Applies to:

Microsoft Project Standard 2003 Microsoft Project Professional 2003 Microsoft Project Server 2003

Contents Objectives Leveling Overview Leveling Basics Resource Leveling Dialog Box Controls Splitting Task Assignments Option Task, Resource Assignment Fields Related to Leveling Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn

After completing this lesson you will be able to:

• How to identify overallocated resources.

• The concepts of Resource Leveling.

• How to carry out automatic and manual leveling.

• Fields related to leveling.

• Leveling alerts and messages.

Related Topics Covered in this Lesson

• Resources and Costs

• Split Tasks


Leveling Overview

What is Resource Leveling?

Resource leveling is a way to resolve having too much work assigned to resources, known as resource overallocation.

One way to level is to delay a task until the assigned resource has time to work on it.

Another method is to split a task, so that part of a task is done when planned, and the rest of it is done later when the assigned resource has time.

Resources can be leveled by the user or Microsoft Project can level resources. The Microsoft Project leveling feature examines the following factors to determine which tasks should be delayed or split:

• Task ID

• Available slack time

• Task priority

• Task duration

• Task constraints

• Scheduling dates

• Resource availability

• Resource assignment units

When Microsoft Project levels resources, it does not change resource assignments, and it does not change task information. It only delays or splits tasks.

When the user levels resources, the same factors should be taken into consideration, and the task or resource adjusted to resolve overallocations. For example, the task can be delayed, or additional resources assigned.

The methods chosen to reduce overallocations depend on the limitations of the project, including budget, resource availability, finish date, and the amount of flexibility available for scheduling tasks.

Overallocated Resource Defined

An overallocated resource has more work assigned than can be done in the resource's available time. When Microsoft Project schedules tasks, it calculates the schedule based on the requirements of the task, not the availability of resources assigned. For example, Susan's availability is eight hours a day; however, Microsoft Project might still schedule one four-hour task and one eight-hour task assigned to her for the same day. It's not until Susan's overallocation is leveled that this conflict is resolved.

Overallocations can result from the following:

• A resource being assigned to work full-time on more than one task simultaneously.

• Increased duration of tasks.

• Increased assignment units to resources.

• Decreased unit availability for resources.

• A resource being assigned to a summary task as well as one or more of the subtasks.


When and Why Resources Should be Leveled

Resources should be leveled when there are known overallocations and only after all information about task scheduling and resource availability has been entered. Resource leveling should not be relied on to schedule a project. Leveling will not optimize a project schedule.

Overallocations can be identified when reviewing any Resource view (such as Resource Usage view, Resource Sheet, or Resource Graph), overallocated resources are highlighted in red. Overallocations can be seen in single projects as well as resources shared across multiple projects.

When entering information about task scheduling, the following should be kept in mind to help reduce overallocations:

• If tasks occur in a sequence, enter task dependencies to create that sequence.

• Use date constraints (such as must start on and must finish on) only when required. Constraints limit the adjustments that Microsoft Project can make when determining which tasks to level.

• Use priorities sparingly. Use a task priority 1000 (meaning do not level this task) only when a task absolutely cannot be delayed or split or when other tasks have the flexibility to be delayed or split if leveling is necessary. The following guide can help you decide what priority to set to a task:

Microsoft Project Value

Do Not Level 901 - 1000

Highest 801 - 900

Very High 701 - 800

Higher 601 - 700

High 501 - 600

Medium 401 - 500

Low 301 - 400

Lower 201 - 300

Very Low 101 - 200

Lowest 1 - 100

Priority values can also be used to set the priority of project summary tasks (set in the Project Information dialog box). Because of this, inserted projects can contain a priority level and this priority can be taken into account when leveling multiple inserted projects.

Note Leveling ignores any overtime work when looking for overallocations that need to be resolved.

Leveling Results

When Microsoft Project levels an overallocated resource, certain tasks assigned to this resource are split or delayed. The split or delayed tasks are then scheduled for when the resource has time to work on them

You can see the results of leveling in the Leveling Gantt, which graphically shows pre-leveled values compared with post-leveled values, including newly added task delays and splits.

Which tasks are delayed or split first depends on the leveling order chosen in the Resource Leveling dialog box: Standard, ID Only, or Priority and Standard. With the standard leveling order, Microsoft


Project examines predecessor dependencies, slack time, dates, constraints, and priorities. When leveling by ID, Microsoft Project simply goes down the task list in order by task ID. When leveling by Priority and Standard, Microsoft Project first examines any task, summary task, or a project priority set, and then examines the standard factors.

Two types of delay can be added in your schedule: assignment delay and leveling delay. Assignment delay indicates how much time an assigned resource should wait after the task’s start date before starting work on the assignment. Assignment delay can be added by the user to relieve resource overallocations. Be aware that when leveling delay is added manually, this value is cleared when the Clear Leveling or Level Now button in the Resource Leveling dialog box is clicked.

Keep in mind that leveling does not:

• Reassign tasks

• Reassign units

• Level material resources, only people and equipment resources

Manual Leveling

Resolving overallocations manually can be useful when Microsoft Project's leveling doesn't result in the schedule or assignment adjustments desired or when more control over exactly how overallocations are alleviated is required.

To resolve overallocations, tasks can be adjusted to:

• Reduce a task's duration, so the assigned resources have more time for other tasks.

• Delay a task using the Leveling Delay field.

• Split a task

Note With these methods, the finish date may be extended, which also happens when you use Microsoft Project to level resources.

• Change the resources assigned to the task.

• Change a resource's unit availability.

• Assign more resources to tasks to redistribute the work.

• Replace an overallocated resource with an underallocated one.

• Remove an overallocated resource from an assignment.

• Adjust or contour the amount of work assigned to the resource.

• You can also account for overallocations, rather than resolve them, by adding overtime.

You should aim to delay tasks first with free slack and then total slack (see Figure 1):

Free slack. Time a task can be delayed without affecting another task.

Total slack. Time a task can be delayed without affecting the critical path.


Figure 1. Table View showing Free Slack and Total Slack

Leveling Basics

To Carry Out Basic Leveling 1. From the View menu, click Resource Sheet.

2. Select the rows or names of the resources you want to level. To select multiple adjacent resources, click the first resource, hold down SHIFT, and then select the last resource. To select multiple nonadjacent resources, click the first resource, hold down CTRL, and then click the other resources.

3. From the Tools menu, click Resource Leveling. Make sure that the Manual leveling option is selected, this means that Microsoft Project will level only when you click the Level Now.Automatic leveling levels resources instantaneously when you change a task or resource.

4. Under Leveling range for… select whether the entire project should be leveled or only those tasks falling within a specific time range.

5. After clicking Level Now a dialog box will display, Choose to level selected resources. Note that it is possible to level the entire resource pool as well.

6. Microsoft Project will level your selected resources accordingly (Figure 2).


Figure 2. Resource Leveling dialog box

Note Leveling tasks in projects scheduled from a finish date will have negative delay values applied to them. This will cause a task or resource assignments finish date to occur earlier because the delay will be applied from the finish of the task or assignment.

Resource Leveling Dialog Box Controls

As previously described, the Resource Leveling dialog box can be accessed from the Tools menu. A discussion of the controls in the Resource Leveling dialog box follows below.

Automatic/Manual

The default setting is Manual. This option determines whether leveling is done all the time or only when initiated by choosing the Level Now button. When the setting is set to Automatic, leveling uses the existing settings to perform automatic leveling between the Level From and To dates. This is a global setting. Any change to this setting affects all projects that are open or that will be opened while this setting is still enabled.

Tip: If you choose Automatic leveling, make sure the Clear leveling values before leveling checkbox is empty. This checkbox is selected by default, but when leveling automatically, this can significantly slow down your work in the schedule.

Look for overallocations on a <... by ...> basis

The default is Day by Day (Figure 3). This setting is also referred to as the leveling granularity or leveling sensitivity. This setting establishes the point at which you want leveling to intervene: when you have an overallocation within just one minute, one day, one week, or one month.


Figure 3. Resource Leveling – look for overallocations command

In Microsoft Project, the Look for overallocations on a ... by ... basis option allows you to control the leveling sensitivity. A resource is leveled only if the resource is scheduled to do more work than they have capacity in the specified period. See more detailed information later in this section.

Leveling range for '<project>'

The default is setting is Level entire project. It is a per project setting.

Level From/To

You can change the dates so that leveling only operates on overallocations that fall within the specified date range.

Resolving overallocations

These settings are saved to the global and will persist for all project files until changed. For Enterprise project you must have permissions to save settings to the global file.

Leveling order

The default is Standard. Figure 4 shows the leveling order choices available.

Figure 4. Resource Leveling – leveling order

ID Only. Levels tasks as needed in ascending order of their ID numbers before considering other criteria.

Standard. The default leveling order, first examines predecessor dependencies, slack, dates, priorities, and constraints to determine whether and how tasks should be leveled.

Priority, Standard. Levels by checking task priorities first, and then checking the standard criteria.

There is a further discussion of leveling order later in this section.


Level only within available slack

The default is off (not selected).

This setting levels by delaying tasks only within slack and also restricts new leveling features regarding how tasks and assignments can be split during leveling.

In addition, if the Calculate multiple critical paths setting in the Calculation tab (from Tools menu select Options) is selected, tasks that normally have slack to the end of the project (no successors or future limiting constraints) instead have zero slack. This makes it even more difficult to level if the Level only within available slack option is selected.

Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task

The default is on (selected).

When the Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task setting is selected then leveling can move or split individual assignments for a task. However the option can be overridden if the task field Level Assignments is set to No. Yes is the default for this field.

Leveling can create splits in remaining work

The default is on (selected)

When this setting is on there is an equivalent task level field that allows you to control on a per task basis whether leveling can create splits in remaining work or not. This field is called Leveling Can Split, and its default value is Yes.

Level Now

When you click the Level Now button in Microsoft Project (Figure 5), resource assignments will be delayed based on the options selected in the Level Resources dialog box, except for in tasks with the Do Not Level priority.

If a Resource view such as the Resource Sheet view is active when you level, you get a choice to level the entire project, or selected resources (default is selected resources).

Figure 5. Level Now dialog box

Clear Leveling

The Clear Leveling command clears all the values in the task Leveling Delay field and any splits created by leveling for the selected tasks or for all tasks in the project, except for tasks with the Do Not Level priority. It does this across all time. It does not use the From/To date range settings. You cannot clear leveling for a specified date range.

With Clear Leveling off, any previous leveling delay remains and can only be added to which means the result of a previous leveling will likely be unchanged and only newly overallocated assignments


and their tasks will be leveled. For example, if a task currently has 3ed of leveling delay, with this option turned off, during subsequent leveling passes, this value may increase, but will not decrease.

Discussion on the Look for overallocations on a <... by ...>basis Option

This is a global setting that impacts all projects. It is not saved per project.

In deciding whether to resolve an overallocation, Microsoft Project looks at the work capacity for the resource on time periods of the size determined by the previously mentioned granularity setting. If the scheduled work for the period exceeds the work capacity for the period then Microsoft Project’s leveling tries to resolve the overallocation. Otherwise it moves on to the next period, even if there is some overallocation within the period at a finer granularity.

The time slices that leveling examines start on integral time boundaries. For the Hour by Hour settings it looks at whole hours (starting at 12 A.M., 1 A.M., and so on), and for the Day by Day setting it looks at whole days. For the Week by Week setting, it looks at whole weeks as defined by the Week starts on setting in the Calendar tab from the Tools menu under Options. For the Month by Month setting it looks at whole months.

Microsoft Project compensates for project start dates and calendar working times that do not align with the period by period setting. For example, if the Week starts on setting is Sunday and the granularity setting is Week by Week, and if the project starts on a Wednesday, then leveling knows that the resource capacity is 24h that first week, not 40h. Likewise, if the working day begins at 8:30 A.M. instead of 8:00 A.M., then when using the Hour by Hour granularity, leveling knows that the resource capacity is 0.5h during the hour starting at 8A.M.

Example

Figure 6 illustrates the leveling granularity feature, controlled by the Look for overallocations on a ... by ... basis option. Default working times are used in the schedule shown below. Executive is assigned uniformly at 1 unit to both Review papers and Approve process.

Figure 6. Example of looking for overallocations

Leveling takes the following actions depending on the granularity:

Day by Day or lower. Approve process is shifted one day to the right.

Week by Week. Depends on the Week starts on setting in the Calendar tab (from the Tools menu select Options). If the week starts on Sun or Mon, then Approve process is shifted one day to the right, but if the week starts on any other day then leveling does not resolve the overallocation. For example, if the week starts on Tue, then Executive does a total of 16h on the week that ends on Mon 6/2/97, and does a total of 32h on the week beginning on Tue 6/3/97.

Month by Month. Leveling does not resolve the overallocation.


Splitting Task Assignments Option

Leveling can split assignments multiple times. In a practical sense, there is no limit on the number or size of splits that leveling can perform on an assignment, so it's possible in some very complex cases to have a task or assignment split so many resources or with such wide gaps as to not be practical. In that case leveling should be cleared and the Leveling Can Split field set to No for individual tasks. Or, unselect the Leveling can create splits in remaining work setting. This prevents any task or assignment in the entire project from being split by leveling.

Microsoft Project internally keeps track of the leveling splits (splits created by leveling), so that when you use the Clear Leveling command in the Resource Leveling dialog box, the splits created by leveling are undone, and the task and assignment Leveling Delay fields are cleared.

Examples where leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task

The following examples look at cases where Microsoft Project is required to carry out leveling to resolve the overallocation of the assistant in the Gantt Chart shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Gantt Chart view of an overallocation that will need to be leveled

Example 1

Figure 8 shows the results of leveling if the setting.

• Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task, is ON (selected).

• Leveling can create splits in remaining work, is OFF.

Figure 8. Gantt Chart view of result of leveling

Example 2

Figure 9 shows the results of leveling if the setting.

• Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task, is OFF (selected).

• Leveling can create splits in remaining work, is ON.

Figure 9. Gantt Chart view of leveling result in example 2


In Microsoft Project, leveling can delay and split individual assignments instead of entire tasks when resolving overallocations. It does this by using the assignment Leveling Delay field. The standard assignment Delay field is only used for manual delay of assignments and it is not used by leveling.

Note The assignment Delay field is titled Delay in the Task Form or Resource Form view with Details set to show Resource Schedule, but is named Assignment Delay when inserted in a task or resource tables (normally displayed in a Usage view to see assignment records).

Figure 10. Part of the Task Form view with Details set to Resource Schedule

Task, Resource and Assignment Fields Related to Leveling

The following table lists some of the Task, Resource, and Assignment fields that are related to leveling and describes what each field does. The fields can be seen for Assignment records in the Task Usage view.

Field Description

Level Assignments This Yes/No task-only field controls whether leveling is allowed to adjust assignments. Default is Yes.

When the Level Assignments field is Yes, then leveling is allowed to adjust the task's assignments only if the Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task setting is also selected in the Tools Resource Leveling dialog box. An adjustment to an assignment is either a move or split. See the Leveling Can Split field that follows for possible restrictions to assignment splitting.

When the Level Assignments field is No, it means leveling cannot adjust the task's assignments, regardless of the Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task setting.

Leveling Can Split This Yes/No task-only field controls whether or not leveling is allowed to create splits in the remaining portion of a task or one of its assignments*. Default is Yes.

When the Leveling Can Split field is Yes, then leveling is allowed to split the remaining work on the task or one of its assignments* only if the Leveling can create splits in remaining work setting is also selected in the Tools Resource Leveling dialog box.

When the Level Assignments field is No, it means leveling cannot split the task or any of its assignments, regardless of the Leveling can create splits in remaining work setting.


See the previous comments on the Level Assignments field for settings that can prevent assignment adjustments, including splitting.

Leveling Delay If leveling decides to solve an overallocation by moving an entire task or assignment, it puts an elapsed Duration in the Leveling Delay field for the task or a working Duration for the assignment.

You can also manually edit these fields. In the Task Usage picture below, the task has been shifted 0ed, and the assignment 1d, as shown in the figure below

Can Level This Yes/No resource-only field controls whether a specific resource can be leveled or not. Default is Yes.

Priority Used by leveling as a tiebreaker when deciding which task or assignment should be moved or split to solve an overallocation. The priority column can be inserted into the table view so that priority of different tasks can be displayed. The 500 priority prevents any changes from being made to a task or its assignments. The same priority is displayed for tasks and assignments (in the Task Usage view), but can only be edited for tasks.

Tools Options Settings that Affect Leveling

The following table lists some of the settings in the Tools Options dialog box that impact leveling:

Setting Description

Tasks will always honor their constraint dates

Located in the Tools Options If selected, then leveling cannot make adjustments to tasks that violate their constraints, such as MSO (Must Start On).

If not selected, then leveling can adjust tasks regardless of their constraints.

Split in-progress tasks Located in the Tools Options Schedule tab. If selected, then leveling can split the remaining portion of a task from the completed portion, even if the Leveling can create splits in remaining work setting is not selected in the Tools Resource Leveling dialog box.

Schedule tab Calculate multiple critical pathsLocated in the Tools Options Calculation tab. If selected, then tasks that normally have slack to the end of the project (no successors or future limiting constraints) will instead have 0 slack. This makes it more difficult to level if the Level only within available slack option is selected in the Tools Resource Leveling dialog box.


After Leveling

Leveling Gantt View

The Leveling Gantt view (Figure 11) was designed specifically to show before and after leveling bars on the same chart, making it easy to see the impacts of leveling. It saves dates to the Preleveled Start and Preleveled Finish task fields. It also saves split dates (internal only, not accessible) so the preleveled splits can be shown.

To view the Leveling Gantt

1. From the View menu, click More Views.

2. Click Leveling Gantt, and then click Apply.

3. Review tasks in the Leveling Gantt. This view displays what effect the leveling has had, and how much leveling delay has been added to tasks.

Figure 11. Leveling Gantt view

Note You can also use the Resource Allocation view with the Leveling Gantt applied in the bottom pane. This shows the effect of leveling on both task and resource details at the same time. On the View menu, click More Views, click Resource Allocation, and then click Apply. Click in the bottom pane then on the View menu, click More Views and click Leveling Gantt.

Constraints

Microsoft Project can do partial leveling in cases when it can't completely resolve an overallocation due to task constraints. For example, if there are three or more tasks causing an overallocation and two of them have MSO (Must Start On) constraints. Microsoft Project can resolve part of the overallocation by moving or changing some of the unconstrained tasks or assignments, even it can’t resolve all of the overallocations.


Example 4

Figure 12 illustrates how Microsoft Project can level part of an overallocation even if it can't solve the overallocation completely. It also shows the impact of the new tasks will always honor their constraint dates setting in the Tools Options Schedule tab.

Figure 12. Leveling with Task Constraints example 4

Before leveling

If on the Schedule tab (from the Tools menu select Options,) Tasks will always honor their constraint dates setting is selected, then Review papers and Approve process cannot be moved because of their MSO (Must Start On) constraints. Microsoft Project displays the message shown in Figure 13 when you level:

Figure 13. Error message generated when overallocations cannot be resolved

If you choose the Skip button, then another message is displayed for 6/3/97. If you choose Skip again, or if you chose Skip All in the first message then leveling provides the partial solution (Figure 14).

Figure 14. Partial solution to overallocation problem in Figure 9

Microsoft Project solution if the Tasks will always honor their constraint dates setting is selected.

If the tasks will always honor their constraint dates setting is not selected, then Review papers and Approve process can be moved despite their MSO (Must Start On) constraints, and leveling provides the following full solution without any messages. Note that in this case, leveling has resulted in split tasks (Figure 15).


Figure 15. Solution if 'Tasks will always honor their constraint dates' is not selected

Contouring Resource Availability

We know that contoured resource availability does not change work. Instead, it changes the percentage a resource is allocated. When this percentage is over 100%, the resource is marked as overallocated.

Like manually editing a resource contour, contoured resource availability spreads evenly throughout the segment in which it’s designated. In other words, if you set a resource’s availability at 50% for a week, that availability is 50% from the minute level on up through the week. If an assignment is made at 100%, leveling cannot schedule any work during that week and will move it to another time where resource availability is 100% or greater.

For example, suppose we had a 10-day task and assigned a resource to it so that the resource has 80 hours of work and is assigned at 100% every day of the task. If we then contoured the resource’s availability so that the resource is only available 50% of the time during the first 5 days of the task, the resource will appear as overallocated. (Note: the resource is available 100% of the time for all other periods.) If we then level the task, the resource will not be scheduled to work during the week at which he is available 50% of the time. Instead his work will begin in the second week.

This behavior may be different from what you might first expect. Because the resource has four hours of available time each day during the first week, you may assume that leveling should fill those hours first. It is at this point that we must remember that leveling only adds delay or splits work. It cannot change work or units. Thus, leveling cannot schedule four hours of work each day during the first week. Instead it must move the assignment to an availability contour that can accommodate the assigned units

Leveling from a Finish Date

In Microsoft Project Leveling Delay uses negative numbers to level tasks and assignments backward when a project is scheduled from Finish.

Recurring Tasks Default to Do Not Level

Because of the complexity of leveling all the subtasks in a recurring task, by default recurring subtasks are created with a priority of Do Not Level and the task Leveling Can Split and Level Assignments task fields are set to No. This means that all other tasks and assignments are leveled around recurring tasks.

However, these settings can be changed to allow the subtasks of the recurring task to level.

Leveling Progress Indicator

A standard progress meter is displayed in the Status bar at the bottom of the Project window during leveling, indicating approximately how far along the leveling process is (Figure 16).


This progress indicator does not correspond to the amount of time involved. It approximates leveling progress, not time. It shows how far along the leveling date- range the leveling process is. The number of assignments that need to be checked may vary from one date to the next, and require more or less calculation time.

Figure 16. Leveling Progress Indicator

Leveling and Task Calendars

In Microsoft Project, the calendar used by an assignment is not necessarily the resource calendar. It may be the task calendar. When leveling, Microsoft Project now looks at any applied task calendars and also checks to see if the Ignore Resource Calendar setting is enabled.

Leveling and Material Resources

Material resources are normally not leveled by Microsoft Project. This is because they have no way of measuring capacity (that is, max units) and thus cannot tell when they are overallocated.

Leveling will affect material resources, however, when they are assigned with other resources and those resources’ assignments are delayed. In this situation, material resources use the task delay value to move their assignments.


Lesson 17: Exercises and Labs

Exercises 1. What's the difference between Level Assignments and Leveling Can Split?

2. Can you set the leveling Priority for individual assignments?

3. What settings in the Schedule tab (from Tools select Options) can effect leveling and how? What about in the Calculation tab?

4. If you set the Look for overallocations on a ... basis setting to Week by Week, what is the effect on leveling?

5. What is the effect of using the Level From/To settings?

6. If leveling created splits in tasks or assignments, does the Clear Leveling command remove these splits?

7. What task fields are related to leveling?

8. What resource fields are related to leveling?

9. What assignment fields are related to leveling?

10. In a Task Usage view, you can edit the Leveling Delay field and the Assignment Delay field for assignment records. What's the difference between these two assignment fields?

11. What is the main difference between the Leveling Delay values when you level a project that is scheduled from start versus a project that is scheduled from finish?

12. What view allows you to see the before and after effects of leveling?

Lab 1

The objective of this lab is to explore the options from the Schedule tab and Resource Leveling dialog that affect leveling results. Set up your view to show a Gantt Chart view in the top pane and the Task Usage view in the bottom pane.

1. Enter a task T1 with 2d duration, and Must Start On constraint.

2. Enter a task T2 with 2d duration and 50% complete.

3. Enter a task T3 with 4d

4. Assign Resource 1 to all three tasks and Resource 2 to T3 only (make sure the duration stays at 4d).

5. Set the options

Tasks will always honor their constraint dates – OFF Leveling can adjust individual assignment on a task – OFF. Question 1 What are your results? 6. Clear Leveling 7. Set the option

Tasks will always honor their constraint dates – OFF Leveling can adjust individual assignment on a task – ON Leveling can create splits in remaining work – OFF


Question 2 What are your results? 8. Clear Leveling 9. Set the option

Task will always honor their constraint dates – OFF Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task – ON Leveling can create splits in remaining work – ON Question 3 What are your results? 10. Clear Leveling 11. Set the option

Tasks will always honor their constraint dates – ON, Split in-progress tasks- OFF, Leveling can adjust individual assignment on a task –OFF. Question 4 What are your results? 12. Clear Leveling 13. Set the option

Task will always honor their constraint dates – ON Split in-progress tasks – OFF Leveling can adjust individual assignment on a task – ON Question 5 What are your results? 14. Clear Leveling 15. Set the option

Tasks will always honor their constraint dates – ON Split in-progress tasks – ON Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task – OFF Question 6 What are your results? 16. Clear Leveling 17. Set the option

Task will always honor their constraint dates – ON Split in-progress task – ON Leveling can adjust individual assignments on a task – ON Question 7 What are your results? Lab 2 Create a customer scenario where leveling with task calendars does not behave as expected. With a partner, create a project where task calendars are applied and resources are assigned to tasks. Make sure some resources are overallocated. Attempt to level your project. Did your project level as most customers might expect? Why or why not? Lab 3 Experiment with how leveling can affect material resources. In a new project, create two three-day tasks that start on the same day. Assign one working resource and one material resource to each task. Split your screen and note the start and finish dates for each assignment. Level your project. Did any of your assignment dates change unexpectedly? Why or why not?


Answers to Exercises and Labs Exercises 1. Level Assignments is a per task setting that when set to Yes allows individual resource

assignments to be split only if the option Leveling can adjust individual assignments is also enabled. Leveling Can Split is a per task setting that when set to Yes, allows remaining work for an assignment to be split if the option Leveling can split remaining work is also enabled.

2. No, Priority cannot be set on individual assignments. 3. Tasks will always honor their constraints and Split in progress tasks on the Schedule tab.

Calculate multiple critical paths on the Calendar tab. 4. Resources overallocated for the week will be resolved, overallocations on a single day will not. 5. Level Form/To is used to specify a date range to be leveled instead of the entire project. 6. Yes, Clear Leveling removes any delay that the leveling command added to tasks and

assignments. 7. Task fields related to leveling are; Level Assignments, Leveling Can Split, and Leveling Delay 8. Resource field related to leveling is Can Level. 9. Assignment field related to leveling is Leveling Delay. 10. Task Leveling Delay changes the task start date and uses elapsed time periods. Assignment

Leveling Delay changes the assignment start date not the task start and uses working days. 11. Scheduling a project from finish will cause Leveling Delay to be negative. 12. The Leveling Gantt will display before and after leveling effects. Answers to Lab 1 1. T1 starts 1d later

• T2 is split and remaining work starts 2d later after T1 completes • T3 moved out 4d to start after T2 completes.

2. T1 is moved out 6d to start after T3 completes • T2 no change, • T3 Resource2 can start on time but Resource1’s work starts 1d later the duration is changed

to 6d. 3. T1 is moved out 6d

• T2 remaining work is split and starts 4d later after T3 • T3 Resource2 can start on time Resource1’s work starts 1d later change duration to 5d

4. T1 cannot move • T2 can not move (Resource1 is still overallocated) • T3 Resource2 can start on time. Resource1’s work is starts 2d later after T2 completes.

5. T1 cannot move • T2 can not move (Resource1 is still overallocated • T3 Resource2 starts on schedule Resource1 starts 2d later changing duration to 6d.

6. T1 cannot move • T2 Resouce1 work delayed 1d to start after T1 completes • T3 is moved out 3d to start after T2 completes

7. Same results as question 6. Lab 2 and Lab 3 do not have one correct answer.

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Lesson 18: Tracking Progress




Lesson 18: Tracking Progress Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Tracking Progress Saving the Baseline for the Project How to Track Progress Editing Fields That Affect Progress Calculation Options That Affect Progress on Tasks How Edits to Total % Complete are Distributed The Update Project Command The Update Tasks Command Editing % Complete Using the Mouse Using Collaboration Features to Track Progress Project Guild Track Feature Progress Lines Analyzing Progress Information Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Discuss advantages for tracking progress.

• Discuss purpose of saving a baseline.

• Describe what fields affect progress.

• Understand how Schedule and Calculation options effect how progress is calculated.

• Understand different features that can be used to track progress in Microsoft Project.

• List ways to view progress information.


Related Topics Covered in this Lesson • Task and Project Information dialog boxes

• Task Date Calculations

• Split tasks

• Resource Assignments

• Filtering and Grouping

• Earned Value

• Views

• Reports

• Customizing the User Interface

Tracking Progress

Overview

Tracking and reporting are two very powerful features within Microsoft® Project. Used correctly the information provided can be invaluable both to the project manager and to the company. Before tracking progress determine why the information should be tracked and what will happen with the information. Tracking and reporting should be planned at the project outset – during the outlining phase of the plan.

Tracking progress reveals the immediate effect actuals have on the rest of the project. A late start on just one task may result in having to re-scope the project, and review the availability of key resources. This information can be used during project meetings to help educate other team members and to discuss tactics.

Accurate information will help to estimate durations for the next project plan and can also help pre-empt problems on future projects.

Who Will Track Progress

The resources assigned to tasks will report their progress to the project manager. The project manager will then update the project plan with the actual data provided by the resources. Several methods for reporting and updating progress will be discussed in this lesson. The project manager should decide which method will work best for their project plan.

Saving the Baseline for the Project

Overview

At the point where the plan is scheduled as far as possible and is ready to commence, a baseline of the entire project should be saved. Saving a baseline is like taking a snapshot of the project. Saving a baseline does not stop additional tasks or other information from be added to the plan. As the project


progresses actual data should be entered so that the plan can be updated and compared against the plan. Adjustments to the schedule should be made as needed.

Comparing the adjusted schedule with the baseline is good practice, even if formal tracking and reporting on progress is not required. The data that a baseline provides can help evaluate the effectiveness of the plan for future projects.

How to Save a Baseline

From the Tools menu select Tracking, then click Save Baseline.

Figure 1 shows the dialog box and descriptions of the features available in the Save Baseline dialog box.

Figure 1. Saving a Baseline

Save baseline. This feature saves all baseline fields up to 11 times for one project. The dialog box has a drop-down list for each of the 11 baselines. When a baseline is saved, the last date saved is stored with the baseline and will be displayed in the dialog box next to the baseline name for future reference.

When this option is selected, choosing OK copies the Start, Finish, Duration, Work, and Cost fields for the appropriate tasks into the corresponding Baseline fields. If there are resources assigned to the tasks, the Work and Cost fields for each resource assignment are copied into the corresponding Baseline fields as well.

Selecting Save Baseline disables the Copy and Into lists.

Save Interim Plan. If this option is selected, the Copy and Into lists will become available. This feature manages baseline information and stores baseline data for historical purposes. Data stored in one set of fields can be copied into another set of fields so that the information can be compared over time with the original plan. Copying the data into other Baseline fields is also useful when viewing and reporting information. For example, it is easier to move Baseline data into Baseline1 data fields


and then resave the Baseline, as most views and reports are set up to show data from the Baseline fields not Baseline1 fields.

Copy. This field is used to select what information will be copied. The drop-down list includes Baseline through Baseline10 and Start/Finish through Start10/Finish10.

Into. This field is used to identify where to copy the data to. The drop-down list includes Baseline through Baseline10 and Start/Finish through Start10/Finish10.

Choosing to copy Start/Finish into Start1/Finish1 saves the plan’s schedule start and scheduled finish into the fields Start1 and Finish1 fields. If Baseline is selected to be copied into Start1/Finish1, only the data in Baseline Start and Baseline Finish will be copied.

For. This option determines what information will be saved, the Entire project or Selected tasks. If Selected tasks is checked then the tasks whose baseline data is to be saved, should have already been selected before entering the dialog box.

Roll up baselines. This feature becomes available when Selected tasks is checked. By default, after the initial baseline is saved, a summary task is not updated when a subtask is modified, added, or deleted. There are two options that will determine when summary task baseline information should be refreshed.

To all summary tasks. All summary task baseline data will be refreshed.

From subtasks into selected summary task(s). This option is disabled when a summary and its subtasks are in the same selection. The first option will take care of the refresh so the second is not necessary.

Prompting for a Baseline

Under certain circumstances, Microsoft Project will prompt the user to save or update their baseline information. When a user closes their project and none, or only some, of the tasks or assignments have baseline information, Microsoft Project will prompt with a Planning Wizard dialog box (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Prompt for A Baseline


The user can then specify that baseline information for all tasks be set before actually closing the project file.

Clear Baseline

There are situations where the baseline data for the project plan needs to be removed. For example, when using one project plan to start a new project plan. However, resaving the baseline to the same set of baseline fields will overwrite the data in the corresponding baseline fields, but the prompt to save a baseline for the new project would not be invoked.

Figure 3. Clear Baseline dialog box

The features in the Clear Baseline dialog box (Figure 3) function as follows:

Clear baseline plan. This option determines which Baseline fields are to be cleared of data. The drop-down list contains Baseline through Baseline10.

Clear interim plan. This option determines which fields are to be cleared of data. The drop-down list contains Baseline through Baseline10 and Start/Finish through Start10/Finish10.

For. This option indicates whether the Entire project or Selected tasks will have their baseline and interim plan data cleared.

OK and Cancel function as in other dialog boxes.

How to Track Progress

Overview

Anytime values are edited in the following fields, Actual Start, Actual Finish, Actual Duration, % Complete, and Physical % Complete, this indicates that the task has started. There are several options that effect how these fields and there interrelated fields are recalculated. Below is a list of different methods or features used to track progress in a project plan.

• Editing fields that affect progress.

• Using the Update Project or Update Task commands.

• Microsoft Project Server.

• From the Project Guild select Track.

Each of these methods will be discussed as well as dates and options that effect how Microsoft Project calculates progress.


Editing Fields That Affect Progress

Task Fields

When any of the following fields are edited Microsoft Project considers the task to be started or in some cases, complete. These fields can be accessed in any Task view or form as well as in Resource views where assignment information is displayed. Each field is discussed in detail below.

Actual Start

Editing this field changes the scheduled start date to equal the Actual Start date. If resources are assigned to the task, their assignment start dates may be affected.

Scheduled finish will be recalculated.

Actual Finish

Entering an Actual Finish date in this field means:

• The % Complete and % Work Complete fields for the task are set to 100%.

• The scheduled finish date is set to equal the Actual Finish date.

• The Actual Duration field is calculated and changed if necessary, and the Duration field is set to match Actual Duration.

• The Remaining Duration and Remaining Work fields are set to zero.

• The Actual Work and Actual Cost fields are calculated based on the Actual Duration.

% Complete

When the % Complete field is edited, Microsoft Project performs the following:

• The Actual Start date is set equal to the scheduled start date, unless an actual start date was already entered. If a task does not start on schedule, then the start date should be updated with the Actual Start date, before % Complete is entered.

• The Actual Finish date is set to match the scheduled finish date if the value entered for percent complete is 100%. If the Actual Finish date is not the same as the calculated date, the Actual Finish date should be entered before 100% is entered (Once a task is 100% complete Microsoft Project stops calculating other fields in the task record.)

• The Actual Duration field is set to equal the percent value times the scheduled Duration. Therefore, if a task is marked 60% complete when the scheduled Duration was 10hrs, the Actual Duration field is calculated and set to 6hrs.

• Remaining Work and Remaining Duration are recalculated. Total Work – Actual Work = Remaining Work, the same equation is used for Duration.

• The % Work Complete for the task is set of match the % Complete, by default.

• The Actual Work and Cost fields are set to match the percent value times the scheduled work and cost rates, by default.

Note If the checkbox for Updating Task Status is unchecked, then % Work Complete, Work and Cost are independent of % Complete. To find this option go to the Tools menu, click Options, and click the Calculation tab.


% Work Complete

As noted above, % Work Complete is set to match % Complete by default.

Actual Duration

If a value is entered that is less than or equal to the scheduled Duration, Microsoft Project assumes that everything is going as planned.

• Actual Start date is set to schedule start, unless it has been set previously.

• The % Complete is calculated, Actual Duration x 100/ Duration.

• The Remaining Duration field is calculated by; using this equation: Total Duration –Actual Duration = Remaining Duration.

• Work or Resource Units may be recalculated based on the task Type field.

If a Duration is entered that is greater than the original Duration, Microsoft Project assumes that the task is finished and took longer than scheduled.

• The scheduled Duration is changed to match the new, longer Actual Duration.

• Work or Resource Units may be recalculated based on the task Type field.

• The % Complete and Remaining Duration fields are set to 100% and 0, respectively, to indicate that the task is complete.

Actual Work

If a value is entered that is less than or equal to the scheduled work, Microsoft Project assumes that everything is going as planned. Refer to Actual Duration as these fields are interrelated and recalculate based on task Type.

Remaining Duration

Editing Remaining Duration only affects progress if the task has already started.

• Scheduled and Actual Duration is recalculated and in turn % Complete, % Work Complete, scheduled Finish, Work, and Remaining Work are recalculated based on the new duration.

• Entering zero in the remaining duration field is the same as entering 100% complete.

Remaining Work

Editing this field causes the same behavior as Remaining Duration.

Assignment Fields

Assignment Actual Start

If one resource is assigned to a task, editing the Actual Start for the assignment will change the Actual Start for the task.

Scheduled Start for the resource will be set to the Actual Start.


Scheduled Finish for the resource is recalculated, possibly recalculating the Scheduled Finish for the task.

Assignment Actual Finish

If a single resource is assigned to the task, entering an Actual Finish date sets the % Complete to 100%. See % Complete for information on the other fields effected.

If multiple resources are assigned to a task,

• Task % Complete and task and Assignment % Work Complete recalculate.

• Task Actual Duration and task and assignment Remaining Duration recalculate.

• Actual Start for the task and assignment are set to match the scheduled Start respectively.

• The task Type determines whether Duration, Work or Units is recalculated for the assignment effected.

If the task finish date changes indirectly due to an edit to an assignment finish date then only that assignment is affected. Any other assignments on the task are not impacted by resultant change in the task finish date.

Editing an existing assignment Actual Finish date

The assignment Actual Work is recalculated based on the new assignment Actual Duration, the corresponding task fields are also changed if the assignment duration increases the task duration. Microsoft Project extends work using the last known non-zero work rate, or it truncates the Actual Work. This behavior applies regardless of the task type setting.

Assignment % Work Complete

This field reflects assignment Actual Work as a percentage of total Work. Editing the Assignment % Work Complete field causes

• Task and assignment Actual Work and Remaining Work recalculate based on total assignment Work.

• Sets Actual Start for both the task and assignment if not previously set.

• If 100% is entered, then assignment Actual Finish is set as scheduled.

• Task Actual Duration, task, and assignment Remaining Duration all recalculate.

• Task % Complete is calculated based on task Duration/ Actual Duration x 100.

Assignment Actual Work

If a single resource is assigned to the task then Assignment Actual Work field behaves the same as the Task Actual Work field.

If multiple resources are assigned to a task then: • Task % Complete and task and Assignment % Work Complete recalculate. • Task Actual Duration and task and Assignment Remaining Duration recalculate. • Actual Start for the task and assignment are set to match the scheduled start respectively. • The task type determines whether duration, work, or units is recalculated for the task or the

assignment effected.


Remaining Work

If a single resource is assigned to the task then editing assignment Remaining Work behaves the same as task Remaining Work.

If multiple resources are assigned then:

• Task and assignment Actual Start is set to schedule start unless previously set.

• Assignment Actual Finish is set if zero Remaining Work is entered for the assignment.

• Task Work, Remaining Work, and assignment Work are recalculated if a value greater than the original task total work is entered.

• Task % Complete, task and assignment % Work Complete are recalculated.

• Task Actual Duration and Remaining Duration are recalculated. Task duration may be recalculated if the value entered is larger than total Work, if the task is not fixed duration.

If assignment Remaining Work is edited, Microsoft Project adjusts the assignment work and leaves actual assignment work unchanged.

Editing Actual Work in Timephased Cells

Actual Work can be edited for both assignment and task Actual Work in a Usage view. The edited work is distributed between the dates that begin and end the cell

After entering the Actual Work any Remaining Work is rescheduled after the end date. This includes any Remaining Work that had previously been scheduled earlier than begin date.

If the previous assignment Start was earlier than the begin date of the cell and there was no previous Actual Start, then the Start and Actual Start are set to the begin date of the cell.

If there is no Remaining Work after the edit, then the assignment Finish and Actual Finish are set to the end date, otherwise, the assignment Finish is rescheduled after the end date based on the Remaining Work.

The following rules apply if the amount of timephased assignment or task Actual Work entered in a cell does not match the scheduled timephased assignment:

• If the entered Actual Work is less than the Work for that cell period, then the Remaining Work is rescheduled after the end date.

• If the entered Actual Work is greater than the Work for that cell period, then segments are truncated from the end of the contour to account for the excess of Actual Work entered in the cell.

Figures 4 and 5 show examples of entering less Actual Work than was scheduled at the assignment level.

Figure 4. Example Before entering Actual Work on Day1


Figure 5. Example After entering 1h Actual Work on Day1

Originally the scheduled Work on Day1 for R1 was 4h at 50% Units. After entering 1h of Actual Work for Day1, 3h at 50% had to be scheduled after the original end of the assignment, after Day2.

Example of entering more Actual Work than was scheduled at the assignment level

This example (Figure 6) starts with the same Before picture as the previous example, for example, the original contour was 4h at 50% on Day1 and 8h at 100% on Day2.

Figure 6. After entering 7h Actual Work on Day1

After entering 7h of Actual Work on Day1, the 3h excess is automatically removed from the end of the assignment, leaving only 5h at 100% on Day2.

Editing Task Timephased Actual Work

Edits to task timephased Actual Work roll down to the assignment level in proportion to the assignment Work scheduled for that time period. Any existing timephased assignment Actual Work for that time period is overwritten.

The rolled down timephased assignment Actual Work is treated as if it had been entered directly and behaves as described in the previous section, Editing Assignment Timephased Actual Work.

If any days are skipped when entering actuals, then the skipped days get zero timephased task Actual Work, and the zeroes roll down to timephased assignment Actual Work. The work originally scheduled for those zeroed days is rescheduled at the end of the task as described in previous sections.

Figures 7 and 8 show examples of entering less Actual Work than was scheduled at the task timephased level.


Figure 7. Before entering task timephased Actual Work

Figure 8. After entering task timephased Actual Work in Day1 and Day2

Summary Task Total and Timephased % Complete

Summary tasks can have both totaled and timephased % Complete values (see Figure 9). These values are calculated when various values for the subordinate tasks change. The reverse is also true, edits to summary task total % Complete will calculate % Complete for the subordinate tasks.

Figure 9. Summary task has total and timephased % Complete

Calculating Summary task total and timephased % Complete

The total % Complete of a summary task equals the sum of the Actual Duration’s of the subordinate tasks divided by the sum of the duration’s of the subordinate tasks.

The timephased % Complete for a specific period for a summary task is the sum of the subordinate timephased Actual Duration’s for that period divided by the sum of the total duration’s of the subordinate tasks.

Note The summary Actual Duration does not appear in the above formulas. It is calculated separately as summary task % Complete times summary task duration, but plays no direct role in the timephased calculations.

Editing Summary task total % Complete

If you edit the total % Complete for a summary task, any previous edits to timephased % Complete for subordinate tasks is lost. The new total % Complete for the subordinate tasks and the new


timephased % Complete for the subordinate tasks and summary task are computed as mentioned above.

Status Date

Microsoft Project has a Status date field in the Project Information dialog box (Figure 10) (accessible from the Project menu).

Figure 10. Status date setting in the Project Information dialog box

Status date defaults to NA for new files and when importing previous versions Microsoft Project files or other file types.

A date or NA can be entered for Status date. If Status date is NA, then any calculations that depend on it will use the current date instead.

In the remainder of this lesson, when the term Status date is used, it is understood that this means the current date if the Status date setting is blank.

Status date is a project-level field, which can be used in the following ways:

• Earned value field calculations. The timephased earned value fields are blank on dates later than the Status date.

• Timephased % Complete distribution. If the option, Edits to total task % complete will be spread to the status date is selected (from the Tools menu select Options, select the Calculation tab). Edits to task total % Complete are distributed as timephased % Complete up to the Status date specified in the Project Information dialog box.

• Progress Lines. The Status date can be used to draw progress lines on the Gantt Chart if the At project status date option is selected in the Progress Lines dialog box (accessible from the Tools Tracking submenu). More on Progress lines later in this lesson.

• Gridlines. Status date is included in the Lines to change list in the Gridlines dialog box (accessible from the Format menu), so you can have a vertical line drawn at the Status date in the Gantt Chart and Resource Graph views.

• Header, Footer, and Legend. An earned value analysis is one way to find the answer. The list of predefined items at the bottom of the Page Setup, Header, Footer, and Legend tabs includes Project Status date.

Status Date and the Update Project dialog box

The Update Project dialog box (accessible from the Tools menu select Tracking) includes two date fields that are related to the Status date field in the Project Information dialog box.


Every time the Update Project dialog box is displayed, the two date fields default to the greater of the Current date or Status date (if not NA). It doesn't matter what the settings were the previous time the dialog box was displayed.

Status Dates and Inserted Projects

For a parent project containing inserted projects, the Current and Status dates from the parent project are used in the Gantt Chart and Update Project dialog box features listed previously.

Earned value is calculated using the individual project’s Status date (or Current date if the Status date is NA).

Calculation Options That Affect Progress on Tasks

There are seven options that affect how progress on tasks is calculated. The first two affect all tasks, while the remaining five effect tasks that already have actual work reported, they are as follows:

• Updating Task Status Updates Resource Status (available through the Tools menu, click Options then select the Calculation tab): If this option is selected, then edits to % Complete cause assignment Actual Work to recalculate at that percentage of the assignment Work. This is a two-way setting. Edits to Actual Work and Stop dates cause % Complete to be calculated. When the setting is not selected, % Complete is independent of Actual Work and Stop dates. More information on Stop and Resume date in Lesson 10: Splitting Tasks.

• Edits to total task % Complete will be Spread to the Status date (available from the Tools menu, click Options then select the Calculation tab). By default this option is not selected. Actual Duration is calculated by taking duration and multiplying by % Complete. With the option selected, % Complete is spread evenly from the task start to the Status date. Details on how this option functions is the section below on How edits to total % Complete are distributed.

• Split In-Progress Tasks (available from the Tools menu, click Options then select the Schedule tab): If selected, then remaining work on an in-progress successor task that violates a relationship with a predecessor task is automatically rescheduled to honor the relationship with the predecessor. Also, the setting must be selected in order for the Reschedule Uncompleted Work to Start feature to have any impact on in-progress tasks.

• Move end of completed task parts after status date back to status date (available through the Tools menu click Options and select the Calculation tab): If this option is selected, then edits to % Complete move the completed part of the task to end at the status date, which is the same as the Stop date. The Resume date equals the original scheduled start.

• A subordinate option, And move start of remaining parts back to status date becomes available when the parent option is selected. When selected there will be no split in the task. The Resume date equals the status date.

• Move start of remaining parts before status date forward to status date (available through the Tools menu, click Options then select Calculation tab): If this option is selected, then edits to % Complete will reschedule uncompleted work immediately after the status date. The Resume date equals the Status date + 1 minute. Stop date equals Actual Start plus Actual Duration.

• A subordinate option, And move end of completed parts forward to status date, becomes available when the parent option is selected. When selected there will be no split in the task. The Stop date is equal to the Status date.

Constraints on tasks will be ignored with the last four options; actual start always overrides a constraint. The options will not apply when actuals are set on Summary tasks. These options only apply when making total actual value edits such as: Task total actual work, task actual duration, total % Complete and % Work complete.


Here is an example of how the first pair of options work:

• The Status date is 5/9 (8:00 am is the default time).

• The task has a start date of 5/14 and duration of 4 days.

• Move end of completed task parts after status date back to status date is enabled.

• 50% is entered for the task.

Actual start is now 5/7 and the remaining work is scheduled for 5/16, the Resume date.

Figure 11. Move end of completed task parts after status date back to status date

• Using the same task, remove the % Complete.

• And move start of remaining parts back to status date is enabled

• Enter 50% complete.

The Actual Start is 5/7, the percent complete is 50%.and the start of the remaining work is changed to 5/9, the Resume date.

Figure 12. And move start of remaining parts back to status date

Here is an example of how the second pair of options work:

• The Status date is 5/9 (8:00 am is the default time).

• The task has a start date of 5/1 and duration of 4 days.

• Move start of remaining parts before status date forward to status date is enabled.


Actual start remains at 5/1, the percent complete is 50% and the remaining work is schedule to start on 5/9, creating a split in the task.

Figure 13. Move start of remaining parts before status date forward to status date

• Using the same task, remove the percent complete.

• And move end of completed parts forward to status date is enabled.


Actual start is moved to 5/7, the percent complete is 50% and the remaining work is scheduled to start on 5/9, the Resume date.


Figure 14. And move end of completed parts forward to status date

How Edits to Total % Complete are Distributed

When you edit the task total % Complete, that value is distributed over time in the task timephased % Complete row. How it is distributed depends on whether there were already some task timephased % Complete values for some days, and whether the option Edits to total task % complete will be spread to the status date is selected or not. By default the option is not selected. To access this option, from the Tools menu select Options and click the Calculations tab.

Edits to Total Task % Complete will be Spread to the Status Date Option is Not Selected

If % Complete is originally zero, and if this setting is not selected, then task % Complete is spread uniformly from the task Start date to the task Stop date, including across task split gaps if any. The project Status date in the Project Information dialog box is not used.

If there are already task timephased % Complete values, then any subsequent increases to total % Complete are spread uniformly from the latest date currently containing a timephased % Complete value to the task’s new Stop date resulting from the increased Actual Duration and Actual Work. This is a two step process and is calculated as follows:

• First the new Actual Duration is calculated from the task % Complete times the task Duration. The increase in Actual Duration sets assignment timephased Actual Work equal to the assignment timephased scheduled Work during the span of the task Actual Duration. The new assignment Actual Work distribution produces new assignment Stop and Resume dates, and therefore new task Stop and Resume dates.

• The increase in task % Complete is spread uniformly from the previous latest date that contained a timephased % Complete to the new task Stop date.

Note Decreases to total task % Complete throws out exiting timephased values and behaves as if there were no existing timephased values.

Example

This example illustrates how timephased % Complete is distributed when you edit the task total % Complete, when the Edits to total task % complete will be spread to the status setting is not selected.

Figure 15 shows the original task before task total % Complete is entered. The task has a split gap that spans Days 2 and 3.


Figure 15. Example Before entering task total % Complete

In Figure 16, 40% is entered in the task total % Complete. This produces an Actual Duration of 40% times 5d = 2d. So assignment timephased Actual Work is set equal to assignment timephased (scheduled) Work for two working days, which is Day 1 and Day 4 because of the task split gap that spans Day 2 and 3.

Figure 16. Example After entering 40% for task total % Complete

Edits to task % Complete will be Spread to the Status date option is selected

If % Complete is originally zero, and if this setting is selected, then distribution of the task % Complete depends on the project Status date in the Project Information dialog box.

• If the status date of the project was earlier than the start date of the task, then the timephased value for % Complete is placed exactly on the status date. It is not spread over any time period.

• If the status date of the project is later than the task Start date, then the task % Complete is spread from the task Start date to the Status date. The tasks Stop, Resume, and Finish don't matter.

If there are already edited task timephased % Complete values, then any subsequent increases to total % Complete are spread uniformly from the period after the latest date currently containing a timephased % Complete value to the project Status date, with restrictions similar to those above. The Status date should be set appropriately before entering in any total % Complete values. • If the Status date is increased, any farther increases to the task total % Complete are

distributed over the new date range that runs from the previous Status date to the new one. • If the Status date is decreased, then % Complete is spread from the task Start to the new

Status date. Example This example illustrates how timephased % Complete is distributed when you edit the task total % Complete, when the edits to total task % Complete will be spread to the status option is selected.


A. Figure 17 shows the original task before task total % Complete is entered. The Project Information Status date is 6/4 at 5 P.M..

Figure 17. Before entering task total % Complete

B. 15% is entered in the task % Complete. It is distributed from the task Start to the project Status date of 6/4 at 5 P.M. (Figure 18).

Figure 18. Example After entering 15% for task total % Complete

C. The task % Complete is changed to 30%. It is again distributed from the task Start to the project Status date of 6/4 at 5 P.M. (Figure 19).

Figure 19. After entering 30% for task total % Complete


D. Now the project Status date is changed to 6/6 at 5 P.M. and then the task % Complete is increased from 30% to 70%. The extra 40% is distributed from the old Status date of 6/4 5pm to the new Status date of 6/6 at 5 P.M. (Figure 20).

Figure 20: After changing the Status date to 6/6 and entering 70% for task total % Complete

The Update Project Command

To access the Update Project command select the Tools menu, click Tracking and select Update Project from the submenu (Figure 21).

Figure 21. Update Project dialog box

The Update Project dialog box has the following options:

For:. This option determines what tasks will be updated, the Entire Project or Selected tasks.

Help, OK and Cancel buttons function as in other dialog boxes.

Update work as complete through:. This date is initially pulled from the Current date setting in the Project Information dialog box (from the Project menu select Project Information) unless a Status date has been set.

Set 0% - 100% Complete. This feature calculates the % Complete for the indicated tasks based on the update date's relation to the task's Start and Finish dates. The calculation goes something like this:

% Complete = (Update date - Start) / (Finish - Start)


Set 0% or 100% Complete Only. Tasks with (Finish < update date AND Actual Finish = NA) are set to 100% complete, while tasks with (Start < update date AND Finish > update date AND Actual Start = NA) have their Actual Start set equal to their Start.

Reschedule uncompleted work to start after: This date is initially pulled from the Current date setting in the Project Information dialog box. The date specified can be earlier than the Current date or Status date but can not be earlier than the earliest end date (Stop date) of actual work already reported for the task.

Applying this feature has the following effect on tasks without progress:

Any task that meets all three of the following criteria will be rescheduled to start on or update date + 1 minute, using a Start No Earlier Than constraint.

• Actual Start = NA

• Start < update date)

• Constraint type = As Soon As Possible

This feature has no effect on in-progress tasks unless the Split In-Progress Tasks option is selected. For detailed information on the calculation options that affect in-progress tasks refer to the Calculation Options section earlier in this lesson.

This may leave the project plan in an infeasible situation; a scheduling message will display to alert users that some tasks with constraints will not be rescheduled.

The Update Tasks Command

This command (see Figure 22) provides an interface for editing all the actual fields in one place. Keep in mind that changing one field can recalculate another, not all fields need to be edited to track progress. One process should be used consistently for best results.

For example, entering both a Finish date and a % Complete is redundant. Entering a finish date sets the percent complete to 100%.

Figure 22. Update Tasks command

The Name, Duration, Start, and Finish fields are non-editable for any task selected. For summary tasks, none of the fields are editable; for subproject summary tasks, only the % Complete and Actual Finish fields are editable. For most tasks, all the other fields are editable, and when OK is selected, the information is entered for the selected task(s).


Because users can enter conflicting information into the dialog box, Microsoft Project will arbitrate the entered information based on the following rules:

• Actual Start and Actual Finish take precedence over Actual Duration, Remaining Duration, and % Complete.

• Actual Duration and Remaining Duration take precedence over % Complete. Additionally, the task's duration is changed to the total of the Actual Duration and the Remaining Duration.

• If only Actual Duration and % Complete are entered, the task's Duration is changed to.

Actual Duration 1% Complete

×

Additionally, the Remaining Duration is calculated based on the new task Duration.

• If only Remaining Duration and % Complete are entered, the task's Duration is changed to.

Remaining Duration 11- % Complete

×

Additionally, the Actual Duration is calculated based on the new task Duration.

Notes. The Notes button is only enabled if a single task is selected. When selected, it will bring up a Notes dialog box displaying the contents of the task's Notes field.

Help, OK and Cancel: function as in other dialog boxes.

Editing % Complete Using the Mouse

On views with timescales such as the Gantt Chart or Tracking Gantt, the mouse can be used to draw a progress line for a task, thus setting the percent complete.

To use the mouse to set % Complete

1. Hover the mouse over the starting end of the task bar. The cursor will change to a % sign with an arrow.

2. Click and drag the % cursor along the task. A tooltip will display the date identifying how far the progress bar will be drawn. The date will change as the mouse is dragged along the task bar.

3. Release the mouse when the desired complete through date has been reached.

A progress line now appears on top of the task bar and the % Complete field is populated with the new value (Figure 23).

Figure 23. Tooltip when extending progress line


Using Collaboration Features to Track Progress

Collaboration features in Microsoft Project automate and facilitate the communication between a project manager and resources assigned to tasks in a project plan. Collaboration commands can send messages to resources about what tasks they have been assigned to in the project plan from the project manager. Likewise, resources can send tracking information back to the project manger for updating the project plan.

There are two ways to enable Collaboration features in Microsoft Project, they are:

• Through a connection to Microsoft Project Server.

• Through a MAPI compliant e-mail system.

In order to have the Collaboration features enabled for use with Microsoft Project additional software applications need to be installed.

Microsoft Project Server. A Web application that is installed on an Internet Information Server with Microsoft SQL™ Server used as the backend database. Microsoft Project Web Access client is used via Microsoft Internet Explorer® (5.5 or better) to interface with the server. For detailed information see Microsoft Project Server documentation.

E-mail. When using a MAPI compliant e-mail system, WGSETUP.EXE needs to be installed. This file is shipped with Microsoft Project. Before you install WGSETUP.EXE please read the information in Knowledge Base article Q142486 titled PRJ: Overview of Workgroup Configurations for Microsoft Project or use this link: http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?id=KB;EN-US;q142486

Note If your e-mail system is Lotus Notes then you will need to first uninstall Lotus Notes, install Windows Messaging (from add/remove Windows components), reinstall Lotus Notes and then install WGSETUP.EXE.

If you are on a Windows 2000 system see article Q254458 titled Windows 2000 Does Not Include Windows Messaging by Default or use the link: http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?id=KB;EN-US;Q254458

Detailed information on all the collaboration features can be found in Lesson 30: Getting Started.

Project Guide Track Feature

Selecting Track from the Project Guide displays a number of links in the side pane to assist in tracking progress on a project plan. Figure 24 shows the Track side pane links.


Selecting a link, changes the side pane to display with more information and instructions about the link.

For example selecting Save a baseline plan … contains a button that will take the user to the Save Baseline command discussed earlier in this lesson.

The advantage is that the user doesn’t have to remember where the Save Baseline command is or that they really should save a baseline before tracking progress.

Selecting Prepare to track…displays a wizard in the side pane. Depending on what choices the user makes the right hand side of the screen will change to display the appropriate field and view information.

There is other useful information here about filtering and grouping a view or running reports to analyze task information as it pertains to controlling the project schedule.

Figure 24. rack side pane links

Detailed information on all the collaboration features can be found in Lesson 30: Getting Started.

Progress Lines

A progress line is a feature in the Gantt Chart that provides a visual representation of project’s progress.

The line starts just below the timescale at a specified progress date and runs down the screen connecting progress point markers on those tasks that have them, forming a zig-zag line, sometimes referred to as a lightening bolt. The progress point for a task is determined by the task timephased cumulative % Complete for the progress date. No markers are drawn for a task if the cumulative % Complete of a task is zero on the progress date, even if the task has progress starting farther to the right (this could happen if the task assignment start was later than the task start).

Example

This example (Figure 25) illustrates the main features of progress lines. In this example, the progress date is the Status date, and the option, Edits to total task % Complete will be spread to the Status date (from the Tools menu select Options and click Calculation), is selected. Total task % Complete is entered for various tasks. The '... spread to the Status date' option caused task timephased Cumulative % Complete to build up before or on the Status date. Progress points to the right of the progress date indicate tasks that are ahead of schedule. Progress points to the left of


the progress date indicate tasks that are behind schedule. This is one of the more useful ways to use progress lines.

Figure 25. Progress Line feature applied in the Gantt Chart

Multiple Progress Lines

Many progress lines can be displayed simultaneously. The options on where to display progress lines include the following:

• Display one of the progress lines at the Current date or Status date.

• Display custom progress lines at an arbitrary date that you specify.

• Display recurring progress lines at regular recurring dates where you specify the pattern, like every Friday.

Each progress line has its own set of progress points determined by the value of each task Cumulative % Complete on the progress date for that progress line.

Custom and recurring progress lines are discussed in detail later.

Setting Progress Dates and Formatting Progress Lines

The Progress Lines dialog box allows selection of the progress dates and the progress lines will draw.

The Progress Lines dialog box is displayed by selecting the Tools menu, then select Tracking and click Progress Lines on the submenu. Also right clicking on the Gantt Chart will display a shortcut menu, and finally by double-clicking an existing progress line on the Gantt Chart.

Figure 26 shows the Progress Lines dialog box with all checkboxes selected for clarity, but by default, all three checkboxes are initially unchecked and progress lines are not drawn.


Figure 26. Dates and Intervals tab in the Progress Lines dialog box

The Progress Lines dialog box contains the following two tabs:

• The Dates and Intervals tab is where you turn progress lines on and off and specify the progress dates where they are drawn.

• The Line Styles tab is where you indicate the visual style of the progress lines.

Progress lines can only be displayed in Gantt Chart views, and all progress line settings are on a view-by-view basis. When you accesses the Progress Lines dialog box to turn on the display of progress lines and set various attributes, everything applies only to the current view.

Dates and Intervals tab in the Progress Lines dialog box

There are three categories of progress lines that can be displayed and they are controlled in the Dates and Intervals tab by the three-checkbox frames. Each checkbox enables or disables all of the controls associated with that particular category and each category can be turned on and off independently of the others. The categories are:

• Always display current progress line.

• Display progress lines at recurring intervals.

• Display selected progress lines.

Actual versus Baseline

You can also specify whether progress points should be drawn relative to the Start and Finish fields or the Baseline Start and Baseline Finish fields. This is discussed in detail later.

Line Styles tab in the Progress Lines dialog box

The Line Styles tab in the Progress Lines dialog box (Figure 27) provides a number of options that control the following:

• The style of the Progress Lines (Progress Line type options).

• The pattern and color of the Progress Lines.

• The shape and color of the progress point markers.

• Whether dates should be displayed, and if so, the date format.


Figure 27. Progress Lines dialog box, Line Styles

Progress Lines dialog box, Line Styles tab determines type and format of lines and date labels.

Progress Line Drawing Calculations

This section discusses the details of how progress points are calculated and some special cases that might arise.

Filtering and Sorting

Progress lines are based only on visible tasks in the order that they are displayed. When you change the active filter or re-sort the tasks the progress lines are redrawn.

Progress Line Ordering

Progress lines are always drawn in front of visible bars, link lines, and nonworking time shading. The only items that draw in front of progress lines are the gridlines for Current Date, Status Date, Project Start and Project Finish. When date labels are displayed, they are drawn at the same level as the progress lines.

How to Calculate Progress Points

The calculation

The location of a progress point for a task is determined as follows:

• For a non-summary task

The task timephased Cumulative % Complete on the progress date is used to proportionally locate the progress point from the start of the task, considering only working time. For example, if the Cumulative % Complete on the progress date is 43%, the progress point is 43% of the way across the bar (taking nonworking time into account).

• For a summary task

The progress point is calculated as follows:

For each subordinate, take its Cumulative % Complete on the Status date times its Duration. Keep a running sum of these results across all the subordinate tasks.


Minute by minute, move left to right from the start of the task. Keep a running count of how many tasks scheduled working time that minute. When the count of minutes is equivalent to the sum in step 1 above, that date is the progress point for the summary task.

Affects of the '... spread to the Status date' setting, and edits to timephased values

Because a progress line's progress points (where it crosses the tasks) depend heavily on the Cumulative % Complete values of the subordinate tasks on the Status date, then in order to meaningfully interpret progress lines, you should adhere to the following rule:

For normal Progress Line behavior, the option, Edits to total task % complete will be spread to the Status date, should be selected, and timephased % Complete should not be edited.

The reason that the above rule gives the best results is that when you enter total % Complete for tasks, the timephased % Complete will be distributed to the left or on the Status date. This allows the progress lines to be drawn to the right for a task that has a % Complete and a Start date after the Status date. If the Edits to total task % Complete will be spread to the Status date, is not selected, then when you enter task % Complete, the % Complete can extend to the right of the Status date and the progress points won't be drawn any farther right than the Status date.

Note Changing the Edits ... spread to the Status date setting has no affect on existing progress points or timephased % Complete. It only affects new changes that you make. If you change the setting hoping to correct your progress lines, then you will have to change each task's % Complete (to any value different from the current value) and then change it back to the its original value.

Regardless of the Edits ... spread to the Status date option, if you choose to edit timephased % Complete yourself, then the interpretation of the progress lines depends completely on which dates you entered the values. Microsoft Project allows you to enter timephased % Complete on any dates, even outside of the task. If you make completely arbitrary edits to timephased % Complete, then it is impossible to interpret the resulting progress lines in any meaningful way.

Summary Progress Bars

The Bar Styles dialog box (Figure 28) in Microsoft Project has a From/To field choice called Summary Progress.

Figure 28. Bar Styles From/To Summary Progress choice

The Summary Progress choice is used to draw progress bars on summary tasks more realistically. Microsoft Project calculates the Summary Progress dates for summary tasks and uses them to draw the corresponding progress bars.

The Summary Progress field is only accessible in the Bar Styles dialog box. It is not exposed anywhere else. You cannot insert it into a task table or in the details of a Task Usage view.


Example

This example illustrates the computation of Summary Progress dates for a summary task in which all the subordinate tasks are statused through the same date. This is the easy case to interpret. It also highlights the difference between the Bar Styles CompleteThrough date and the Summary Progress date.

Part A and B both use the Bar Style definitions shown in Figure 29. Notice that the CompleteThrough and Summary Progress bars have the numbers 2 and 3 in the Bar Styles Row column. They are displayed as follows in the summary bar (for clarity) (Figures 29 and 30).

Figure 29. Bar Styles used

Figure 30. Values were entered into the % Complete of the subordinate tasks

The Complete Through summary bar draws until it reaches 50% of the summary task bar, which is day 4.

The Summary Progress bar is drawing to a point that represents completed work for the summary task because the progress bar takes into consideration when the subordinate tasks are scheduled.

Note The CompleteThrough bar not the Summary Progress date uses the summary Actual Duration. Also note that the summary Duration is the full span of all subordinate tasks, not the sum of the subordinate Durations.

To calculate the Summary Progress bar shown in Figure 31, think of the sum of subordinate Actual Durations (6d) as being distributed over the Actual Duration of the summary task.


Figure 31. Subordinate tasks of Summary 2 were statused through the same date

Example

This example illustrates the computation of Summary Progress dates for a summary task in which the subordinate tasks have been statused out of chronological order.

Parts A and B both use the Bar Style definitions shown in Figures 16 through 22.

A. 80% is entered for the % Complete of task T1 (Figure 32). To calculate the Summary Progress bar that follows, think of the sum of subordinate Actual Durations (4d) as being distributed over the summary Actual Duration.

Figure 32. 80% was entered for task T1

The Summary Progress date in Figure 32 is calculated as follows:

• First, the sum of the subordinate Actual Durations is 4d +0d + 0d + 0d + 0d = 4d.

• Next, count the tasks occurring each day, day by day, until the count reaches the sum of the subordinate Actual Durations, 4d:

Day1: Task T2 occurs on that day which adds 1d to the count. The count is now at 1d. Note that it does not matter that task T2 has no Actual Duration on Day1. Microsoft Project counts Duration, not Actual Duration during this calculation.


Day2: Tasks T1, T2, and T3 occur that day, which adds 3d more to the count, so the count is now at 4d. That matches the sum or the subordinate Actual Durations, so the Summary Progress date must be the end of Day2.

B. Next, 50% is entered for the % Complete of tasks T5 (Figure 33). To calculate the Summary Progress bar that follows, you can think of the sum of subordinate Actual Durations (5d) as being distributed the summary task Actual Duration.

Figure 33. 80% is entered for T1 and 50% is entered for T5

The Summary Progress date in the previous picture is calculated as follows:

• First, the sum of the subordinate Actual Durations is 4d +0d + 0d + 0d + 1d = 5d.

• Next, count the tasks occurring each day, day by day, until the count reaches the sum of the subordinate Actual Durations, 5d:

Day1: Task T2 occurs on that day, which adds 1d to the count. The count is now 1d.

Day2: Tasks T1, T2 and T3 occur that day, which adds 3d more to the count, so the count is now 4d.

Day3: Tasks T1 and T3 occur that day. However, there is only 1d remaining before the count matches the sum or the subordinate Actual Durations, 5d. So the remaining 1d of count has to be divided among T1 and T3. That means that only half of Day3 is needed for the count to reach 5d. So the Summary Progress date must be the middle of Day3.

Analyzing Progress Information

Microsoft Project has predefined views, tables, filters, groups, and reports that will assist a project manager with analyzing project data to better manage projects. This section is a listing of those predefined items. These items can be used as is, customized or new ones created, to better suit the business need. How to go about modifying and customizing is discussed in other lessons, see Related Reading for those references.

Views

The Tracking Gantt view is used to compare baseline data with actual data in the project plan. To access this view select the View menu, click More views, select Tracking Gantt and Apply. The Tracking Gantt can also be selected off the View bar.


The Tracking Gantt view bars styles have been defined to show baseline information in grey, critical task information in red and normal tasks in blue. Figure 34 shows an example of a project plan whose tasks have been modified since the baseline was saved.

Figure 34. Tracking Gantt view

Other views that show baseline data are Detail Gantt and Baseline Gantt.

Tables

Task Tables include; Tracking, Variance, Work, and three Earned Value tables

Resource Tables include; Cost Work, and Earned Value tables

Filters

Task Filters Resource Filters

Completed Tasks Cost Greater Than

Cost Greater Than Cost over Budget

Cost Over Budget In-progress Assignments

Critical Should Start By…

In progress Tasks Should Start/Finish by

Incomplete Tasks Slipping/Late Progress

Late/Overbudget Tasks Assigned To… Slipping Assignments

Should Start By… Unstarted Assignments

Should Start/Finish by Work Complete

Slipping/Late Progress Work In complete

Slipping Tasks Work Overbudget

Tasks with deadlines

Unstarted Tasks

Work Overbudget


Groups

Groups useful for analysis include; Complete and Incomplete Tasks, Critical, and Complete, and Incomplete resources.

Reports

Budget Report Over Budget Tasks

Cash Flow Should Have Started Tasks

Completed Tasks Slipping Tasks

Critical Tasks Tasks In Progress

Earned Value Tasks Starting Soon

Over Budget Resources Unstarted Tasks


Lesson 18: Exercises and Labs Exercises 1. In order for edits to task or assignment Actual Work to have an effect on the task total %

Complete, what option has to be selected in Microsoft Project. 2. Where in Microsoft Project do you set the Status date? 3. What features in Microsoft Project make use of the Status date? 4. If you leave the Status date set to NA, some features that would have used the Status date will

use some other date field instead. What date field? 5. Assuming the Updating task status updates resource status option is selected, does the

scheduled work contour of a task and the total task Actual Work uniquely determine the task Actual Duration, or do you need to know the Actual Work contours of the individual assignments?

6. If the Edits to total task % complete will be spread to the status date option is selected, what happens when you enter a % Complete value for a task? What if the option is not selected?

7. Assuming the Updating task status updates resource status option is selected, if you edit the total % Complete of a task, does it cause all of the task's assignments to have timephased actual work through the same date except possibly those assignments that end earlier? That is, are the assignments all statused through the same date?

8. If you enter a total % Complete for a summary task, does it cause the standard progress bars of all subordinate tasks to end on the same date except possibly tasks that end earlier? That is, are all the subordinate tasks statused through the same date?

9. When you enter a timephased % Complete value for a task, does it always fill in Actual Work at the same date that you entered the timephased % Complete?

10. What From/To item in the Gantt Chart Bar Styles dialog box makes it possible to define an improved progress bar for summary tasks? What predefined view in the More Views list uses such a summary progress bar?

11. How can you display the Progress Line dialog box? 12. What determines the date at which a progress line crosses a non-summary task? 13. What is the most likely cause for progress lines not crossing in-progress tasks to the right of the

progress date? 14. Can you enter timephased % Complete outside of the task dates? Lab 1

A. The project shown below starts on 6/2/97. Seven cells in the picture have been whited out so you can calculate them yourself. The Duration and Actual Duration of the summary task has been whited out and the % Complete has been whited out for all the tasks. Using the calculations described in this lesson, enter the correct values in the seven whited out cells without using Microsoft Project.

B.

If the new summary progress bar were displayed in the above Gantt Chart where would it end? Create a project based on the data in the above picture and verify that your answers for the seven blank cells are correct. That is, enter in the five Durations and five Actual Durations and see if the other seven values are calculated as you expected. Edit the Gantt Chart Bar Styles as shown in the picture below and verify that the summary progress bar ends on the date that you expected.


Answers to Exercises 1. In order for edits to task or assignment Actual Work to have an effect on the task total %

Complete, the option Task status updates resource status must be selected.

2. To set the Status date, go to the Project menu and select Project Information.

3. Features in Microsoft Project that use the Status date are Progress Lines, Update Project, and Earned Value.

4. If you leave the Status date set to NA, then the Current date will be used.

5. Yes, the scheduled work contour of a task and the total task Actual Work are used to calculate Actual Duration.

6. When edits to total task % Complete will be spread to the status date option is selected, and you enter a % Complete value for a task, then progress is evenly distributed to the Status date. If the option is not selected then Actual Duration is calculated base on % Complete times Duration.

7. Yes, the assignments are all statused through the same date?

8. Yes, all the subordinate tasks are statused through the same date?

9. When you enter a timephased % Complete value for a task, it does not always fill in Actual Work unless the option Task status updates resource status is selected.

10. The Summary Progress From/To item in the Gantt Chart Bar Styles dialog box makes it possible to define an improved progress bar for summary tasks. The Tracking Gantt view in the More Views list uses such a summary progress bar.

11. To display the Progress Line dialog box, go to the Project menu and select Tracking then click Progress lines.

12. The progress date or Stop date determines the date at which a progress line crosses a non-summary task.

13. Not setting the Status date is the most likely cause for progress lines not crossing in-progress tasks to the right of the progress date.

14. Yes, you can enter timephased % Complete outside of the task dates.

###



Lesson 19: Earned Value



Lesson 19: Earned Value Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Earned Value Microsoft Project Earned Value Functionality Backward Compatibility for Earned Value Data Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Discuss earned value.

• Describe the earned value measures.

• Explain which earned value quantities Microsoft Project calculates.

Related Topics Covered in this Lesson • Status Date

• Saving Baselines

Earned Value

Overview

To measure a project’s performance, Microsoft® Project uses an earned value analysis method, which uses values that are calculated using baseline data, actual work, and cost fields. These values indicate how much of the budget should have been spent, in regards to the amount of work


completed up to the status date, and the baseline cost for the task, assignment, or resource. Earned value is also referred to as budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP).

For review purposes, baseline data is saved in the project plan by selecting the Tools menu, then clicking the Tracking submenu and selecting Save Baseline. Costs include fixed costs on tasks, or costs associated with a resource that is then assigned to a task.

Measuring Earned Value

Earned value analysis uses three fundamental values for each task:

• Budgeted cost of work scheduled (BCWS) or planned value. The portion of the cost planned to be spent on a task between the task's start date and the status date. For example, the total planned budget for a 4-day task is $100 and it starts on a Monday. If the status date is set to the following Wednesday, the BCWS is $75.

• Actual cost of work performed (ACWP). The total actual cost incurred while performing work on a task during a given period. For example, if the 4-day task actually incurs a total cost of $35 during each of the first 2 days, the ACWP for this period is $70 (but the BCWS is still $50).

• Budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP) or earned value. The portion of the budget that should have been spent for a given percentage of work performed on a task. For example, if after 2 days 60% of the work on a task has been completed, you might expect to have spent 60% of the total task budget, or $60.

From these three fundamental values, several other key values can be determined. The most common and useful ones are:

• Cost variance (CV). The difference between a task's earned value and its actual cost. CV = BCWP - ACWP

• Schedule variance (SV). The difference between the earned value and the planned value of a task, in terms of cost. SV = BCWP - BCWS

• Cost performance index (CPI). The ratio of earned value to actual costs. CPI = BCWP/ACWP.

• Schedule performance index (SPI). The ratio of earned value to planned value. SPI = BCWP/BCWS.

Performing Earned Value Analysis

When an earned value analysis is performed, reliable answers to key questions are generated, such as "Is there enough money left in the budget to complete the project?" and "Is there enough time left in the schedule to finish the project on time?" Earned value indicators express project progress in terms of cost and schedule. An earned value analysis is a good way to determine whether money will run out before work on the project is completed (or if there will be a surplus after it's over).

Interpreting Earned Value

Earned value indicators that are variances, such as cost, can be either positive or negative. A positive variance indicates that the schedule is ahead or under budget. Positive variances might enable reallocation of money and resources from tasks or projects with positive variances to tasks or projects with negative variances.


A negative variance indicates that the schedule is behind or over budget, and action should be taken. If a task or project has a negative CV, the budget my need to be increased or the scope of the project revisited.

Earned value indicators that are ratios, such as the CPI and the SPI, can be greater than 1 or less than 1. A value that's greater than 1 indicates ahead of schedule or under budget. A value that's less than 1 indicates behind schedule or over budget. For example, an SPI of 1.5 means that it has taken only 67% of the planned time to complete a portion of a task in a given time period, and a CPI of 0.8 means that 25% more has been spent on a task than was a given time period.

Earned Value Fields

Field Types

In Microsoft Project, many of the earned value fields are defined for task, resource, and assignment records, and most of them have a corresponding timephased field. Each field type is calculated by a slightly different method. For example, Microsoft Project Help includes information on the following six record-type BCWP fields:

• BCWS (task field). To calculate BCWS for a task, Microsoft Project adds the timephased baseline costs of the task up to the current date or status date.

• BCWS (task-timephased field). To calculate timephased BCWS for a task, Microsoft Project adds the cumulative timephased baseline costs up to the current or status date.

• BCWS (resource field). To calculate BCWS for a resource, Microsoft Project adds the timephased baseline costs of the resource up to the current date or status date.

• BCWS (resource-timephased field). To calculate timephased BCWS for a resource, Microsoft Project adds the timephased baseline costs of the resource up to the current date or status date.

• BCWS (assignment field). To calculate BCWS for the assignment, Microsoft Project adds the timephased baseline costs of an assignment up to the current date or status date.

• BCWS (assignment-timephased field). To calculate timephased BCWS for an assignment, Microsoft Project adds the timephased baseline costs on the assignment up to the current date or status date.

For detailed information on all the versions of these fields, (task-timephased, resource, and so on) search on earned value in Microsoft Project Help.

Field Descriptions

Actual Cost of Work Performed (ACWP) all six field types

It is the cost of actual work plus any fixed costs for the task to the current date (or through the status date). How and when ACWP is calculated depends on the assigned resources' Standard Rate, Overtime Rate, Per Use Cost, and Cost accrual settings in the Resource Information dialog box, as well as the actual work reported, task fixed costs, and the status date or today’s date. This field can be compared to the BCWP to indicate if a task is over or under budget.

Note This is not the same as the Actual Cost field. See the Actual Cost versus ACWP topic later in this lesson.


Budget At Completion (BAC) all six field types

This field is also know as the baseline cost and is calculated as the sum of the planned costs of all the assigned resources plus any fixed costs associated with the task. This is the same as the contents of the Cost field when the baseline is saved. This field can be compared to the Cost field to determine is a tasks cost is within budget.

Budgeted Cost of Work Performed (BCWP) all six field types

This field shows the value of what the task's actual costs should be, given the task's percent complete to that point in the task's baseline duration. This field can be compared to the actual cost of work performed to indicate if a task is over or under budget.

BCWP = baseline cost * percent complete

Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS) all six field types

This field contains the cumulative timephased baseline costs to the current date (or through the status date). This field shows how much should have been spent on a task, according to the task's baseline cost.

BCWS = the addition of all the timephased baseline costs to date or through the status date.

Cost Performance Index (CPI) task and task timephased

This field shows the ratio of BCWP to the ACWP to the current date (or through the status date). A ratio greater than 1, indicates that actual costs are less than what was scheduled to date, but it does not necessarily mean that the task is under budget.

CPI = BCWP / ACWP

Cost Variance (CV) all six field types

This field shows the difference between how much the task should have cost (BCWP) and how much it has actually cost (ACWP) for the percent complete to the current date (or through the status date).

CV = BCWP – ACWP.

Cost Variance Percentage (CV%) task and task timephased

This field shows the percentage of CV by dividing the CV by the BCWP. This indicates the variance between how much it should have cost to how much it has actually cost to the current date (or through the status date) for the current progress on the task.

CV% = CV / BCWP * 100

Estimate At Completion (EAC) task

This field shows the expected total cost of a task, based on performance to date (or through the status date). When the baseline is saved this field equals the baseline cost, however as actual work or actual costs are reported, the EAC is calculated by adding the ACWP to the difference between BAC and BCWP and then dividing by the CPI.

EAC = ACWP + (BAC - BCWP) / CPI


Schedule Performance Index (SPI) task and task timephased

This field shows the ratio of what the cost should be based on the performance (BCWP) to the current date (or through the status date) to the cost that was scheduled (BCWS) for the same time period.

SPI = BCWP / BCWS

Schedule Variance (SV) all six field types

This field shows the difference between the baseline costs for the current progress (BCWP) and the costs of what was scheduled to be done (BCWS). This field can show if the task is ahead or behind schedule.

SV = BCWP - BCWS

Schedule Variance percentage (SV%) task and task timephased

This field shows the ratio of the SV to the BCWS as a percentage.

SV% = (SV / BCWS) * 100

To Complete Performance Index (TCPI) task

This field shows the ratio of remaining work to remaining budget to the current date (or through the status date). A value greater that 1, indicates that performance for the remaining work should be increased to stay within budget.

TCPI = (BAC – BCWP) / (BAC – ACWP)

Variance at completion (VAC) task, assignment, and resource

This field shows the difference between the baseline cost (BAC) and the estimated cost at completion (EAC).

VAC = BAC - EAC

Fields Associated with Earned Value Calculation Options

Date Fields Used in Earned Value Calculations

The Current date or the Status date is used to calculate earned value. These fields can be found by selecting the Project menu and selecting Project Information. The Status date is NA by default. The Current date is pulled from the machine’s system date. If Status date is NA then the current date will be used in calculations. Note that the time for the Current date is by default 8 A.M., as specified by the default start time in Tools/Options/Calendar, while the time for the Status date is 5 P.M. by default, as specified by the default end time. When using the date picker to choose a new date, the time doesn’t change if Tools/Options/View/Date format includes the time. Otherwise the defaults are used as outlined before. This is important to remember when viewing the values in Earned Value fields.

Earned Value Method task

This field holds a value that indicates whether to use the % Complete field or the Physical % Complete field for calculating BCWP on a per task basis. To set this field see the section on Earned Value Options in this lesson.


Percent Complete task

This field is based on task actual duration divided by total duration. This field is used by default to calculate BCWP.

Physical % Complete task

This field is entered manually and can be used to calculate BCWP instead of the % Complete. It is not tied to work or duration.

Baseline and BaselineX task

A baseline must be saved before any of the above fields that rely on baseline data can be calculated. There are 11 baselines that can be saved, Baseline, and Baselines 1 through Baseline 10. Only one baseline can be used at a time to calculate earned value however. To select which baseline will be used, select Tools on the Main menu and click Options then chose the Calculations tab and click the Earned Value button and select which baseline data to use.

Earned Value Options

Earned value calculations use % Complete and Baseline (0) by default. With the introduction of Physical % Complete and multiple baselines, there is now the option to choose which percent field and baseline to use for earned value calculations.

To set the default method for earned value and set which baseline to use for earned value calculations

1. Select the Tools menu, select Options, click the Calculation tab.

2. Click the Earned Value button.

3. Click the drop-down list for Default earned value method and select either Physical %Complete or %Complete.

4. Select a baseline. The last saved date for the baseline will also be displayed.

To set the method per task

1. Double click the task name to bring up the Task Information dialog box and click the Advanced tab.

2. Select a method from the drop-down list next to Earned value method (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Earned value default task and baseline options In the same dialog box there are four other options that can effect how Microsoft Project calculates earned value. They are:


• Updating task status updates resource status. When this option is selected an edit to task % Complete will calculate actual work on a task and roll down to the assignment level. This option is selected by default.

• Edits to total task % complete will be spread to the status date. When this option is selected, if an edit to task % complete is made, then the additional % complete will be spread from the task start or a previous status date to the Status date. Otherwise, the additional % Complete is added to the end of the earlier entered values. If you enter progress on a regular basis, selecting this option gives a more accurate picture of progress and BCWP over time. This is not selected by default.

• Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project. When this option is not selected, actual costs must be manually entered before earned value fields that use actual cost can calculate. This option is selected by default.

• Edits to total actual cost will be spread to status date. This option is only available if the above option is not selected. When an actual cost is entered at the task level, that cost will be spread to the status date.

Note These defaults and settings are only applied to the open project. If you want to have these defaults applied to all new projects, click on the Set as Default button in Calculation options for…

Figure 2 shows the section of the Calculation tab where these options can be found.

Figure 2. Additional Calculation options that effect earned value

Microsoft Project Earned Value Functionality

Once a baseline has been saved for the project the following fields will calculate to the current date or status date; BCWS, BAC, VAC, SV, and SV%

When progress is reported for an assignment or task then the remaining earned value fields calculate.

Microsoft Project Defaults for Earned Value Calculations

Example 1: Microsoft Project defaults for Earned Value Applied

The following example (Figures 3 through 6) will show how BCWS, ACWP, and BCWP are calculated at the task and assignment level using the default options that Microsoft Project is setup with, which are: • Updating task status updates resource status. • Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project. • Earned Value calculations are set to use % Complete and Baseline (0).


The project plan used in the following examples contains one task with a duration of 4 days. It has two resources assigned at 100% units and a standard rate of $10.00 per hour each, the resources do not have the same start date on the task. The Task Usage view is shown with the timephased fields for Actual Work, BCWS, ACWP, and BCWP inserted.

Figure 3. No baseline saved, current date 10/12, status date NA

Figure 4. Baseline saved, current date 10/12, status date NA

Notice that Res2 does not yet have BCWS calculated. This is because Res2 does not start work until 10/14, so there is no baseline data for 10/12 for Res2 on 10/12.

ACWP and BCWP rely on actual data before they can calculate.


Figure 5. Current date 10/14

Notice that BCWS for Res2 is now calculating.

Figure 6. Percent Complete entered on the task level

The Current date is still 10/14. A percent complete of 33% was entered at the task level (% Complete cannot be entered at the assignment level, however you could enter actual work at the assignment level). The percent complete is based on the total duration of the task, that means that actual work was updated based on duration not work. Only Res1 work was affected by this update, so only Res1 ACWP and BCWP were calculated.

Notice on 10/14 or D3, the BCWS on the task level rolls up the timephased BCWS for all assignments for a value of $320.00.

Also notice that BCWP and ACWP are the same. When the option to have Microsoft Project always calculate costs is selected and resource rates for the time period have not changed since saving the baseline, these two values will always equal each other.


At this point if BCWS is compared to BCWP (that is, SV is negative) it is clear the task is behind schedule. In order to get the task back in line, the resources need to work more hours on the remaining days.

Physical % Complete

Example 2: Using Physical % Complete

The following example (Figure 7) shows two tasks, T1 uses % Complete to calculate BCWP and T2 uses Physical % Complete, to compare the difference. Both are 4 days in duration and have 1 resource assigned at $10.00 standard rate. The Current date is 10/14. ACWP and BCWS are not affected by Physical % Complete, BCWS is shown for comparison.

Figure 7. Calculating BCWP using % Complete vs. Physical % Complete

Percent Complete assumes that a third of the task T1’s duration has been completed; all of the scheduled cost for 10/12 and part of 10/13, then that value is carried forward to the Current date of 10/14. T2 uses Physical % Complete that assumes 33% of total work was done at an even rate through the current date

Both tasks are behind schedule, but a different view of when the tasks went off track is presented. In T1 it appears that on Day 2 work stopped. For T2 it appears that work progressed more slowing that scheduled. Example 3: Edits to total task % complete spread to status date In the next example (Figure 8) Edits to total task % complete spread to status date has been selected. The example uses a task with a 4-day duration and one resource assigned with $10.00 standard rate. The option to spread percent complete to the status date has been selected. If the Status date is NA the option will use the Current date as the Status date.

Figure 8. Option to spread % complete to status is selected Notice that only the task BCWP is effected by this option. If the option were not selected BCWP would be calculated.


Actual Costs Are Always Calculated by Microsoft Project

Example 4: Actual Costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project

The next example (Figures 9 and 10) will take a look at how the option Actual Costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project affects earned values calculations. The Status date is D4 or 10/18. The task is 4-day duration, one resource assigned with a standard rate of $10.00.

Figure 9. Percent complete entered at the task level

Notice that ACWP does not calculate when the option to have Microsoft Project calculate costs is turned off. BCWS and BCWP calculate as expected. The next picture shows ACWP when Actual Cost is entered at the task level.

Note The BCWP on D1 is off by .07 cents and on D2 by 10 cents. This is due to the fact that Microsoft Project calculates with data out to two decimals places and this can cause the values to be rounded.

Figure 10. Actual cost manually entered at the task level

Notice that the Actual Cost entered was distributed across the task in accordance with the amount of actual work accomplished. The Actual Cost is the same as if 24 hours of work had been done but only 10.57 hours was accomplished. Microsoft Project calculated on the fly, a new cost per hour to determine how to distribute the Actual Cost across the actual work.


Actual costs can be entered at the assignment level and the cost will roll up to the task level. If the cost is entered at the task level then the cost will be rolled down to the assignments according to the units at which the resources have been assigned to the task.

Edits to Total Actual Cost Will be Spread to the Status date

Example 5: Edits to total actual cost will be spread to the status date

This option is not available unless the option Actual Costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project has been deselected. The task is 4 days in duration with one resource assigned at $10.00 standard rate (Figure 11).

Figure 11. Actual Cost spreads to status date

ACWP is the only Earned value field affected by this option. Here the total Actual Cost is spread evenly over the task to the status date regardless of the actual work that has been accomplished by the resource.

Updating Task Status Updates Resource Status

Example 6: Updating task status updates resource status

This example (Figure 12) shows earned value calculations when the option Updating task status updates resource status is not selected. The task is 4 days in duration with one resource assigned at $10.00 standard rate. The option for Microsoft Project to calculate costs has been reselected.


Figure 12. Edit to total task percent complete

BCWP is calculated for the task at 33% complete. Because Microsoft Project does not have the data to know what actual work has been completed the BCWP is carried through to the current date. ACWP can not be calculated until the value for Actual Work is known.

Figure 13 shows the actual work for the resource after the task total % Work Complete is entered for the task.

Figure 13. Edit to total percent work complete

Once actual work is known the ACWP can be calculated.

Backward Compatibility for Earned Value Data

Backward compatibility is supported in that a Microsoft Project 2003 file can be opened in Microsoft Project 2000 and none of the new earned value fields will display, and earned value will be calculated using % Complete and Baseline (0). That same file can be opened in Project 2003 and the new earned value fields will once again display, no data will be lost as long as the file has not been saved.


Lesson 19: Exercises and Labs Exercises 1. What is an Earned Value Analysis Method used for? 2. What is task BCWS and how is it calculated? 3. Negative variances generally indicate that a task is __________ or _________ budget. 4. Where do baseline costs come from? 5. What are the three fundamental Earned Values fields? 6. How many field types exist for ACWP? 7. How many field types exist for Physical % Complete? 8. What date is used for Earned Value calculations? 9. What option affects how ACWP is calculated? 10. What is the difference between % Complete and Physical % Complete?

Lab 1. Become familiar with the various ways to view earned value fields and analyze the project plan based on the data calculated 1. Create a task with a 4 day duration.

2. Create two resources one with a standard rate of $1.00 and the other with $10.00.

3. Assign both resources to the task created in step 1.

4. From the Project menu select Project Information. Set the Current date or Status date out by three days.

5. Save a baseline. (From the Tools menu select Tracking and Save Baseline).

6. From the View menu select Table:<table name> and click More Tables from the submenu.

7. Select Earned Value and click Apply. What fields are displayed and which have non-zero values?

8. Double click the task name, in the Task Information dialog select the General tab and enter 30% in the % Complete field. Note which fields have non-zero values.

9. From the View menu select Table:<table name> and click More Tables from the submenu. Select Earned Value Cost Indicators and click Apply. What fields are displayed in this table?

10. From the View menu select Table:<table name> and click More Tables from the submenu. Select Earned Value Schedule Indicators and click Apply. What fields are displayed?

11. Switch to a Task Usage view. To the table add % Complete and Actual Cost. Right click the timescale, select Detail Styles and add Actual Work BCWS, BCWP, and. ACWP.

12. Enter zero in the % Complete and Actual Cost fields.

13. From the Tools menu select Options and click the Calculations tab. Clear the checkbox next to Actual costs are always calculated by Microsoft Project.

14. Enter a total Actual Cost of $300.00 in the task table. Note the BCWP and ACWP values compared to BCWS.

15. Zero out the Actual Cost on the task. Enter 30% complete for the task. Enter $300.00 in the Actual Cost field. Note the BCWP and ACWP values when % Complete is a non-zero value. Why does BCWP calculate in this step but not in step 14? Why is the ACWP on D1 different in step 15 from step 14?


Answers to Exercises 1. Earned Value Analysis Method is used to measure a project’s performance by comparing how

much of the budget should have been used with how much as actually been used.

2. Task BCWS is the Baseline Cost of Work Scheduled and is calculated by adding the cumulative timephased baseline costs up to the status date.

3. Negative variances generally indicate that a task is behind or over budget.

4. When a baseline is saved for a task or entire project, baseline costs are saved given that tasks have a fixed cost or a resource/s with associated costs have been assigned to tasks.

5. The three fundamental Earned Values fields are BSWC, ACWP, and BCWP.

6. There are six field types that exist for ACWP.

7. There is one field type that exists for Physical % Complete.

8. The Status date is used for Earned value calculations, unless the Status is NA in which case the Current date is used.

9. The option Actual costs will always be calculated by Microsoft Project affects how ACWP is calculated.

10. The difference between % Complete and Physical % Complete is that % complete is based on task actual duration divided by total duration and Physical % Complete is not tied to work or duration.

Answers to Lab

1. The fields that display are: Task Name, BCWS. BCWP, ACWP, SV, CV, EAC, BAC, and VAC.

2. 8. The fields that display are: Task Name, BCWS, BCWP, CV. CV%, CPI, BAC, EAC, BAC, and TCPI.

3. 9. The fields that display are: Task Name, BCWS, BCWP, SV, SV%, and SPI.

4. BCWP calculates in step 15 because BCWP needs a % complete to calculate. ACWP on D1 is different in step 15 from step 14 because a % complete has been entered causing actual costs to be applied to the task base on the amount of work performed.

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Lesson 20: Multiple Projects




Lesson 20: Multiple Projects Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Multiple Projects Cross-Project Links Manipulating Ghost Tasks Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Discuss master and subprojects use.

• Describe how to create a master project.

• Describe the function of the Project Information dialog box.

• Understand outline level behavior when inserting projects.

• Describe the different ways to create cross project predecessor/successor links.

• Describe the function of the Task Dependency dialog box.

• Discuss circular loops involving external predecessor/successor links.

Multiple Projects

Overview

There are situations where a project plan may become very difficult to manage due to its size or complexity. In order to ease this problem organizing the project plan into smaller subprojects can be very helpful, but the plan still needs to be managed in it entirety. That is where the use of a master project and inserted subprojects comes in.


A master project is basically a container project that has smaller subprojects inserted into it. When the subproject files are inserted into a master project, an Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) link is created to the subproject, when the subproject is updated the master project reflects the updates.

Some ways in which an oversized plan can be organized include:

• Tasks in separate phases can be broken out into subprojects.

• Different project managers managing different parts of the plan.

• Task cost being covered by different budgets.

• Tasks grouped by location or division.

The table below lists terminology associated with multiple projects and their definitions

Multiple Project Definitions

Consolidated Project Container Projector Master Project

A project that contains one or more other projects. Every project (MPP) is capable of being a Consolidated Project.

Inserted Project Source Project or Subproject

A project contained within another project.

Cross-Project Link A task relationship (or link) between tasks that exist in different projects.

Ghost Task Or External Task A representation of a task from a different project in the current project. Ghost Tasks are created for both Cross-Project links and inserted projects.

User Interface

Inserting a Project

From the Insert menu, select the Project command to create an inserted project (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Insert Project menu command

This displays a version of the File Open dialog box with options for the inserted project(s). The dialog box supports multi-select so that more than one project can be selected for insertion.


Figure 2. Insert Project dialog box

Most controls in this dialog box are supplied by the standard File Open dialog box. The differences are:

ODBC. If the ODBC button is selected, the ODBC Data Source dialog box appears. Once the data source has been selected, if there are full projects saved in the database, they are presented in the dialog box shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Insert Project dialog box for OBDC link

The list box displays all of the full projects in the database. The list box is multi-select so that more than one project can be chosen for insertion. The order of selection is used to determine the order of insertion.

The label for the list box reflects the Data Source Name that is selected.

The rest of the controls are the same as in the standard Insert Project dialog box. Note that the controls are not linked to the controls in the standard dialog box (for example, if Read Only is checked in the standard dialog box, it will not be checked in this dialog box).

Insert. This button inserts a project file into the currently open file. This button has two options, Insert and Insert Read Only.

Insert Read Only. The Read Only option is unchecked by default. This control determines whether the inserted project is read-only in the master project. If the inserted project is read-only, then


changes cannot be made from the master project. If the inserted project is not read-only, then changes can be made in the master project and the changes are reflected in both the master project and the source project.

If Link to Project is unchecked, then this control is disabled.

Link to Project. This checkbox is selected by default and creates an OLE link between the subproject and master project. The link makes it possible to update the subproject and when the master project is opened the updates are reflected in the master project. If the option is not selected then the subproject tasks are pasted into the master project and no longer have any relationship with the original subproject plan.

Locating Master and Subproject files

In Microsoft® Project, relative Universal Naming Convention (UNC) paths are used in addition to full UNC paths to reference inserted projects and resource pools. The relative paths are used first. For example, if the file project1.mpp were inserted into a project stored in the same directory, it would be referenced by both “\project1.mpp” and “C:\My Documents\Client 1\project1.mpp.” Microsoft Project would use the relative path first to locate the project. If it could not be found using the relative path, the full path is used.

Because of this additional relative path, it is easy to move groups of projects from one location to another and still maintain cross-project links or links with resource pools and inserted projects. The only requirement is that files relative locations remain constant. So if a group of project files was originally located in the same directory, they will now need to be placed in the same directory in the new location.

Project files can also be stored to a shared folder on another machine. In which case the path would be: \\<server name>\<shared folder name>\<project file name>.

Project files can be stored to a database using a system DSN. The path to that file would be: <system DSN name>\<project file name>.

Figure 4 shows a master file that has projects inserted each source.

1. Database

2. Shared folder on another machine

3. Local file

The subproject field has been inserted that includes the path where the files came from to demonstrate the naming conventions Microsoft Project uses to locate subproject files.

Figure 4. Subproject field displays the full path for inserted project files

When opening a master file in which an inserted project cannot be located, the following dialog box is offered to locate the missing file. Notice the title of the window.


Figure 5. Cannot find inserted project

Microsoft Project uses a general flexible Insert Project command that allows a project to live at any outline level within a container project.

Master projects can be further included in other projects (nested) to develop a project hierarchy. Figure 6 illustrates nested inserted projects in the Gantt Chart view. Notice the ID numbers and cross-project links.

Figure 6. Example of nested inserted projects and cross-project links

Inserting a project with a different currency setting

If the user tries to insert a project that has a different currency setting than the master project, the alert shown in Figure 7 is displayed.


Figure 7. Alert over currency clash

If OK is chosen, then it continues normally. To the master project, the cost information is rolled up using the currency setting in the master file. The information within the inserted project is displayed as it would normally (in its currency format).

Window/New Window

Microsoft Project supports “on-the-fly” consolidation via the Window/New Window command. The user is provided with a list of the open projects and can choose multiple projects to be displayed in the same window.

If the user chooses to consolidate two projects that are already related, then there is no alert, but the relationship is preserved in the new consolidated project.

For example, if ProjA contains ProjB which contains ProjC. The Window/New Window dialog box lists ProjA, ProjB, and ProjC. If the user chooses ProjB and ProjC, then the new consolidated project would have both ProjB and ProjC. ProjB would be at outline level 1 and ProjC would be contained in ProjB as it normally is.

Inserted Project Information dialog box

When a project summary task for an inserted project is selected and the Task Information command is selected from the Project menu (or the inserted project name is double clicked), the Inserted Project Information dialog box is displayed instead of the Task Information dialog box. Some properties are disabled and some special properties are available.

Figure 8. Inserted Project Information dialog box


All tabs have a Project Information button that tunnels to the Project Information dialog box for the inserted project. This function allows the settings on the project to be changed (calendar, schedule from start/finish, and so on).

The controls that are disabled are on the General tab, they include the Duration, Percent Complete, Start, and Finish fields.

Figure 9. The Advanced tab

The Advanced tab has the following controls for the inserted project:

Link to Project: When checked, this indicates that the inserted project is linked back to its source project. The edit control allows the user to change the path to the source project (to correct it if the file has moved, and so on).

When unchecked, the OLE link is broken to the original file. Also the edit control, the Browse button, and the Read Only checkbox are disabled. When OK is selected, the information from the inserted project is copied into the master project as normal tasks.

Browse Button: When pressed, the Browse button displays the standard File Open dialog box with the title Insert Project. The default directory and path are taken from the edit control.

Read Only: When unchecked, edits made to the inserted project in the master project are reflected in the source project.

When checked, edits are not permitted to the inserted project (the inserted project is read only). If changes are made to the read-only file, a prompt to save with a new file will be displayed on save or close.

Inserted Project Display Behavior

In general, formatting information is pushed down from the master project onto the tasks in the subproject (text styles, bar styles, and so on).

In addition, direct cell or bar formatting is lost when a project is viewed from within another project (because formatting is stored with the view).


Indicator (Task Sheet/Gantt)

The Project Summary Task for an inserted project has an inserted project indicator in the Indicator column. This enables the user to easily distinguish between normal tasks and inserted projects. The indicator is modified when the inserted project is read-only and/or when the file cannot be found.

Figure 10. Indicator of an Inserted Column

Task Bars

Task bars are drawn using the formatting from the master project. Direct formatting of bars in the individual project is not displayed in the master project. Direct formatting is stored in the view, not in the task.

Resource views

Microsoft Project provides a Project field for Tasks, Resources, and Assignments

Figure 11: Example of the Project Field in a Resource Sheet view

Editing Rules for Inserted Projects

Inserting Tasks near Inserted Projects

When the user chooses to insert a task or project at the boundary between an inserted project and tasks in the master project, it follows the Smart Insert functionality rules. The Smart Insert feature controls where and at what outline level the task or project will be inserted.

If the Inserted Project Summary task is selected, the insert occurs immediately above the inserted project.


Task Below Inserted Project Summary Task Selected

There are two cases here:

• The Inserted Project Summary task is collapsed so that it is the only task of the inserted project being displayed. In this case, the new task is inserted into the master project at the same level as the inserted project.

• The Inserted Project Summary task is expanded. The new task is inserted into the inserted project. The outline level is determined by the Smart Insert behavior.

Deleting an Inserted Project

If the Inserted Project Summary task is selected and Edit/Delete (or press the Delete key) is chosen, the Project Summary task and all of its children (the entire project) are deleted from the master project (just like deleting a normal summary task). The deleted project file still exists and contains all of its child tasks, but it is no longer part of the master project. If however, specific child tasks are selected without selecting the Inserted Project Summary task, then the child tasks are deleted from the Inserted Project.

Navigating Around an Inserted Project

Outlining is the most natural way to navigate around an inserted project is through the outline commands.

Show Subtasks (Expand). Displays the next outline level of details in the inserted project.

Hide Subtasks (Collapse). Collapses the inserted project so it displays only the Project Summary task without showing the child tasks.

Show All Subtasks (Expand All). Works on only the selected project. This allows the display of subtasks to be more finely controlled.

To show all subtasks for all summary tasks and inserted projects, the user can select everything by clicking a table column and using the Show All Subtasks command.

Indent & Outdent. Can indent or outdent tasks within a particular project. Tasks cannot be moved between an inserted project and its master via outdenting (or vice versa via indenting).

If the user attempts to indent a task in the master project that follows an inserted project’s summary task, Microsoft Project 2003 does not allow the action and no alert is displayed

Saving Inserted Projects

The user is prompted to save each unsaved inserted project as well as the container file.

Custom Fields

In Microsoft Project, custom fields can be renamed for ease of use. For example, the predefined Text1 field could be renamed or given the alias, OBS. Then, instead of referring to the Text1 field, the user could refer to OBS instead. The aliases appear in all drop-down lists of fields.

In a master project, the aliases used are the ones defined in the master project and the aliases that are defined in inserted projects are ignored while the master is active. For example, if the alias OBS


is assigned to Text 1 in the master project, but it is given the alias Cost Code in the inserted project, then while the master project is active the alias OBS is used, because it is the alias defined in the master project.

Multiple Projects - Effects on Standard Project Commands

Resource Assignment

The Assign Resources dialog box can be used with master projects containing inserted projects.

Figure 12. Resource Assignment dialog box

The Resources From label in the Assign Resources dialog box always displays the name of the current file. No pool is displayed even if multiple tasks are selected and they do not all come from projects using the same pool. The Resource Assignment list changes when the selected task uses resources from a different file, but the Resources From will remain the same.

If multiple tasks are selected from multiple projects and those projects share the same resource pool, then that pool is displayed by the Resources From label in the Assign Resources dialog box.

If the tasks selected do not share the same pool, then no pool is displayed in the dialog box and all buttons are disabled except the Close button. This eliminates the possibility of the user attempting to assign a resource from one pool to a task in a project that is not using that pool.

Find/Replace

The Find and Replace commands in the Edit menu work across all projects in a master project. The Replace command does not work on a selection, but it does work on filtered tasks. To apply it only to a specific inserted project, activate that project, or apply a filter that only displays that inserted project.


Link Tasks/Unlink Tasks

Tasks in a master project can be linked using the mouse as in a stand-alone project. If the link involves tasks in separate files, a cross-project link is automatically created.

Sort

Consolidation allows sorting to occur as it does in a stand-alone project. Tasks from different projects can become intermingled if the Keep Outline Structure is unchecked.

Filtering

Filtering works the same as it does in a stand-alone project.

File Properties

The Properties command in the File menu displays the properties for the master project. To view the properties for an inserted project, the inserted project needs to be opened into its own window then the Properties command in the File menu can be selected.

Project Information

The Project Information command in the Project menu displays the project information for the master project. To view the project information for the inserted project the user can either

• Display the Inserted Project Information dialog box and use the Project Information button to tunnel to the Project Information dialog box for that project.

or

• Double click the inserted project summary task

File - Send

If only the master project is sent, then the references to the inserted projects will be incorrect.

Drawing Objects and OLE Objects on the Gantt Chart

Drawing and OLE Objects are stored in the master project.

Change Working Time (Project Calendars)

The Change Working Time dialog box (and other places where calendars are listed) displays calendars from all projects inserted into the master project. The calendar will be listed with the project name enclosed in square brackets after the calendar name.

It is possible to open the inserted project in its own window in order to edit its calendars.

Status Date, Current Date, and Update Project dialog box

Microsoft Project presents the concept of the Status date that allows project managers to track the last time they entered actuals for their project. The Update Project dialog box uses the entered Status date (by default) to calculate progress information. If the Status date is not entered, then the Current Date is used.


For Consolidated Projects, it uses the Current and Status dates from the master project for display on the Gantt Chart and for the Update Project dialog box.

Calculations based on the Status/Current date, such as Earned Value calculations when the Edits to total task % complete will be spread to the status date option is selected, are calculated using the individual inserted project's Status/Current date.

The Current date gridline in the Gantt Chart and the default date in the Update Project dialog box use the Status date from the master project.

Cross-Project Links

Cross-project linking enables the user to link tasks in one project to tasks in another project.

Microsoft Project supports true cross-project linking. The user can include a path and filename in the Predecessor and Successor fields, followed by a slash and the usual relationship syntax.

For example, if C:\MyFiles\P1.mpp\24FS+3d is entered in the Predecessor field, then the predecessor has ID 24 in the file C:\MyFiles\P1.mpp, and the relationship is Finish-to-Start with 3 days of lag.

Cross-Project Linking Terminology

The term internal is used to describe those tasks that exist in a project. External relates to those tasks outside of a project. Use of either of these terms depends on the specific project in question. To avoid confusion, this discussion assumes the active project is the internal project unless stated otherwise.

When an external link is created in the active project, replicated tasks are created in both the external and active projects.

The term ghost task is used to refer to an external (replicated) task, however, an external task is not displayed with the ghost task formatting in the active project if the parent of the external task has been inserted into the active project.

One project gets an external successor task and the other gets an external predecessor task. When either project is displayed alone (for example, does not contain the other as an inserted project), the external task is displayed with special light gray ghost formatting so it can be easily distinguished from other tasks.

If an external task is displayed as a ghost task in the active project, it gets its own ID in the active project (not necessarily the same ID it has in its parent project). A predecessor ghost task is inserted just before the corresponding internal successor task, and a successor ghost task is inserted just after the corresponding internal predecessor task. However, if a ghost task representing the external task already exists, then that ghost task is used to represent the external task in all the relationships it may have with tasks in the active project. In other words, if two tasks in the active project both have the same external predecessor, there is only one ghost task representing that external task in the active project.

Example

This example illustrates the relative use of the terms internal and external, in relation to cross-project linking.


Figure 13. Task Test1T5 is the predecessor in Test1.mpp

Figure 14. Task Test2T3 is the successor in Test1.mpp

From the perspective of Test1.mpp, task Test1T5 is the internal predecessor of the external successor task Test2T3.

From the perspective of Test2.mpp, task Test1T5 is the external predecessor or the internal successor task Test2T3.

The task in each individual project that represents an external task is also called a ghost task.

Creating and Editing Cross-Project Links

The Gantt Chart in the master project can display tasks from many different projects, including tasks from the master project, projects inserted directly into the master project, tasks in nested inserted projects, and ghost tasks from external projects that are not contained in the master.

It is possible to create cross-project links by dragging between any two task bars in the Gantt Chart, regardless of what project they belong to. However, link lines are not displayed if the predecessor and successor are both ghost tasks.

The predecessor and successor can be in different projects. If they are visible, they can be linked (subject to the normal linking restrictions, such as not being allowed to link a summary task to one of its child tasks). Cross-project links can also be created in a master project the same way as in a stand-alone project.

Example

This example illustrates cross-project links among tasks that are part of a master project file.

Note The inserted projects Test1, Test2, and Test3 are displayed as ghost/external summary bars in Main1. Also, Test2 is a nested inserted project under Test1, which is inserted into Main1.


Figure 15. Example of Cross Project linking displayed in a master project

Linking Between Projects

There are two ways to link information between Microsoft Project files; by using dependency links between project files, or by using object linking and embedding via Copy/Paste Special.

When a project relies on a task that is in another project, cross-project links can be used to create a dependency between them. When a dependency between tasks in different projects is created in this way, any changes to the start or finish dates of the external task are automatically reflected in the successor task of the other project.

When links between only certain fields of information need to be created, links between fields in two project files can be pasted by using the Paste Special command instead. For example, where the same job descriptions and pay rates exist in two projects, but the tasks occur in both projects, the Paste Special command enables the user to connect the selected fields in the two plans so that the information stays synchronized.

To create a dependency between tasks in different projects 1. Open both projects - the file containing the task you want to link to and the file containing the task

you want to link from. (If necessary, you can search for your file.)

2. In the Window menu, click Arrange All.

3. Use the mouse to drag a link between two tasks.

or

4. In the Task Name field, click the task for which you want to create a task dependency to an external predecessor.

5. Click Task Information and then click the Predecessors tab.


Figure 16. Creating cross project task dependency

6. In the ID field, type the full path of the project location, the project name, and ID number of the external predecessor, separated by a backslash, for example: \\<full path>\Project1\1 for Task ID 1 in a file named Project 1.

7. To change the dependency to a type other than finish-to-start, select a different dependency type in the Type field.

8. To enter lag time for the dependency, enter a value in the Lag field.

9. To enter lead time, enter a negative value in the Lag field, such as –2 for two days of lead time.

Links between Individual Projects

A link between two projects can be created by editing the Successor or Predecessor field in the sheet or in the Task Information dialog box Predecessors tab.

The format of the external link is either: pathname\filename\task_id

or pathname\filename\project_name\task_id

or DSN\project_name\task_id

followed by the usual link type and lag/lead values,

where: • pathname is the UNC path to the directory containing the project file. • filename is the name of the project file. This could be an .mpp or .mdb file. • DSN is the ODBC Data Source Name (like <SQL Server>). • project_name is a specific project name. This is used in cases where the source file can store

multiple projects (such as MPD and ODBC). It indicates to which project within the given file or DSN the user is referring.

• task_id is the external task ID (the normal ID that would be displayed in the external project).


For example, the following could be entered into the Predecessors column: \\proj1\plans\Project 2003\long file name.mpd\long project name\44 SS+1d

When creating a link, the project name and task name can be typed in to create an FS cross-project link to the external task if the project is in memory (open). Microsoft Project can fill in the path and filename of the open project. If no link is specified, Microsoft Project creates an FS link by default. It is a predecessor or successor link depending on whether the user is typing in the predecessor or successor field.

If the file is not in memory, the user must enter the path (and any other required information if the source is a DSN). Microsoft Project then loads the file. If the filename is entered without an extension, it assumes .MPP. If it cannot find the file, it displays the normal alert and then displays the File browse dialog box.

Example

This example illustrates how external predecessors/successors in a stand-alone project are inserted as ghost tasks after the internal task, causing ID numbers to shift.

Task P3T2 in project P3.mpp will be given an external predecessor from P1.mpp and another from P2.mpp. Figures 17, 18, and 19 show what each of the projects looked like after the links were created. The Project field shows the parent project of each task.

Figure 17. P3.mpp AFTER the link is created




Task Information dialog box

Cross-project links can be created in the Task Information dialog box Predecessors tab by specifying the appropriated external predecessor information in the ID column. The path is not required if the predecessor parent file is open. The Type and Lag fields cannot be edited until OK is clicked and the external file is opened.

Figure 20. Cross Project Links in the Task Information dialog box

The ID column accepts ID for internal tasks. For external tasks, it accepts the same syntax as the Predecessor column in a task table: path\filename\ID or path\filename\project_name\ID or DSN\project_name\ID.

Because Microsoft Project cannot open the external project while the dialog box is displayed, it puts “External Task” as a placeholder name for the task name, Type and Lag. Type and Lag cannot be edited until OK is chosen in the dialog box, which opens the external project.

In a master project, the Task Name drop-down list other tasks in the same project. This list includes external tasks that have cross links to the internal project.

Task Dependency Dialog Box

The Task Dependency dialog box is displayed by double-clicking a link line in a consolidated or stand-alone project.

There are two versions of the Task Dependency dialog box, one version if the link does not involve a ghost task (but may involve inserted external tasks), and a different version for a link between an internal task and a ghost task.

To display a Task Dependency dialog box, double-click a link line between two tasks that are not ghosted.


Figure 21. Link between two internal tasks

If one or both of the non-ghosted tasks is in an inserted project, then the inserted project names are appended in parentheses after the external task names. In Figure 22, the project P2.mpp is inserted into the active project, and the task P2T3 in the inserted project P2.mpp is the predecessor of P3T2 in the active project.

Figure 22. Link from a Task in an inserted project to an internal task

For a link between an internal task and a ghost task, the full path and filename of the ghost task are appended in parentheses after the ghost task name. In Figure 23, the project P2.mpp is not inserted into the active project. The task P2T3 in project P2.mpp is the ghost predecessor of P3T2 in the active project.

Figure 23. Link from a ghost task to an internal task

Manipulating Ghost Tasks

Editing Ghost Tasks

If a cell of a ghost task is double-clicked, Microsoft Project opens the external project, if it is not already open, and places the cursor at the top of the file. If the file is already open, double clicking the ghost task will activate that file and place the cursor at the proper task.

The cross project link can be edited in either project.


The ghost task can be deleted from the internal task's project. This removes the link and removes the ghost task from the internal project. This action has no affect on the external task in the external project except to remove the cross-project link (and the appropriate ghost task) when that project is updated. For example, deleting a ghost task breaks the link, but does not delete the task record from the parent project.

Synchronized and editable ghost fields

Some information in a ghost task is synchronized with the information in the external project, and some information is editable in the internal project. In general most fields are synchronized except for custom fields, notes, and baseline fields (so that the user can set a baseline in the internal project) and some fields are only used to show assignment fields.

Cost and work fields are synchronized, but they are not included in rollup calculations because they are not counted against the internal project. Also, fields that are synchronized are not editable because the synchronization would wipe out any edits.

The following split table shows what information is synchronized with the information in the external project. It also shows what information can be edited in the internal project. The X at the end of some of the field names in the table is a placeholder for numbered fields. For example, TextX means Text1, Text2, and so on.

Name Sync Editable Name Sync Editable

Actual Cost Yes No Marked No Yes

Actual Duration Yes No Milestone Yes No

Actual Finish Yes No Name Yes No

Actual Overtime Cost

Yes No Notes No Yes

Actual Overtime Work

Yes No NumberX No Yes

Actual Start Yes No Objects No No

Actual Work Yes No Outline Level No No

Baseline Cost No Yes Overallocated No No

Baseline Duration No Yes Overtime Cost Yes No

Baseline Finish No Yes Overtime Work Yes No

Baseline Start No Yes % Complete Yes No

Baseline Work No Yes % Work Complete Yes No

BCWP No No Predecessors No No

BCWS No No Preleveled Finish Yes No

Confirmed No No Preleveled Start Yes No

Constraint Date Yes No Priority Yes No

Constraint Type Yes No Project Yes No

Contact No Yes Recurring No No

Cost Yes No Regular Work Yes No

Cost Rate Table No No Remaining Cost Yes No

Cost Variance No No Remaining Yes No


Duration

CostX No Yes Remaining Overtime Cost

Yes No

Created No No Remaining Overtime Work

Yes No

Critical Yes No Remaining Work Yes No

CV No No Resource Group No No

DateX No Yes Resource Initials No No

Assignment Delay

No No Resource Names No No

Duration Yes No Resource Phonetics

No No

DurationX No Yes Resume Yes No

Early Finish Yes No Rollup No Yes

Early Start Yes No Start Yes No

Effort Driven Yes No Start Variance No No

External Project Name

No No StartX No Yes

Finish Yes No Stop Yes No

Finish Variance No No Subproject File No No

FinishX No Yes Subproject Read-Only

No No

Fixed Cost Yes No Successors No No

Fixed Cost Accrual

Yes No Summary No No

FlagX No Yes SV Yes No

Free Slack Yes No TeamStatus Pending

No No

Hide Bar No Yes TextX No Yes

Hyperlink No Yes Total Slack Yes No

Hyperlink Address

No Yes Type Yes No

Hyperlink Href No Yes Unique ID No No

Hyperlink SubAddress

No Yes Predecessors Unique ID

No No

ID No No Unique ID Successors

No No

Indicators No No Assignment Units No No Late Finish Yes No Update Needed No No Late Start Yes No WBS Yes No Level Assignments

No No Work Yes No

Leveling Can Split

No No Work Contour No No

Leveling Delay Yes No Work Variance No No Linked Fields No No


Formatting Ghost Tasks

To allow formatting of the ghost tasks, the following items are included in the following dialog boxes:

View Dialog box Item Default formatting

Calendar Text Styles external task Color: Gray

Calendar Bar Styles external task Color: GrayBar Type: BarPattern: Hollow

Gantt Text Styles external task Color: Gray

Gantt Bar Styles External (Show For) Color: GrayBar: Light Dither

Network Diagram Text Styles external task Color: Gray

Network Diagram Box Styles external task Color: GrayBox: Dotted Box

Task Sheet Text Styles external task Color: Gray

Task Usage Text Styles external task Color: Gray

Task Report Text external task Color: Gray

Crosstab Report Text external task Color: Gray

Gantt Chart Wizard

The Gantt Chart Wizard preserves ghost task formatting, but provides no options to change it. Formatting for ghost task bars must be carried out using the Format Bar or Format Bar Styles menu commands.

Baseline Information for Ghost Tasks

Unlike all other information about the ghost task, the baseline information comes from the internal project rather than the external project.

An external task has two independent sets of baseline field values. One set is in its parent project, and the other set is in the internal project. This allows the user to see how much the ghost task has moved or changed from the last time the internal project baseline was set.

Link Updates and Maintenance

Cross Project Linking Options

The View tab of the Options dialog box available in the Tools menu contains options to control how links are updated when files are opened, as well as whether or not ghost tasks are displayed.

Figure 24. Cross-Project Linking Options in Tools Options View tab


The first two settings, Show external successors and Show external predecessors, determine if the ghost predecessors or successors are displayed as tasks or hidden in the current project. This setting does not impact the predecessor or successor fields of the linked internal task that show the external links as text.

If the parent project of an external task is inserted into the active project, then the external task is not displayed as a ghost task, but is instead displayed as any other task in an inserted project.

If the Show Links Between Projects dialog box on open option is ON (selected) then the Automatically accept new external data option is disabled and unchecked. If Show Links Between Projects dialog box on open is OFF (not selected), then the Automatically accept new external data option is enabled and this option can be turned ON or OFF.

If the Show Links Between Projects dialog box on open setting is ON, then Microsoft Project displays the Links between Projects dialog box whenever the file is opened, but only if there has been a change to an external task or link. If this setting is OFF, then Microsoft Project does not display the dialog box on file open even if there have been changes to the external tasks or links. In that case, choose the Links between Projects command from the Tools menu to display the dialog box.

If Automatically accept new external data is ON, then Microsoft Project automatically accepts any new external link information without prompting the user. Because it automatically synchronizes the data, if Microsoft Project cannot find the external link (because the link was removed or the project file was moved), then the external task is deleted.

By default, the first three checkboxes are ON.

These options are saved per project and cannot be saved globally.

Behavior on Open

Suppose there is a link between a task in project Test1 and a task in project Test2, and project Test2 is opened. Various scenarios are discussed as follows.

Project Test1 in Memory

If project Test1 is already open in memory, then the linked task in project Test2 reflects the current information from project Test1, and Test2’s ghost in project Test1 reflects the current task data of that task in project Test2.

Provided calculation is ON, any open project reflects the current data of the external tasks and links.

Project Test1 Not in Memory and 'Show ... dialog box on open' is ON

If project Test1 is not currently open, then Microsoft Project looks for the external data in the external project (which would cause the project to be loaded in the background). If this external data is different than the current data stored in the first project being opened (project Test2) then Microsoft Project displays the Cross-Project Links dialog box that shows all external links. Those links that have changed can be easily found by looking in the Differences column.

Project Test1 Not in Memory and 'Show ... dialog box on open' is OFF

Automatically accept new external data is ON

When opening the project, it looks for the external data in the external project. Any changed data automatically is updated in the current project without prompting from the user.


Automatically accept new external data is OFF

When opening the project, it does not look for the external data. If the Links Between Projects dialog box is displayed, at that point it looks for the external data.

Links Between Projects Dialog Box

The Tools menu, Links Between Projects command is used to see the cross-project links.

Figure 25. Tools Links Between Projects command

Figure 26. Links Between Projects dialog box

The Links Between Projects dialog box displays all the cross-project predecessors and successors for the current project with information about what changed in the current project. This dialog box also shows links whose source project cannot be found, or whose source task cannot be found.


From this dialog box it is possible to repair broken links, choose to accept or refuse new data concerning a cross project link, and edit or delete a cross-project link (and thus the ghost task as well).

When the dialog box is displayed, if it hasn't already retrieved the external information, it opens up all the external projects in order to obtain this external information.

Figure 27. Successor and Predecessor links between projects

The dialog box has one tab that shows the External Predecessor tasks and another that shows the External Successor tasks.

If an internal task has a predecessor and successor external link, then that task appears on both tabs.

Task. Shows the internal and ghost task pair that constitutes a cross-project link. The internal tasks are aligned to the left and have an ID number. The ghost task is indented under it. On the same line as the ghost task is Type, Date, % Complete and Difference information. The name, type, date and % Complete fields reflect the old information for example, the information stored in the current project. The differences field is used to inform the user what data has changed in the external project and its new value. The current project's internal data on the external task and cross-project link changes to this new value when the user accepts the change.

Type. Shows the link type and any lag or lead information about the external link.

Date. Either the start date or the finish date of the external task. If the link is connected to the start date of the external task, then the date is start date. If the link is connected to the finish date of the external task then the date is the finish date of the external task. It uses the date format selected in the Internal Project.

%Comp. Shows the % Complete value for the external task.

Differences. Provides information about what has changed in the external task from the external project since it was last updated in the internal project, or it lets the user know that the external task or project file could not be found. If more than one piece of information changed, then the changes are listed on separate lines.

Kinds of information displayed in the Differences column:

• Name to <new name> is displayed when the task name changed.

• Finish to <new finish> is displayed when the finish date changed and the link depends on the finish date.


• Start to <new start> is displayed when the start date changed to a new date X and the link depends on the start date.

• Type to <new type> is displayed when the link type changed.

• Link Deleted is displayed when Microsoft Project detects that the link is deleted from the other project.

• Task Not Found is displayed when Microsoft Project cannot find the external task within the external project.

• Project Not Found is displayed when Microsoft Project can find the project file or DSN but not the project name specified. The user can use the Browse dialog box to find a renamed or moved project.

• File Not Found is displayed when it cannot find the project file or DSN. The user can use the Browse dialog box to find a moved or renamed external project file.

• File Located is displayed when a File Not Found or Project Not Found condition has been manually corrected. Note that if there are any changes in the file that it finds, it automatically accepts them.

• None is displayed to indicate that no changes have been made to the external task or link.

The Accept button accepts all the changed information for the selected task.

The All button accepts the changed information for all links in the dialog box.

The Browse button lets the user repair the path for an external project file that may have been moved or renamed.

The Delete Link button deletes the selected cross-project link and removes the external task from the current project. Deleting external links In Microsoft Project, it is possible to delete external predecessor links to files that cannot be found. The dialog box shown in Figure 28 will appear enabling the user to delete the external link or relocate the file.

Figure 28. Links could not be found


Project Calculations

No project is recalculated unless it is opened.

Suppose that project A has links to project B and B has links back into A, and only project B is opened. Microsoft Project reads in dates from project A (provided the user says it's ok to update links). Microsoft Project does not recalculate tasks in project A, even though their predecessors in project B may have changed.

All the appropriate projects must be reopened before everything can be recalculated.

Circular Loop Detection

The definition of a circular loop or circular task relationship in Microsoft Project is when a series of task links, link back to the first task in the series. Circular links are not allowed in Microsoft Project as they will cause Microsoft Project to stop calculating field values and therefore must be avoided.

If the user tries to create a circular link loop in a single project, Microsoft Project can detect this condition and does not allow the link to be created. This is more difficult to detect and solve when the links are spread among a number of different projects.

It is possible to create such loops by creating links while not having all the projects open. For example, assume that x, y and z represent single tasks in projects A, B and C. If x is linked to y and y is linked to z, and then B is closed, and link z is linked to x, a circular link is created.

x -> y -> z -> x

Microsoft Project only detects such loops among currently opened projects.



Exercises 1. What is a master project?

2. What other terms are used to discuss master projects?

3. What is a subproject and what other terms are used to describe subprojects?

4. Name two ways a master project can be created in Microsoft Project.

5. What is the purpose of the Link checkbox when inserting projects into a master file?

6. What task field contains the location of an inserted project?

7. How can it be determined by viewing the above field where a subproject is located? Please be specific in regards to the field value and what it indicates about the file location.

8. What kind of information is available when a subproject’s summary name is double clicked?

9. How can subprojects be quickly identified form a regular summary task when viewing a Gantt Chart?

10. What is the Smart Insert feature

11. Which calendar takes precedence, when a subproject is inserted into a master file that has a different standard calendar?

12. What is meant by a cross-project link?

13. How are cross-project links created?

14. Once a cross-project link is created, how is a cross link identified if only one of the project plans is open in the current window?

15. What does Microsoft Project display when a ghost task is double clicked?

16. Can a dependency be created between ghost tasks?

17. What option controls whether ghost tasks will display in the project plan?

18. What option controls how external tasks are updated?

19. What is a quick way to view all cross links in a project plan?

20. What is a circular loop and how can one be avoided?

Lab 1. Familiarize yourself with creating and editing a master project plan 1. Create two project plans and save the plans as Project A and Project B.

2. Open a new blank file. Create a summary task with a couple of subtasks.

3. Select the first blank line under the summary task. Click the Insert menu and select Project. Select Project B and click the Insert button.

4. Insert the Outline Level field into the table. At what outline level is Project B?

5. Expand all summary tasks. Notice the task ID numbers. Enter a new task on the first blank row in the current view. To which project does the new task belong?

6. Now collapse all summary tasks. Select the next blank line.


7. Click the Insert menu and click Project. Select Project A. Deselect the Link checkbox. Now click Insert.

8. Expand all summary tasks. Insert the Project column in the table. To what project do the tasks you just inserted belong?

9. Change the first task name in Project A and the first task name in Project B.

10. From the File menu click Close. When prompted save the first file using the name Master. If you are prompted to save any other files click Yes and note the name of the file being saved.

11. Open Project A and Project B. Did the tasks name you changed in step 9 get saved in both files? Why or Why not?

12. From the Window menu select New Window. Select Project A and B and click OK. Click the Save button. What file are you asked to save? Give it the name of MyMaster. What file are you asked to save next? Click the Yes button. Are you asked to save any other files?

Lab 2. Familiarize yourself with creating cross-project links 1. Open the file MyMaster from the previous lab.

2. Hoover the mouse over a regular task in Project A, click and drag the mouse to the last task in Project B and release. You should now see a dependency link between the two tasks.

3. Double click the dependency link ( this is not as easy as it sounds, be patient). Notice the From: and To: text in the dialog box. Go ahead and change the Type to Start-to-Start (SS) and click OK.

4. Close the file and click Yes and Yes to All.

5. Open Project A only. Double click the ghost task name. What file is now open?

6. Double click the last task in the file (the one that is a successor of the ghost task). On the Predecessor tab what info is in the ID field? Copy this information down.

7. In the next blank cell in the ID column type the information you copied down in the step 6. Notice the task name. Click OK. You should have gotten an error message about not being able to link twice to the same task.

8. Repeat steps 6 and step 7, but this time instead of entering the same task ID for the predecessor use a lower number you know to exist in Project A.

9. Double click the last task once again. Notice the task name this time. Click OK.

10. Delete both of the ghost tasks. Open Project A were the tasks deleted from Project A or only the links to Project B?


Answers to Exercises 1. A master project is a project that contains one or more other projects.

2. Other terms used to discuss master projects are Container Projects or Consolidated Projects.

3. A subproject is a project contained within another project. Other terms to reference subprojects would be inserted projects or source projects.

4. Master projects can be created by using the Insert command to insert subprojects into an existing project or by consolidating open projects by using the New Window command.

5. The Link checkbox when checked creates an OLE link to the inserted project file so that changes are updated in either file.

6. The subproject field contains the location of an inserted project.

7. The location of a subproject can be determined by the path prefixed to the file name in the subproject task field. <DSN name> identifies a database connection, <drive letter>\folder indicates the local machine, and \\<server name>\folder indicates a shared folder.

8. When a subproject’s summary name is double clicked the Inserted Project Information dialog box is displayed. This information is specific to the inserted project.

9. When viewing a Gantt Chart, subprojects can be quickly identified from regular summary task by the icon in the Indicators column.

10. The Smart Insert feature controls where and at what outline level tasks or project will be inserted into the current file.

11. When a subproject is inserted into a master file, each file (and therefore each task and each resource) continues to use its own standard calendar.

12. A cross-project link is a task relationship between tasks in different project files.

13. Cross-project links are created by either consolidating projects using the New Window command and dragging a link line between tasks or by entering the full path and ID number to a task from an external project into the predecessor or successor field in the current file.

14. A cross-project link is identified by a dependency link between a task in the current project with a ghost task.

15. When a ghost task is double clicked, the external file is opened in a new window and the focus is switched to the original task.

16. Yes, a dependency can be created between ghost tasks but no link line will display in the current file.

17. The options Show external successors and Show external predecessors control whether ghost tasks will display in the project plan.

18. The options Show links between projects and Automatically accept new external data control how external tasks are updated in the current file.

19. A quick way to view all cross links in a project plan is to display the Links Between Projects dialog box selected from the Tools menu.

20. A circular loop is a series of task relationships that link back to the first task in the series. To avoid creating a circular loop make sure all source projects are open when creating cross-project links.


Answers to Lab 1

1. The project was inserted at outline level 2.

2. The newly added task belongs to Project B.

3. 8. I was prompted to save the file in the currently open window (the container file)

4. No, only Project B was saved. Project A was inserted without a link and therefore the source file (Project A) was not updated.

5. The file in the current window was saved. Then I was asked to save Project A. I was also prompted to save Project B.,

Answers to Lab 2

1. Project B is now open.

2. The path and the ID number of the ghost task.

3. Only the links were deleted.

###



Lesson 21: Resource Pools



Lesson 21: Resource Pools Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Resource Pools Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Describe resource pool architecture.

• Discuss alerts and choices displayed when opening a pool.

• Understand Update and Refresh pool commands.

Resource Pools

Resource pools allow resources to be managed by the project manager even when they are allocated over several projects. Using the resource pool, the project manager can schedule the resource’s work across projects, identify conflicts between assignments in different projects, and see how the resource’s time is spent in multiple projects.

Each project file using resources from a pool is referred to as a sharer file. A resource pool can be any file containing information on resources, but using a separate file containing only resource data is recommended.

Microsoft® Project stores assignment information in the sharer projects and in the pool. If the sharer is available, Microsoft Project uses the information in the sharer. If the sharer is not available, Microsoft Project uses the duplicated information in the pool.

This allows the user to see allocation of resources across all projects in the pool without requiring all sharers to be open. It also allows changes to be made to projects without having the pool open read-write.


Microsoft Project supports the following features:

• Pool files automatically open read-only.

• The pool can be refreshed to see changes other users made.

• The pool can be updated to save (replicate) changes to the pool for other users to see.

Creating and Using a Resource Pool

Resource pools are actually project (.mpp) files that contain the relevant resource information. Creating a resource pool requires simply entering resource data into a project file. (see Microsoft Project 2003 Usability Lesson 14: Resources). Resource data is entered on the Resource Sheet. The resource pool is then linked to project files that utilize the resources.

Linking a resource Pool to a Project Plan

To link a project file to a resource pool both files must be open. From the project file, the resource pool is accessed through the Resource Sharing command on the Tools Menu.

To link a project to a resource pool

1. Open both the resource file and the project file.

2. From the project file click Tools.

3. Select Resource Sharing.

4. Select Share Resources

5. From the dialog box choose Use Resources radio button.

6. Select appropriate resource pool from the From: drop-down list.

7. Select precedence for the Sharer or Resource file.

8. Click OK.

Figure 1. Share Resources dialog box

Radio buttons: Selecting the Use own resources radio button breaks the link to the resource pool, if one exists. The Use resources radio button is selected automatically when a file is selected in the From: drop-down list.


From: This drop-down list will display the names of all files currently open. As project files are linked to a pool and become sharer files, the sharer file names are removed from the list.

On conflict with calendar or resource information

Pool takes precedence: By default the option Pool takes precedence is selected. When this option is selected the information about resources contained in the pool file will overwrite the data in the sharer file. This feature makes it possible to store all data about resources centrally, in turn creating less redundancy, data integrity, and consistency across all files sharing the same pool.

Sharer takes precedence: This option updates the resource pool file with changes to resource information modified in the sharer files. On close of a modified sharer file the user is prompted to update the pool file. This option is a global setting and affects all files in the system. There is more discussion on this option in the Update Pool section later in this lesson.

Information stored in the Pool

In Microsoft Project, the resource pool includes all resource information for the resources in the pool. Information such as Name, Standard Rate, and Calendar is stored in the pool. Creating a resource pool makes it possible to have one central location for resource information. This in turn reduces redundancy, reduces the amount of data entry, and increases data integrity.

This information is replicated in the sharer so that the sharer can be opened without the pool being open and still allow the user to see all the resource information for those resources assigned in the sharer file.

Information stored in a Sharer

All information about the assignments in a sharer is stored in the sharer, including the name of the task and resource involved in the assignment and the assignment Units, Work, and Work Contour. This information is replicated in the pool so that each sharer can see the assignment information from other sharers (by opening the pool) without having to open the other sharers. If a sharer is open, then the pool uses the information stored in the sharer.

Example

Project files Sharer1.mpp, Sharer2.mpp, and Sharer3.mpp all use resources from Pool.mpp. Sharer1.mpp and Sharer2.mpp are currently open (possibly by different users across a network).

Sharer1.mpp and Sharer2.mpp use the resource information in the Pool.mpp instead of their own replicated resource information.

Pool.mpp uses the assignment information in Sharer1.mpp and Sharer2.mpp, but also uses the cached replicated assignment information from the unopened sharer, Share3.mpp.

Opening a Pool or Sharer

In Microsoft Project, when a pool or sharer is opened, Microsoft Project asks if the pool and other sharers should be opened, in order gain visibility to all the assignment information across all the sharers.

If the users chooses to open all these other files, other users are locked out from updating their own files.


Opening the Pool

When opening the pool, the following alert is displayed:

Figure 2. Alert displayed when you open a pool

The three choices that are discussed follow:

Open resource pool read-only

If this option is chosen, the resource pool is opened read-only.

Open resource pool read-write

If this option is chosen, the resource pool is opened read-write.

Open resource pool and all other sharer files

If this option is chosen, the resource pool is opened read/write. In addition, a new window is opened, and all of the sharer files are opened (invisibly if they are not already open) and inserted into a new container project (also known as master or consolidated project). All the sharer files are opened read/write, so changes can be made to the sharer files regardless of whether or not the new container project is saved.

If any files, pool or sharer, have already been opened by another user then the files are opened read-only and cannot be modified in the current session.

Opening a Sharer File

When a sharer project is opened, if the resource pool is not already open, the following alert is displayed:


Figure 3. Alert displayed if you open a sharer when the pool is not open

The two choices that are discussed follow:

Open resource pool to see all assignments across all sharer files

If this option is chosen, the resource pool is opened read-only and the sharer file is opened read/write. Resource information is taken from the resource pool directly.

If the user needs access to the resource pool read-write (resulting in faster operation, but locking out other users), then they need to open the file directly instead of having Microsoft Project open the pool through the above alert.

Do not open other files

If this option is chosen, the resource pool is not opened and any changes must be uploaded into the resource pool.

If the resource pool is already open and an associated sharer file is opened, no dialog box appears.

Opening Master Projects with Multiple Inserted Projects Attached to a Resource Pool

Opening a master project prompts the same dialog box. The dialog box appears when the individual projects are expanded within the master file. If the master file was saved, with all the inserted files expanded, then the dialog box will display on open.

This dialog box appears once for each resource pool file associated with the inserted projects.

Similarly, there will be one prompt to update the resource pool/s when saving or closing a master project. The following dialog box will appear only once per resource pool file associated with sharer files inserted into the master.


Figure 4. Update resource pool

Note The user will be prompted to save each individual project unless Yes to all or No to all is selected. But the user will not be asked to update the resource pool for each individual project.

Updating the Pool

By default the pool is opened read-only, therefore none of the changes made in the sharer file will update the information in the pool. However Microsoft Project has two features to help preserve a user’s changes, a command to update the read-only pool and an alert before the sharer file is closed.

The Update Resource Pool command (from the Tools menu select Resources) allow updates to the pool with the new information from the active sharer project.

Figure 5. Resource sharing submenu

Note The Update Resource Pool and the Refresh Resource Pool commands are disabled (grayed out) if the pool is already open read-write, or if the active project does not use resources from a pool. The Refresh Resource Pool command is discussed later.

When the Update Resource Pool command is used, the pool is closed and then re-opened read-write. The pool is then updated with information from the active sharer project and then saved, closed, and re-opened read-only again. During this process, a sequence of messages is displayed on the status bar at the bottom of the window along with a progress meter bar. For example, if the pool is called Pool.mpp, the sequence of messages would be: Closing Pool.mpp, Opening Pool.mpp, Saving Pool.mpp, Closing Pool.mpp, and Opening Pool.mpp.

The pool is only updated if something changed in the active sharer project that needs to be saved in the pool, such as:

• Assignment records are always copied from the sharer to the pool.


• Resource records that exist only in one of the two files, the sharer or pool, are copied from the file containing the record to the file that doesn't have it. This is true for only those resources that are assigned in the sharer file.

• Resource records that exist in both the sharer and the pool could be copied either way depending on the precedence setting in the Share Resources dialog box. If the Pool takes precedence option is selected in the Share Resources dialog box, then resource records are copied from the pool to the sharer. Otherwise resource records are copied from the sharer to the pool.

Updating the pool when there are multiple sharers open

The Update Resource Pool command will update the resource pool file and all open files that are associated with that resource pool.

To update the resource pool

1. Click Tools.

2. Select Sharing Resources.

3. Select Update resource Pool.

There will be no dialog box indicating the update has taken place or prompting for further information.

Closing a sharer without updating the pool manually

Saving a sharer file while the pool and other sharer files are open will prompt the user asking if the information should be saved to all associated files.

Figure 6. Updating the resource pool

Refreshing the Pool

To see changes another user may have made to the pool during your edit session, you can use the Refresh Resource Pool command (form the Tools menu, select Resource Sharing).

This command refreshes (reloads) the pool with the most current information. It closes the current read-only version of the pool you are using, and then reopens the (most recent) version of the pool read-only.

If the option Sharer takes precedence is selected when the command to refresh the resource pool is selected then the following alert will display:


Figure 7. Refresh the resource pool alert

The Link (not the file) Takes Precedence

It is the link (not the file) that takes precedence. Because of this, you can replace the resource pool file with another file of the same name, simply by putting it directly where the old pool resided.

If a pool or sharer file is deleted without the link between the sharers and the pool being broken, the user will still be prompted to open the pool when ever the sharer files are opened. See the section on Breaking Links later in this lesson.

Writing to the Resource Pool When It’s Opened Read Only

When the resource pool is opened read-only, any edits to assignments are written to the resource pool while it is opened read-only. This is accomplished by editing the file via a binary stream, as opposed to rewriting to the whole file. Adding or deleting resources is not allowed in a read-only state.

Only One Resource List

Only one resource list is maintained regardless of whether Pool takes precedence or Sharer takes precedence is selected. Because only one list is maintained, resources have the same ID and Unique ID numbers and order whether in the resource pool or in the sharer file.

Breaking the link between Pool and Sharer files

There are two ways to break the link between a resource pool file and its sharer files:

• In the pool file select Break Link command.

• In the sharer file select to Use own resources.

• Break Link: In the Pool file select from the Tools menu select Resource Sharing and then Share Resources. The Share Resource dialog box displays as shown in Figure 8.


Figure 8. Share Resources dialog box when in a pool file

No project file is selected by default and a project file must be selected before the Open and Break Link buttons will be available.

Use Own Resources: In the sharer file that is to be unlinked from the pool, go to the Tools menu, select Resource Sharing and then Share Resources. The Share Resources dialog box has two options:

• Use own resources

• Use resources From:

If the pool file is open read-only when the option to Use own resource is selected, the link to the pool is removed. If the pool file is not open, then selecting the option Use own resources brings up the following dialog box:

Figure 9. Alert after selecting Use own resources when the pool file is not open If Yes is selected then the link to the resource pool file is removed. Selecting No returns to the Share Resources dialog box and clicking OK is the same as clicking Cancel even though the Use own resources radio button is still selected. Viewing task, resources, and assignments In a task view such as the Task Usage view, only the tasks that belong to the current project will be displayed, even if the pool and all sharer files are open. To view task records from multiple projects, use the Insert Project feature to have all the projects of interest in a common container project. This is true whether resource sharing is involved or not. In the Resource Usage view, if the pool is open, all the resources in the pool and all the cached assignment records from all the sharer files will be displayed. If the pool is not open, then only the resources actually being used by the active project and the assignments for the resources on tasks that belong to the active project will be displayed.



Exercises 1. What is a resource pool and what are some advantages to using a pool?

2. How is a link created between a pool and a sharer file?

3. What information is stored in the pool verses what is stored in the share file?

4. When a sharer file is opened and the pool file is opened read-only, how does the read-only file get updated?

5. How many times is the user asked to save pool files when closing a master project with inserted project that are linked to resource pools?

6. What issues arise when refreshing a pool file, if the option Sharer takes precedence is selected?

7. How can a sharer file be disconnected from using a resource pool?

8. What is the difference between what is displayed in the Task Usage view verses the Resource Usage view in a sharer file when the pool file is open?

Lab 1. Familiarize yourself with creating resource pool files and the prompts you receive when opening and closing these files 1. Create a project file with only resource information. Save the file as ResPool.mpp. Leave the file

open.

2. Create two project files with task information only. Save these files as Proj A and Proj B. Leave these files open.

3. In Proj A, share resource with ResPool. Assign resources in Proj A. You should see the resources from the ResPool now displayed in the Proj A.

4. In Proj B, share resources with ResPool. Notice that Proj A is no longer listed in the From drop-down list. Assign resources in Proj B. Close all files.

5. Open Proj A. Click OK to open resource pool read-only.

6. Switch between the Task Usage and Resource Usage views. Notice the different information displayed in each view.

7. In the Share Resources dialog box select Use own resources. Save and close the file.

Lab 2. Recover from a situation when the pool file is deleted before the link to its sharer files has been broken 1. Delete the file ResPool created in Lab1.

2. Open Proj B and click OK to open the pool file. Notice the alert that the file cannot be found.

3. Open a blank file and save the file as ResPool. Save the file.

4. Close all files.

5. Open Proj B and click OK to open the pool file.

6. Switch to the file ResPool. Switch to the Resource Sheet view. Notice that all the resources have been copied from the sharer back into the pool.


Answers to Exercises 1. A resource pool is an .mpp file containing resource data that is then linked to another file in order

to share that data. The advantages when using a resource pool file are:

a. The ability to schedule resources across multiple projects

b. Ability to identify resource conflicts between multiple projects.

c. One central location for create and maintaining resource data.

2. To create a link between a pool and a sharer file:

a. All files must be open

b. In the file that will be the sharer, got to the Tools menu and select Resource Sharing and click Share Resources.

c. Select the file that will be used as the pool in the From: drop-down list.

3. Information stored in the pool and the sharer files.

a. Assignment records are always copied from the sharer to the pool.

b. Resource records that exist only in one of the two files, the sharer or pool, are copied from the file containing the record to the file that doesn't have it. This is true for only those resources that are assigned in the sharer file.

c. Resource records that exist in both the sharer and the pool could be copied either way depending on the precedence setting in the Share Resources dialog box. If the pool takes precedence option is selected in the Share Resources dialog box, then resource records are copied from the pool to the sharer. Otherwise resource records are copied from the sharer to the pool.

4. When a change is made to the sharer file that requires an update to the pool, the pool can be updated using the command Update resource pool or the user will be prompted to update the pool on closing the file.

5. The user is prompted to save pool file once for each unique resource pool file linked to an inserted project in the master file.

6. If the option Sharer takes precedence is selected, the issue of overwriting resource pool data can arise if other sharer files are tying to refresh the pool at the same time.

7. A sharer can be disconnected from a resource pool by going into the Share Resource dialog box

a. From the pool file select the sharer file and click Break Link.

b. From the sharer file select Use own resources.

8. The difference between what is displayed in the Task Usage view verses the Resource Usage view is that the Task Usage view only shows the tasks from the sharer file with each task’s assignment records and in a Resource Usage view, resources are displayed with all their assignments across all projects attached to the pool file.

###



Lesson 22: Tables




Lesson 22: Tables Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Tables Overview Tables Basics Modifying Table Views Task Tables Resource Tables Fields Custom Fields Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Discuss the difference between field types.

• Know how to create and modify tables.

• Describe the function of the common fields available on task or resource tables.

• Describe how to modify fields.

• Describe features of custom fields.

Tables Overview

Using Tables in Views

With each view in Microsoft® Project a different selection of fields is displayed. The fields seen for each view are a result of the default table assigned to each view. Tables are a collection of preset


fields for display. Microsoft Project comes with numerous preset tables that have been created based on project management principles.

As the schedule is planned and tracked, it's useful to look at different combinations of information. If none of the tables provided with Microsoft Project meet the needs of the users, tables can be created or modified. By changing the table applied to a Resource Sheet view or a Gantt Chart view, the user can change the fields of information displayed in that view. When the project is saved, the new or modified table is saved with the project.

The different preset tables are shown later in this lesson. Initially we will concentrate on selection of specific tables that support a Gantt Chart view in project. However, the same principles can apply to other views as well.

It’s been explained that fields make up tables; therefore a thorough understanding of fields is required to maximize the use of tables. Fields and the options within them will be discussed in this lesson.

Tables Basics

To Select a Table

Tables are applied from Microsoft Project’s View menu. This menu includes a Table:< CurrentTable> command, where <CurrentTable> is the name of the table currently applied to the view. Selecting this command brings up the Table submenu, from which a table can be selected and immediately applied to the current view. This submenu lists the various defined tables, in alphabetical order. The last command on the submenu is More Tables, which brings up a dialog box with the same name.

To Select More Tables

1. Click on View, Table then select the table you wish to view

OR

2. Select More Tables to bring up the More Tables dialog box (Figure 1). The full list of available tables is brought up.

Figure 1. More Tables dialog box

3. Select the table you wish to use and click Apply.


Tables: the two radio buttons switch between a list of Task tables and Resources tables.

The Organizer dialog box, which is also available from the Tools menu, can be used to copy, rename, and delete tables, as well as move them from one project file to another.

Selecting the New, Edit, or Copy buttons brings up the Table Definition dialog box.

To create a new table

If the table you want is not available then you can create your own table by:

1. Select View, Table, More Tables to bring up the More Tables dialog box. The full list of available tables is brought up.

2. Click on New. The Table Definition dialog box appears as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Table Definition dialog box

A description for each field and option follows.

Name. For naming the table.

Show in menu. Displays the table name in the More Tables dialog box.

Cut Row, Copy Row, Paste Row, Insert Row, Delete Row. For editing the row that is highlighted.

Field Name. Contains a dropdown box that holds all fields in the file.

Align Data. Holds three options for aligning the data- left, right, and center.

Width. Sets the column width.

Title. The viewable name of the field. If no title is entered the field name will be used as the column title.

Align Title. Aligns the title from three options- left, right, and center.

Header Wrapping. Sets text wrapping when Yes is selected.


Date format. Offers choices of how the date is displayed. The default format is taken from the setting on the View tab (from the Tools menu select Options and click View tab).

Row height. Sets the row height. The row height must be two or higher in order for text wrapping to be enabled.

Lock first column. Freezes and grays out the first column, preventing it from being manipulated in the view. The default setting for Microsoft Project tables puts the ID field in the first column and that column is locked.

Auto-adjust header row heights. Automatically wraps the title for the column to fit within the selected width of the column.

To edit a table

Follow the same procedure as above but select the table you wish to edit and click Edit button instead of New. Users can cut, copy insert or delete rows to modify their table.

Figure 3. Table Definition dialog box for editing

Modifying Table Views

Tables may be edited by the addition or removal of columns without having to go through the route defined earlier. This can be carried out on the table itself. Inserting and Deleting columns To insert a column into a table If none of the Microsoft Project tables show all the information you need, you can add a column to an existing table. In the current view, select the column to the left of the one which you want to insert the new column. 1. Right mouse click on the column header that to the right of the new. 2. Click on Insert Column and the Column Definition window appears.


Figure 4. Column Definition dialog box

3. In the Column Definition dialog box, specify the Field name, Title, Align title, Align data, and Width of the column.

4. To set the column width to the longest item in the column, click Best Fit.

Additionally, columns in an existing table can be rearranged within the table. To rearrange the columns:

1. Click the column heading to select it and release the mouse button. Intersecting arrows will show.

2. Then, click and hold on the column heading and drag the mouse to the desired position. A gray vertical line will assist in the placement of the column.

To delete a column from a table

Fields and their data are never deleted from the project, but the field that holds the data can be removed or deleted from the table.

1. Click on the column heading to highlight it

2. Press the Delete key

Or

Right click the column heading and select Hide column.

To modify a column

By double-clicking on a column header the table settings for that column, can be directly accessed. Right-clicking on the column header accesses a pop-up menu that allows the column to be hidden or a new column inserted.

The column definition dialog box is shown in Figure 4

Task Tables

As a review from Lesson 7: Entering Tasks and Durations, Microsoft Project is a database with many tables. There is a table specifically for task records and one for resource records. Task fields display data from task tables and resource fields display data from resource tables. The intersection of these tables gives us assignment records. Some resource fields can be seen in a task table because of the assignment relationship and likewise some task information can be viewed in resource tables.


Table definitions, just as view definitions, are project specific. A table named "Entry" in one project may be completely different than the Entry table in a different project.

Below is a complete list of default tables that Microsoft Project contains and what fields they display.

The Table Submenu

Cost. Displays cost information about project tasks, including task Name, Fixed Cost, Fixed Cost Accrual, Total Cost or Cost, Baseline is Baseline Cost, Variance is the difference between Baseline Cost and Actual Cost, Actual cost, and Remaining cost.

Entry. Displays task Name ID, Start and Finish dates, Predecessors, and Resource Names.

Hyperlink. Displays information about any hyperlinks that have been associated to particular tasks. The fields include: task Name, Hyperlink, Hyperlink Address, and Hyperlink SubAddress holds bookmark information.

Schedule. Displays scheduling information, including Start and Finish dates, Late Start and Late Finish dates, Free Slack, and Total Slack.

Summary. Displays basic project information, including task Name Duration, Start and Finish dates, % Complete, Cost, and Work.

Tracking. Displays actual information, including task Name, Actual Start date, Actual Finish date, % Complete, Actual Duration, Remaining Duration, Actual Cost, and Actual Work.

Usage. Displays basic information about the Task, Task Name, the Work involved, Task Duration, and Start and Finish dates.

Variance. Displays the schedule variance in a project, including task Name, Start and Finish dates, Baseline Start and Baseline Finish dates, and Start Variance and Finish Variance.

Work. Displays work information, including task Name, Scheduled Work, Planned Baseline Work, Work Variance, Actual Work, Remaining Work, and % Work Complete.

The More Tables Dialog Box

Baseline. Displays task name, baseline duration, baseline start, baseline finish, baseline work, and baseline cost.

Constraint Dates. Displays task constraints, including task name, duration, constraint type, and constraint date.

Delay. Displays information that helps you level resources, including task name, leveling delay, duration, scheduled start and finish dates, successors, and resource names.

Earned Value. Compares work and cost information, including task name, budgeted cost of work scheduled (BCWS) and budgeted cost of work performed (BCWP), actual cost of work performed (ACWP), schedule variance (SV), cost variance (CV), estimated cost at completion (EAC), baseline cost at completion (BAC), and variance at completion (VAC). VAC is the difference between BAC and EAC.

Earned Value Cost Indicators. Displays the earned value measurements that relate to cost such as BCWS, BCWP, and cost performance indicator.


Earned Value Cost Indicators. Displays the earned value fields related to cost, such as, task name, BCWS, BCWP, CV, cost variance percent (CV%), cost performance Index (CPI), BAC, EAC, VAC, and to complete performance index (TCPI).

Earned Value Schedule Indicators. Displays the earned value fields related to the schedule such as, BCWS, BCWP, the SV, schedule variance percent (SV%) and schedule performance index (SPI).

Export. Used with the task export map when saving a project plan to a new file format. The fields include Unique ID, Task Name, Duration, Task Type, Outline Level, Baseline Duration, Predecessors, Start, Finish, Early Start Early Finish, Late Start, Late Finish, Free Slack, Total Slack, Leveling Delay, % Complete, Actual Start, Actual Finish, Baseline Start, Baseline Finish, Constraint Type, Constraint Date, Stop, Resume, Created (date and time a task was added to the project), Work, Baseline Work, Actual Work, Cost, Fixed Cost, Baseline Cost, Actual Cost, Remaining Cost, WBS, Task Priority, Milestone, Summary Rollup, Text 1-10, Cost 1-3, Duration 1-3, Flag 1-10, Marked, Number 1-5, Subproject File, Contact, Start 1-5, and Finish 1-5.

Rollup table. Same as the entry table with one field addition and that is the Flag 10 field with the field title of Text Above.

Resource Tables

Resource tables can only be applied to resource views such as the Resource Sheet and Resource Usage view.

Table Submenu

Cost. Displays cost information about your project resources, including cost, baseline cost, variance, actual cost, and remaining cost.

Entry. Displays resource information, including resource name, type, material label, initials, resource group, resource max units, standard rate, overtime rate, cost per resource use cost/use, accrual method accrue at, base calendar, and resource code.

Hyperlink. Shows fields that pertain to a hyperlink such as Hyperlink, Address, and SubAddress.

Summary. Displays a summary of resource assignment information, including name, resource group, maximum units, peak resource units, standard rate, overtime rate, cost, and work.

Usage applies a table that lists the resource Name and the amount of Work assigned to each resource.

Work. Displays work information, including baseline work, work variance, actual work, overtime work, and remaining work.

More Tables Dialog Box

Earned Value. Displays the fields related to earned value. The fields are the same as for the task table Earned Value.

Entry – Material Resources. Displays those fields that hold relevant information to material resources like cost per use and material label.


Entry – Work Resources. Displays those fields that hold relevant information like standard rate, overtime rate and base calendar. The fields are the same as in the resource entry table except that material label is excluded.

Export. Used with the resource export map when saving a project plan to a new file format. The fields include, Unique ID, Resource Name, Initials, Max. Units, Standard Rate, Overtime Rate, Cost Per User, Accrue At, Cost, Baseline Cost Actual Cost, Work , Baseline Work, Actual Work, Overtime Work, Group, Code Text 1 – 5, and e-mail address.

Fields

A field, or column, contains one kind of information and is either part of a table or a form view. In Microsoft Project, there are seven kinds of fields: task, task time phased, resource, resource time phased, assignment time phased, and project. The time-phased fields are seen in the Usage views only.

Task Fields

The task fields are all those that can be shown in the task views, such as the Gantt Chart and Task Sheet. These fields show the total information for each task.

In addition to the standard fields available within Microsoft Project there are a significant number of 'spare' or custom fields available for use and customization. These could be used for example, to put in department codes, locations, etc.

They are all numbered sequentially (for example, Text1 through Text30). These fields may be customized to suit the user’s needs. So, in addition to just using these fields for data entry other criteria can be applied to the fields. Customized fields will be discussed next.

The field types available for customization are:

• Cost Cost 1 – Cost 10

• Date Date 1 – Date 10

• Duration Duration 1 – Duration 10

• Finish Finish 1 – Finish 10

• Flag Flag 1 – Flag 20

• Number Number 1 – Number 20

• Start Start 1 – Start 20

• Text Text 1 – Text30

• Outline Code

Resource Fields

The resource fields are all those that can be used in the resource views, such as the Resource Sheet and Resource Usage views. These fields show the total information for each resource but not the resource information for individual tasks, those would be resource assignment fields.

The same fields available for customization for task fields are available for resource fields.


Assignment Fields

The assignment fields appear at the bottom of the Task Form Resource Form, Task Usage and Resource Usage views, and show information about each assignment. You can change the assignment fields that appear in these views by choosing a command from the Details submenu of the Format menu. Usage views have additional fields listed under Detail Styles also from the same menu.

Time-phased Fields

Time-phased fields are task, resource, and assignment data that is distributed over time. You can view time-phased fields in Task Usage and Resource Usage views. The timescale selected, determines how the time-phased information will be displayed and broken down into time phases of hours, days, weeks, months, quarters, and years or some combination of those units.

The Task Usage and Resource Usage views show a different set of assignment fields based on the relationship between task and resource tables in the database.

Field Definitions

Some fields require users to enter values, such as the Name field. Some fields are calculated only by Microsoft Project and can only be displayed such as Unique ID. Other fields are calculated but can be overwritten by manual entries or by selecting calculation or scheduling options.

The Microsoft Project field definitions are included in the on-line help. From the Contents tab choose Reference, Microsoft Project Reference, then choose Fields Reference, and then choose See a list of field types. There the fields are broken up into categories and defined.

Custom Fields

Microsoft Project recognizes that needs vary from project to project and organization to organization. For this reason, customizable fields are available for specific functions such as formula calculations and predefined drop-down boxes.

The features that differentiate custom fields from regular fields are:

• The ability to create custom calculated fields using formulas.

• The ability to replace values with graphical indicators.

• The ability to create custom value lists for more efficient data entry can control.

Custom Fields Tab

The Customize Fields dialog box is accessed through the Customize command on the Tools menu, and then clicking Fields.


Figure 5. Customize Fields dialog box

There are two tabs in this dialog box; one for customizing fields and the other for customizing outline codes. Outline codes appear in Microsoft Project as fields (columns), but have special functions. The Outline Code tab is explained in Lesson 9: Outlining.

A brief description of each of the items in the dialog box follows. Items requiring more detailed description are noted and are more fully discussed in other lessons or later in this lesson as indicated.

Task/Resource: radio button specifies whether a custom task field or a custom resource field is to be customized.

Type: Drop-down list from which the user can select a field type from all available custom fields for either tasks or resources. Each field type has particular characteristics such as date formatting or calculations capability.

Rename: Opens the Rename Field dialog box in which the user specifies a new name (up to 50 characters long) by which to refer to the selected custom field. The name must be unique within the project. If the name has already been used, the following message is displayed:

Figure 6. Field name in use


Once a field has been inserted into a table it can be renamed both on the table and within the field list. To rename a field (for example, from Text1 to Location):

1. Highlight column to rename.

2. Either select Tools, Customize, Fields or right mouse click on the column or select Customize Fields. Both bring up the customize field window.

3. Click on Rename, enter a name for the field, click OK then apply.

Clicking OK returns the user to the Rename Field dialog box with the entered name pre-selected for editing. If the user then specifies a blank name or re-enters the default name and then clicks OK, the dialog box is closed and the field retains only its default name.

Import Custom Fields enables the user to populate the customized field in this project with an existing field from another project. The other project must be open in order to import.

Custom Attributes (group): allows the user to specify whether all data will be manually entered by the user or if the field will have an associated formula or value list. If either the value list or formula option is selected, a new window appears relative to the choice.

The Value list option, once populated, provides the user with a drop-down box from which to select from preset values. Further information on value lists is later in this lesson.

Formula button is for creating a formula for the field. A formula can use values or reference other fields to be used as variables in the formula.

Calculation for task and group summary rows gives options for what calculation shows in the summary tasks. The Rollup option will calculate all the values in the column as selected from the options in the dropdown box. If the Use formula button is selected, then the summary row shows the result of the formula.

Values to Display is a choice between the data or graphical indicators. When graphical indicators is chosen a dialog box appears for selecting the details of the indicator.

The Import Indicator Criteria button allows an existing Indicator to be imported from another open project file.

To create an outline code

You can apply your own set of outline codes to a project. This could be an organization structure for example. To do this however, you must have selected one of the outline code fields e.g. Outline4.

To create an outline code

1. Highlight the outline column you wish to create an outline code list for.

2. Either select Tools, Customize, Field or right mouse click on column and select Customize Field. Both bring up the Customize Fields dialog box.

3. Click on the Custom Outline Codes tab, click on Define Code Mask, the Outline Code definition window appears.

4. Define how the code will look by entering a sequence e.g. lowercase letter (or letters), length e.g. 2 characters and separator e.g. - so that your code will build to e.g. a-2-C

5. Then click on Edit Lookup Table, and the Edit Lookup Table window appears.


6. Each outline code needs to be entered and its level defined. Type in the code (it must correspond with the sequence defined above, i.e. If you have defined level one as lower case letters and enter the value ‘2’ for a level one code, it will appear in red as it does not correspond with the defined sequence. You can enter invalid codes but then must indent and outdent to the right sequence level).

7. You can also import outline codes but you must have the source file open as well.

8. Click on Close, later when the custom field is inserted into a table, when you click in the cell the outline cost list will appear on a pull-down menu.

To create a fixed value list

This enables a field to have a fixed set of values that can only be selected from a pull down list (although there is also the option to add new values).

To create a fixed value list

1. Highlight the column you wish to create a list for.

2. Either select Tools, Customize, Fields or right mouse click on column and select Customize Fields. Both bring up the Customize field dialog box.

3. Click on Value List. The below dialog box will display.

Figure 7. Value List entry dialog box

4. Enter the Value and Description (optional) of the value in the fields and repeat for all entries on the list. Items can be cut copied and pasted or moved up and down as you wish, using the edit button or move buttons above and to the side of the value list.

5. Under Data entry options you can:

a. Restrict to items in the list making it a fixed selection.


b. Allow additional items to be entered thus allowing the list to grow.

c. Additional options here allow users to enter values and add them to the list or prompt for new values.

6. Display order for drop-down list can be By row number, Sort ascending or Sort descending.

7. You can also import a value list from another file by clicking on Import Value List but note that the source file containing the list needs to be open also.

8. Click on OK, after which when you click on the field the pull-down arrow will appear allowing you to select.

To enable the Value List option the radio button must be selected AND the Value List options must be completed. The Value list options window is prompted by the Value List button.

To Assign a Graphical Indicator to a Field

Graphical indicators are a method to display alerts when aspects of a project are not going as planned; this is sometimes known as “stoplight” reporting. Microsoft Project now has many graphical indicators that can be assigned to display when values in custom fields extend past a predefined range or for any other user-defined criteria. They can be displayed based on custom formula calculation results, value list selections, or just based on the value typed in.

To create a graphical indicator field

1. Highlight the column you wish to assign a graphical indicator to.

2. Either select Tools, Customize, Fields or right mouse click on column and select Customize Fields. Both bring up the Customize Fields window.

3. Create the criteria for the indicator field for example, a formula based on other fields within the plan.

4. Then click on Graphical Indicators button, the Graphical Indicators window will appear.

Figure 8. Graphical Indicators


5. Select the test you wish to apply for example, equal to, the value (this can be a fixed value that is typed in or from another field) and what image you would like to be displayed when the argument meets the criteria. Repeat for all the different value ranges you wish to display. The entries must be done sequentially as the argument in a field is dependent on the previous argument that is, less than, is within, is greater than as a possible order.

6. If within is chosen the range of values should be separated by a comma for example, is within 15, 20 to indicate between 15 and 20 inclusively.

7. The values will automatically be transmitted to the summary rows and the project summary row unless you wish otherwise. If you wish to set different criteria for these rows click on the Summary rows button (or Project summary button) and click off the inherit criteria checkbox then enter new argument for the rows as required.

8. Show data values in ToolTips when checked will show the data in a tooltip when the graphical indicator is hovered over.

9. You can import graphical indicator criteria but the source project file must be open as well.

10. Click OK, the criteria indicators will appear in the column automatically.

The Indicator criteria radio buttons selects the level of the work breakdown structure at which the indicator will be displayed. The choices are in hierarchical order as related to the work breakdown structure. When either of the parent row choices (Summary or Project summary) is selected, a checkbox becomes available for choosing to inherit the criteria from the level below.

The table contains three columns that are necessary for comparing the data and determining which indicator to display. The Test for column has choices for testing (that is, equals, is less than, etc) the values input into the Values column. The Image column is for choosing the color of the indicator to be shown.

To Create a Calculated Field

In Microsoft Project there is the ability to create columns containing calculated values. These can be straightforward algorithms or based on values in other fields. The field type to use for a formula depends on what type of data will be returned by the formula for example, if a number is returned then enter the formula in a number field.

To create a calculated field

1. Highlight the column you wish to create a calculation within.

2. Either select Tools, Customize, Fields or right mouse click on column and select Customize Field. Both bring up the Customize field window.

3. Click on Formula, the Formula window opens.


Figure 9. Formula dialog box

4. You can enter formulas directly or use the toolbar and button options to enter the data.

5. Formulas can be imported from other files but the source file needs to be open as well.

6. Click on OK, the calculated values will appear in the column on completion.

Under the formula work area, there is a set of buttons that will insert standard mathematical operators when clicked.

The Field button displays a list of field categories. From this list a field can be selected, the field will be inserted into the formula window at the insertion pointer is located.

The Function button display a list of function types. The list displays Visual Basic for Applications functions and the parameters that function requires. When a function is selected it will be inserted into the formula window, along with its parameters at the insertion pointer location. The parameters need to be replaced with the appropriate fields or values.



Exercises 1. Why are there different table and fields types in Microsoft Project?

2. Name two ways to add a field to a table.

3. How can a field be deleted from a table and what happens to the data?

4. If a column heading is double clicked what information can be changed?

5. In what view can you see time-phased assignment data?

6. In what view can you see assignment data?

7. Where can you find a list of all field definitions?

8. What are some major features of custom fields?

Lab 1. Create Custom Formulas for Customer Scenarios 1. With a partner, write down a customer scenario that requires a custom formula.

2. Create a custom formula that meets the needs of the scenario you created in step one.

3. Exchange your scenario (but not the formula) with another group.

4. Develop a custom formula that fits the needs of the scenario you received.

5. Discuss your answers with the group you exchanged scenarios with.

Was your formula the same as the formula the other group developed? Did it really meet the needs of the customer based on the scenario?


Answers Exercises 1. There are different table and field types because Microsoft Project data is stored in a database

with different tables and data types.

2. The two ways to add a field to a table are

a. Right click and select Insert column, then select a field

b. From the View menu, select Table, More Tables, select the table you want to edit and click Edit.

3. Fields are deleted from a table by following the same steps in the above question. The data is not removed from the database only the field is deleted from the table so the data does not display.

4. If a column heading is double clicked you can change what field display and the formatting for the column, such as title, width, alignment.

5. Time phased assignment data can be viewed in a Task Usage or Resource Usage view.

6. Assignment data can be viewed in a Task or Resource Form view and in the Usage views.

7. The Microsoft Project field definitions are included in the on-line help. From the Contents tab choose Reference, Microsoft Project Reference, then choose Fields Reference, and then choose See a list of field types. There the fields are broken up into categories and defined.

8. The features that differentiate custom fields from regular fields are:

• The ability to create custom calculated fields using formulas

• The ability to replace values with graphical indicators.

• The ability to create custom value lists for more efficient data entry can control.

###



Lesson 23: Views



Lesson 23: Views Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Views Overview Timescale Views Usage Views Resource Views Network Diagram Form Views Additional Views Saving View Information Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Describe the purpose of views in Microsoft Project.

• Explain Microsoft Project's direct formatting capabilities.

• Understand Microsoft Project's drag and drop features.

• Explain timescaled view zooming capabilities.

• Describe common uses of the Resource Graph and Resource Usage.

• Describe the purpose of and how to work the Gantt Chart Wizard.

• Understand the formatting features of the Network Diagram.

• Describe limitations of Network Diagram and potential workarounds.


Related Topics Covered in this Lesson • 3-D row and column headings

• Direct Formatting

• Format Painter

• Cell/Row drag and drop

Views Overview

A View in Microsoft® Project is a way to display data from the project plan’s database. There are views specific to the task tables and resource tables. There are also views that can display assignment information associated with either task or resources. There are four types of views:

• Sheet. Displays information in rows and columns.

• Chart or Graph. Displays information graphically, such as Gantt Chart, Calendar, Network Diagram, or Resource Graph.

• Forms. Displays information in a form and can only shows data pertaining to one task or resource at a time.

All views use a predefined set of data and all views have at least one filter that define or limit the information displayed. Sheet views and some Chart views start out using a predefined table to determine what data to display.

The table or filter can be replaced with any of the predefined tables and filters, or custom tables and filters can be created and applied to the view. The tables can also be customized on the fly by inserting or hiding columns. Likewise auto-filters, filters, grouping, and formatting can be applied to a view.

If a view is modified and a different view is applied, and then the original view is reapplied, the modified view persists.

This modified view is saved with the file. When the file is reopened, it will be opened to the same modified view in which it was saved.

To reset the view back to the default configuration, either remember the changes made and reverse them (Hide the column replace the All filter) or use the Organizer to replace the current view with the default one from the Global template. See the section on the Organizer at the end of this lesson for more information.

Sheet Views

There are two sheet views in Microsoft Project, Task Sheet and Resource Sheet. These views are made up of a table and a filter. By default the table is Entry and the filter is All Tasks or All Resources respectively. Chart and Graph Views Most of these views are made up of a table and filter on the left-hand side of the window pane and a timescale on the right. There is a bar that separates the two sides, which can be moved right to show more of the table and left to see more of the timescale. Chart views that do not use tables or have timescales are the Calendar, Network Diagram; Descriptive Network Diagram, and Relationship Diagram.


The only graph view is the Resource Graph view.

Form Views

Form views display information about one task or resource at a time. These forms use buttons to advance to the next task or resource. The preset data displayed can be changed to another set of predefined data from the Details submenu selected from the Format menu. Form views are usually used as part of a combination view, combination views are discussed in the next section.

Single pane view

A single view is one that occupies the entire project window. Examples of predefined single views include the Calendar, Network Diagram, Task or Resource Form, Task or Resource Sheet, and Gantt Chart.

Combination views

Two single-pane views can be combined to create a combination view, in which two views share the project window. The predefined combination views that ship in Microsoft Project are the Resource Allocation and Task Entry views. The bottom pane of any combination view displays only the information for the selected task or resource in the top pane.

To remove the bottom pane from a combination view, choose Remove Split from the Windows menu. To add a bottom pane to the view, choose Split from the Windows menu. The view that is displayed can be changed in the top pane or bottom pane independently. Click either the top or bottom pane and then use the View menu to apply the desired view.

To create a new view

1. From the View menu click More Views.

2. From the More Views dialog box, click the New button. The Define New View dialog box is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Define New Views dialog box

Note You can also base your new view on an existing view, by selecting the view and clicking the Copy button.


3. If you select Combination view and click OK, then you have to specify an existing view for the top and bottom panes in the View Definition dialog box, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. View Definition dialog box for Combination view

4. If you select single view then click OK, then you must select one of the basic predefined view types listed in the Screen drop-down list in the View Definition dialog box. You must also select an existing table and filter. All Task or All Resources are filters that will display all records of type task or resource in the view.

Figure 3. View Definition dialog box for single view

An example of a custom combination view useful for viewing task relationship links is shown in Figure3. A complex web of task relationship links can be viewed in the Gantt Chart in the top pane and the Relationship Diagram has been applied to the bottom pane. Whatever task is selected in the top pane, filters the information in the bottom pane. The bottom pane shows the predecessors and successors for the selected task and task nodes.


Figure 4. Custom combination view, Gantt Chart/Relationship Diagram

Timescale Views

Microsoft Project has many views that have a timescale attached: the Gantt Chart, Delay Gantt, Resource Usage, and Resource Graph. The timescale is an indicator of time periods that appears at the top of these views. The timescale consists of a three timescales Top, Middle, and Bottom. All the timescales can display units of minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, quarters, and years. For example, the Middle timescale can display units of months while the Bottom timescale displays units of weeks.

Formatting a Timescale

The timescale settings are accessed in the Format menu under Timescale. In the Timescale tabs the Units, Count, Label, and Alignment can be defined for all scales.


Figure 5. Timescale dialog box

Use fiscal year: With this option selected the timescale for this tier will begin with the fiscal year month as setup in the Calendar tab (from the Tools menu select Options and select Calendar). This is useful when the fiscal year information is needed along with the actual dates for tasks.

Tick lines. With this option selected and lines between unit labels will draw.

Timescale options These options apply to all timescale tiers. Changing the value on one changes it for all.

Show. Determines how many timescale tiers to display.

Size. Scales the timescale smaller or larger.

Scale separator. Deselected the horizontal lines between the tiers are removed.

Displaying Nonworking Time

Nonworking times can be displayed on a timescale. Options for displaying nonworking times are available in the Nonworking Time tab of the Timescale dialog box. This dialog box is available from the default Format menu, or from double-clicking on some visible nonworking time, or double-clicking on the timescale headings, or from the pop-up menu that appears when right-clicking in the timescale portion of the view.


Figure 6. Timescale dialog box Nonworking time tab

Both the color and pattern for nonworking time can be altered in this dialog box, as well as the calendar being used. The Draw option determines if the nonworking time graphics are placed in the Gantt drawing planes.

Not all nonworking time is actually drawn in the timescale. If the minor timescale unit is much larger than the amount of nonworking time, the nonworking time will not be drawn, because nonworking time is drawn by shading entire Bottom tier timescale periods.

In order to be drawn, a stretch of nonworking time has to:

1. Span from the beginning of a minor timescale period

2. Be greater than or equal to a minor timescale period (count minor timescale units) in length and composed entirely of nonworking time.

Example

The timescale is set with Middle units of months with a count of 1, and Bottom units of days with a count of 7.

In order to be drawn, a stretch of nonworking time must:

1. Span from the Sunday or Monday at the beginning of the period.

2. Be greater than or equal to 7 days in length and composed entirely of nonworking time.

If all days between 10/9/94 and 10/26/94 are marked as nonworking, the periods beginning 10/9 and 10/22 meet this criterion and will be shaded. The period beginning 10/23 does not meet criteria #2, and is not shaded.

If 10/15 is then marked as a working day, the period beginning 10/9 no longer meets criteria #2, and will not be shaded.

Formatting Gridlines

Views that contain tables have gridlines between the rows and columns of the table and between the column and row titles. Views that have a timescale can have horizontal and vertical lines to separate the major and the minor timescale units. The Gantt Chart can also have gridlines between the bars in the bar chart, and other views have unique gridlines that can also be chosen. These settings are specific to the current view and are accessed by using the Gridlines command on the default Format menu.

Zooming a Timescale View

Timescale views provide an additional option for zooming the timescale so that only a particular period of time is visible on the screen. Zooming is controlled through the Zoom command, available from the default View menu.


Figure 7. Zoom dialog box

When this dialog box first appears, the current number of days visible in the timescale is reflected in the Custom field.

Choosing Entire Project attempts to display the entire time period between the project start and finish dates.

Choosing Selected Task(s) attempts to display the period between the earliest Start and latest Finish dates of the selected task(s). This option is disabled in a Resource view.

When the timescale is zoomed in this manner, the timescales units or their counts may change, as well as the enlarge factor, in order to produce the requested results. Because of this, the Zoom feature in Microsoft Project affects both the on screen and printed view, unlike the zoom functionality in some other application, such as Microsoft® Excel.

Selecting the Reset button will restore the default shipping timescale for the view.

The Gantt Chart

The Gantt Chart displays task information as both text and graphics; the Gantt table lists information about each task, and the Gantt bar chart displays task durations and start and finish dates on a timescale. The relative positions of the Gantt bars show which tasks come before or after or overlap the task represented by each bar.

The Gantt Chart can be used to:

• Create a project by entering tasks and task durations.

• Establish sequential relationships between tasks, so the user can see how changing task duration affects the start and finish dates of other tasks and the project finish date.

• Assign personnel and other resources to tasks so resources can be used as efficiently as possible.

• Track progress by comparing planned and actual start and finish dates and by checking the percentage of each task that is complete.

The Gantt Chart can be customized to:

• Change the information displayed.


• Format individual information to call attention to it. For example, bold formatting can be applied to a critical finish date or assign a different font to an overallocated resource.

• Format a category of information to distinguish that type of information from all other information. For example, all summary tasks can be italicized or the size of all column titles increased.

• Change the units of time displayed.

• Display, hide, or change the appearance of nonworking time.

• Change the Gantt bars to illustrate or highlight specific conditions in the schedule.

• Change the gridlines to enhance the readability or clarity of the Gantt Chart. For example, different line patterns and colors for column, row, and title gridlines can be specified in the Gantt table.

• Add customized labels or drawings to the Gantt bar chart.

Gantt Drawing Layer

Microsoft Project has a drawing layer in the Gantt timescale. This drawing layer allows for the placement of graphic objects on the timescale, as well as nonworking time and dependency lines.

Drawing Layer Model

This is the fundamental model for how the different Gantt drawing layer planes relate in Microsoft Project. The model can be broken down into two sections:

• The Drawing Layer Planes

• Z-Ordering within the Planes

These sections detail how graphic objects are drawn relative to the other objects on the Gantt Chart, and how the objects are drawn relative to each other.

The Drawing Layer Planes

The drawing layer itself can be broken down into five different planes; the positions of objects in these planes affect how the objects are drawn relative to each other. These five planes are made up of two drawing planes (for drawn or pasted objects), two planes for nonworking time, and a single plane for Gantt bars. These planes are layered in the order shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8: Drawing planes used in the Gantt Chart

Objects in one plane are drawn on top of objects positioned in any lower panes. Graphic objects created using the drawing tools, or pasted into Microsoft Project, may be placed in planes 1 or 4, in


front or in back of the Gantt bar plane. Nonworking time will be drawn behind either the upper or the lower drawing plane, depending on the nonworking time setting.

Graphic objects also have a front to back z-ordering (see next section), which determines the order in which they are drawn within a plane. Users, through menu commands and toolbar buttons, can change the z-ordering of the objects within and between the drawing planes.

Z-Ordering within the Planes

Each object in the drawing planes has a z-ordering number. When a graphics object is created, it is placed in plane 1 and assigned the front-most position within the z-order (the largest number in the z-ordering), which causes it to be drawn on top of all other objects. Users can change the object's position in the z-order using the Move Forward, Move Backward, Bring To Front, and Send To Back commands (with the object selected, choose the Format menu and select Drawing) or tool bar buttons (the buttons can be added to any toolbar through the Customize command).

The following table illustrates the relative z-position of all items drawn in the Gantt timescale. The items are listed in the order drawn, so items at the bottom of the table are drawn on top of items listed above them. Timescale Item Drawing Plane Position in Plane

Horizontal Gridlines 5 Lowest

Nonworking Time (1) 5 Highest

Drawing Objects (2) 4 Varies

Vertical Gridlines 3 Lowest

Task Bars 3 Highest

Nonworking Time (3) 2 Lowest

Dependency Lines 2 Highest

Drawing Objects (4) 1 Varies

(1) Behind Task Bars selected. (3) In Front of Task Bars selected

(2) Can be moved to plane 1 (4) Can be moved to plane 4

Adding Drawings to the Timescale

Free text and graphics can be added to the timescale portion of Gantt Chart views in Microsoft Project. The graphics can be either drawn or pasted directly into the Gantt timescale.

Simple graphics can be drawn using the first seven tools available on the Drawing toolbar. To display the drawing toolbar, select the Toolbars command on the View menu.

Once a drawing tool has been selected, clicking and dragging in the timescale will create the selected object. Drawn objects can be moved by selecting them and dragging with the mouse.

For Text Frame objects, once the frame has been created, clicking in the frame will produce an editing cursor and allow the user to enter text into the frame. Text can be cut, copied, or pasted within a Text Frame. Each tab character is converted to a space once the frame is deactivated

Pasting Graphics and Text

When the Paste command is selected in a Gantt Chart view, and the clipboard contains a picture, the picture is pasted as an OLE object into the timescale portion of the view. Once pasted, the graphic can be moved by selecting it and dragging with the mouse.


If the clipboard contains text data and a text frame is selected, then the text will be pasted into the text frame. If only the frame was selected, so that the editing cursor was not displayed, then the pasted text will replace the previous text. If the editing cursor is visible, then the text is inserted at the cursor's position.

Editing Graphics Objects

Graphics objects can be selected by clicking on any part of the object. The interior of a filled object is part of the object, but the interior of a non-filled object is not. Once a graphics object has been selected, the TAB key can be used to select successive objects. Only individual objects can be selected; grouping of objects is not supported in Microsoft Project.

Positioning Graphics

Graphics objects can be positioned in the timescale in one of two ways:

• They can be attached to the timescale.

• They can be attached to a task.

New objects are attached to the timescale when they are created. The current attachment status of an object can be viewed or altered in the Format Drawing dialog box. This dialog box is available from the default Format menu, or by double-clicking on a drawn object, or by selecting an object and then selecting the Attach to Task tool on the Drawing toolbar, or by selecting Properties from the pop-up menu that appears when right-clicking on an object.

Figure 9. Format Drawing dialog box

The Size & Position tab provides the user with the functionality to set a position relative to a particular date in the timescale, or relative to the left or right end of a particular task bar.

To attach a drawing to a particular task, the task ID is entered in the ID field, and the attachment point (either the start or finish of the task bar) is selected. The Horizontal and Vertical properties determine the drawing's respective offsets from the attachment point in units of inches. The attachment measurement units are centimeters if the Control Panel International measurement setting is Metric. When attached to a task, the object is not reflected in the count of the task's Objects field. However, deleting the task deletes the object as well.

If the drawing object is attached to the timescale, the horizontal location is stored as a specific date and time. This guarantees good accuracy in placing the drawing even when the timescale is


expanded and collapsed. The vertical location is stored as an absolute distance in inches from the top of the Gantt Chart. This preserves the vertical position when the task list is either filtered or collapsed.

The size of the drawing can also be changed in this dialog box, or can be altered by dragging on the sizing handles with the mouse when the object is selected.

Changing Graphic Colors and Patterns

The Line and Fill tab in the Format Drawing dialog box provides options for changing the colors and patterns of object borders and interiors. These are similar to the options provided for Microsoft Excel drawing objects, except that there are no options for Automatic line or fill settings, nor is there an option for shadowed drawings. The Line and Fill tab can also be activated by selecting Properties from the pop-up menu that appears when clicking the right mouse button over a drawn object.

Tools available on the Drawing toolbar Tool Command Tool Name and Function

DrawingCreate:=2 Line: Click and drag between two points to create line.

DrawingCreate:=3 Arrow: Click and drag between two points to create arrow.

DrawingCreate:=4 Rectangle: Click and drag between opposite corners to

create rectangle.

DrawingCreate:=5 Oval: Click and drag between opposite corners of a

bounding rectangle to create oval.

DrawingCreate:=6 Arc: Click and drag between start and end points of to

create arc. Arc is initiated along first axis the user drags along.

DrawingCreate:=7 Polygon: Click at each vertex of the shape. A line is drawn

between each set of vertices as they are created. Double-clicking a vertex creates a final side closing the polygon, just as single-clicking on an existing vertex would do.

DrawingCreate:=8 Text Frame: Click and drag between opposite corners to

create text frame. Each text frame is limited to 1024 characters.

DrawingCycleColor Cycle Color: Changes fill color of object to next color in

palette.

DrawingProperties SizePositionTab:=1

Attach to Task: Brings up Properties dialog box.

The Gantt Chart Wizard

The Gantt Chart Wizard is a series of interactive dialog boxes containing options that help the user format a Gantt bar chart. Choosing Gantt Chart Wizard from the default Format menu accesses the wizard, as described below.

Note Any custom bar chart formatting completed before using the Gantt Chart Wizard will be lost after the Gantt bar chart is formatted with the Gantt Chart Wizard.

The Preview box, to the left of the Option buttons in the Step dialog boxes of the Gantt Chart Wizard, enables the user to preview the effect of any choice they make. The user can try out a number of options before they move on to the next dialog box.


The Gantt Chart Wizard can help the user:

• Specify the type, shape, and color of Gantt bars.

• Make Gantt bars, for certain types of tasks stand out, such as those relating to critical tasks. It is also possible to change the color of the Gantt bars of summary tasks so they can be quickly distinguished from subtasks.

• Select a color, pattern, and shape to help make milestone tasks stand out.

• Display Gantt bars that show the baseline schedule for each task, and highlight any total slack time for each task. For example, the baseline schedule can be formatted to ensure that the initially planned start and finish dates for tasks stand out.

• Display additional information around Gantt bars, such as the names of resources assigned to the task, and task completion dates.

Note Depending on the choices made, Gantt Chart Wizard may skip some of the dialog boxes.

The Gantt Chart Wizard provides an easy way for novice and experienced users to customize the Gantt Chart with different bar types and symbols, as well as annotate bars with various information. This wizard will show off Microsoft Project's customization and formatting capabilities on the Gantt Chart and will hopefully encourage people to learn more about those options on their own. Any changes the Gantt Chart Wizard makes to bar styles is reflected in the Bar Styles dialog box selected from the Format menu.

Using the Gantt Chart Wizard

The Gantt Chart Wizard can be invoked from the default Format menu, from the button on the

Standard toolbar,

or from the popup menu that appears when right-clicking in the Gantt timescale.

The user will be presented with the following sequence of dialog boxes:

• Dialog box 1 - a Welcome page providing a brief description of the Gantt Chart Wizard.

• Dialog box 2 - Gantt Bar Choices. This step provides several predefined choices of Gantt Bar sets such as Critical/Noncritical, Baseline, Standard, Custom, and Other. Other has a drop-down list of predefined bar style combinations which can be sampled in the preview box to the left.

• Dialog boxes 3-8 - If the custom option is selected in dialog box 2 the following 6 dialog boxes are taken to allow the user to customize the shape and color for each Standard bar type.

• Dialog box 9 – If the custom option is selected in dialog box 2, at this stage the wizard allows the user to attach text such as Resource Names, Start/Finish dates, or Custom to the bars.

• Dialogs boxes 10-12 – If the Custom option is selected in dialog box 9 the following 3 dialog boxes let the user define Lines. Turns on or off dependency lines in the Gantt Chart.

• Dialog box 13 – Select whether to show dependency lines or not.

• Dialog box 14 – A Format It! button appears. This is the user’s last chance to cancel the changes made with the Gantt Chart Wizard before the Bar Styles are changed.

• Dialog box 15 - The finish line. Microsoft Project has created the new Gantt Chart. Click Exit Wizard to display the new chart.


Formatting the Gantt Chart

Bar Styles

Formatting the Gantt Chart bar styles specifies the placement, shape, pattern, color, and text for Gantt bars in a task category.

• The Bar Styles command is also available for the Calendar and Resource Graph. Each view uses a dialog box with options specific to that view.

• Double-clicking a blank area in the Gantt bar chart will also display the Bar Styles dialog box.

Figure 10. Bar Styles dialog box

• In the Bar Styles dialog box, the upper table shows the current format for the bar in each task category. The Bars tab at the bottom of the dialog box provides options for altering the shape, color, and type for each Gantt bar and symbol. This tab is displayed by default when the dialog box is first invoked.

• The Text tab displays the fields that will be displayed as text next to the bar selected in the upper portion of the dialog box. The default bar style palette lists Resource Names in the right text field for normal tasks, and Start in the right text field for Milestones.

• To format a bar category, select the row that the category is situated in and then select the Bars tab to change the shape, pattern, and color for the bar. To change the bar height, choose the Layout command from the Format menu.

Bar Styles dialog box

Edit buttons: Cut, paste, and insert rows into the bar styles table.

The bar styles table is more than just a legend. The information in these fields determines how a bar category will be draw. The first bar defined in the table will draw first, subsequent bars, drawing in the same row, will be drawn on top.

Name. A user-defined name. If the Name field is blank, but a bar definition exists, the bar will draw but the definition will not appear in a report’s legend.

Appearance: A sample bar determined by the selections made on the Bars tab.


Show for Tasks. Used to identify what kind of task the Gantt bar will represent. All tasks are part of one of three major categories, Normal, Summary, or Milestone. If there is no bar description for one of these three categories then no bar will draw. Bars can be further defined by selecting a sub-category from the drop-down list in the field. The category Normal is assumed unless Summary or Milestone is entered along with the subcategory.

Row. Sets which Gantt Chart row the bar will draw in. The maximum number of rows is four. If row four is selected for just one bar definition, then the entire Gantt Chart will grow to accommodate four rows for every bar.

From: and To:. Determines where the bar will begin drawing and where it will end. These fields work together and some combinations do not make sense and therefore no bar will draw, such as From Finish To Start. Below are some other scenarios to watch out for:

• A Milestone can draw for only one date, so the From and To fields must match, such as Finish to Finish.

• If there is no data values in the field/s that define From and To, then no bar will draw, such as Baseline Start and Baseline Finish.

Formatting Single Bars, Text Style, Font, and Gridlines

The Bar Styles command affects only the Gantt bar chart. To format text in the Gantt table, use the Text Styles command on the Format menu to format a category of tasks, or use the Font command on the Format menu to format selected text. To format table gridlines, use the Gridlines command on the Format menu.

Bars

To format an individual bar instead of a category of bars, double-click the bar or select the task in the Gantt table and choose the Bar command from the Format menu. Individual bar formatting overrides category formatting; for example, if the Bar Styles command is used to format bars for noncritical tasks to be black, the Bar command can be used to format a selected noncritical task bar to be red. The Bar command affects only the selected bar.

This dialog box is available using the Bar command on the default Format menu, from the pop-up menu that appears when right-clicking on a particular bar, or by double-clicking on a Gantt bar.

Figure 11. Format Bar dialog box

The same options available in the standard Bar Styles dialog box are available here, but will apply only to the selected bar or bars, rather than an entire category of tasks. The Bar Shape tab provides options for bar colors, patterns, and shapes. The Text tab provides options for the bar text fields. Unlike the Bar Styles dialog box, a sample of the bar, including the location of bar text, is also shown.


Selecting the Reset button removes all direct formatting from the bar or bars selected. This will cause the bar(s) to be drawn with their normal category formatting.

Gantt Layout

The Gantt Layout dialog box, available from the default Format menu, provides options for controlling the layout of dependency lines, as well as other Gantt formatting.

Figure 12. Gantt Layout dialog box

The options in this dialog box perform the following functions:

Links: The option selected in this group determines how dependency lines are drawn in the timescale. If the first option is selected, no lines are drawn. If the second option is selected, dependency arrows are drawn to the end of bars only. If the third option is selected, dependency arrows may be drawn to the top or bottom of bars, as well as the ends.

Dependency lines in the Gantt Chart are always drawn with the highest z-order number in drawing plane 2. This means they are drawn on top of task bars and nonworking time, and will only be obscured if graphic objects in plane 1 are placed on top of them. The color of a dependency line is the same as the bar color of the successor task.

Date Format for Bars. Sets the format for dates displayed in any of the bar text fields. The Default value takes its settings from the View tab (from Tools, select Options)

Bar Height. Sets the vertical size of all Gantt bars. Size is in points (as in font size).

Show Drawings. Default is checked. When checked, drawings may be displayed in the timescale.

Round Bars to Whole Days. Default is checked. When checked, bar endpoints may be rounded to the nearest day.


The left and right ends of bars are rounded independently. The left end of a bar will be rounded to the nearest day boundary if the task's start time is equal to the default start time. In the same manner, the right end of the bar will be rounded to the nearest day boundary if the task's finish time is equal to the default finish time.

Show Bar Splits. Default is checked. When checked bar splits are visible.

Usage Views

Introduction to Usage Views

This lesson covers some of the basic usability and formatting features of the Task Usage and Resource Usage views.

The Usage views allow the user to view task, resource, and assignment data across time in a grid under a timescale, and in some cases, to edit the data in individual period cells. The term Usage View is used to refer to either of these views.

Usage views consist of a task or resource table on the left and a timescale grid on the right. The table portion has either task or resource parent records with corresponding assignment records indented.

The Usage views have the following key features: • Timephased data for assignments can be displayed by task or by resource. • With some exceptions the values shown in the timescaled portion of the view can be edited. In

particular, timephased work can be edited. That is how predefined assignment contours can be customized.

• Multiple sets of data for the same task, resource, or assignment can be displayed.

The main difference between the two Usage views is that the Task Usage view groups assignments by task and displays a task table on the left; whereas Resource Usage view groups assignments by resource and displays a resource table on the left. Also, only the Resource Usage view has the special Unassigned resource to show tasks that do not have any resources assigned.

Figures 13 and 14 show the Task Usage view and corresponding Resource Usage view for some sample data. Task 3 has no assignments and is grouped under the special Unassigned resource in the Resource Usage view. It also has no assignment grouped under it in the Task Usage view. John has no assignments, so there are no assignments grouped under him in the Resource Usage view. He doesn't show up in the Task Usage view at all.

Figure 13. Task Usage view


Figure 14. Corresponding Resource Usage view

Figure 15 illustrates that multiple timephased field can be displayed at once.

Figure 15. Task Usage with multiple timephased fields

Non timephased fields on the left. The fields are sometimes referred to as totals, but most often, no adjective is used (for example, timephased work, total work, and work are all used to refer to the task Work field). These fields are displayed in vertical columns in task and resource tables, like the ones on the left side of Usage views. These fields are time independent. For example, a task non timephased Work field represents the total Work on the task.

Timephased fields on the right. These fields are sometimes referred to as timescaled fields, usage fields, or detail fields. These fields are displayed horizontally across time in the timescaled grid portion of Usage views. The individual grid cells represent the value of a timephased field for a specific period of time. The values displayed, and the effects of editing them, depend on the granularity of the timescale, for example, on how the Major and Minor timescales are formatted in the Format Timescale dialog box.

Displaying Data in Usage Views

The following features control what kind of data and how much of it is displayed: • Column Widths • Timescale zooming and nonworking time • Outlining and Grouping • The Unassigned Resource • What set of data to display • Displaying multiple sets of data • Sorting and Filtering • Slave Pane Issues

Each of these features is discussed in detail below.


Column Widths

Adjusting column widths

The width of columns in the table portion on the left, as well as the column titled details at the edge of the timescale grid can be adjusted with the mouse. Double-clicking the right edge of the title cell will perform a best fit. The timescale grid column widths can only be adjusted by the units, labels, fonts, and enlarge % in the Timescale dialog box.

Cells narrower than non-text contents

Cells that are too narrow to display non-text data, such as the Start and Work fields, display # characters in the cells that are too narrow to display non-text data. This is illustrated in Figure 16. The column(s) containing the cell must be widened to display the data.

Figure 16. Narrow columns in Usage views

Timescale Zooming and Nonworking Time

The Usage views support the same timescale zooming and labeling features as the Gantt Chart. The Timescale dialog box can be displayed in the following three ways:

• Double-clicking the Timescale in the View menu.

• Choosing Timescale from the Format menu.

• Right-clicking on the Timescale and choose Timescale from the Shortcut menu.

Figure 17. Timescale dialog box Top tier tab


Figure 18. Format Timescale dialog box – Nonworking Time tab

The Unassigned Resource

The Unassigned resource is a special artificial resource. Whenever a task is created, it is assigned the Unassigned resource. The first time the task is assigned a real resource, the Unassigned resource is removed from the task.

The only place to view the Unassigned resource is in the Resource Usage view. It serves as the parent of the group for all the tasks that have no resources assigned to them. As with any parent resource row, information on it is rolled up from its assignment rows. Unlike other resource parents, this row is completely non-editable.

The Unassigned resource allows tasks without resources to be scheduled using the same internal algorithms as tasks that have resources. It also allows tasks without resources to be manipulated like other tasks.

Assignments can be dragged from one group and dropped in another. To do this, click the fixed column cell to select the source assignment record, and then use the mouse to drag the entire record up or down to a new group of assignments. Microsoft Project does its best to preserve all of the original field values, including Actual Work, when the dragged assignment's task or resource is assigned to another resource or task. Alerts are displayed if the user attempts to use drag and drop to assign a resource twice to the same task.

In the Task Usage view, the dragged assignment's resource is unassigned from the source parent task and assigns to the target parent task. In the Resource Usage view, the source parent resource is unassigned from the dragged assignment's task and the target parent resource is assigned to the task.

Drag and drop can also be used with the Unassigned resource in the Resource Usage view. A task can be dragged from the Unassigned group and dropped on another resource to create a real assignment. Also, a real assignment can be dragged and dropped into the Unassigned resource group to delete the assignment. After the assignment is deleted, the corresponding task is listed under the Unassigned resource group only if the task has no other assignments.


Displaying and Formatting Different Sets of Timephased Data

This section discusses how to control what timephased fields are displayed, and how to format the timephased portion of a Usage view. A detailed list of which timephased fields can be displayed and edited is provided in the Usage Data section later. It is possible to format the font and cell pattern used for each timephased field type. Grid cells cannot be formatted individually.

The Detail Styles dialog box

This dialog box is similar in function to the Gantt Palette dialog box in that it allows you to set the type and format of the information that is displayed in the timescaled portion of the view. The Detail Styles dialog box is displayed when the user double-clicks the grid area or right-clicks the grid area and chooses Detail Styles from the Shortcut menu, or chooses Detail Styles from the Format menu.

Usage Details Tab

It is possible to choose which timephased fields to display and how their rows of cells are formatted in the Usage tab.

Figure 19. Detail Styles dialog box – Usage Details tab

The function of the each of the controls is listed below:

Show. Moves the selected item from the Available fields list to the Show these fields list.

Hide. Moves the selected item from the Show these fields list to the Available fields list.

Available fields. Lists the timephased fields that can be displayed on the usage side of the view. The list is sorted alphabetically and contains two special items; All Task Rows (in the Task Usage view) or All Resource Rows (in the Resource Usage view), and All Assignment Rows. These are not real fields, but are used to format cell patterns for an entire category of timephased fields. Otherwise each of the timephased fields has to be formatted separately. When these categories are added to the Show These Fields list, then the formatting on these categories takes precedence over any of the individual field formats.


Shows these fields. It is possible to add and remove fields from this control via the Show and Hide buttons. Any fields listed here are displayed as separate rows in the timescaled usage side of the view.

This list box is not sorted alphabetically. Instead the order in which the fields are listed represents their order of appearance in the view; except that it doesn't matter where the special All Rows categories are in the list.

If the user adds a field to this list, it is removed from the Available fields list box. This means there is only one instance of the field in the dialog box.

Multiple fields can be selected (using SHIFT + CLICK or CTRL + CLICK) and add or remove operations, as well as group move up or down operations can be performed. It is also possible to change the settings (font, cell background, etc.) of a selected group of fields. This enables the user to set the same format of a number of fields in one operation.

If there are no fields listed in the Show these fields list box, when OK is selected, the timescaled side of the view is completely empty - no timescale or grid.

Move. The arrow buttons can be used to reorder the displayed fields in the list, which is also their row order in the view.

Field settings for <selected field>. This label indicates what the current selection is from either of the two above list boxes. For example, the label is Field settings for Work when the timephased Work field is selected in either list. It says Field settings for selection if multiple items are selected.

Font. Shows the current font formatting for the selected items.

Change Font. Brings up the standard Font dialog box that permits format changes of the selected items.

Cell Background. This control is used to change the background color of the cells for the selected items.

Pattern. This control applies a pattern to the cell background color. It's similar to the other pattern controls in Project.

Show in menu. This checkbox determines whether the selected fields are displayed on the timescaled usage shortcut menu, and in the Format Details sub menu. This checkbox is grayed out (disabled) if only the special All Rows category items are selected. The first picture shows the shortcut menu displayed when by right-clicking on the grid. The second picture shows the Details submenu, displayed Details is selected from the Format menu. The pictures show the default list of fields. More fields can be added to this list in the Detail Styles dialog box, and the list is saved with the view.

Note the rules that follow regarding what is listed in the shortcut menu:

• All fields in the Show these fields list in the Detail Styles dialog box always appear in the shortcut menu, and have a checkmark beside them, regardless of their Show in menu setting.

• If a field has a checkmark beside it in the shortcut menu and it is unchecked then that unchecked field will remain on the shortcut menu only if it has its Show in menu setting selected. Otherwise it is removed from the menu.

• Fields in the Available fields list in the Detail Styles dialog box will only appear in the shortcut list if they have the Show in menu setting selected.


Figure 20. Timephased grid shortcut menu

Usage Properties Tab

This tab contains various controls that can be used to set different properties on the view.

Figure 21. Detail Styles dialog box – Usage Properties tab

Align details data. This setting enables the user to align the usage data to the Left, Center or Right. The default setting is right aligned.

Display details header column. The values for this drop-down menu are Yes, No, and Automatic. Yes and No mean show or don’t show the details header column. Automatic means show the details header column when there are two or more details fields displayed. This setting is Yes by default. This column is used to display the names of the timephased fields being used. It is a locked column (for example, it won't scroll out of view).

Figure 22. Details Header Column

Repeat detail header on all assignment rows. This checkbox setting means that multiple data field labels can be set to appear on every assignment row or just the task rows. The default is ON, so labels show for all rows.


Display short detail header names. The user has a choice between displaying predefined long or short versions of the data row labels, as shown in the double list: Long Version Short Version Long Version Short Version

%Complete %Complete Cumulative Work Cum. Work.

Actual Cost Act. Cost CV CV

Actual Overtime Work Act. Ovt. Work Fixed Cost F. Cost

Actual Work Act. Work Overallocation Overalloc

ACWP ACWP Overtime Work Ovt. Work

Baseline Cost Base. Cost Peak Units Peak Units

Baseline Work Base. Work Percent Allocation % Alloc.

BCWP BCWP Regular Work Reg. Work

BCWS BCWS Remaining Availability Rem. Avail.

Cost Cost SV SV

Cumulative %Complete Cum. %Complete Work Work

Cumulative Cost Cum. Cost

Default Format of the Task Usage View

Figure 23. Default format of the Task Usage view

Sheet Side (Left Side). The Task Usage table is displayed on the left. Summary Tasks are formatted Bold, task rows are formatted as Regular, and assignment rows are formatted Italic.

Timescaled Side (Right Side) of View. Work is the default detail field. All rows use a regular font style. All Assignment rows have light yellow shade, and all task rows use medium yellow shade. The row header column is displayed by default. The default timescale setting is weeks over days.

Usage Views as Master and Slave Panes

The pane view can be split manually by using the Windows menu Split command, and then applying the desired views to the top and bottom panes. A combination view can also be created to automatically display specific views in the top and bottom pane. In split windows, selecting a record in the top pane automatically filters what records are displayed in the bottom pane. In these cases, the top pane is called the master pane, and the bottom pane is called the slave pane.

This section discusses the behavior when a Usage view is the master pane and when it is the slave pane.

The rules that follow are for the case of a single record selected in the master pane. If multiple records are selected in the master pane, then the effect on the slave pane is the union of the results from selecting the master records individually.


Slave Usage Views

Usage views behave like other views when applied to a slave pane. The only difference is that all corresponding assignments are included with each parent record displayed in the slave pane.

Master Task Usage View with a Slave Task View

When a task record or one of its assignments is selected in the master Task Usage view, then the slave task view displays that task. If the slave pane is a Task Usage view, then corresponding assignments are included with each task record it displays.

Master Task Usage View with a Slave Resource View

When a task record is selected in the master Task Usage view, then the slave resource view displays all the resources for that task. When an assignment record is selected in the master Task Usage view, then the slave resource view displays only the resource for that assignment.

In either case, if the slave pane is a Resource Usage view, then corresponding assignments are included with each resource record it displays.

Examples

Figure 24. Task Usage over Resource Sheet. T2 is selected in the master pane.

Figure 25. Task Usage over Resource Sheet. The assignment with Mary on T1 is selected in the master pane.


Master Resource Usage View with a Slave Resource View

When a resource record or one of its assignments is selected in the master Resource Usage view, then the slave resource view displays that resource record.

If the slave pane is a Resource Usage view, then corresponding assignments are included with each resource record it displays.

Example

Figure 26. Resource Usage over Resource Sheet. Bob is selected in the master pane.

Figure 27. Resource Usage over Resource Sheet. The assignment with Bob on T2 is selected in the master pane.

Master Resource Usage View with a Slave Task View

When a resource record is selected in the master Resource Usage view, then the slave task view displays all the tasks for that resource.

When an assignment record is selected in the master Resource Usage view, then the slave task view displays only the task for that assignment.

In either case, if the slave pane is a Task Usage view, then corresponding assignments are always included with each task record it displays.


Examples

Figure 28. Resource Usage over Gantt Chart. Bob is selected in the master pane.

Figure 29. Resource Usage over Gantt Chart. The assignment with Bob on T2 is selected in the master pane.

Editing Usage Views

Editing Data in Usage Views

Moving (changing the cell with focus) in a Timescaled Grid

Moving and selecting in tables and timescaled grids in Microsoft Project is similar to moving and selecting in Microsoft Excel worksheets.

The table and grid have independent selection.

In Usage views, the table pane and the timescaled grid pane have independent cell cursors. Changing the selected cell in the table has no effect on the selection in the grid portion and vice versa.


Movement in the timescale grid

The mouse and scroll bars can be used to move around the grid and click to select any cell. The keyboard keys to move in the timescaled grid are listed in the table: To move ... Press...

Up one cell Up Arrow or SHIFT + ENTER

Down one cell Down Arrow or ENTER

Left one cell Left Arrow or SHIFT + TAB

Right one cell Right Arrow or TAB

Left the beginning of time 1/1/1984 CTRL + Left Arrow

Right to end of time 12/31/2049 CTRL + Right Arrow

Up to the first row CTRL + Up Arrow

Down to the last row (last physical row, not the last row with a task)

CTRL + Down Arrow

Sideways to the Project Start date Home

Sideways to the Project Finish date End

Down one screen Page Down

Up one screen Page Up

One screen to the Left CTRL + Page Up

One screen to the Right CTRL + Page Down

Toggle focus between the table on the Left and the timescaled grid on the Right Selection Behavior in a Timescaled Grid

F6

The table shows the mouse and keys to select one or more cells in the timescaled grid: To select ... Do this ...

Select any continuous block of cells Click and drag

Select multiple blocks of cells Ctrl click and drag

Select between the cell with focus and the clicked cell Shift (or F8) click and drag

Extend selection by one cell Shift (or F8) + arrow key

Select entire column Ctrl + Spacebar

Select entire row Shift (F8) + Spacebar

Fill Up/Down/Left/Right in a Timescaled Grid

A timescaled grid supports Fill Up, Down, Left, and Right (tables support only Fill Up and Down).


Figure 30. Edit Fill Submenu

Some of the key features of the Fill command in a timescaled grid follow:

• Calculations occur in the order that the fill occurs, immediately after each cell value changes.

• Filling ignores uneditable cells and cells with a different data type. No alerts are given.

• Filling works with parent and assignment records.

• If cells in a timephased field that rolls up from assignments to parent are selected then Fill Down will fill the parent cell, but the value may change when the assignment cells get filled.

• If cells in a timephased field that rolls down from parent to assignments are selected then Fill Up will fill the assignment cells first but the values may change when the parent gets filled.

• Fill down and fill across can be combined to get block fill functionality.

• The Fill Handle, situated at the lower right corner of a cell, can be used to perform Fill operations similar to Microsoft Excel.

Figure 31. Fill Handle Inserting and Deleting in a Timescaled Grid The table describes how to insert and delete cells in a timescaled grid. To accomplish this… Do this… Insert blank cells in a row and have existing cells Shift right

Select the cells where you want to insert and choose the Insert Cells menu command, or press the Insert key

Delete the contents of selected cells without shifting other cells

Select cells and choose Edit Clear Contents, or press CTRL+DEL, or press BackSpace and then Enter

Remove cells and have existing cells Shift to the left Select cells and choose Edit Delete Cells Or press the DEL key

Insert Copied Cells Not Supported. But you can use Copy and Paste commands to insert data.


Deleting Rows in Usage Views

The Edit menu includes variations of the Delete command depending on what is selected. Selection Edit Delete command

Single task record in a table Delete Task

Single resource record in a table Delete Resource

Single assignment record in a table Delete Assignment

Multiple rows in the table Delete Row

One or more Cells in a timephased grid Delete Cells

Parent or assignment record in a Usage view can be deleted. To do this, select any cell in that row in the table portion (not in the timephased grid), and then choose Edit Delete Task/Resource/Assignment. The DEL key also has the same effect.

• Deleting an assignment record removes the assignment, but does not delete the corresponding task or resource.

• Deleting a resource record removes the resource from the project. All of its assignments are removed too.

• Deleting a task record removes the task from the project. All of its assignments are removed too.

If the record for deletion has actuals in it (Actual Work greater than 0, or an Actual Start other than NA, etc.) the following alert is given:

Figure 32. Alert for records for deletion with actuals

Inserting Rows in Usage Views

The text of the Insert menu command to insert a row depends on what kind of record is selected. The Insert menu has a New Task, New Resource, or New Assignment command depending on whether a task, resource, or assignment record is selected.

Inserting tasks have the same outline level as the task above them, except for inserting a task at row 1, which gets outline level 1.

Inserting a task or resource creates a blank row until data is entered.

Inserting Assignment Rows

Inserting an assignment creates a dummy assignment record. It has a blank in the Name field and other noncalculated fields, but it does have values in the calculated fields. No other field in the new record can be edited (not even fields like Text1) until a name is entered in the Name field (a resource name if it's the Task Usage view, or a task name if it's the Resource Usage view).

Note New no-name assignments remain in the project even if the Name field is left blank.


If an existing name is entered, then the first resource with that name is assigned if the Task Usage view is being used, or the first task with that name is assigned the Resource Usage view is being used.

If non-existent name is entered, then a new resource is created if the Task Usage view is being used, and a new task is created if the Resource Usage view is being used. These new resources or tasks receive the usual default values and are added to the end of the list of resources or tasks. New tasks created this way are always given outline level 1.

Editing Names in Usage Views

In the Task Usage view

If the Name field for an assignment record in the Task Usage view is edited, the original resource in the assignment is replaced by the one just entered. Other fields in the assignment record remain unchanged if possible, like Work, Work Contour, and Baseline Cost, but some calculated fields may change based on the different resource calendars and so on. If the assignment resource name entered does not exist, a new resource is created at the end of the resource list.

Not in the Resource Usage view

In the Resource Usage view, it is not possible to change the assignment task name in the Name field of an assignment record, except in the case of an inserted assignment that still has a dummy blank assignment task name.

Adding Duplicate Assignments

Microsoft Project does not allow a resource to be assigned more than once to the same task. If the user tries to assign a resource more than once to the same task, the following alert is displayed:

Figure 33. Alert displayed if resource is assigned more than once to a task

Some examples of when this alert is displayed follow:

• Using the Resource Assignment dialog box to drag a resource to a task to which it is already assigned.

• Insert a new assignment record in the Task Usage view, and enter a resource name for a resource that is already assigned to the parent task.

• Insert a new assignment record in the Resource Usage view, and enter a task name for a task to which the parent resource is already assigned.


Drag and Drop in Usage Views

In order to drag a record in the table portion, the user must click the locked first column to select the whole record.

Dragging Parent Records in Usage Views

When a parent row is dragged, the assignment rows are automatically selected and dragged along with the parent. This is similar to when summary tasks are dragged in the Task Sheet or Gantt Chart views.

Dragging Assignment Records in Usage Views

An assignment record can be dragged from one parent group to another in a Usage view. Microsoft Project attempts to leave the dragged assignment record fields unchanged if possible, like Work, Assignment Units, Work Contour, Actual Work, and Baseline Cost, but some calculated fields may change depending on the different resource calendars, cost rates, Task Type, and Effort Driven setting. The parent record fields may change from rolled up calculations. Note that actual data (like Actual Work) is moved too.

Dragging assignment records in the Resource Usage view

In the Resource Usage view, an assignment can be dragged from one resource parent's group of assignments and dropped onto another resource parent's group. This assigns the target parent resource to the task, and attempts to keep as many assignment fields as possible unchanged in the new assignment, but some calculated fields may change based on the different properties of the source and target parent resource record, such as resource calendars and cost rates.

The example illustrates dragging an assignment in the Resource Usage view. Mary's assignment on Task B will be dragged and dropped into parent resource Bob's group, meaning that Mary will no longer be working on Task B, and Bob will.

Figure 34. Before dragging Task B from Mary to Bob in the Resource Usage view

Figure 35. Drag operation under way


Figure 36. Drag operation complete

Note To drag an assignment in the Resource Usage view is equivalent to typing a different resource name into the Name field for an assignment record in the Task Usage view. In Figure 35, before the drag operation, the view looks similar to the one in Figure 37 for the Task Usage view:

Dragging Assignment Records in the Task Usage view

In the Task Usage view, an assignment can be dragged from one task parent's group of assignments and dropped onto another task parent's group. This assigns the resource of the dragged assignment to the target parent task, and attempts to keep as many assignment fields as possible unchanged in the new assignment. However, some calculated fields may change based on the different properties of the source and target parent task record, such as Task Type and the Effort Driven setting. Note that actual data (like Actual Work) is moved too.

The following example illustrates dragging an assignment in the Task Usage view. The assignment for parent Task Y involving Paula will be dragged and dropped into the assignment group of parent Task X, meaning that Paula will no longer be working on Task Y, but will be working on Task X instead. Task X is Fixed Units and is not Effort Driven.

Figure 37. Before dragging the Paula assignment from Task Y to Task X the Task Usage view

Figure 38. Drag operation under way

Figure 39. Drag operation complete


When resources are deleted, reassigned. or added to tasks in a Task Usage view the assignments are subject to the task type rules discussed in Lesson 15: Resource Assignments.

Fields in Usage Views

Task Fields Shared with Assignments

The task table in a Task Usage view has a number of fields used to display information for both task and assignment records, such as % Work Complete, Actual Cost, Work, and so on.

Special Cases

Assignment specific shared fields

Some of the fields that can be inserted into a task table are always blank for task records, and are only used to display assignment data in the Task Usage view. These fields follow:

• Assignment Delay

• Assignment Units

• Cost Rate Table

• Work Contour

Shared fields used differently by assignments

Some task fields are used in a special way to display data from an assignment field that does not have the same name as the task field, but is closely related to it. The table that follows lists these fields.

The second and third columns indicate whether the field is edited or calculated for task and assignment records. The codes C, E, and CE stand for Calculated only, Edited only, and Calculated or Edited. Task Field Task Assmt Comments

ID C CE For an assignment record, if an ID field in the Task Usage view is not a locked first column, then it is used to display the ID of the resource working on the assignment, otherwise it is blank. If the ID field for an assignment record is edited in the Task Usage view, the resource working on the assignment is replaced. Actuals are preserved.

Name E CE For an assignment record, the Name field in the Task Usage view displays the name of the resource working on the assignment. If the Name field for an assignment record is edited in the Task Usage view, the resource working on the assignment is replaced. Actuals are preserved

Resource Initials

CE C For an assignment record, the Resource Initials field in the Task Usage view displays the initials of the individual resource working on the assignment. The Resource Initials field in an assignment record cannot be edited, but the corresponding task record can. For task records, Resource Initials is a list of initials since more than one resource can work on a task. If the Resource Initials field for a task record in any task table is edited, the original resource becomes unassigned and another resource is assigned. Actuals are not preserved.

Resource CE C For an assignment record, the Resource Names field in the


Names Task Usage view displays the Names of the individual resource working on the assignment. The Resource Names field in an assignment record cannot be edited, but the corresponding task record can. For task records, Resource Names is a list of Names because more than one resource can work on a task. If the Resource Names field for a task record in any task table is edited, the original resource becomes unassigned and another resource is assigned. Actuals are not preserved.

Resource Fields Shared with Assignments

The resource table in a Resource Usage view has a number of fields used to display information for both resource and assignment records, such as % Work Complete, Actual Cost, Work, and so on.

Special Cases

Assignment specific shared fields

Some of the fields that can be inserted into a resource table are always blank for resource records, and are only used to display assignment data in the Resource Usage view. These fields follow:

• Actual Finish

• Actual Start

• Assignment Delay

• Assignment Units

• Baseline Finish

• Baseline Start

• Cost Rate Table

• Leveling Delay

• Resource Summary Name

• Work Contour

Shared fields used differently by assignments

Some resource fields are used in a special way to display data from an assignment field that does not have the same name as the resource field, but is closely related to it. The table that follows lists these fields.

The second and third columns indicate whether the field is edited or calculated for resource and assignment records. The codes C, E, and CE stand for Calculated only, Edited only, and Calculated or Edited. Res Field Res Assmt Comments

ID C CE For an assignment record, if an ID field in the Resource Usage view is not a locked first column, then it is used to display the ID of the task involved in the assignment, otherwise it is blank. If the ID field for an assignment record in the Resource Usage view is edited, the parent resource involved is assigned to another task. Actuals are preserved.

Initials CE C For an assignment record, the Initials field in the Resource Usage view displays the initials of the parent resource working on


the assignment. The Initials field in an assignment record cannot be edited, but those in the parent resource record can. For resource records, the Initials field contains the initials for that resource, and editing the Initials field for a resource record does not involve changing assignments.

Name E C For an assignment record, the Name field in the Resource Usage view displays the name of the parent task working on the assignment. The Name field in an assignment record cannot be edited, but the field in the parent resource record can. For resource records, the Name field contains the name of the resource, and editing the Name field for a resource record does not involve changing assignments.

Calendar View

The Calendar view provides information similar to the monthly calendar report, but is much more versatile since it can be manipulated as a view. The Calendar view will display tasks in a weekly calendar format and the calendar days can be shaded to reflect exceptions from resource or base calendars.

Note The Calendar view cannot be placed in the slave pane of a combination view.

Displaying the Calendar View

The Calendar view can be accessed in the following ways:

1. Select Calendar command from the View menu.

2. Click on the Calendar button on the left hand View bar of Microsoft Project.

Figure 40. Calendar view

The Calendar view's main unit is the week. Clicking on the vertical scrollbar buttons scrolls the calendar one week at a time, while clicking on the arrow buttons to the right of the monthly titles scrolls one month at a time.

Calendar Formatting

Most formatting for this view is done in the Timescale dialog box. This dialog box is available from the default Format menu, from double-clicking virtually anywhere in the view, or from the pop-up menu that appears when right-clicking in the view.


Figure 41. Timescale dialog box – Week Headings tab

The Week Headings tab supplies options for formatting the different calendar titles and controlling the number of days displayed in a week. Previous/Next month calendars may also be selected, and will appear in the upper left corner of the view.

The view can be displayed with either 5 or 7 days in each week. The width of each day column can be further adjusted by clicking the mouse over any Days gridline (the vertical gridline dividing two days), and dragging. If the columns are widened too much, not all days in the week will be visible. Double-clicking on any of the Days gridlines will best-fit the columns so that an entire week fills the display area.

The height of each week row can be adjusted by clicking the mouse over any Weeks gridline (the horizontal line dividing two weeks) and dragging. Double-clicking on any of the Weeks gridlines will best-fit the week height to accommodate the largest list of tasks in a single calendar day. This may result in the week height becoming too large too display completely; use the Zoom feature to resize.

Figure 42. Timescale dialog box – Date Boxes tab

The Date Boxes tab allows the user to place date labels at either the top and/or bottom of the date boxes. Labels in these boxes can be aligned left or right and can be selected from among a list of 100 possible formats. In place of a date label, an Overflow Indicator can be selected instead. The overflow indicator will be displayed in the date box whenever tasks fall on that date, but cannot be completely displayed due to the size of the date box.


Figure 43. Timescale dialog box – Date Shading tab

The Date Shading tab provides options for formatting the shading of calendar days. If a base calendar is selected from the drop-down list, the view will show only exceptions from that calendar. If a resource calendar is selected, the view will display exceptions from both the current project calendar and the resource calendar.

Zoom

The Zoom feature, available in the View menu for the Calendar view, affects vertical scaling of the view only. The selected option determines how many weeks will be fit into the currently available display area. There is a point beyond which the weeks will not be scaled, depending on the video resolution and window size.

Figure 44. Calendar view Zoom

Task Layout

The first time the Calendar view is applied, all tasks are laid out automatically. This layout can then be altered manually, by clicking and dragging tasks to new positions, or automatically according to the settings in the Layout dialog box.


Figure 45. Calendar view Layout

The Layout dialog box is available from the default Format menu, or from the pop-up menu that appears when right-clicking in the calendar portion of the view. The layout can be set to sort tasks according to the current sort order, or to fit as many tasks as possible into each day.

The Layout Now command, available on the Format menu, will force the layout to be redone according to the current Layout settings. Tasks moved manually by dragging may move when the Layout Now command is selected.

Multiple tasks may be selected by pressing the CTRL key while clicking, but multiple selections cannot be moved by dragging. Extended selections via SHIFT+click or the F8 key are not available in this view.

Setting the Hide Bar task field to Yes will cause a task bar to not be drawn in this view as well as Gantt Chart views. This field can be found on the Task Information dialog box by double clicking a task.

Creating Tasks in Calendar View

Tasks can be created in the Calendar view in one of the two ways detailed below.

1. Inserting a Task

The Insert Task command will create a 1d duration task on the currently selected day in the calendar. This task will have a SNET constraint (SNLT, if scheduling project from finish), and the Name field will be blank. Double-clicking on the task will bring up the Task Information form, where further editing can be done.

2. Clicking and dragging

Clicking and dragging will create a task, just as in the Gantt Chart or Network Diagram views. Tasks created this way:

• Are limited to durations that are multiples of .5d.

• Will start at the default start time, or 12:00pm, depending on where the drag is initiated.

• Will finish at the default finish time, or 12:00pm, depending on where the drag is terminated.

Once created, of course, the Task Information form can again be used for further editing.


Resource Views

Like Task views, Resource views provide the user with a way to easily enter and review project data. Resource views also provide a means to see resource cost, work, peak usage, and availability over time. Also like Task views, any customization made to the Resource views is saved with the project file.

To see additional information about the resources listed in a particular Resource view or about the tasks to which those resources are assigned, the Resource view can be displayed as part of a combination view.

Resource Sheet

The Resource Sheet displays information about each resource, such as the payment rate, the number of work hours assigned, and the baseline (planned) and actual cost, in a spreadsheet-like format.

The Resource Sheet can be used to:

• Enter and edit resource information.

• Review the number of hours of work assigned to each resource.

• Review resource costs.

The Resource Sheet can be customized or a new customized version can be created to make the Resource Sheet fit the user’s needs exactly:

• Change the information displayed.

• Format individual information to call attention to it. For example, bold formatting can be applied to a higher-than-expected cost and assign a different font to an overallocated resource.

• Format a category of information to distinguish that type of information from all other information. For example, all overallocated resources can be formatted as italic text and increase the size of all column titles.

• Change the horizontal and vertical lines, called gridlines, to enhance the readability or clarity of the Resource Sheet. For example, different line patterns and colors for column, row, and title gridlines can be specified.

Resource Graph

The Resource Graph graphically displays information about the allocation, work, or cost of resources over time. The user can review the resource information for one resource at a time, for selected resources, or for a resource and the selected resources simultaneously. When both are displayed, two graphs are visible --- one for the individual resource and one for the selected resources --- so they can be compared.

The Resource Graph can be used to:

• See which resources are overallocated and by how much.

• Find out how many hours each resource is scheduled to work.

• See the percent of capacity at which each resource works.

• Determine how much time a resource has available for additional work.

• Review resource costs.


The Resource Graph can be customized to:

• Display different resource information.

• Display information for an individual resource and selected resources at the same time.

• Format a category of information to distinguish that type of information from all other information. For example, all overallocated resources can be formatted as italic text and all legend labels as bold text.

• Change the units of time displayed to view the project at the level of detail required.

• View usage information for a specific time period.

• Control the type of graph displayed, such as bar, area, step, or line.

• Change the patterns and colors of the graph, as well as the overlap between an individual bar graph and a bar graph for selected resources that are displayed simultaneously.

• Change the horizontal and vertical lines, called gridlines, to enhance the readability or clarity of the Resource Graph. For example, different line patterns and colors for horizontal and current date gridlines can be specified.

When the Resource Graph is applied the graph will show the Peak Units for the resource with the ID number one. To view other resources in the plan use the horizontal scroll bar on the left side of the screen to switch to the next resource. To review multiple resources at once apply a filter and format the Resource Graph Bar Styles to show for Filtered resources.

To format the Resource Graph, select the Format menu and click Bar Styles. The dialog box below will display.

Figure 46. Resource Graph Bar Styles dialog box

Filtered resources. By default the bar style is set to Don’t show for both Overallocated resources and Allocated resources. Select a bar style and the resources matching the filter criteria will display in the graph. The Color and Pattern for the bar style is also set here.


Show values. Option is selected by default and shows the value for the Details field under the X axis. Peak Units is the default field that displays for Details.

Show availability line. Option draws a line that represents the resource’s availability for the date shown in the graph. The Color and the Pattern for the bar style is also set here.

Resource. By default the bar style for both Overallocated resource and Allocated resource at set to bar.

Bar overlap. If more than one bar share the same time segment, the amount that the bar overlap is controlled here. The number must be between 1 and 100.

To change the Detail field that displays on the X axis, select the Format menu and click Details. A list of available fields is shown, only one field can be selected to display at a time.

Resource Usage

The Resource Usage view displays cost and work allocation information for each resource for a specific time period. This view is covered under the Usage views section earlier on in this lesson.

Resource Information

Microsoft Project provides eight types of resource information that can be shown in the Resource Usage and Resource Graph views.

Peak Units

Maximum number of resource units assigned at any time during the time on the minor timescale; if peak usage during the time period exceeds the maximum units available for the resource it shows as overallocated. If the availability line is enabled, it shows a line for the total amount of peak units available for the individual resource.

Work

Total amount of work scheduled during the time on the minor timescale; if the work amount exceeds the resources available capacity it shows as overallocated. Availability line shows possible work based on maximum units available at that time within the constraints of the resource calendar.

Cumulative Work

Running total of work over time, including the work during the current time period. There is no Availability Line available for this command.

Overallocation

Amount of work that exceeds capacity during each time period. There is no Availability Line.

Percent Allocation

Percentage of capacity reflecting how much time the resource is assigned to work for each time period; if percentage is greater than 100 for the entire time period it shows as overallocated. The Availability Line is at 100%.


Availability

Amount of time a resource is still available before it is overallocated; difference between total time available and time already allocated. The Availability Line shows the possible work based on the maximum units available at that time within the constraints of resource calendar.

Cost

Scheduled cost for the resource during each time period. There is no Availability Line.

Cumulative Cost

Running total of cost over time, including the cost for the current time period. There is no Availability Line.

Network Diagram

The Network Diagram displays tasks and task relationships as a network diagram or flow chart: a box (sometimes called a node) represents each task, and a line connecting two boxes represents the relationship between the two tasks. By default, the Network Diagram displays one diagonal line through a task that is in progress and crossed diagonal lines through a completed task.

The Network Diagram can be used to:

• Create and fine-tune the schedule.

• Link tasks to specify the task sequence as well as determine start and finish dates.

• Show completed, in-progress, and not-yet-started tasks graphically.

• Assign personnel and other resources, such as equipment, to specific tasks.

To make the Network Diagram fit the user’s needs exactly, it has a significant amount of customizing functionality. It is possible to:

• Display in each Network Diagram box the most important task information. For example, instead of displaying the scheduled start and finish dates, the work and the cost can be displayed.

• Assign a different border style to tasks of a certain type.

• Change the appearance of the lines that connect Network Diagram boxes and prevent them from coinciding with page breaks.

• Format a category of information to distinguish that type of information from all other information. For example, all summary tasks can be italicized and all milestone tasks can be formatted as bold text.

• Change the view of the Network Diagram to display more or fewer boxes, so that more of the project can be seen at once.

• Align Network Diagram boxes to give them an orderly appearance.

• When the project is saved, the customized view is also saved with the project.

To display additional information about the tasks on the Network Diagram or the resources assigned to those tasks, the user can choose to display the Network Diagram in the upper pane of a combination view.


Formatting Box Styles

As in the Gantt Chart, the Box Style dialog box can be used to format types of tasks in the Network Diagram. Select the Box Styles command in the Format menu to display the Box Styles Dialog box.

Figure 47. Box Styles dialog box for Network Diagram

In the Style Settings For section of the dialog box, the user can select the category of tasks to be formatted. If multiple categories of tasks are selected, the attributes of all the categories of selected tasks can be changed simultaneously. The Preview section displays how the node will look with the currently selected settings. If multiple categories of tasks are selected, the preview will be blank.

The Set highlight filter style option allows the user to preview the highlight filter style for that particular task category. It also changes the options below to those of the highlight filter style and allows the user to customize the style by changing those options.

When entering the task ID, the Show data from Task ID option allows the user to view that task’s information with the currently selected formatting options.

In the Data template drop-down list the user can select the data template on which the selected task type is based. Data templates setup up predefined groups of fields to be displayed inside nodes. Data templates will be discussed in more detail latter on in this lesson.

This dialog box also contains options for formatting borders and backgrounds for the nodes. There are also toggles for displaying vertical and horizontal gridlines within a node.

Data Templates

Data templates allow the user to set up predefined groups of fields to display in the Network Diagram nodes. It is possible to import and create data templates in the Data Templates dialog box. To access the Data Templates dialog box, click the More Templates button in the Box Styles dialog box.


Figure 48. Data Templates dialog box

Creating New Data Templates

To create a new data template, click the New button in the Data Templates dialog box to display the Data Template Definition dialog box.

Figure 49. Data Template Definition dialog box


The name of the new template is entered into the Template Name field. Below the template name is the Format Cells section. This section is a preview pane, which displays actual task information in the preview. The number of rows and columns, cell width and blank cells can be formatted by using the Cell Layout dialog box. Clicking the Cell Layout button displays the following dialog box:

Figure 50. Cell Layout dialog box

Network Diagram nodes are divided into cells similar to cells found in a spreadsheet. Each cell displays a field. The Cell Layout dialog box enables the user to select the number of cells to display in a node. A node can contain anything from 1 to 16 cells. In other words, it can be anywhere in size from 1 column by 1 row to 4 columns by 4 rows. The Cell Layout dialog box also enables the user to change the cell width (anywhere from 50% to 400% of the standard size) and allow blank cells to merge.

In the Data Template Definition dialog box the user chooses the fields they wish to display in each cell. To do so, click on the desired cell, click the down arrow, and select the field from the drop-down list. It is also possible to type the Field name in the cell.

After the fields to display have been chosen, options for adjusting fonts, lines per cell, horizontal and vertical alignment, displaying labels, and adjusting date formats for fields that display dates can be selected. To add the new data template to the list of available templates in the drop-down list, click OK.

Each individual cell can be formatted separately from the rest. For example, the text in some cells can be formatted with Times 11 pt, Bold fonts and others with Tahoma 8 pt, Italic. As in other Microsoft Office® applications, multiple cells can be formatted at the same time by selecting the cells and holding down the CTRL key.

The Data Templates dialog box also enables the user to copy, edit, import, and delete templates. If a data template is deleted, it cannot be recovered. Nodes that are based on a deleted data template will revert back to the default template.

Microsoft Project ships with two Network views, Network Diagram view and Descriptive Network Diagram view.

Formatting Individual Nodes

Similar to the way Microsoft Project allows the user to format Gantt Bar styles and Gantt Bars, Microsoft Project also allows the user to format individual nodes. The Format Box dialog box, which is available on the Format menu is used to do this.


Figure 51. Format Box dialog box

As Figure 51 shows, this dialog box is similar to the Box Styles dialog box . The only differences are that there are no options to select the category of task, set the highlight filter style, or select a task ID to display in the Preview section. All other options work similarly to those found in the Box Styles dialog box.

Individual node formats can be removed by clicking the Reset button. This causes the node to be formatted in the default style for the task type.

Layout

The Layout dialog box enables users to have control over the layout of a project’s nodes, via the Layout dialog box. To display this dialog box, choose Layout from the Format menu.


Figure 52. Network Diagram Layout dialog box

As Figure 52 shows, the first option of the Layout dialog box, Layout Mode, allows the user to choose between automatic and manual positioning. Automatic positioning positions nodes at all times and does not allow the user to manually customize a node’s position. Manual positioning allows the user to position nodes as they want. When manual positioning is selected, Microsoft Project never moves nodes of its own accord.

If the user were to go from using manual layout mode then switch to Automatic, all manual layout would be lost.

In the Box Layout section the user can choose from seven node layout schemes. The available schemes are as follows:

1. Top Down From Left. The default layout scheme, which starts laying out nodes from the upper left corner.

2. Top Down by Day. Lays out nodes starting from the upper left corner, but groups tasks starting on the same day within the same column.

3. Top Down by Week. Lays out nodes starting from the upper left corner, but groups tasks starting in the same week within the same column.

4. Top Down by Month. Lays out nodes starting from the upper left corner, but groups tasks starting in the same month within the same column.

5. Top Down – Critical First. Lays out nodes from the upper left corner, but lists critical nodes first, then lists all other nodes.

6. Centered From Left. Lays out nodes from the center left, and expands evenly up and down while flowing to the right.

7. Centered From Top. Lays out nodes from top to bottom, expanding evenly to both the right and to the left while flowing down.

The other options found in the Box Layout section of the dialog box deal with node layout within the virtual grid which overlays the Network Diagram. The virtual grid can be thought of as a set of rows


and columns that covers the entire Network Diagram. Rows and columns overlap in virtual cells. A virtual cell can generally be thought of as the space in which one node resides, although more than one node can exist in a virtual cell. Microsoft Project allows the user to control the alignment of nodes within the virtual cell, the spacing between the cells, and the size of the cells.

To control the alignment of nodes within virtual cells, Microsoft Project uses the following two options:

• Row Alignment This option affects the vertical alignment of the node within the virtual cell. Available options are Top, Center, and Bottom.

• Column Alignment. This option affects the horizontal alignment of the node within the virtual cell. Available options are Left, Center, and Right.

To control the spacing between virtual cells (or more accurately the white space between rows and columns) Microsoft Project uses the following two options:

• Row Spacing. This option ranges from zero to 200. Each number represents one pixel when the zoom setting is set at 100%. The default for this option is 40.

• Column Spacing. This option ranges from zero to 200. Each number represents one pixel when the zoom setting is set at 100%. The default for this option is 60.

The size of virtual cells is dependent on the row and column in which it resides. It is set via the following two options:

• Row Height. This option sets the vertical size of a virtual row. There are two available options. The default, Best Fit, allows each virtual row to be a different height with the tallest node residing in the row determining the row height. The other available option, Fixed, sets all rows to the same height with the tallest node in the diagram determining all row heights.

• Column Width. This option sets the horizontal size of a virtual column. The default, Best Fit, allows each virtual column to be a different width with the widest node residing in the column determining the column width. The other available option, Fixed, sets all columns to the same height with the widest node in the diagram determining all column widths.

The three other options in the Box Layout section are listed below:

• Show summary tasks. This option shows summary tasks. It is the same setting as that found by selecting the Tools menu, clicking Options and selecting the View tab. It is simply replicated here for ease of discovery.

• Keep tasks with their summaries. This option allows the user to choose whether summary tasks or predecessors should take precedence when nodes are laid out. If this option is checked, Microsoft Project will position nodes in relationship to their summary tasks over their predecessors. Not checking this option does the opposite. This option comes into play when a task in a link chain has a predecessor that belongs to a different summary task; this option is grayed out if Show Summary Tasks is not checked.

• Adjust for page breaks – This option keeps nodes from breaking across pages. It is on by default.

Below the Box Layout section is the Link Style section. Here the user can choose between Rectilinear or Straight links. The user can also choose to not display links and to display link labels. Link Labels show the type of link. (that is, SF, SS, etc.)

The next section is the Link Color section. Here the user can choose between manually setting the link color for non-critical and critical tasks, or allowing links to be the same color as the preceding node’s border color.


The final section of the Layout dialog box is Diagram Options. Here the user can set the Network Diagram background color and pattern. The user can also choose options to show page breaks, mark in-progress and completed tasks, and to hide all fields within a node except ID. It is important to note that internally, choosing the option to hide all fields except for ID applies a hidden internal template to all nodes. This template does not show up in the list of data templates. For all practical purposes, it is a part of the Network Diagram view.

Manual Layout Mode Extras

When manual layout is selected in the Layout dialog box, there are some extra options that become available. These options allow the user to manually lay out some nodes while automatically laying out others, and automatically lining up nodes. The following commands are accessed by right clicking a node selection.

Layout Selection Now. Microsoft Project allows the user to manually layout some nodes while it selectively lays out other nodes automatically. To have Microsoft Project automatically arrange nodes, select the nodes, right-click the mouse, and choose Layout Selection Now.

When this is done, Microsoft Project internally calculates the layout of the entire project, but then moves only the selected nodes to their positions.

Layout Related Tasks Now. This command allows a selected node anywhere in the diagram to have its predecessor tasks lined up to it. This also works for summary tasks and their subtasks.

Align

The Align option means that selected nodes can be lined up with other selected nodes. To do this, Microsoft Project uses the first node selected (also called the master node) and aligns all other selected nodes to it. This is done by right-clicking with the mouse and choosing Align when multiple nodes are selected. The following options appear:

• Lefts. Changes the X coordinate of the upper left corner of each node to that of the master node.

• Centers. Changes the X coordinate of the center of each node to that of the master node.

• Rights. Changes the X coordinate of the upper right corner of each node to that of the master node.

• Tops. Changes the Y coordinate of the top left corner of each node to that of the master node.

• Middles. Changes the Y coordinate of the center of each node to that of the master node.

• Bottoms. Changes the Y coordinate of the top right corner of each node to that of the master node.

Using the Align command can potentially cause nodes to overlap. As a result, users might think that nodes have been deleted. Actually, the nodes still exist, they just overlap. If tasks still exist in another view, they should also exist in the Network Diagram view.

Viewing Summary Tasks

Like summary tasks in other views, summary tasks in the Network Diagram are affected by the options found on the View tab under the Tools menu select Options. Note that these settings are specific to each view. In other words, settings for one view do not affect other views. When the View tab is displayed while in the Network Diagram view, the Indent Name and Show Outline Number are both grayed out. This is because these options are not available in the Network Diagram view.


Printing Network Diagrams

Printing the Network Diagram is essentially the same as printing other views in Microsoft Project. Regardless of the background color and pattern chosen for the view, Microsoft Project only prints the Network Diagram with a white background.

Legends for the Network Diagram are dependent on the settings made in the Box Styles dialog box. Any changes to the nodes are reflected in the printed legend.

One scenario that is fairly unique to Network Diagrams occurs when attempting to use the Fit to option located on the Page tab in the Page Setup dialog box (File menu/Page Setup). When this option is set, the Adjust For Page Breaks option (found in the Layout dialog box) is disabled. This may cause nodes to break across pages if attempting to fit to more than one page.

To work around this issue, set the option to fit to the desired pages to see the scaling units used. Then manually adjust the scaling units to this amount while making sure Adjust For Page Breaks is enabled. This may require the user to adjust the scaling units to ensure only the desired amount of pages are used.

Filtering in the Network Diagram View

In the Network Diagram view is the ability to filter. Task filters can be applied in the Network Diagram view just as they can be in any other task view. There are no special filters for Network Diagrams.

Displaying Task Chains

One of the powerful features that filtering allows is the ability to display a link chain of tasks. This can be done by holding down the SHIFT key and selecting the first task in the chain that needs to be displayed.

A link chain can be even more clearly displayed by splitting the screen so that the top pane displays the Network Diagram view and the bottom pane displays the Gantt Chart view. Selecting the first chain task in the Network Diagram while holding down the SHIFT key will list all tasks in the link chain in the Gantt Chart.

Figure 53. Network Diagram Link Chains

Views related to PERT Analysis

The following views are associated with the PERT Analysis macros that come with Microsoft Project :

• PA_PERT Entry Sheet


• PA_Expected Gantt

• PA_Optimistic Gantt

• PA_Pessimistic Gantt

Each of these views has a table to go with it as shown in the picture of the More Tables dialog box, but are only created once the PERT Analysis macro has been run.

Figure 54. More Tables dialog box

Figure 55 shows the Pert Analysis toolbar and explains the functions of each button.

Figure 55. PERT Analysis toolbar

When an optimistic, expected, and pessimistic value for a task is entered in the PA_PERT Entry Sheet view and then the Calculate PERT command is run on the PERT Analysis toolbar, Microsoft Project calculates a probable duration for the selected task and places that value in the Duration field. By changing the weight that Microsoft Project attributes to each of the three estimated durations, the probable estimate can be tailored to be more accurate. Change the weight when you click the PERT Weights button on the PERT Analysis toolbar and alter the default settings.

Figures 56, 57, 58, and 59 are examples of the PERT Analysis related views.


Figure 56. PA_PERT Entry Sheet view...

Figure 57. PA_Optimistic Gantt view

Figure 58. PA_Expected Gantt view


Figure 59. PA_Pessimistic Gantt view

Form Views

Form views are used to enter, view, and edit basic task and resource information one task or resource at a time. Forms are especially effective for isolating all the detailed information for a specific task or resource.

Form views can be used in a single view, but are most effective when displayed in the bottom pane of a combination view. The selection in the top pane drives the data displayed in the bottom pane, providing detailed information about the selected task or resource.

In a Form view, navigate to information about the previous or subsequent task/resource by clicking the Previous or Next button in the upper right of the form. The order that tasks and resources display in, is determined by their order in the project (the ID number for the task or resource). Applying a sort or filter in the form view will affect the order in which the tasks or resources are displayed. A sort or filter does not affect the order of the assignment information.

Figure 60. Resource Form as a single view

The set of fields displayed in the header of a Form view is not set by a table but using the Details submenu found under the Format menu. Task and resource forms have different details available based on the database tables for task and resource.

The information in the tabular section is assignment information. The order this information displays is driven by the assignment Unique ID that is set by Microsoft Project and can not be altered, sorted, or filtered.

When fields are edited the buttons in the navigation buttons change to OK and Cancel buttons allowing the user to review all entered data before committing, clicking OK.

Actions available in a Form view include, adding, modifying or deleting resources or tasks. Resources can be assigned or removed from tasks, tasks can be updated just to name a few.


Figure 61. Task Form as part of the combination view Task Entry

Additional Views

Bar Rollup view

The Bar Rollup view works in conjunction with the Rollup_Formatting macro. For each summary task, it displays rolled up child bars on top of the summary task alternating the name of the child task above and below the rolled up child bars.

The rollup process is normally begun by setting the Rollup field to Yes for the summary task and all the child tasks that need to be to rollup. The macro requires at least one child task in the entire project to have Yes in the Rollup field or an error message is generated. It is possible to insert the necessary Yes by inserting the Rollup field in any task table and entering Yes for the appropriate tasks. It is also possible to select the tasks and choose Task Information from the Project menu, and put the Rollup Gantt bar on a summary setting as shown in the sequence of pictures that follow (if only summary tasks are selected, the setting is Show rolled up Gantt bars).

The Bar Styles dialog box for the Bar Rollup view includes pairs of rollup bar definitions for task, split and milestone. For each pair, the upper definition includes Flag10 in the Show For column and the bottom definition includes Not Flag10.

For the task and milestone pairs of bar definitions, the upper definition has the Text Tab Top field set to Name. The lower definition has the Text Tab Bottom field set to Name.

The Rollup_Formatting macro alternately puts Yes or No in the Flag10 field for the child tasks. In combination with the upper/lower bar definition pairs in the Bar Rollup view, this causes the child task names to alternate above and below the rollup bars.


Figure 62. Part of the Bar Styles dialog box for the Bar Rollup view

Figure 63. Multiple Task Information dialog box – rollup setting

Figure 64. Gantt Chart before setting the Rollup field to Yes for the child tasks

Figure 65. Resulting Gantt Chart showing the rollup bars


To run the Rollup_Formatting macro by clicking Macros on the Tools Macro submenu, and then double-click Rollup_Formatting in the Macros dialog box. The macro displays the following dialog box:

Figure 66. Rollup Formatting (macro) dialog box

The Rollup_Formatting macro can be run before or after the Bar Rollup view is applied, but the Rollup field must be set to Yes for at least one of the child tasks in the entire project or you get the alert shown in Figure 67.

Figure 67. Alert to rollup the tasks

After the macro runs, the Bar Rollup view shows the names of the rolled up child tasks alternately above and below the rolled up bars. It then collapses the summary tasks as shown.

Figure 68. Bar Rollup view after running the Rollup_Formatting macro


Milestone Rollup view

The Milestone Rollup view works in conjunction with the Rollup_Formatting macro and alternates the names of the rolled up tasks just like the Bar Rollup view. The difference is that the Milestone Rollup view shows milestone markers for rolled up tasks, even for tasks that are not milestones. It uses one pair of bar style definitions to do this. The upper definition has the Text Tab Top field set to Name, and the lower definition has the Text Tab Bottom field set to Name.

Figure 69. Part of the Bar Styles dialog box for the Milestone Rollup view

Using the sample project in the above Bar Rollup view example, the resulting rollup is shown in Figure 70.

Figure 70. Resulting Rollup

Milestone Date Rollup view

The Milestone Date Rollup view works in conjunction with the Rollup_Formatting macro like the Bar Rollup view does, except that it displays rollup start date milestones instead of bars (even for tasks that are not milestones). It also displays task names above the rollup milestones and start dates below. It uses a single bar definition to handle the rolled up milestones, with the Text Tab Top field set to Name and the Bottom field set to Start.

Figure 71. Bar Styles dialog box with Rollup Task detail


Using the sample project in the above Bar Rollup view example, the resulting rollup is shown in Figure 72.

Figure 72. Summary Task Rollup view

Leveling Gantt view

In Microsoft Project, the Leveling Gantt view also shows the Delay and Slack bars, but in addition adds Preleveled bars that make it easy to see the effects of leveling. It saves dates to the new Preleveled Start and Preleveled Finish task fields. It also saves split dates (internal only, not accessible) so the preleveled splits can be shown.

Figure 73. Bar Styles dialog box for Leveling Gantt view

Note that in the above picture, the bar definitions have been rearranged to show the ones of interest.

Figure 74 illustrates the Leveling Gantt view.

Figure 74. Leveling Gantt view


Saving View Information

In Microsoft Project, all view, calendar, and project information are saved as part of a single project document, the .mpp file.

Copying Views from The Global File

The global file, Global.mpt, is a special template file. It serves two purposes:

• It contains templates of calendars, views, and related information that each new project file will copy and use.

• It contains toolbars and macros that may apply to multiple projects.

Templates from the global file are initially copied into a project when first used. The Calendar view, for instance, is not copied into a new project until that view is set or edited for the first time. The Gantt Chart view (or whichever view is set as default) is copied when the file is first created.

Once a view or calendar (or any other item) from the global file has been copied into a project file, it is no longer dependent on the global file in any way. All information relating to that view is now saved in the individual project. Any editing or formatting is applied to the view in the individual project and the template in the global file is unaffected.

Example 1

Project1 is created and the Task Sheet view applied. The default text style for Summary tasks in the Task Sheet view is Regular, but for Project1 we change it to bold.

Project2 is then created and the Task Sheet view applied. The text style for Summary tasks in the Project2 Task Sheet is still regular, because the change made to Project1 did not affect the Global.mpt file.

Example 2

Project1 is created and the Standard Calendar is specified as the project calendar. The Standard Calendar is edited to make March 26, 2003 a nonworking day.

Project2 is then created and the Standard Calendar is specified as the project calendar. The Standard Calendar for Project2 still shows March 26, 2003 as a working day, because the change made to Project1 did not affect the Global.mpt file.

When started, Microsoft Project looks for the global file in the users Microsoft Project language directory (c:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\MS Proj\1033). A second copy is stored in the program directory under the its language folder (C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\1033)

If the Global.mpt cannot be found then the Windows installer will reinstall the file from the installation media or network share.

If the Global.mpt file has to be replaced, either with the copy or reinstalled, then any customization done will be lost.


The Organizer

Views and other items can be moved between project files, including the global file, using the Organizer dialog box.

To access the Organizer dialog box

• select the Tools menu and click Organizer.

OR

• from the More Views dialog box click the Organizer button.

Figure 75. Organizer dialog box

The Organizer dialog box provides options for renaming views, copying them from one project file to another, or deleting them altogether.

Because information can be copied into the global file in the same manner as other files, users are able to add templates of views, tables, etc., to their global file. These templates will then be available to all projects using the same global file.

To replace a view in a project file with the default from the Global.mpt

1. Select the View tab.

2. Select the view name from Global.mpt file (left-hand window, notice the name of the source file is listed above the view list). The filename can be changed using the drop-down list directly under the view list titled Views available in.

3. Click the Copy button. A warning dialog box will display, as shown in Figure 76.

Figure 76. Alert when copying a view with a duplicate name


As noted earlier, if the global file is read-only, upon exit (and assuming changes have occurred to the global file such as a toolbar item, a macro change, or a change made via the Organizer), the user is informed that no changes can be written to the global file, and they are provided with a dialog box for saving the global file under a different name.

There is no way to force a save to the global file during a Microsoft Project session. Changes are saved only upon exiting.



Exercises 1. How do you show or hide the Details column in a Usage view?

2. Which factors control which timephased fields are listed in the Details shortcut menu (when you right click in the Details column)?

3. In the Detail Styles dialog box Usage Details tab, what is the purpose of the All Task Rows or All Resource Rows items and the All Assignment Rows item?

4. What are some uses of the Assignment field in a Usage view?

5. Does the Edit Fill command function in the timephased grid of a Usage view?

6. If you select one or more cells containing nonzero work in a task timephased row in the Task Usage view and press the Insert key, what happens and what is the term that describes the result?

7. What happens if you try to delete an entire task, resource, or assignment record that contains nonzero Actual Work?

8. If you edit the Name field for an assignment record in the Task Usage view, does it rename the resource or does it assign a different resource to the task?

9. Can you do this in the Resource Usage view as well?

10. What information is required to create a new single view?

11. Under what conditions will nonworking time NOT display in the timescale?

12. Using the Gantt Chart Wizard changes settings in what dialog box?

13. What is z-order and how can you change it?

14. How is the Show for…Tasks column used to format Bar Styles?

15. In the Network Diagram view, is it possible to set the Layout to manual and still have Microsoft Project do some auto layout for you? If so, how?

16. Can nodes in a Network Diagram be grouped or sorted by time? If so how?

17. In the Network Diagram view, what is a task chain and how do you show it>

18. What is PERT Analysis?

19. How do you access a PERT Analysis view?

20. Can you sort the assignment records in a Form view?


Lab 1. 1. Create a project with the data shown in the chart below. Change the Project Start date to 8/18/97

before entering the other data.

2. Format the Task Usage view as shown in the chart above: Display the timephased Work, Actual

Work, and % Complete in that order and display the Details column. Format the timescale for weeks over days. Use the default color and patterns.

3. Next, change the formatting as follows:

• Format all timephased task rows to use Bold Arial 12 with a yellow background and solid pattern.

• Format all timephased assignment rows to use Italic Courier New 8 with a white background and solid pattern.

The result should be similar to the chart below (except for the color in a black and white copy of this manual):

4. Next change the formatting on timephased rows as follows (all of these changes are to be made in the Detail Styles dialog box at the same time):

• All timephased task rows use Bold Arial 12 with a yellow background and solid pattern.

• Assignment timephased Work rows use Italic Courier New 8 with a white background and solid pattern.


• Assignment timephased Actual Work rows use Italic Courier New 8 with a white background and solid pattern.

• Assignment timephased % Complete rows use a black background and solid pattern (there is no data displayed in these rows).

The result should be similar to the chart below (except for the color in a black and white copy of this manual):


Answers to Exercises 1. To show or hide the Details column in a Usage view select Detail Styles, then select Usage

Properties tab and enter Yes or No in the Display details header column.

2. The factors that control which timephased fields are listed in the Details shortcut menu comes from the Show in menu option, plus any additional fields selected form the Usage Detail tab under Detail Styles,.

3. All (task, resource or assignment) Rows, are not real fields, but are used to format cell patterns for an entire category of timephased fields.

4. Some uses of the Assignment field in a Usage view are:

• Display assignment information on a task or resource that can be added, edited, or deleted. Such as updating individual assignment information.

• Creating custom contours.

5. Yes the Fill command from the Edit menu does function in the timephased grid of a Usage view.

6. If you select one or more cells containing nonzero work in a task timephased row in the Task Usage view and press the Insert key, zero work will be inserted into those cells and the cells with work will be moved to the right, the term is called a split.

7. If you try to delete an entire task, resource, or assignment record that contains nonzero Actual Work the record is deleted.

8. If you edit the Name field for an assignment record in the Task Usage view, if the resource name exists in the plan then the old resource is replaced. If the name does not exist then a new resource is added to the plan and replaces the old resource on the task.

9. Yes, you can do this in the Resource Usage view as well.

10. The information required to create a new single view is the screen and filter for any new view, table and group for most all other single views.

11. The conditions that keep nonworking time from displaying in the timescale is

• The option Do Not Draw is selected

• The timescale is zoomed out to where the nonworking time cannot draw, as when weeks only are being displayed and weekends are nonworking.

12. Using the Gantt Chart Wizard changes the settings in the Bar Styles dialog box.

13. Z-order is the position an object has within a drawing layer plane. You can move objects forward and backward but the order does not change.

14. The Show for Tasks column is used to identify what kind of task is represented by the Gantt bar.

15. Yes, it is possible to set the Layout to manual and still have Microsoft Project do some auto layout for you. Select a node or nodes and right clicking displays a set of commands:

• Layout Selection

• Layout Related Tasks

• Align

16. Yes, nodes can be grouped or sorted by time. Select the Format menu , click Layout and from the Arrangement drop-down list select group by day/week/etc.

17. A task chain is all the successors for a selected task. Select the node while holding down the Shift key.


18. PERT Analysis is Optimistic, Expected, and Pessimistic views of a project plan.

19. To access a PERT Analysis view

• First display the PERT Analysis toolbar.

• Enter Optimistic, Expected and Pessimistic duration for tasks.

• Run the PERT Analysis macro.

• View the resulting views using the view buttons from the PERT Analysis toolbar or More views.

20. No, you cannot sort the assignment records in a Form view, only the task or resource records.

###



Lesson 24: Reports




Lesson 24: Reports Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Reports Overview Creating Custom Reports Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Access the reports feature.

• Create a basic report.

• Create a custom report of any type.

• Print a report.

• Copy a report.

• Delete a report.

Related Topics Covered in this Lesson

• Printing

Reports Overview

Microsoft® Project comes with extensive reports that you can customize. Selecting the Reports command from the View menu brings up a graphical dialog box for selecting reports. There are five


options for predefined reports, and a Custom option that allows the user to create or modify their own.

To see a list of Reports

1. From the View menu, choose Reports.

Figure 1. Reports dialog box

The Reports dialog box contains buttons that represent the categories of predefined reports available in Microsoft Project. You first select the report category you want and then select a specific report to view in the preview window. For example, double-click Costs to display the Cost Reports dialog box, which contains buttons showing the available Cost reports. You can then double-click a specific report to view it in the preview window. This allows you to see the information included in the report.

Overview

Overview reports show information over the entire project duration, including summary tasks, critical tasks, project milestones, cost and schedule information, and so on.

Current Activities

Current Activity reports show a variety of task information, such as un-started, in progress, completed tasks; tasks that are behind schedule; and tasks that will start or that should have started between the dates you specify.

Costs

Cost reports show a full range of cost information, including budgets for all tasks over the entire project duration; tasks and resources that are over budget; earned-value information for all tasks; and costs per task displayed for one-week periods.

Assignments

Assignment reports show resource assignment information, including task schedules for all resources over the entire project duration; tasks for only the resources you specify, displayed for one-week periods; and resources that are over allocated. Workload Workload reports are Crosstab reports showing task usage and resource usage information.


Custom

Use the Custom Reports dialog box to create a new report or to customize or copy an existing report. All available reports are listed.

Editing Reports

If you choose to work with one of the standard report categories, you will be provided with a list of reports available in that category, and the chance to edit any of the reports. In Figure 2 the user has clicked on Assignments in the Reports dialog box.

Figure 2. Assignment Reports dialog box

Duration and Work Labels in Reports

For display of work and duration type of data in reports, Microsoft Project uses the default settings in the Schedule tab to determine the units. The Schedule tab can be found by selecting Options from the Tools menu.

Figure 3. Extract from Schedule tab of Tools, Options settings

The settings that control the format of duration and work abbreviation labels are to be found in the Edit tab. The Edit tab can be found by selecting Options from the Tools menu. Both views and reports use these settings when displaying data.

Figure 4. Extract from Edit tab of Tools, Options settings


Creating Custom Reports

The Custom Reports dialog box, which can be obtained by clicking on Custom in the Reports dialog box, provides options to create New, Edit and Copy reports. Selecting Preview displays what the report as it will be printed. The Setup button provides easy access to the Page Setup options, and the Organizer is available for deleting, moving, and copying reports from one project to another.

If you select Custom, the following screen is displayed. Scroll through the list to locate the report you want.

Figure 5. Custom Reports dialog box

Creating Custom Reports

Microsoft Project includes 29 predefined task, resource, and Crosstab reports, but no predefined monthly calendar report; you have to create your own. If none of the predefined reports meet your information needs, you can create a custom report.

Creating a custom report is similar to editing a predefined report. The only difference is that when you create a custom report, you use one of four report templates rather than a predefined report.

The four report templates are:

• Task

• Resource

• Monthly Calendar

• Crosstab

You create a custom task report using the Task report template. This template lets you combine task tables, task filters, and task details (notes, objects, predecessors, and successors) with appearance and sort options to create the report you need.

You create a custom resource report using the Resource report template. This template lets you combine resource tables, resource filters, and resource details (notes, objects, calendar, and cost rates) with appearance and sort options to create the report you need.


Once you create a custom task report, you can edit it just as you would a predefined report. All custom reports are listed in the Reports list in the Custom Reports dialog box and are saved in your project file.

Like all reports, a custom task report uses information from the tables you apply in various views. For example, the Task report template uses the task Entry table as its default, which is the default table of the Gantt Chart view. So when you enter task names and durations in the Gantt Chart view, the information is used as content in the task report.

Task and Resource Report Dialog Boxes

These dialog boxes are obtained when you choose to edit a report relating to tasks or resources. The Task and Resource Report dialog boxes are very similar.

Figure 6. Task Report dialog box

Definition Tab

The Definition tab looks the same for both the Task and Resource Report except that the content of the Table and Filter drop-down menus vary to show the appropriate tables and filters, and the Show Summary Tasks option is disabled for the Resource report.

The Period drop-down menu includes options for entire project, years, quarters, months, weeks, and days. Selecting Entire Project produces a non-periodic report. Selecting one of the other options produces a periodic report.

The Count option relates to the Period and defines what time period headings to display in the report. If the period is weeks, and count is 2, then a heading for every other week will be displayed. Count is not available if Entire Project is selected for the period.

The Gray bands option is used to improve readability. The gray bands assist in viewing a row of data across the report page.

Clicking the Text button displays a dialog box for formatting text styles in the body of the report, not for headers or footers.


Figure 7. Formatting Text Styles

Item to Change lists three kinds of tasks whose text can be formatted individually. They are Non-critical, Critical, and Milestone tasks. This is true for all reports except the Base Calendar report. In the Calendar report the items are Calendar Name and Detail.

The rest of the options work as expected, the font type, style and size can all be modified, as well as the color and whether the font should be underlined. The Sample box will display what the combination of options will look like when the OK button is clicked.

To edit the text for headers and footers select Page Setup from the File menu.

Details Tab

The Details tab provides options to add additional task and resource information to the report.

In Figure 8 many options are grayed out. This is because the Period option has something other than Entire Project selected in the Definition tab.

Border around details draws boxes around the detail information.

Gridlines between details separates each task with a line.

Show totals will total only for task or resource numeric fields, details are not totaled.


Figure 8. Task Report dialog box – Details tab

Sort Tab

The Sort tab provides the standard Sort dialog box for sorting the tasks or resources in the report. If a task report is created outline formatting is unavailable as well as outline sorting options. There are no options for custom sorting of assignment details. Assignment details will always be sorted by ID number.

Figure 9. Resource Report dialog box - Details tab

All the options are available in Figure 9 because Entire Project has been selected for the Period on the Definition tab.

Notice that the Resource report definition tab has Calendar and Cost Rates checkboxes as compared to a Task report definition tab which has Processors and Successors.


Reporting Resource Cost Rate Tables

In Microsoft Project, each resource has five Cost rate tables, labeled A through E. In each rate table, you can define up to 25 custom time specific rates (a cost rate for a specific date range).

Cost rate tables can be modified in the Resource Information dialog box. Cost rate tables can only be printed as part of a Resource report. The Resource Report dialog box, the Details tab contains a Cost Rates checkbox that allows you to print the Cost rate tables.

The Resource Information dialog box, the Cost tab always displays rates using the single letter abbreviations, such as $20/h. However, the Resource report displays the rates using the format specified in the Edit tab (from the Tools menu select Options).

Example

In this example, only Rate Table A for resource R1 is edited. Rate tables A through E contain the default zero values. Figure 10 shows only the part of the report containing Rate Tables A and B. All the rate tables would print out on the actual report.

An extra column, titled End Date, is added to the report to make it easier to interpret.

Figure 10. Resource report with Cost Rates option selected

Creating a Custom Monthly Calendar Report

Microsoft Project includes a predefined monthly calendar, the Calendar view, but no predefined monthly calendar reports. The Calendar view can be edited and the view printed to create a monthly calendar report.

Creating a Custom Crosstab Report

You create a custom Crosstab report using the Crosstab report template. Unlike other templates, both task and resource information is combined with appearance and sort options to create the report. Once you create a custom Crosstab report, you can edit it just as you would a predefined report.


Layout of Crosstab Reports

The basic layout of a Crosstab report will show either tasks (with resources) or resources (with tasks) down the left side of the report and a timescale across the top of the report. The cells at the intersection of a task or resource and time period will contain the calculated cost, work, etc., for the given task or resource for that time period.

Figure 11. Layout of Crosstab reports

Column widths are determined automatically to display all data.

A Crosstab report’s layout is made up of five areas: task/resource list, timescale, crosstab data, row totals, and column totals. The options in the Crosstab Report dialog box determine the contents of each of these areas.

Microsoft Project has Crosstab reports that print time-phased task or resource data across time, with the option to print the corresponding time-phased assignment rows under each task or resource row.

Figure 12. Crosstab example showing Work for Tasks with assignments


Figure 13. Crosstab example showing Work for Resources with assignments

Figure 14. Crosstab Report dialog box – Definition tab

The options in the Definition tab of the Crosstab report are:

Name. Name of the Crosstab report being edited or created. It defaults to Report X (for example, Report 1, Report 2, …) if it is a new report vs. editing the Crosstab report.

Column. Has two values, they are Timescale unit and Count explained below.

Timescale unit for report (not labeled). The Timescale unit drop-down menu has seven entries: years, half years, quarters, months, thirds of months, weeks, and days.

Count (not labeled). Increment for timescale units. The count accepts values between 1 and 50, inclusive.

Row. Determines whether the primary information in the report is for tasks or resources.

With Task/Resource Assignment. Changes based on the Row drop-down selection. If checked, the assignment details for a task/resource are printed below the task/resource name and details on the report.


Data drop-down (not labeled). Determines the kind of data reported. The contents change based on the Row drop-down selection. If the Row drop-down selection is Tasks, the data drop-down contains the following list:

The table below shows the available time-phase task and resource fields available in Crosstab reports.

Row Setting Microsoft Project available data fields

Row set to Tasks Actual Cost


Actual Work

ACWP

Baseline Cost

Baseline Work

BCWP

BCWS

Cost

Cumulative Cost

Cumulative Work

CV

Fixed Cost

Overtime Work

Regular Work

SV

Work

Row set to Resources

Actual Cost


Actual Work

ACWP

Baseline Cost

Baseline Work

BCWS

Cost

Cumulative Cost

Cumulative Work

CV

Overallocation

Overtime Work

Peak Units

Percent Allocation

Regular Work

Remaining Availability

SV

Unit Availability

Work Availability

Work

Note When the Row drop-down selection is Tasks and the data drop-down selection is cost, fixed costs on tasks are automatically prorated.

Filter. Contains a list of all available task or resource filters depending on whether the Row drop-down selection is tasks or resources. These can be used to filter the primary information, not assignments.

Highlight. The checkbox for this option applies to the filter. If selected all tasks will be displayed and those matching the filter criteria will be highlighted.

There is a Summary filter on the list, but this shows nothing unless Summary Tasks is checked in the Details tab dialog box.

Text. Allows text formatting by category.


Figure 15. Crosstab Report dialog box – Details tab

The options in the Details tab of the Crosstab report are:

Summary tasks. Only active when the Row drop-down selection is Tasks. This option determines whether summary tasks are included in the report. Summary tasks included on the report should roll up information from child tasks plus values from resources assigned to the summary task.

When summary tasks are included in the report, outline indentation is used for the task names.

Row totals and Column totals. Determines whether totals are calculated and printed for each row and column of the report. The totals are included at the right-hand side and the bottom of the report, respectively. If both checkboxes are set, then an overall total is calculated and printed at the intersection of the row and column totals.

For a Task or Resource Cumulative Work or Cumulative Cost report, summing across rows for Row Totals doesn't have much meaning -- the last period equals the row total.

For a Resource Percent Allocation report, summing across rows and down columns doesn't have much meaning either.

Between tasks and Between resources. Determines whether gridlines are printed between each task and between each resource, respectively. If Row is Tasks and With Resource Assignments is unchecked in the Definition tab, then Between Resources is grayed out in the Details tab. Likewise, if Row is Resources and With Task Assignments is unchecked or grayed out in the Definition tab, then Between Tasks is grayed out in the Details tab.

Show zero values. For cells that would contain zero values, this checkbox determines whether to print the zero or leave the cell blank.

Repeat first column on every page. Determines if the Task/Resource list should be printed only on the first column of pages, or on the left of every page.

Date format. Determines the formatting of the timescale labels. The contents change depending on the choice of period from the Column drop-down selection in the Definition tab. The same label choices are provided as in the Timescale dialog box.


Crosstab Report Sorting

The Sort tab is similar to the standard Sort dialog box accessible through the Tools menu. Only the primary information (as selected in the Details tab Row drop-down selection) is sorted, not assignments.

Usage Views as an alternative to Crosstab Reports

On occasion you might find that printing the Task Usage and Resource Usage better meets your needs than printing Crosstab reports for the following reasons:

• Multiple table columns can be shown on the left side.

• Multiple types of time-phased data (work, cost, and so on) can be shown at the same time.

• Summary task rows rollup data from child tasks (plus any additional values coming from the summary task itself, for example if resources are assigned to the summary task).

Row and column totals can be printed in usage views as well.

To include totals when the view is printed

1. From the File menu select Page Setup.

2. Click the View tab.

3. Click to enable Print row totals for values within date range and Print column totals.

Figure 16. Printout of Task Usage view showing time-phased Work and Cost

Copying a Report

You can create a copy of any predefined or custom report. If you don’t specify a new name for the copied report, the phrase, Copy of is inserted in front of the existing name. For example, if you make a copy of the Critical Tasks report but don’t rename it, the report Copy of Critical Tasks is displayed in the Reports list. This feature is particularly useful if you want to create a new report based on a report that already exists.

1. From the View menu, click Reports.


2. Click Custom, and then click Select.

3. In the Reports list, click the report you want to copy.

4. Click Copy.

5. If you want to change the copied report’s name, type a new name in the Name box.

6. To modify your copied report, select the report in the Report list and click Edit.

Printing a Report 1. From the View menu, click Reports.

2. Click the report type you want, and then click Select.

3. If you chose Custom as the report type, click a report in the Reports list, and then go to step 5.

4. Click the report you want to print, and then click Select.

5. Or to customize predefined settings, click Edit, make the necessary changes, click OK, and then click Select.

6. If you want to change the appearance of your report pages, click Page Setup, make the necessary adjustments, and then click Preview to see what you've changed.

7. Click Print.

Note You can print any report without previewing it. On the View menu, click Reports, click Custom, and then click Select. In the Reports list, click the report you want to print, and then click Print. Make changes to the print options if needed, and then click OK.

Deleting a Report

You can delete any predefined or custom report using the Organizer. Deleting a report in this way removes it from the project file, but not from the Global.mpt file.

1. From the View menu, click Reports.

2. Click Custom, and then click Select.

3. Click Organizer.

4. In the project report list on the right (current open project file), click the report you want to delete.

5. Do not delete a report from the Global.mpt list on the left unless you want it permanently deleted from Microsoft Project.

6. Click Delete and click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Note If a report is saved in both the global and project files, deleting it from the project file does not delete it from the Reports list in the Custom Reports dialog box. Deleting a report from both the global and project files means that report will no longer be listed in the Reports list in the Custom Reports dialog box.

Note To delete more than one report, hold down CTRL to select the reports you want to delete, and then click Delete.



Exercises 1. What are the four report templates?

2. What is the difference between editing a report and customizing a report?

3. Where are the duration and work data types and label abbreviations defaults set?

4. What project views are similar to the Crosstab report?

5. Can row totals and column totals be printed on usage views? How?

6. How is a periodic report created?

7. Can assignment or detail information be sorted in a report?

8. In what kind of reports can summary tasks be displayed?

Lab 1. Edit the Task report to show summary tasks, and create a periodic report. 1. Open LESS22RPT FILE.MPP.

2. From the View menu, select Reports.

3. Double click Custom and select the Task report, click Preview.

Note Check how many lines are in the report, four.

4. Click Close.

5. Click Edit, on the Definition tab check Show summary tasks, click OK.

Note how many lines are in the report, six.

6. Click Close.

7. Click Edit, on the Definition tab select Days for the Period.

8. Click OK then click Preview.

Note Labels for each time period and how the task2 is listed twice, once for each day it crosses.

Lab 2. Create a task Crosstab report with assignments and totals 1. Open LESS22RPT FILE.MPP.

2. From the View menu, select Reports.

3. Double click Custom and select New.

4. Click Crosstab then click OK.

5. On the Definition tab set the Row to Tasks and data to Work.

6. Check And resource assignments.

7. Click the Details tab and check Row totals and Column totals.

8. Click OK, click Preview.


You should see tasks with resource assignment information indented under each task and totals for work for each row and each column.

Lab 3. Print a Task Usage view with row and column totals 1. From the View menu select Task Usage.

2. From the File menu select Page Setup.

3. Click the View tab.

4. Check Print row totals for values within print date range.

5. Check Print column totals.

6. Click Print Review.

Note You should see column totals at the bottom of the report and row totals on the right.


Answers to Exercises 1. The four report template types are Task , Resource, Crosstab, and Monthly Calendar.

2. You edit a predefined report and customize a template.

3. The duration and work data type defaults are set by going to the Tools menu and selecting Options, then choose the Schedule tab. The label abbreviations are on the Edit tab.

4. The Task Usage and Resource Usage views are similar to the Crosstab reports.

5. Yes, row and column totals can be printed for Usage views by selecting the options in Page Setup.

6. A periodic report is created by select a period other than Entire Project on the Definition tab of most reports.

###



Lesson 25: Printing



Lesson 25: Printing Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives The Print Dialog Box Page Setup Dialog Box Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Describe the Print dialog box.

• Describe the Page Setup dialog box.

• Use the various print scaling options and describe under what circumstances they can be used.

• Describe where the various preference settings are saved.

• Describe header and footer functionality.

• Describe the four print functions found on the View tab of Page Setup.

• Work with and explain the Page Setup options for the Calendar view.

Related Topics Covered in this Lesson • Calendars

• Views


The Print Dialog Box

The Print command in Microsoft® Project is available from the File menu, as well as in the form of a button on the default Standard toolbar, which is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Print button on the default Standard toolbar

When the Print command is activated, the Print dialog box appears as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Print dialog box

It is possible to move to the Print Preview dialog box, directly from the Print dialog box by clicking on the Preview button as indicated above.

The following summary describes each option and its function.

Properties. Displays the printer Document Properties for the specific printer. Depending on the brand, model, and printer driver version on the system this dialog box will contain information specific to the installed printer. Any changes made in this dialog box may affect other applications on the system. The alert below will remind the user.

Figure 3. Alert when the Properties button is selected


Print range. The Range option determines which pages of the view or report will be printed; all pages, or a specified range. These options are available for every view and report.

Timescale:. The Timescale option determines which dates will be included in the view or report; all dates between the start and finish of the project, or some other specified range. Selecting the Print left column of pages only option, causes Microsoft Project to print only the left-most pages of a multi-page printout. All Timescale options are disabled for reports and non-timescale views.

Manual page breaks. If this option is selected (default), Microsoft Project will send a form feed command to the printer when a manual page break is encountered. Clearing this checkbox causes Microsoft Project to ignore any manual page breaks.

Number of copies. Allows the user to specify the number of copies to be printed for each page of the view or report.

Page Setup Dialog Box

The Page Setup dialog box is a tabbed dialog box available through the File menu. The Print Preview window and Print dialog box are available directly from every tab of the Page Setup dialog box as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Page Setup dialog box

Page tab. Orientation and Scaling.

The Page tab is the first tab listed in the Page Setup dialog box and is available for all views and reports.

The Page tab contains options for paper size and scaling, in addition to the standard orientation settings.

The Options in this dialog box perform the following functions:


Orientation. The portrait or landscape setting is saved independently for every view and report. This option is not available through Page Setup for some printer drivers. For such printers, the orientation must be set through the Print Setup dialog box.

Scaling. The Scaling options are available for all printers. Scaling enables the total print job to be enlarged or reduced. The scaling percentage must be between 10% and 500%. If a value for the scaling percentage outside this range is entered, an alert is displayed when the OK, Print, or Print Preview buttons are clicked. The alert is shown in Figure 5:

Figure 5. Alert shown if incorrect percentages are entered into Page Setup dialog box

Adjust to: This option enables users to set a scaling factor for the printed view or report as a percentage of the normal printout size.

Fit to: This option enables users to scale a printout to fit either a certain number of pages wide or a certain number of pages tall. Microsoft Project will always automatically calculate one of these values, based on the other value entered.

The scaling that occurs is always based on the image size, not the page count, of the normal printout. Microsoft Project first determines the normal image size of the non-header/footer portion of the page, and then scales down or up according to the user's selection.

Example

A user chooses Print while in the Gantt Chart and picks a specific range of dates to print, April 5 to October 16 of the current year, and also selects a number of pages to fit the printout to. Microsoft Project first determines the extent of the Gantt Chart's normal image based on the desired dates, and then scales according to the user's entry. If we assume the extent of the normal image is 2.6 page areas across by 1.5 page areas down, then:

User chooses: Project scales by: Final job is:

Unscaled job 100% = 1.5 down x 2.6 across

= 2 down x 3 across (Project fills page)

1 page down 1/1.5 = 66% = (1.5 * 66%) down x (2.6 * 66%) across

= 1 down x 1.7 across

= 1 down x 2 across (Project fills page)

1 page across 1/2.6 = 38.5% = (1.5 * 38.5%) down x (2.6 * 38.5%) across

= .57 down x 1 across

= 1 down x 1 across

3 pages across 3/2.6 = 115% = (1.5 * 115%) down x (2.6 * 115%) across

= 1.7 down x 3 across

= 2 down x 3 across


Other: Includes options for Paper Size and Page Numbering.

Page restricted elements

When Microsoft Project builds a print image, there are some elements that must fit entirely within the page. For example, if a Gantt Chart with a legend (Legend tab from Page Setup set for Legend on Every page or Legend page) is being printed then the legend must be within the printable area of each page. Other elements can span multiple pages, such as long Gantt bars. It is possible to enter a valid percentage between 10% and 500% that creates an image that is too large for the element, such as the Legend, to fit within the printable area of each page. In that case, the alert shown in Figure 6 is displayed:

Figure 6. Alert if a page-restricted element won't fit within the printable page area

Fit to page: If you use the Fit to ... pages wide by ... tall setting then the scaling is calculated for you, but never greater than 100%. For example, this setting cannot be used to enlarge an image; a percentage greater than 100% must be entered.

If the Fit to ... pages wide by ... tall settings would have resulted in a percentage less than 10%, then the alert shown in Figure 7 is displayed:

Figure 7. Alert if print image too large to fit the specified number of pages

Margins and Borders

The Margins tab displays margin and border options for the view or report.


Figure 8. Page Setup dialog box - Margins and Borders tab

A small sample is displayed to show the effects of changing the dialog box settings. As the margin settings are changed, the gridlines in the sample change accordingly.

The Borders Around options act as expected. The Outer Pages option is available only in the Network Diagram view.

Headers Footers and Legends

The Header and Footer tabs are identical and provide the options for header and footer text styles and positioning.

Figure 9. Page Setup dialog box – Headers tab


Alignment of header and footer text is controlled by placing the text in the appropriate Left, Center, or Right alignment tab. Microsoft Project allows up to three header lines, one footer line, and three legend lines, depending on the view or report being printed.

Headers can have five rows, and footers and legend text can have three rows. The ENTER key can be used to get to the next row in the Page Setup, Header, Footer, and Legend tabs.

Print codes can be used to print project variables and they are displayed as &[code], where code is a descriptive word rather than a letter (similar to Microsoft Word®). The code for company name, for example, appears as &[Company]. Buttons are available for five of the most commonly used printer codes, while the rest are available from a drop-down list (in the order listed below):

Button/List Code Project Variable

Page Number

&[Page] Printed page number

Total Page Count

&[Pages] Total number of printed pages

Project Title &[Project Title] Title of project from Summary Info

Company Name &[Company] Name of company from Summary Info

Manager Name &[Manager] Name of manager from Summary Info

Project Start Date &[Start Date] Project start date

Project Finish Date &[Finish Date] Project finish date

Project Status Date &[Status Date]

Project Current Date &[Current Date] Current date from Summary Info

View Name &[View] Name of view being printed

Report Name &[Report] Name of report being printed

Filter Name &[Filter] Name of filter currently applied

File Name

&[File] Name of project file

File Name and Path &[File Name and Path} Name of project file and its path

Last Saved Date &[Saved Date] Date file was last saved

System Date

&[Date] System date when printed

System Time

&[Time] System time when printed

Subject &[Subject] User entered in Summary tab in the File Properties dialog box

Author &[Author] User entered in Summary tab in the File Properties dialog box

Keyword &[Keyword] User entered in Summary tab in the File Properties dialog box

Picture Insert a Picture from a file. You can also paste

pictures in directly.


After selecting the code from the list, selecting the Add button places it in the header/footer.

The formatting for dates is pulled directly from the Date Formats setting in the View tab of the Options dialog box. Time formats use the formatting from the Windows Control Panel International settings.

The Text button, brings up the Font dialog box from the Format menu, allowing you to change the font for the selected Alignment tab. In Microsoft Project, you can select a different font for each line of each Alignment tab in the header, footer, and legend, as well as the legend labels.

Note Headers and footers have rich edit support, including separate formatting for substrings and inserting pictures from files or pasting them into headers and footers.

Legend tab

The Legend tab is similar to the Header and Footer tabs, but includes options for legend placement and legend text width. The Legend tab is disabled for views or reports that do not support legends.

Figure 10. Page Setup dialog box – Legend tab

Legend on: These options determine where the legend is placed.

Every page. Selecting this option causes a legend to be placed at the bottom of every page of the printout.

Legend page. Selecting this option causes the legend to be printed on a separate page at the end of the printout.

None. Selecting this option results in no legend being printed.

Width: This setting controls the width of the legend text area. The number displayed is in units of inches or centimeters, dependent upon the Windows Control Panel International settings. It will accept values between 0 and 5 inches or between 0 and 10 centimeters, in increments as small as .001.


Legend Labels. Determines the look of the legend text. Clicking this button brings up the Font dialog box from under the Format menu.

The contents of the legend comes from the bar styles definitions associated with the view being printed. To remove bar style names from the legend without removing the bars from the view, remove only the name from the name field.

View tab

The View tab contains the same five options for all views except Calendar and Usage views, and is disabled for all reports.

The options control the printing of repeated columns, task or resource notes, and the skipping of blank pages in printed views and reports.

Figure 11. Page Setup dialog box – View tab

The options in the View tab provide the following features:

Print all sheet columns. Selecting this option causes all table columns to be printed, whether they are visible on the screen or not. When this option is not selected (default) in a timescale view, only the columns that are completely visible on the screen are printed. Any columns that are even partially covered by the timescale will not be printed.

Print first N columns on all pages. Default is unchecked. Selecting this option causes the first N columns of the current table to be repeated on every page of a multi-page print row (N represents the user entered value). This allows you to place a reference column, such as ID or Name, on every page to make the printout easier to understand. Only the first N number of contiguous columns can be repeated; you cannot select non-contiguous columns to be repeated.

Print notes. Default is unchecked. Selecting this option results in the printing of all task or resource notes on pages following the normal printout. The notes are preceded by the task or resource ID and Name. There is no control over the text format of the notes.


Print blank pages. Selecting this option (default) causes Microsoft Project to print all requested pages of a multi-page printout, even if they are blank. If this checkbox is cleared, the printed pages will still be numbered as if all pages were present, but any that are blank will not be printed.

Fit timescale to end of page. This setting continues to print the timescale to the end of the last page whether or not there are tasks contained with in the timescale.

Figure 12. Print columns and row totals

Print columns totals. This option is only available with Usage views. When this option is checked on the View tab of the Page Setup dialog box, totals will be calculated in memory and a row will be added to the printout, with totals for the timephased data as well as for sheet data. The column totals will only be printed on the last page, but before any notes pages. This option is disabled for all other views.

Figure 13 is example of column totals in a print preview.

Figure 13. Print Preview example of columns totals

Print row totals for values within print date range. When this option is checked, from the View tab of the Page Setup dialog box, while printing a Usage view, a column will be added to the printout, with totals for the time-phased data within the date range as specified in the Print dialog box. The font for the totals row can be modified by changing the font for the column headings. This option is disabled in all views expect Usage views.


Rich Edit Support

Microsoft Project uses Rich Edit controls in the Header, Footer, and Legend text area. This includes the following features:

Insert Picture. Use the Insert Picture button or the shortcut menu Picture command to display the Insert Picture dialog box. You can also paste in a picture (that was copied earlier) by using the shortcut menu Paste or Paste Special commands, or by using the CTRL+V keys.

Paste Special. The shortcut menu includes a Paste Special command. For headers, footers, and legends, this only supports picture and text formats. Object formats are not supported (such as a Microsoft Word document object) and paste link is disabled.

Font. Use the Font button or the shortcut menu Font command to display the Font dialog box. This includes font name, size, bold, italic, color, and underline settings. You can also the CTRL+B, CTRL+I, and CTRL+U keys for bold, italic, and underline.

Cut, Copy, and Paste. Text and pictures can be cut, copied, and pasted. The commands are available on the shortcut menu, or you can use the CTRL+X, CTRL+C, and CTRL+V keys.

Header, footer, and legend shortcut menu

The shortcut menu is displayed when you right-click the area in the Left, Center, or Right tabs as shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14. Header shortcut menu

Insert Picture dialog box

The Insert Picture button and the shortcut menu Picture command display the Insert Picture dialog box (Figure 15).


Figure 15. Insert Picture dialog box

The Files of type is determined by the graphic filter files installed on the system.

Calendar Options

If you select Page Setup while in the Calendar view, you will notice that the View tab provides different options for the Calendar view than it does for the other views.

Print options for the Calendar view include: the number of months per page, the timescale units, inclusion of preview months, and overflow information, among others.

Figure 16. Page Setup in Calendar view – View tab

The Calendar print options behave as follows:

Months per page 1: Selecting this option causes a single calendar month to be printed on every page.


Months per page 2: Selecting this option results in two calendar months being printed on every page.

Note The following two checkboxes are available when either of the above two options are selected.

Only show days in month. This option displays dates in the date boxes for the calendar month only. For example, if June starts on a Wednesday, the date boxes for Sunday through Tuesday of that week appear without dates.

Only show weeks in month. This option displays dates in the date boxes for only the days within the weeks in the printed month and only for weeks in the printed months. For example, there are 4.5 weeks in June and 6 weeks can fit on page, only 5 weeks will print.

Print calendar title. Selecting this option causes the name of the month to be printed above each month in the printout.

Print previous/next month calendars. Selecting this option causes small previews of the month prior to, and the month following, the current month to be printed above each month in the printout.

Weeks per page. Setting the number of weeks per page causes just that number of weeks to be printed on each page, rather than a particular number of months. The height of the weeks is scaled to fill the page.

Week height as on screen. Selecting this option uses WYSIWYG scaling to determine the printed week height, and then based on this height, places as many weeks on each page as possible.

Show additional tasks. These options determine how information is printed for tasks that cannot be drawn on the calendar because of space limitations.

After every page. Tasks are listed after every page of the printout that they would have been printed on if there were room.

After last page. All extra tasks are listed together after the regular printout.

Group by day: Tasks are listed under a date heading for each of the days on which the tasks occur.

Print notes. Selecting this option results in the printing of all task notes on pages following the normal printout, just as for other views. The notes are preceded by the task ID and Name.



Exercises

1. What is the maximum number of fonts that can be used in the header?

2. What is scaling?

3. What is the difference between Adjust to and Fit to?

4. How can a user get into a situation where the print area is too small?

5. What are print codes?

6. How can the font for the legend be changed?

7. How can the font for the notes page be changed?

8. What does the option Print blank pages do?

9. With what view are the options Print row totals and Print column totals available?

10. Can pictures or objects be pasted into the header for a print job?

Lab 1. Create a project with 30 or so tasks

The first 5 with 10w durations, and the remaining tasks with 1d durations. Enter notes on 5 of the tasks. Preview the Gantt Chart with the indicated Page Setup options.

• Print 3 columns on every page.

• Fit Timescale to Page option selected.

• Print Blank Pages not selected. (How do the blank appear in the preview?)

Use the same file and print the Calendar view with the following options:

• Months per page: 2

• Show additional Tasks, After every page.

Print preview the Calendar view again

• Week height as on screen

• Show additional Tasks, Group by day.


Answers to Exercises 1. The maximum number of fonts that can be used in the header are five.

2. Scaling is the ability to enlarge or reduce the size of the total print job.

3. Adjust to asks the user to input the percent by which the print job should be enlarged or reduced. Fit to allows the user to enter the desired result and Microsoft Project will calculate the percent by which to enlarge or reduce the job.

4. A user can get into a situation where the print area is too small by having a restricted element (such as the legend) that is too large to fit with in the printable area of the page.

5. Print codes represent project variables such as Title and Author.

6. The font for the legend can be changed by selecting the Legend Labels button in the Legend tab of Page Setup.

7. The font for the notes page cannot be changed.

8. The option Print blank pages when selected, will cause pages in the print job that do not have task information on them to print. This is important when trying to create a large picture of a view using multiple letter size pages.

9. The options Print row totals and Print column totals are only available the Usage views.

10. Only pictures can be pasted into the header for a print job.

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Lesson 26: Customizing the User Interface




Lesson 26: Customizing the User Interface Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Microsoft Project Toolbars Overview Project Options Microsoft Project Document Properties Exercises

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Discuss the options for upgrading the global template.

• Display and hide toolbars.

• Discuss how to create and edit toolbars.

• Describe the Organizer feature.

• Disable toolbar editing.

• Describe where the various preference settings are saved.

• Describe Project Document properties and Custom Document properties.

• Know what functionality the Options dialog box offers.

Microsoft Project Toolbars Overview

Microsoft® Project provides support for multiple moveable, customizable toolbars, in much the same way as the other Microsoft applications.


Displaying/Hiding Toolbars

Toolbars can be placed as ribbons beneath the menu bar, or can float above the current view in their own window. The position and state of a toolbar can be changed by dragging with the mouse. If a floating toolbar is dragged to the ribbon area, it becomes a ribbon toolbar, and vice-versa.

After initial installation, Microsoft Project displays three of its shipping toolbars, both as ribbons. The first, named Standard, is very similar to the standard toolbars used in Microsoft® Word and Microsoft® Excel. The first 11 buttons are the same in all three applications. The other buttons on the Standard toolbar are all Microsoft Project specific. The second toolbar is named Formatting, and provides tools for outlining and text formatting. The third is Project Guide, a self-help toolbar that works in conjunction with the Project Guide side pane.

Additional toolbars can be displayed by selecting them from the pop-up menu that appears when right-clicking on any of the visible toolbars. This pop-up menu will display only the first 20 (alphabetically) available toolbars. Each toolbar listed in the pop-up menu will display a check mark if it's currently displayed. Selecting a currently visible (checked) toolbar from the same pop-up menu will hide the toolbar. Floating toolbars can also be hidden by clicking on the close box in the upper left corner of their window.

The ribbon or floating state of a toolbar is saved when it is hidden so that when it is next displayed, it will be shown in the same state. The positions of floating toolbars are retained, while the position of ribbon toolbars are not. When a ribbon toolbar is shown, it is always displayed immediately beneath the last ribbon toolbar currently displayed. Toolbars can also be selected for display, or hidden, from the Toolbars dialog box.

Customize Dialog Box

The Customize dialog box provides options for deleting, modifying, restoring, and creating different toolbars. It is available by clicking on Customize in the View menu.

Figure 1. Customize dialog box – Toolbars tab


By putting a check next to the name of a toolbar you are indicating whether you want to show that toolbar in the Microsoft Project application window.

Deleting/Resetting Toolbars

The Delete/Reset button toggles states depending on the toolbar selected. If a shipping toolbar is selected, the Reset button is displayed. Selecting this button will restore the toolbar to its original shipping state.

When a custom toolbar is selected, the Delete button is displayed in place of the Reset button. Selecting the Delete button will delete the custom toolbar from the available list. Toolbars may also be deleted in the Organizer dialog box.

Tooltips

When Tooltips are enabled, pausing the mouse cursor over a toolbar button displays a short description of the tool's function. Tooltips are enabled by default.

Moving/Renaming

The Organizer dialog box allows you to move or copy toolbars from one file to another, or to change the names of toolbars. Only toolbars stored in the Global.mpt file may be edited or applied. Copying toolbars into a local project file is useful for transferring toolbars between machines.

Customizing Toolbars

The Customize dialog box allows you to modify or create a toolbar by simply dragging an already defined tool from a set of tool categories.

Figure 2. Customize dialog box – Commands tab


The Customize dialog box is made available by selecting the Customize button in the Toolbars dialog box; selecting Customize from the pop-up menu that appears when right-clicking on a toolbar; or by selecting the Customize then Toolbars command from the default Tools menu.

When a tool is selected, a description of the tool's function is provided at the bottom of the dialog box.

Adding Tools

A selected tool can be added to an existing toolbar by dragging it from the Customize dialog box and dropping it onto a visible toolbar. Dragging and dropping a tool someplace else on the screen will create a new toolbar for that tool. A new tool can also be added by clicking on the drop-down arrow at the right end of each toolbar and selecting Add or Remove buttons.

Moving/Copying Tools

When the Customize dialog box is visible, tools can be moved from any visible toolbar to another by dragging. Tools can be copied to another toolbar by holding down the CTRL key and dragging.

Removing Tools

When the Customize dialog box is visible, you can drag a tool from a toolbar to anywhere else on the screen to remove it.

Copying/Pasting Button Faces

Right-clicking on a toolbar button when the Customize dialog box is visible displays a pop-up menu with options for copying and pasting the button face. This allows users to bring in bitmaps from other applications as button faces.

Customizing Buttons

If a button on a toolbar is right clicked, while the Customize dialog box is open, a shortcut menu will appear offering the chance to modify the button on the toolbar in a number of ways.

Figure 3. Customizing Buttons shortcut menu


The controls in this shortcut menu are as follows:

Reset /Delete. Enables you to reset the button image or delete the button entirely.

Name. Allows the name of the button to be changed.

Copy / Paste Button Image. Enables you to copy or paste a button image from or to the current button that you are dealing with.

Reset Button Image. Resets the button Image

Edit Button Image. Enables changes to the look of the button chosen. The following dialog box appears if this option is selected.

Figure 4. Button Editor Although the preview shows how the button will look when up, down, or disabled, you cannot create

custom faces for each of these button states.

The Move buttons move the picture one pixel left, right, up, or down.

Change Button Image. Enables the original button image to be changed.

Default Style. This is the style that the button has “out of the box.”

Text Only (Always). Displays the tooltip text instead of the button image.

Text Only (in Menus): Displays the tooltip in the drop-down menu that contains the command.

Image and Text. If this option is selected, the button image will appear on the toolbar with the tooltip

next to it.

Begin a Group. This option puts a dividing line on the toolbar to the left of the button selected.

Asssign Macro. Enables assigning a macro to a button. If this option is selected, the macros dialog

box appears.


Project Options

Option Settings

Microsoft Project provides a number of options that affect the project working environment, as well as individual projects. The majority of the preference options are project specific and can be saved with the individual project file.

Where Options are Saved

The Windows System Registry database is used saving Microsoft Project application options. This file is accessed using the following method:

1. From the Taskbar, click Start.

2. Click Run, and type REGEDIT.EXE. Press Enter.

REGEDIT.EXE will now start. It displays the categories of Registry Keys available for the local system.

Figure 5. Registry Editor dialog box

The portion of the registry that Microsoft Project uses to store Options can be found by drilling down to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER Software Microsoft Office 10.0 MS Project Options OR HKEY_CURRENT\USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\MS Project\Options

Some of the entries in the registry simply function as default values. They may be overridden by the options set in an individual project. The options that can be saved in individual projects are those most likely to vary between projects, and those most requested by users, such as Default Hours Per Day and Default Duration Type. Using the Set as Default button (in the Options tab) will write the new option selections to the registry for use with new project files.

There may not be an entry in the registry until the option is modified or set as a default for future projects. The subfolders in the registry under Options are organized similarly to the tabs available in


the Options dialog box. Below is a table showing how the registry folders map to the Option tabs in Microsoft Project.

Registry Options sub-folder Microsoft Project Options Tabs General description of option usage

Calculation Calculation Determines how progress is updated on tasks.

Calendar Calendar Defines when tasks and the timescale begin and end.

Edit Edit Defines what labels will display for time period abbreviations.

General General Determines what items display on launch, user name, default resource cost data.

Interface Interface Determines what Feedback messages will display and Project Guide toggle and customized files.

Planning Wizard General tab, Planning Wizard section

Determines what Planning Wizard advice will display.

Save Save Sets the default location for saving files.

Scheduling Schedule Determines default scheduling engine options for task and resource.

Spelling Spelling Determines how the Spell Checker will function.

View View Determines the display of various window items, data and cross-project linking options.

Workgroup Collaboration Server identification and URL for use with Project Server.

Microsoft Project Document Properties

Project Document Properties

Microsoft supports the Office Document Properties, which are based upon the OLE subsystem. These properties allow users to add custom fields to the document, and link them to information.

These properties only refer to the project document as a whole. They are not designed to contain information about a specific task.

To access a project’s document properties, click Properties from the File menu.


Figure 6. File Properties dialog box – Summary tab

The following tabs are available:

General. Gives specific file-based information including the filename, location or path of the file, size, created, modified, and accessed dates

Summary (shown). Shows the Project Title, Subject, Author, and Comments. The Save Preview Picture option saves the first page of the document within the .mpp file. This allows the preview mode of the Open dialog box to show a small picture of the selected project file.

Statistics. Specifies when the project was created, most recently modified, accessed, printed, who last saved it, the current revision number, total editing time, and summary information.

Contents. Specifies project start and finish dates, duration, total work, total cost, percent complete, and percent work complete.

Custom. Specifies custom Microsoft Project OLE properties defined by the user.

Working with Custom Document Properties

The Custom tab of the Properties dialog box, specifies custom Microsoft Project OLE properties defined by the user. Custom OLE document properties can be used for example, in combination with Microsoft Exchange Server Folder views to make high-level project information available to members of your team. They can see this information without opening the file in Microsoft Project.


Figure 7. Properties dialog box – Custom tab

To display the Custom tab, from the File menu choose Properties. The following fields can be edited:

Name. A field name can be selected from the combo box or a new field name can be entered.

Type. A property type must be selected from the list of Text, Date, Number, or Yes/No. This option is determined and unavailable if Link To Content is selected.

Link To Content. This to links the property to a Microsoft Project field. This is a summary value for the entire project and is equivalent to the Project Summary field.

Value/Source. Values can be manually entered. If Link To Content is selected, the entry box title changes to Source and a field name can be selected from the list.

Properties. Properties defined for current project are listed.

Add. After typing a name for a property and a value (or linking to a project summary field by using the Link To Content option) the Add button allows the property to be added to the list of properties for the current document.

Delete Removes the selected existing property from the current document. Doing this will destroy the property and any data (or link) associated with it, unless cancel is chosen. There is no Undo for this action otherwise.


Lesson 26: Exercises

Exercises 1. Name three ways to access the customize dialog box for toolbars.

2. List two ways to add a tool to a toolbar.

3. Can the image on the Tool button be modified?

4. Where are default options for new projects stored?

5. What are document properties?

6. Where are document properties found?

7. How are document properties created or modified?


Answers to Exercises 1. To access the Customize dialog box for toolbars

a. From the Tools menu select Customize and then Toolbars.

b. From the View menu select Toolbars and then select Customize.

c. Right click a toolbar and select Customize.

2. Two ways to add a tool to a toolbar.

a. Drag and drop a tool from the Customize command window

b. Click the drop-down arrow at the right end of an existing toolbar and select the Add button.

3. Yes, a tool button image can be modified, right click the button and paste or edit the image.

4. The default options for new projects are stored in the system registry under HKEY_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\MS Project\Options

5. Document properties are custom fields that store information related to the project file.

6. Document properties can be found by selecting the File menu and clicking Properties.

7. Document properties are created or modified using the Custom tab of the Properties dialog box.

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Lesson 27: File System



Lesson 27: File System Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Microsoft Project File System Overview Import/Export Mapping Wizard Customizing the HTML Templates Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Discuss the Microsoft Project file system.

• Know the File Formats Supported in Microsoft Project.

• Understand Code Page Support.

• Describe the Serializer Loading Scheme.

• Discuss specifics of Serializer Registration.

• Understand how to selectively export to HTML.

• Discuss Exporting With and Without a Template.

• Discuss the Charset Tag.

• Describe the HTML Output.

• Understand Exporting Special Characters.

Microsoft Project File System Overview


The Input/Output architecture of the file system, is designed for extensibility. It employs a scheme for installable file serializers (converters). Adding support for a new file type only requires creating a new serializer DLL. In addition, the design encompasses expanded ODBC support that provides a generic method of handling import/export of external database formats. This architecture also provides a way to implement forward compatibility with future versions of Microsoft® Project. The way that new features from a future version are handled, when opening the file in a previous version, depends entirely on the design of the serializer. Serializers can be written for version 4.1 and higher, but do not necessarily exist.

File Formats Supported in Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project File Formats

In addition to the Microsoft Project .mpp format, Microsoft Project supports the following Microsoft Project file formats:

File extension Description Read/Open Write/Save

*.mpp Microsoft Project Plan Versions: 2003, 2000

yes yes

*.mpd Microsoft Project database

yes yes

*.mpt Microsoft Project Template

yes yes

*.mpw Microsoft Project Workspace

yes No

*.mpx Microsoft Project Export yes No

*.mdb Microsoft Access database

yes yes

*.xls Excel workbook read /write Excel Pivot Table write

yes yes

*.txt Tab delimited text file yes yes

*.csv Comma delimited text file yes yes

*.htm Hypertext markup Language

No yes

*.xml Extensible Markup Language

yes yes

Database files using ODBC

SQL, MSDE yes yes

.mpd and .mdb files are actually handled through ODBC, but they allow you to bypass the ODBC connection dialog boxes.

The system list separator as specified in the Control Panel always delimits the CSV format. Thus, even though the entry in the list for CSV says, comma delimited, it may be that it is delimited by something else.

Microsoft Project does not support the opening of Microsoft® Excel files that are password protected. Instead you get an alert saying that the file cannot be opened.


Handling Unrecognized Files

When opening any file, Microsoft Project does more than just look at the file extension. It first looks inside the file for the type. If Microsoft Project does not recognize the file structure, or if it finds no identifying signature, then Microsoft Project looks at the extension. If the extension is .txt or .csv, Microsoft Project attempts to open the file as specified by the file type. If the file has an unidentified format, then the following alert is displayed:

Figure 1. Alert when Microsoft Project cannot open file

Clicking Yes brings up the Import Wizard that will walk the user through mapping the data in the unknown file with the fields in Microsoft Project. The Import Wizard will be discussed later in this lesson.

Opening Files

When an .mpp file that’s already open is selected again to be opened, Microsoft Project brings the open copy to the foreground and does not open a second copy of the file. The same is true for full projects opened from ODBC databases. For complete projects (full save to database), only a single instance can be active on a machine, and Microsoft Project maintains a connection to the original project on disk. A Save can be done at anytime without specifying the project or filename again.

In the case of imported data from files like .mpx, .txt, .xls, .csv, and partial (selective) reads from an ODBC database, no connection is maintained to the original location on disk. Once the data is read in, if a Save is attempted, the Save As dialog is displayed, the file type and all of the file parameters must be entered again. Because there is no connection to the original file or database, Microsoft Project does not associate a file type with this data and there is no extension shown in the Microsoft Project title bar. This has the following effects:

• All files with the same base name show the same name in the title bar (for example, MyProject.xls, MyProject.txt, and MyProject.mpx all show just MyProject in the title bar).

• If you attempt to open more than one file with the same base name, then Microsoft Project appends “-2” to the name in the title bar of the second file, appends “-3” to the name of the third file, and so on (for example, MyProject-2, MyProject-3, and so on).

• The same partial file can be opened more than once (because Microsoft Project is not keeping track of where the data was imported from). There may be multiple copies of the same data in memory (for example, opening MyProject.txt over and over again just results in Microsoft Project having identical windows with MyProject, MyProject-2, MyProject-3, and so on).

• The appended number appears as part of the default filename in the Save As dialog saving one of the numbered projects (for example, the default name in the Save As dialog box for MyProject-2 is MyProject-2.mpp).

• Additional special cases are listed below for performing a selective read from a database or from complete projects with identical names:


• On a partial read from a database, the new project has no name at all associated with it, so the title Project<x> is displayed in the title bar, where <x> is the next unused integer. Doing another selective read results in Project<y>, where <y> is the next unused integer. For example, if the first file is titled Project3, and the same file is immediately opened again, then the next file is titled Project4.

• If two projects in different databases have the same name, opening both of these projects at the same time cause Microsoft Project to display the DSN (Data Source Name) name in the title bar preceding the project name. For example,

<C:\MyData\MyAccessFile.mdb>\MyProjectName

The same thing occurs if there are two DSNs with different names pointing to the same data source. Opening the project the first time just shows the project name in the title bar, but if the project is opened again via the second DSN, both windows then show the DSN name in the title bar preceding the project name.

• If two .mpp files in different directories that have the same name, opening both of those projects at the same time causes Microsoft Project to display the filename in the title bar with it’s full path.

Microsoft Project and/or File Name Display in the MRU list and Title Bar.

Note that Microsoft Project has a setting in the General tab, (from the Tools menu click Options) that control how many items are listed on the MRU list:

Figure 2. Setting to control number of items on MRU list

The following table shows the naming syntax for the File menu MRU (Most Recently Used) list, and the title displayed in the title bar, depending on how the project is opened:

Scenario MRU List Display Title Bar Text

A full project opened from an .mpp file

FileBasename.mpp FileBasename.mpp*

A full project opened from an ODBC database (via a machine DSN)

<Data Source Name>\ProjectName ProjectName*

A full project opened from an ODBC database (via a file DSN)

<ODBC Driver Name>\ProjectName

ProjectName*

A full project opened from an .mpd or .mdb file

<Full Path > <FileBasename.ext>\ProjectName

ProjectName

Opening a template (MPT) file FileBasename.mpt FileBasename

A selective import from a .txt, .csv, or .xls file

FileBasename.ext (MapName) FileBasename

A selective import from an ODBC database (via a machine DSN)

<Data Source Name> (MapName) Projectx (where x = next unused number)

A selective import from an ODBC database (via a file DSN)

< ODBC Driver Name > (MapName)

Projectx (where x = next unused number)


In the case where two projects with the same name in different directories are opened, the full path is displayed in the title bar with the file name, once the second project file is opened.

In the case where two projects with the same name in different databases are opened, or when the same project file is opened twice through two different DSNs, the data source name is displayed in the title bar with the project name once the second project file is opened.

Backward Compatibility with .MPP Files

Microsoft Project 2003 has kept the same file format as the last two versions, Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project 98.

Microsoft Project 2003 files can be saved back as Microsoft Project 98 files but without any new items from 2003. In order to open a Microsoft Project 2003 file in Microsoft Project 98, the file must first be saved as a Microsoft Project 98 file.

The behavior is different when opening a Microsoft Project 2003 file in Microsoft Project 2000. Microsoft Project 2003 items will be hidden, but not lost, when opened in Microsoft Project 2000. Microsoft Project 2003 will store a Microsoft Project 2000 version of organizer items that contain Microsoft Project 2003 exclusive fields and use the Microsoft Project 2000 version when viewing data in Microsoft Project 2000.

Example

In Microsoft Project 2003 a task report definition includes a table containing Baseline3 and a filter that uses Physical % Complete. In Microsoft Project 2000, the Microsoft Project 2000 version of the table will be shown, not containing the Baseline3 field and a 2000 filter without Physical % Complete will be applied. This means the result set will be different for the report in Microsoft Project 2000.

However, if any changes are made, the changes will be made to the Microsoft Project 2000 version of the table or filter and the Microsoft Project 2003 data is preserved as long as the file is not saved in Microsoft Project 2000. When the file is reopened in Microsoft Project 2003 the Microsoft Project 2003 versions of the table and filter are use and the Microsoft Project 2000 items are ignored. Once changes are made in Microsoft Project 2003 the Microsoft Project 2000 changes are overwritten.

The bottom line, the view of data may not be the same between the two versions and any changes in Microsoft Project 2000 will be lost in Microsoft Project 2003.

Forward Compatibility with .MPP Files

Microsoft Project has a scheme that allows it to be forward compatible with new Microsoft Project file formats that may be introduced in future releases. The scheme relies on file serializers. It takes advantage of the Web integration in Microsoft Office® to obtain the necessary serializer if it is not currently on your system.

Microsoft Project is able to detect newer file formats. There are two possible scenarios:

• If no local (or network) installed serializer is found, it connects you to the Microsoft Web and allows you to download the serializer.

• If system administrators want to make a serializer available to everyone on their network, they can configure user's registries to point to where Microsoft Project should look for the serializer on the network.


If the serializer or any part of its registry settings for the file type is missing (for example, if you rename or remove it), even for the .mpp file type, then the following alert is displayed when you attempt to open a file of that type:

Figure 3. Alert when serializer cannot be found

For more information on s serializers see the serializers loading scheme at the end of this lesson.

Forward Compatibility with New Items

Microsoft Project 2003 has kept a compatible file format that can be read by both Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project 98, however new items must be hidden when opening the file in older versions of Microsoft Project. Going forward Microsoft Project has a way to handle unknown fields.

Tables with unknown fields will display placeholders for the title and data in the unknown column.

Unknown filters, groups, reports, macros, maps, etc. that reference an unknown field can still be displayed, edited and applied, but the unknown fields will be ignored.

This will overcome the issue of opening a newer file in an old version and not being able to save the file in the old version without losing data.

Generic Handler

To accomplish this Microsoft Project 2003 has added a generic handler that knows how to display placeholders whenever an unknown field is encountered in loading a project. While there are always forward compatibility issues that need to be addressed in future versions, the generic handler will manage the bulk of these issue and other issue can be worked on a case-by-case basis.

Fields are identified by PIDs. In the future when Microsoft Project encounters an unrecognizable PID the generic handler will return the field name Unavailable and it will return null data for that field. When an unknown fields is included in a table, report, or form, the field is non-editable and the contents are displayed as NA.

If an unknown filter has been applied and the file saved, on open of that file in an old version of Microsoft Project an alert will display indicating that the filter could not be found and will be replaced by the All Tasks or All Resources filter. Likewise the same kind of alert will display for groups

Toolbars, custom fields, and macros will display appropriate error messages if they reference a field unknown to the older version.

Import/Export will ignore unknown fields and sorts will default to ID number.


Opening Microsoft Project Global Files

Microsoft Project is capable of opening Microsoft Project global files from the last two versions Microsoft Project 2000 and Microsoft Project 98, as well as being capable of upgrading the same versions of Microsoft Project global files. This allows access to another user’s global data without the need to pass items back and forth in a project file.

When accessing the contents of another global file, use the Open dialog box from the File menu to explicitly open it.

• When opening an old global, the Organizer is displayed in the upgrade mode as described above.

• When opening a Microsoft Project global, you are placed in the Organizer in the normal Organizer mode.

If you select two Microsoft Project global files in the Organizer, data can be passed back and forth in either direction as with .mpp files.

The only restriction is that you cannot use the Open command to open the currently active Global.mpt, attempting to do so results in an alert. However, there is no need to explicitly open the active Global.mpt because it is in the Organizer list of files anyway.

Import/Export Mapping Wizard

The Import/Export Mapping Wizard walks a user through the import or export of data from a non-native project file format. This wizard is not available on the Project Guide but launches when an attempt is made to open a file that Microsoft Project does not recognize as a project file format. Likewise, performing a Save As a non-project file type the Export Wizard is launched. Below is the workflow for the Import Wizard screens.

1. Welcome. There are no options here just an explanation of what the wizard can do

Figure 4. Import Wizard – Welcome screen


2. Data Type. Depending on the file type being imported, this screen may be skipped, as when opening a Microsoft Access database (*.mdb). The choices may also vary depending on the file type.

• A full project

• Only selected data

Figure 5. Import Wizard – Full or Selected data

3. Map. This screen displays if selective data was chosen.

• New map

• Use existing map

Figure 6. Import Wizard – Create new or use existing map


If Use existing map is selected, the following screen will not display but skips to step 5.

4. Map Selection. This screen displays if you choose existing map in the step above. All available maps in the Global file are listed, predefined, and custom.

Figure 7. Import Wizard – Map Selection

5. Import Mode. You can choose to create a new project with your imported data or append the data to a project that’s already open. Lastly you can merge your data into an open project, which overwrites tasks, resources, or assignments that matches the records based on the key field you indicate to use for a merge.

• As a new project

• Append the data to an existing project

• Merge the data into an existing project

Figure 8. Import Mode, New, Append, or Merge


6. Map Options. Tasks, resources, and assignments must be mapped separately to the appropriate fields in Microsoft Project.

• Tasks

• Resources

• Assignments

Figure 9. Select data type

There are additional options in the bottom half of the above screen that change depending on the file type. More information on that under the sections on each file format.

One or all three data types can be selected. The next screen, Map data will appear once for each of the data types selected.

7. Data Mapping. If selective data is chosen; this screen is used to map the fields from the non-project file with Microsoft Project’s fields.


Figure 10. Import Map for data type

Below is an explanation of the features and fields in the Map data type screen above.

Source database table name. Depending on the extension of the file being imported, the name of this drop-down box and its contents will change. In the above case a file from a database is being opened. If a Microsoft Excel file were being opened then the source would be worksheet and all worksheets in the *.xls file would be in the drop-down box. If a text file were being opened this field would be grayed out because it is not applicable.

Verify or edit Microsoft Project ‘s assumptions for how you want to map the data. The table displayed under this heading allows the user to correct, modify, or match up project fields with data in the file that is being imported. The field name on the left comes from the file to be imported and must correspond to a field in Microsoft Project. If the Microsoft Project field on the right contains (not mapped) then the data on the left will not be imported.

Edit buttons. There are arrows for rearranging the field order. Rows can be Inserted and/or Deleted. The Clear All button will remove all rows and Add All will restore all rows as they were when the table was first selected.

Set merge key. This button only appears if in Import Mode step the option to merge data was selected. To set the merge key, select the appropriate field and click the button.

Preview. The preview pane shows how the table and data will look when finished.

8. End of Map Definition. This screen indicates the import is complete and gives you a button to save the map created the previous step.

Figure 11. Option of Save Map before Finish

9. Save Map. Here you can save the map you created in earlier steps to be used in future import operations.


Figure 12. Option to save the map created in the wizard

Microsoft Excel Files - Opening and Saving

Microsoft Project supports saving and opening .xls files as a workbook or pivot table using the Import/Export Wizard.

Opening

On import, if Microsoft Project recognizes the file as being a complete project (the file was either created in Microsoft Project and saved as and .xls or the file was created in Microsoft Excel using the Project Template) the second step in the wizard, Data Type (see Figure 25) will have the following choices instead of the default.

• Only Selected data

• Project Excel Template

If the second option is selected the next wizard step will be Import Mode (see figure 25) and the Finish button will then be available.

Otherwise all the wizard screens detailed above will display, with one exception, shown below.


Figure 13. Excel Map Options

Microsoft Excel options include an option to import the column headers from Excel. The option that is grayed out is Include assignment rows in output, this is selected when exporting.

The Import Wizard for Microsoft Excel files can also be accessed from the Project Guide under Tasks and then select List the tasks in the project.

Saving

On Export, there are two choices, saving the file as a workbook or as a pivot table. The Export Wizard screens are similar, but the results are very different.

Saving as a workbook, using the Microsoft Project Excel Template creates a workbook with four sheets; Task_Table, Resource_Table, Assignment_Table, and Info_Table. If selective data is chosen then the number of maps created will determine the number of sheets in the workbook. The Info_Table is not created in this last scenario.

Saving as a Pivot Table creates a data table and a pivot table for each data type selected. If all three data types are selected then six worksheets will be created in the new Excel file.


Microsoft Access and other Database Files

Opening

Access *.mdb files, Project database *.mpd, and databases using ODBC connections, behave the same way on opening and saving full project files. Project database *.mpd and databases using ODBC can only save full project files, there are no selective saves.If the database selected already contains only full projects then the following screen is displayed. To do a selective save, chose the back button.

Figure 14. Full projects saved to a database

If the database contains a selective save then the mapping screens will display automatically.

Saving

Microsoft Project can save full or selective data to an access database (*.mdb). More than one full project file or set of selective data can be saved into the same Access database, simply by selecting the same Access file name.

However, once a full project has been saved to a database then selective saves can no longer be saved to that same database, a new database must be selected. This has to do with the database tables created.

Errors may occur when saving selective data using different maps to the same database as well.

Figure 15. Error using Who does What report map

If a full project is selected in the Data Type step then the following screen is displayed.


Figure 16. Saving a full project to a database containing other files

If the Access database file selected to save to, has a set of selective data saved to it then the following Export Wizard screen will display whether doing a full project save or another selective save.

Figure 17. Selective save contained in existing database

Append to existing database will add the data to the existing tables and Overwrite an existing database will replace the data. The next step in Data Type.

MPX Compatibility

Microsoft Project 2003 will open MPX 4.0 files but does not save to the .mpx file format. The Import Wizard is not invoked to open an .mpx file.


XML Files - Opening and Saving

Microsoft Project supports both saving and opening files in the XML file format. XML files can be fully round tripped in Microsoft Project, however view information is lost.

The XML file format provides a neutral format for data representation so that developers can use standard XML tools and techniques to get core project data in and out of Microsoft Project in order to integrate with both existing systems and new applications.

XML is a standard self-describing SGML-based protocol. Information about the XML project schema and how use it, is available in the Microsoft Project Server, Programmability lesson. The basic format for the XML that Microsoft Project will understand on Import and Export is defined by the Project Data Interchange Schema (MS-PDI) and will be available with the Software Developer Kit (SDK) online on MSDN.

To save a project file in XML

1. Select the File menu and click Save As.

2. In the Save as type drop-down list, select XML.

3. Click Save.

To open an XML file in Microsoft Project

1. Select the File menu and click Open.

2. In the Save as type drop-down list select XML Format.

3. Select the desired file and click Open.

4. The Import Wizard Welcome screen will display, click Next.

5. The Import Wizard – Import Mode screen has three options described below.

As a new project. Creates a new project file. Project as new calendar, resource, task and assignment objects, as well as custom fields definitions, as specified in the XML stream. In situations where invalid data or properties are encountered, Microsoft Project will try to resolve these without user interaction or warning. What cannot be resolved will be ignored.

Append the data to an existing project. Adds the records to the bottom of an open project file. Any new objects (calendars, tasks, assignments, etc.) will be added to current collections. If Unique IDs for objects are in use in the current project file, new Unique IDs will be created silently for them.

Merge the data into a existing project. Uses the Unique ID of an object to match records and then overwrite any values (that it can) that fall within the matched object.

Text Files - Opening and Saving.

Text files (*.txt and *.csv) can only open or save selective sets of data, therefore the first Import Wizard screen to display after the Welcome screen is the Map screen (see Figure 25).

The Map Options screen has additional options for text files, see Figure 18.


Figure 18. Map Options for Text files

Import includes headers. If headers exist they can be imported.

Include assignment rows in output. Is checked when the map includes embedded assignment rows. This option is available on export as well.

Text delimiter. The correct delimiter must be selected in order for Microsoft Project to distinguish between field values in the text file.

File origin. Is an operating system setting. The options are Windows (ANSI), DOS or OS/2 and Unicode. On export this option is selected based on your system settings.

HTML Files – Saving

Microsoft Project cannot open a *.htm file.

Microsoft Project provides the ability to export project data to an HTML file (Save as Web Page).

Microsoft Project can only export data to the HTML format and not read HTML files back in.

Figure 19. Example of an HTML page created from Microsoft Project


Working through the new import/export functionality, you can insert tables and project information into HTML files to produce custom Web pages. The “Base on template” facility allows you to create your own custom HTML templates and then have Microsoft Project insert data into predefined locations within the file.

Saving to HTML is handled in the same way as any other selective export, through the Save As dialog box. In line with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Project also has a Save As HTML command on the File menu. The File menu Save As Web Page command displays the standard Save As dialog box with the default file-type specified as HTML. After specifying the filename and pressing the Save button, the Export Wizard Welcome screen is displayed.

Saving as a Web page requires the use of an Import/Export map, just as with any other selective data export. The Microsoft Project Export Wizard assists in the Export process.

Select File, Save As Web Page to start the Export Process, and enter the required file details.

Figure 20. Export Wizard – Map Options

The Export Wizard – Map Options dialog box allows specific Microsoft Project fields to be mapped and exported to named html fields. There are also data category checkboxes to select the type of Microsoft Project data to be exported.

Default HTML Option Settings on Export

The Export header row checkbox specifies whether Microsoft Project writes out a header row as the first line of each HTML table. This option is on by default.

The Include assignment data in output checkbox indicates that the HTML tables are formatted like the Usage views, with assignments listed under each task or resource. This option is turned off by default.

The Base export on HTML template checkbox specifies whether the output goes to an empty file or if a special template file is used to control the layout of the HTML file. Checking this checkbox enables the associated template field and the Browse button. The Browse button displays the standard Browse dialog box with HTML files set as the default file type. The choices in the file type list are:


• Web Page (*.html; *.htm)

• All Files (*.*)

The Base export on HTML template option is off by default. Initially, though disabled, the template field contains the default Project HTML template name, as long as the template exists in the standard location (otherwise the template field is blank).

The default template is stored in the Microsoft Office template directory. For the default entry in the Base export on HTML template field, Microsoft Project looks in the registry to get the shared template directory and then adds \Microsoft Project Web and locates the default template in that directory. If located, the entire path and template name is inserted into the field. If not found, the field is left blank.

In either case, if the Browse button is used when the field is blank, browsing begins in the Microsoft Project HTML template directory (and if that directory is missing, browsing begins in the Microsoft Office template directory). If the Browse button is used and the field is not blank, browsing starts at the directory or location specified by whatever is already in the field.

If the template name entered can not be found a dialog stating the fact then gives the option to continue. If Yes is selected then the user can proceed in with the next step in the wizard. The data will be formatted without using a template.

A Repair of Microsoft Project will restore the template files.

The Include image file in HTML checkbox specifies whether a GIF format image file is included in the HTML page being output. This option is primarily designed to allow you the ability to incorporate a picture of the Gantt Chart or another Microsoft Project screen shot that was taken with the Copy Picture command, but any GIF, JPEG, or PNG file can be specified.

Checking the Include image file in HTML page checkbox enables the associated image file field and Browse button. There is a file that has the same base name as the active project, but a .gif extension, in the directory where the active project is stored, that file is inserted as the default name into the Include image file in HTML page filename field. This happens because that particular filename in that particular location is created if the default filename is used when copying to a GIF file with the Copy Picture command. If no such file exists, the filename field is left blank. The Browse button displays the standard Browse dialog box with GIF set as the default file type. The choices in the file type list are:

• GIF Image Files (*.gif)

• JPEG Image Files (*.jpg, *.jpeg)

• Portable Network Graphics (*.png)

• All Files (*.*)

If a filename is entered into the Include image file in HTML page filename field before the Browse button is used, that name is inserted into the File name field in the Browse dialog box and browsing starts in the directory specified. If no filename or path is entered, browsing starts in the directory where the active project is stored (or in the current working directory, if the active project is never saved).

The Include Image file in HTML page option is turned off by default.

If you checked Base export on HTML template and the template filename field is empty when you press the Next button, an alert is displayed stating that a template file name is required, if you checked Include image file in HTML page and the image filename field is empty when you try to exit, then an alert is displayed stating that an image file is required.


In either case, pressing OK returns you to the empty field.

If the Next or Finish button is selected without selecting a type of data to export, an alert will display instructing the user that no field mapping has been specified. At least one of the three data types must be selected.

Mapping to HTML

The table name field is renamed to Destination HTML table title and contains the default table names (Task_Data1, Resource_Table1, etc.). The specified title is displayed in the HTML page, just above the actual table.

Finish

If Base output on HTML template and the specified template file was not found when Finish was selected, no alert is displayed and generates the HTML code as if no template had been specified.

Clicking Finish generates the HTML code, including a reference to the image file as specified, but without the drive letter.

Exporting With and Without a Template

Once you specify a map to use, Microsoft Project creates an HTML file based on the map. There are two distinct scenarios for the output, depending on whether the map specifies the use of a template or not. Without a template, you only determine the tables to be exported and their names, while Microsoft Project determines the layout of the HTML page and what additional data is included. When using a template, you can control the layout of the HTML page and determine which additional data beyond the tables are exported.

Customizing the HTML Templates

Using a Template

Templates are regular HTML files that contain special tags to indicate where to put the exported items. When saving with a template, you lay out the template file and include appropriate labels, and so on. You can also use the default template as a model in designing your own.

The primary concept of the template is that there are special Project template tags that can be included in the template and then Microsoft Project replaces those tags with the appropriate table or data. The supported tags are shown below:             


The image tag at the top of the list refers to a GIF or JPEG file specified in the Include image file in HTML page field in the HTML options section of the Options tab in the Define Import/Export Map dialog box. The three table title tags at the bottom of the list refer to the respective Destination HTML table title fields in the mapping tabs of the Define Import/Export Map dialog box. The three table tags above the three table title tags refer to the actual tables as defined in the mapping tabs. The remaining “data tags” in the middle correspond to the same-named fields in the Project Information and Properties dialog boxes.

When Microsoft Project actually writes out the data, the template file is copied to a new HTML file with the name specified in the Save As dialog box. The file is then scanned for tags. When a tag is found, Microsoft Project inserts the appropriate table or data after the tag (for example, the tags remain in the file for reference). In the case of the image tag and the three table tags, the image or table is inserted on the line after the tag. In the case of all the other tags, the data is inserted after the tag on the same line.

So, for example, if you wanted to include the author field with a label, then include a line such as the following in the template: <b>Project Leader:</b> 

The resulting generated HTML code appear as: <b>Project Leader:</b> Tom Smith

The formatting of the text is left to you and/or the browser (the above example specifies that the label “Project Leader:” is bold).

The  tag is slightly different. It produces the following:  <IMG SRC=“<GIF filename>” ALT=“Microsoft Project Image”>

The <GIF filename> is the relative path to the image file with respect to the HTML file. If the GIF file is in the same directory as the HTML file, the filename is included without the path. In any case, you may need to make adjustments to this part of the HTML code if you move the files (for example, to a Web server). For a table tag, such as : , the generated HTML appears as:  <TABLE BORDER> [all the HTML code for the actual table] </TABLE>

The template is the final guide, so a tag must be included in the template in order for the data to be exported. While the data tags have no corresponding controls in the mapping interface, the image tag and the table tags all have a one-to-one correspondence with a checkbox in the Options tab of the Define Import/Export Map dialog box. This means that a situation can arise where you check a checkbox in the Options tab and then fail to include the corresponding tag in the template (or include it with incorrect spelling or formatting). In this case, the item associated with the checkbox cannot be exported. An alert is displayed stating that the export is incomplete because some HTML tokens could not be found (the alert lists the missing tokens).


The Default Template

The default template contains the start and finish tags (with labels), the project title tag, the image tag, the three table, and table title tags. At the bottom of the file is a footer that contains links to the Microsoft and Microsoft Project home pages. <HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Microsoft Project Exported Information</TITLE> <META HTTP-EQUIV=”Content-Type” CONTENT=”text/html; charset=windows-1252”> </HEAD> <BODY> <H1></H1> <P>  <P> Project Start Date: <BR>Project Finish Date: <P> <H2></H2>  <P> <H2></H2>  <P> <H2></H2>  <P>  </TABLE> <HR> <CENTER> <TABLE WIDTH=500 BORDER=0> <TD ALIGN=CENTER> <A HREF="HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM/MSPROJECT"> <B>Microsoft Project Home Page</B></A></TD> <TD ALIGN=CENTER> <A HREF="HTTP://WWW.MICROSOFT.COM"><B>Microsoft Home Page</B></A></TD> </TABLE>  </BODY>

The Charset Tag

The <META … charset> tag included in the HTML code above is written out whenever a template is not used. This tag specifies character set information and allows a browser to know what code page is used when displaying an HTML document. The tag also is used when using a template, but it’s up to the template writer to include it (the supplied templates do have it).

When Microsoft Project creates an HTML page, the charset tag must be the first tag in the HEAD section. The format of the entire string is shown below: <META HTTP-EQUIV=”Content-Type” CONTENT=”text/html; charset=xxx”>


The xxx is replaced by the actual HTML charset value, which is based on the system code page. The following table shows the charset values for each code page:

Windows Code Page Description HTML CharSet Value

1250 Windows Latin 2 (Central Europe)

windows-1250

1251 Windows Cyrillic (Slavic) windows-1251

1252 Windows Latin 1 (ANSI) windows-1252

1253 Windows Greek windows-1253

1254 Windows Latin 5 (Turkish) windows-1254

1257 Windows Latin 4 or Baltic windows-1257

932 Japanese x-sjis

949 Korean korean

936 Simplified Chinese chinese

950 Traditional Chinese big5

1200 Unicode (UTF-8) UTF-8

The HTML Output

To provide acceptable output, Microsoft Project takes advantage of HTML style sheet capabilities for formatting the tables of Microsoft Project data.

Figure 21. Sample task table as formatted by Microsoft Project

The table title My Project Tasks above is a second level (<H2>) heading that appears as it does when you export without a template (and, therefore, it includes the string from the Destination HTML table title field in the mapping tabs of the Define Import/Export Map dialog box). The browser determines the format of the heading.

The cell background in the table is white, the table headers are silver, and the table itself is silver. Summary tasks are bold. The task Name fields are indented as they are in the Entry table using the formatting capabilities of HTML style sheets. Date, cost, number, and work formatting is the same as in Microsoft Project. The browser determines the font for the table entries. Any blank cells in tables are tagged as <BR> so they do not appear flat.


The data in the HTML tables is aligned as follows: Field Type Header Data Notes

ID (Task/Resource) Centered Centered

Name (Task/Resource) Left Left Tasks have outline indenting

Yes/No Centered Centered

Duration Centered Right Word wrapping turned off

Work Centered Right Word wrapping turned off

Date Centered Right Word wrapping turned off

Cost Centered Right

Number Centered Right

Text format output(see the following list)

Left Left Includes all other fields that are output in a text string format

Any other Centered Right

The following list includes all the fields (besides those explicitly listed in the table above) that are treated as text strings and output to HTML with left alignment of the data and title:

AccrueAt AssnContext BaseCalendar

Code ConstraintType Contact

EmailAddress FixedCostAccrual GhostProjName

Group/ResourceGroup Hyperlink HyperlinkAddress

HyperlinkHREF HyperlinkSubAddress Initials/ResourceInitials

Notes/SheetNotes OutlineNumber Phonetics/ResourcePhonetics

Predecessors/Successors Priority Project

SubProjectName TaskParentName Text1-Text30

Type UniqueIDPredecessors UniqueIDSuccessors

WBS WorkContour

If you check the option to Include assignment data in output, the table is laid out like the Usage views, with resources below each task in the task table and tasks below each resource in the resource table. Figure 22 illustrates this layout:

Figure 22. Layout of Table with Include Assignment selected

Hyperlink Fields


If you save out any of the hyperlink fields (for example, Hyperlink, Hyperlink Address, Hyperlink Href, and Hyperlink SubAddress), the field data is set up as a hyperlink in the exported HTML page.

Image File References

If you specify that an image file is included in the HTML page, the filespec in the SRC attribute of the <IMG> tag must be output as a relative path rather than an absolute path (absolute paths with drive letters do not work with browsers). Because you may specify the full path in the mapping interface (and the Browse button functionality inserts the absolute path if you browse to the desired file), Microsoft Project 98 must convert that path to a relative path when writing the HTML output. The relative path in these cases means relative to the HTML file that is being created.

The following examples demonstrate the method for creating the relative path: Destination HTML File FileLocation of Image HTML Output

C:\DIR1\DIR2\FILE.HTM C:\DIR1\DIR2\IMAGE.GIF SRC=”image.gif”

C:\DIR1\DIR2\FILE.HTM C:\DIR1\DIR2\DIR3\IMAGE.GIF SRC=”dir3\image.gif”

C:\DIR1\DIR2\FILE.HTM C:\DIR3\DIR4\IMAGE.GIF SRC=”\dir3\dir4\image.gif”

C:\DIR1\DIR2\FILE.HTM C:\DIR1\DIR3\IMAGE.GIF SRC=”\dir1\dir3\image.gif”

C:\DIR1\DIR2\FILE.HTM C:\DIR1\IMAGE.GIF SRC=”\dir1\image.gif”

The scheme is to search for the path portion of the filespec for the destination HTML file within the filespec of the image file. If it’s found, then that portion of the filespec for the image file is removed in the HTML output; otherwise just the drive letter is removed.

For example, in each line of the table above, Microsoft Project first removes the file base name and extension, FILE.HTM, from the entire filespec for the destination HTML file to get just the path portion, C:\DIR1\DIR2\ (in the examples, the result of that operation is always the same). This substring is then compared against the filespec of the image file. In the first case, Microsoft Project checks it against C:\DIR1\DIR2\IMAGE.GIF. The substring is found, so it just removes that portion from the beginning of the filespec for the image file and writes out the remainder (IMAGE.GIF) to the HTML file.

In the second example, it checks for C:\DIR1\DIR2\ in C:\DIR1\DIR2\DIR3\IMAGE.GIF. Again, it’s found, so it’s removed, but that still leaves DIR3\IMAGE.GIF to be written out. In the other three cases, the substring is not found, so only the drive letter is removed and the rest of the filespec is written out.

This scheme insures that when the HTML file is first created, the images show up correctly when the output is viewed in a browser. If you move the files, you will likely need to update the paths in the SRC attribute, but you can avoid this if you maintain the relative position of the two files. In the best case scenario, the image file is in the same directory where the destination HTML file is written (as in the first example above), so that there are no paths involved and as long as the files are kept together, they can be moved anywhere.

Exporting Special Characters

Certain characters, such as the less than and greater than symbols, require special handling when exported to HTML. They have special meaning in an HTML file. Exporting them directly may have unexpected results. The Office specification for HTML encoding also specifies that for code page 1252 (US ANSI), special handling is necessary for extended characters (from 192 on), since they may be treated differently by each browser depending on factors such as the current code page.


In both of the cases, the solution is to export special named character entities instead of the actual character codes. The character entities are non-ambiguous, and ensure that the browser always displays the intended text. The entities for extended characters are case sensitive.

The following table lists the Windows characters that require special handling and the entities that always are exported when the character is encountered:

Character ANSI Export String

Tab 9 (IE & NetScape treat tabs as a space)

“ Straight double quote 34 "

& Ampersand 38 &

< Less than 60 <

> Greater than 62 >

‘ Curly left single quote 145 straight quote (ANSI 39)

’ Curly right single quote 146 straight quote (ANSI 39)

“ Curly left double quote 147 " (resolves to straight double quote)

” Curly right double quote 148 " (resolves to straight double quote)

™ Trademark 153 ™

Non-breaking space 160

© Copyright 169 ©

® Registered trademark 174 ®

This table lists all of the extended characters that require special handling under code page 1252 and the corresponding entities to export:

Extended Character ANSI Export String

À Capital A,grave accent 192 &Agrave

Á Capital A,acute accent 193 &Aacute

Â Capital A,circumflex accent

194 &Acirc

Ã Capital A, tilde 195 &Atilde

Ä Capital A,dieresis or umlaut mark

196 &Auml

Å Capital A,ring 197 &Aring

Æ Capital AE diphthong (ligature)

198 &AElig

Ç Capital C, cedilla 199 &Ccedil

È Capital E, grave accent 200 &Egrave

É Capital E, acute accent 201 &Eacute

Ê Capital E, circumflex accent

202 &Ecirc

Ë Capital E, dieresis or 203 &Euml


umlaut mark

Ì Capital I, grave accent 204 &Igrave

Í Capital I, acute accent 205 &Iacute

Î Capital I, circumflex accent

206 &Icirc

Ï Capital I, dieresis or umlaut mark

207 &Iuml

Ð Capital Eth, Icelandic 208 &ETH

Ñ Capital N, tilde 209 &Ntilde

Ò Capital O, grave accent 210 &Ograve

Ó Capital O, acute accent 211 &Oacute

Ô Capital O, circumflex accent

212 &Ocirc

Õ Capital O, tilde 213 &Otilde

Ö Capital O, dieresis or umlaut mark

214 &Ouml

× Multiply sign 215 &times

Ø Capital O, slash 216 &Oslash

Ù Capital U, grave accent 217 &Ugrave

Ú Capital U, acute accent 218 &Uacute

Û Capital U, circumflex accent

219 &Ucirc

Ü Capital U, dieresis or umlaut mark

220 &Uuml

Ý Capital Y, acute accent 221 &Yacute

Þ Capital THORN, Icelandic 222 &THORN

ß Small sharp s, German (sz ligature)

223 &szlig

à Small a, grave accent 224 &agrave

á Small a, acute accent 225 &aacute

â Small a, circumflex accent

226 &acirc

ã Small a, tilde 227 &atilde

ä Small a, dieresis or umlaut mark

228 &auml

å Small a, ring 229 &aring

æ Small ae diphthong (ligature)

230 &aelig

ç Small c, cedilla 231 &ccedil

è Small e, grave accent 232 &egrave

é Small e, acute accent 233 &eacute

ê Small e, circumflex accent

234 &ecirc

ë Small e, dieresis or 235 &euml


umlaut mark

ì Small i, grave accent 236 &igrave

í Small i, acute accent 237 &iacute

î Small i, circumflex accent 238 &icirc

ï Small i, dieresis or umlaut mark

239 &iuml

ð Small eth, Icelandic 240 &eth

ñ Small n, tilde 241 &ntilde

ò Small o, grave accent 242 &ograve

ó Small o, acute accent 243 &oacute

ô Small o, circumflex accent

244 &ocirc

õ Small o, tilde 245 &otilde

ö Small o, dieresis or umlaut mark

246 &ouml

÷ Division sign 247 &divide

ø Small o, slash 248 &oslash

ù Small u, grave accent 249 &ugrave

ú Small u, acute accent 250 &uacute

û Small u, circumflex accent

251 &ucirc

ü Small u, dieresis or umlaut mark

252 &uuml

ý Small y, acute accent 253 &yacute

þ Small thorn, Icelandic 254 &thorn

ÿ Small y, dieresis or umlaut mark

255 &yuml

The Serializer Loading Scheme

The serializer loading process is summarized below:

• Get the clipboard format from the file and create the CFMT string.

• Check the CFMT registry entry for the serializer string.

• Check the serializer registry entry for the Class ID string.

• Check the Class ID registry entry for the in-proc handler name.

• Load the in-proc handler.

This scheme is the same for .mpp files and other files that Microsoft Project supports, such as .xls. The rest of this section focuses on the .mpp case.

When Microsoft Project encounters an .mpp file, it looks at the header information in the file to determine the .mppP version number. If the version is greater than that of the version of Microsoft Project in use, Microsoft Project looks in the registry to see if an appropriate serializer has already been registered for the newer format.


If no registered serializer is available, Microsoft Project makes a call to the Microsoft Office DLL. This call succeeds if the Office DLL determines that you have the means to connect to the Web, for example, if you have a Web browser installed on your system.

If the call fails (because no browser is detected), Microsoft Project displays an alert stating that the file cannot be opened.

If the Microsoft Office DLL detects a browser, it displays a Microsoft Office alert explaining that you are trying to open a project created in a newer version of Microsoft Project, and it asks if you want to download the appropriate converter (serializer) from the Microsoft Web site. The alert contains Yes and No buttons. If you click No, then an alert is displayed stating that the file cannot be opened. If you click Yes, the Microsoft Office DLL uses an appropriate URL from the registry or the default URL hardcoded in the Microsoft Office DLL used to connect to the Microsoft Office Web site. On the Web server end, an Office redirector component directs the connection to the actual Web location with the Microsoft Project serializers. The redirector is used to allow moving serializers around on the Web site or adding a new Web location just by changing or adding entries in a redirection database on the server.

The Web site has options for downloading whatever serializers happen to be available. Clicking on one downloads a self-extracting .exe file that installs the serializer. Microsoft Project then attempts to open the file again.

Although the original Microsoft Office alert says that you will need to reboot after downloading the converter (serializer), Microsoft Project can install and use the serializer without rebooting.

Loading a Serializer from the Network

The path in the registry that is used to find the serializer can contain a UNC or a drive letter mapped connection. This allows the system administrator to place a single copy of the serializer in a central place and have all Microsoft Project installations point to that place. The administrator still needs to register the serializer on each system, but the serializer doesn’t need to be downloaded to each machine.

Specifics of Serializer Registration

When loading a file, Microsoft Project must determine which serializer to use. First, it determines the clipboard format string of the file if it has one. For an .mpp file, it can determine the format from the data structure of the file. For other file types, it tries to determine the format of the file by reading the initial portion (header) of the file. If it cannot determine the clipboard format, then it displays an alert stating that it does not recognize the format, and offers to open the file as a text file.

Microsoft Project constructs a key from the clipboard format string to look up in the registry. The key has the form:

MSProject.CFMT.<clipboard-format-string>.8 or .9

Microsoft Project then searches the registry under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSProject.8.Serializers or HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSProject.9.Serializers

Figure 23 shows a few of the CFMT keys in the left pane, with the one for CSV selected in the left pane, and its value data showing in the right pane.


Figure 23. Registry Editor window

If a registry key is not found for the constructed string, then the Microsoft Office dialog box for downloading from the Web is displayed.

If the key is found, it contains a string value for the serializer, for example, MSProject.CSV.8 in the right pane of the above picture. This information can also be found for Microsoft Project 2000 under the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MSproject.9.Serializers

Microsoft Project uses the value in the right pane as a new search key. When a key is found whose name is the value of the original CFMT key, the ClassID of this second key is used to locate the in-process serializer handler.

Figure 24. Serializer

Figure 25. In-process handler



Exercises 1. What file types in the File Open dialog box are not listed in the File Save dialog box?

2. What file types in the File Save dialog box are not listed in the File Open dialog box?

3. Suppose the following item is listed on the Most Recently Used list at the bottom of the File menu: <C:\Dbs\MyProjs.mdb>\Mfg What does this notation mean?

4. Which of the following are true regarding the ability of Microsoft Project 98 to read .mpp files created in future versions of Microsoft Project?

a. It will not be possible.

b. A serializer has to be created that allows Microsoft Project 98 to read the .mpp file from the newer version of Microsoft Project.

c. The newer version .mpp file has to be saved from the newer version of Microsoft Project in the Microsoft Project 98 file format.

d. All future versions of Microsoft Project will use exactly the same file format as Microsoft Project 98, so nothing special has to be done.

5. When opening a 2003 file in 2000, will new data fields be viewable?

6. What mechanism is used to preserve 2003 data values when the 2003 file is opened in 2000?

7. Looking forward, how will Microsoft Project overcome the issue of opening a newer file in a old version of Microsoft Project and be able to make changes and save without losing those changes or data when the file is brought back into the newer version?

8. Are the screens in the Import/Export Wizard the same for all file types?

Lab 1 1. Does Microsoft Project come with a serializer that can be used to open tables stored in HTML

files?

2. What is the name of the default HTML template and what folder is it in?

3. You can verify this by using the Save as Web Page command and creating a new map; in the Export Wizard Map Options screen, select the Base export on HTML template option and look at the default path and filename displayed in the edit box.

4. If you use the Include image file in HTML page option, where is the specified picture placed in the HTML page?

5. Describe in general how templates are used to save a project in HTML format.

6. What is the difference between saving a project in HTML format when the Base export on HTML template option is not selected, and saving a project in HTML format when the Base export on HTML template option is selected and the default template is used?


Answers to Exercises and Labs 1. File types in the Open dialog box are not listed in the Save dialog box are .mpx and .mpw.

2. A file type in the Save dialog box are not listed in the Open dialog box is HTM.

3. Suppose the following item is listed on the Most Recently Used list at the bottom of the File menu: <C:\Dbs\MyProjs.mdb>\Mfg This notation means the file is saved in an Access database.

4. Which of the following are true regarding the ability of Microsoft Project 98 to read MPP files created in future versions of Microsoft Project? The newer version .mpp file has to be saved from the newer version of Microsoft Project in the Microsoft Project 98 file format.

5. When opening a Microsoft Project 2003 file in Microsoft Project 2000, new data fields are not visible.

6. Microsoft Project 2003 will not lose data if the file is opened in Microsoft Project 2000 as long as the file is not saved in Microsoft Project 2000. The way this is accomplished is that 2003 will store a 2000 version of organizer items that contain 2003 exclusive fields and use the 2000 version when viewing data in 2000.

7. The issue of opening a newer file in a old version of Microsoft Project and being able to make changes and save without losing those changes or data when the file is brought back into the newer version will be overcome in later versions by having a generic handler that will display placeholders when unknown fields are encountered.

8. Are the screens in the Import/Export Wizard are not same for all file types.

Answers to Lab 1

1. No serializer exists.

2. Centered Mist Dark.html.

3. The graphic appears at the top of the page above the table.

4. Without a template, you only determine the tables to be exported and their names, while Microsoft Project determines the layout of the HTML page and what additional data is included. When using a template, you can control the layout of the HTML page and determine which additional data beyond the tables are exported.

###



Lesson 28: OLE Objects



Lesson 28: OLE Objects Published: June 2003 Applies to:


Contents Objectives Working with OLE Objects DDE/OLE Linking Copy Picture Tool Exercises and Labs

Objectives

What You Will Learn


• Embed objects from other applications into Microsoft Project.

• Understand the characteristics of Microsoft Project as an in-place server and container.

• Use the Copy Picture tool with save to GIF feature and date range settings.

Working with OLE Objects

OLE Support

Microsoft® Project implements OLE features, the table summarizes some of the OLE features supported by Microsoft Project.

OLE Feature Comments

In-Place Server This allows Microsoft Project objects that are contained in other applications to be edited in-place within the containing document, as opposed to bringing up Project in a separate window.


In-Place Container This allows the user to edit OLE objects in-place in Microsoft Project OLE-enabled views - the Gantt Chart and the Objects Viewer.

In Microsoft Project The Notes field utilize Rich Edits and these, too, support embedded objects, but it only permits in-place activation of objects from Notes fields within form views and not from areas such as the Task Information dialog. Outside activation is necessary to edit an object displayed in this way.

Drag and Drop to the Desktop or other container applications

Limited support available. The following parts of Microsoft Project supports drag and drop: Gantt Chart drawing layer, object area of a Form view (displayed by right-clicking the Form and selecting Object), rich text Notes tab in Information dialog box, and Page Setup Header and Footer tabs.

Improved Storage Performance

Microsoft Project uses OLE DLLs for faster and more compact storage.

Microsoft Project as an In-Place Server and Container

In-place activation is a feature of OLE 2.0 that allows an application object contained in another application to be edited in-place in its frame instead of in a separate application window. The embedded object is called an in-place server, and the host application is called an in-place container or client.

Microsoft Project is both an in-place container and an in-place server.

OLE in-place activation includes the following:

• Negotiations between the server and container for a view port.

• Merging of the server and container menus.

• Display the server’s toolbars instead of the containers.

Inserting a Microsoft Project object

This section discusses Microsoft Project as an in-place server.

To insert a Microsoft Project object in another application, choose Object from the Insert menu in the other application. This displays the Object dialog box. This dialog box is similar for all Microsoft® Office applications, but has some application-specific options. The dialog box shown in Figure 1 is for Microsoft® Word.


Figure 1. Object dialog box - Create New tab

To create a new Microsoft Project object, click the Create New tab and select Microsoft Project from the Object type list.

To create a Microsoft Project object from an existing Microsoft Project .mpp file, click the Create from File tab and enter the path and filename or use the Browse button (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Object dialog box - Create from File tab

Link to file. This option maintains a link between the source file and the inserted object. When one is modified the other will be updated.

Display as icon. This option displays the object as an icon in stead of an open file.

Using Edit - Paste Special menu to paste a Project object

A Microsoft Project object can also be embedded into another application by selecting data in a Microsoft Project task or resource table, then using Microsoft Project's Copy command (Task, Cell, or Assignment) from the Edit menu, and then using the Paste Special command from the Edit menu in the container application.

Figure 3 shows the choices available in Microsoft Word's Paste Special dialog box after clicking on the name task 2 in a task table in Project1.mpp and using Project's Copy (Cell) command from the Edit menu.


Figure 3. Paste Special choices available in Microsoft Word

If Microsoft Project Document Object is selected, then the Display as icon option becomes available (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Paste Special dialog box with Paste Link selected

When Paste link is selected, the Microsoft Project Object format and the Picture format have the same functionality. Double-clicking the Microsoft Project picture in the container application opens the corresponding .mpp file in a separate Microsoft Project window rather than in an in-place frame.

Note If the user only requires a static unlinked picture of a Microsoft Project view, the toolbar camera icon in Microsoft Project can be used to copy the picture and then paste it into the container application.

In-place activation

Double-click an in-place Microsoft Project object to activate it. A hatched border is used to indicate an active in-place object as illustrated in the picture (Figure 5).


Figure 5. Activation of an in-place Microsoft Project object

When an in-place Microsoft Project object is active, the term view port refers to the area inside the hatched border excluding the scrollbars. Microsoft Project negotiates with the container for a view port, including additional area to allow the display of scroll bars and the hatched border outside of the view port. The view port is the same size as the inactive frame.

Deactivating an in-place Microsoft Project object

To do this click outside of the frame of the Microsoft Project object. Microsoft Project runs in the background.

If Microsoft Project is not currently running, it automatically loads when the user does either of the following:

• Attempts to resize an inactive Microsoft Project object frame.

• Double-clicks the Microsoft Project object to activate it.

Once loaded, Microsoft Project will continue running in the background even if the object is never activated (double-clicked). If the Task Manager (ALT+CTRL+DEL) dialog box is used to close Winproj.exe in this state, it may cause the container application to become unstable.

Resize a Microsoft Project object

Resize an active Microsoft Project object

There is no sizing or moving of windows within Microsoft Project itself while in-place, but the object window can be resized while the Microsoft Project object is active. While active, Microsoft Project displays its own sizing handles within the hatched border area. These can be used to resize the active Microsoft Project frame. The dragging and resizing behavior of an active Microsoft Project object depends on the container application. Whether an embedded Microsoft Project object can span multiple pages (cross page breaks) depends on the container application. In Microsoft Excel®, a Microsoft Project object can span page breaks. In Microsoft Word, an embedded Microsoft Project object cannot span multiple pages and is cropped at the first page break encountered. An active Microsoft Project object in Microsoft Word can be resized across page breaks in the normal view, but it snaps back when the object is deactivated.


Resizing an active Microsoft Project object is a cropping operation, which makes more or less of the embedded Microsoft Project view visible (for example, no scaling takes place; everything in Microsoft Project remains its normal size and the amount of the project that can be seen is increased or decreased accordingly). Upon deactivation, the object retain its new dimensions in the container, unless the container does further manipulation of the view port.

Resizing an inactive Microsoft Project object

Resizing a Microsoft Project object either results in scaling of the object’s cached metafile (enlarging or reducing the picture without changing what part of the view is displayed), or in a cropping operation (exposing more or less of the Microsoft Project view without doing any scaling), or a mixture of both.

If the container allows the view port to be resized while the Microsoft Project object is inactive, then the behavior (cropping or scaling) depends on the container application and whether the change is vertical or horizontal. For example, for an embedded Microsoft Project object in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel, resizing horizontally is primarily a cropping effect, whereas resizing vertically is primarily a scaling effect. Microsoft Word cannot resize an inactive Microsoft Project object vertically unless the Float over text option is selected.

Because Microsoft Project does not have a view scaling feature, any scaling that is done when a Microsoft Project object is inactive is not displayed when the object is activated. Instead, it displays as much of the view that will fit within the current view port using normal scaling.

Upon deactivation, the embedded object may return to the original inactive scaling again, or it may use the normal-scale image that the project had when it was active. It depends on the application. In Word, if an inactive Microsoft Project object is scaled vertically, then activated, then deactivated, it returns to the scaling that it had before it was activated. In Microsoft Excel, if an inactive Microsoft Project object is activated and then deactivated, any vertical scaling done when it was inactive is lost and it instead uses the normal scaling it had when the object was active.

In-place Views

Any Microsoft Project view can be applied while in-place active, but only printable views can remain in effect after deactivation. The following discussion focuses on non-printable and combination views and their special behaviors.

Non-Printable Views

If Microsoft Project is in-place active and the user switches to a non-printable view and then deactivates the in-place object, the Microsoft Project application icon is displayed (scaled to fit the frame) in the container because Microsoft Project cannot render the non-printable view.

Combination Views

An active in-place project window can be split by applying a split view or by right-clicking a view like the Gantt Chart, which will display the Split command on its Shortcut menu.

Note The Windows menu Split command cannot be used because the container application owns it. In addition, Split means to split the container document, not the active in-place view.

The split in-place window only applies until deactivation and the combination view does not appear in the inactive object image, because both panes of a combination view cannot be printed simultaneously. The top (master) pane view is the one displayed in the inactive object image (even if the bottom pane was active last), although white space may show where the bottom pane would have been. If the master view is a non-printable view, then a Microsoft Project icon displays instead.


Upon reactivation, the split view reappears when the top pane is selected.

Command bars during in-place activation

Upon in-place activation, Microsoft Project’s Command Bars (the single Menu Bar and all the toolbars) merge with the Command Bars of the container.

If the user right-clicks a toolbar during in-place activation and select or deselect various toolbars, those settings are remembered so that they can be restored the next time the object is activated. When the object is inactive, the container's toolbars and menus are restored again.

Menus during in-place activation

The File and Windows menus belong to the container application, and the Edit, View, Insert, Format, Tools, Project and Help menus belong to Microsoft Project.

The File Page Setup, Print, and Print Preview commands refer to the container document, and for some containers some of these commands may be disabled while the in-place object is active. For example, in Microsoft Word, the Print Preview command is disabled, but in Microsoft Excel it is available.

The following Microsoft Project menu commands are disabled during in-place activation: Menu or Submenu Disabled items

File Print Setup – Print command Print PreReview

View Reports Header and Footer

Insert Page Break

Tools Links Between Projects (see the alert after this table).

Assign Resources dialog – cannot Add resources from Microsoft Project server

Resources: Share Resources

Update Resource Pool

Refresh Resource Pool

Organizer

Customize: Toolbars

Published Fields…

Collaborate Tab Options: - everything is disable

Collaborate There is no connection with the Microsoft Project Server, so none of the sub menu items are available.

An embedded project cannot be involved in cross-project links, resource sharing, or workgroup messaging (see Figure 6).

Figure 6. Alert if the user tries to create cross project task links with an embedded project object


Toolbars during in-place activation

During in-place activation, the container handles display of toolbars. If the container is compatible, it has the option of merging other toolbar controls with the Microsoft Project ones. For example, both Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word add their toolbar Zoom percentage control to the merged Standard toolbar (Microsoft Project's Standard toolbar alone has no Zoom percentage control).

Some commands common to Microsoft Project and to the container are handled by the container. This includes Print and Print Preview if available.

Shortcut Keys during in-place activation

During in-place activation, the following shortcut keys are disabled: Keystroke Command

CTRL+N File New

CTRL+O File Open

CTRL+S File Save

CTRL+P File Print

Option Settings

All global options are enabled while working in-place. They behave the same as when Microsoft Project is run as a stand-alone (for example, all global option changes persist beyond deactivation).

Only one instance of the Microsoft Project application can run at a time. If Microsoft Project is running stand-alone and a Project object is in-place active at the same time, then they share the same executable, so changing a global option in either place immediately is reflected in both places.

Macro Support

With the Visual Basic Environment support in Microsoft Project, substantial macro support is available during in-place activation. This includes editing and debugging in the Visual Basic Environment, and macro recording and playback. Except for the fact that some Microsoft Project commands are disabled during in-place activation, working with macros is no different than working with macros while running Microsoft Project standalone. Running a macro containing a disabled command generates an alert.

Microsoft Project as an In-Place Container

In-place objects from other applications can be inserted into a Microsoft Project and activated in-place (see Figures 7 and 8). Most in-place activation characteristics are determined by the in-place server rather than the container.


Figure 7. Inactive Microsoft Word document object in Microsoft Project

Figure 8. Active Microsoft Word document object in Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project allows OLE objects to be embedded in the following places:

• Gantt Chart view drawing layer. To insert an object, use the Object command from the Insert menu or Paste Special command from the Edit menu.

• Object area of a Form view, such as Task Form or Resource Form. To insert an object, first format the Form view to show Objects (right-click the Form view and select Objects), then use the Object command from the Insert menu or Paste Special command from the Edit menu.

• Rich text Notes tab in the Task, Resource, or Assignment Information dialog boxes. To insert an object, right-click the notes area and use the Object command on the Shortcut menu (Figure 9).


Figure 9. Shortcut menu in the notes area of the Task Information form

Where In-place activation is allowed

In-place activation is supported only in the Gantt drawing layer and in a Form view formatted to show Objects. Double-click an object in the Notes tab notes area to open the object in a separate application window (also referred to as outside activation) instead of performing in-place activation.

Command Bars when an in-place object is active in Microsoft Project

Double-click the in-place object to activate it. When an embedded object in Microsoft Project is activated, Microsoft Project supports merging of command bars (the single Menu Bar and all toolbars) with the in-place server. The object can merge menus into Microsoft Project’s Menu Bar, and replace Microsoft Project’s toolbars with its own.

During activation of an in-place object, the File and Windows menus and the Open, New, Save, Zoom In and Zoom Out toolbar buttons belong to Microsoft Project. The File menu commands Page Setup, Print Preview, and Print and Properties are disabled, as are the Print and Print Preview toolbar buttons (Figures 10 and 11).

Figure 10. Command Bars when an in-place Microsoft Excel worksheet object is active


Figure 11: Command Bars when an in-place Microsoft Word document object is active

Object Sizing

If an in-place object view port is resized while the object is active or inactive, a cropping operation occurs (more or less of the object data is displayed), rather than a scaling operation.

An in-place object in the Object area of a Form view (such as the Task Form view) can only be resized or moved when it is activated. When it is later deactivated, the change in position is lost, but the resizing is retained.

Object Commands on the Edit Menu

If no object is currently selected, the bottom of the Edit menu contains an Object submenu with a single disabled Convert command as shown at the right (Figure 12).

Figure 12. Edit – Object – Disabled Convert command

If an object is selected, then the Object submenu changes its name to match the object type, and additional commands are added. An example for a selected Microsoft Excel worksheet object and a Microsoft Word document object is shown in Figure 13.


Figure 13. Changes to the Object Submenu using a Microsoft Excel object

Object shortcut Menus

The shortcut menu displayed when the user right-clicks an object in Microsoft Project, depends on the whether the object is in the Gantt drawing layer, the Object area of a Form view, or the rich text Notes tab in an Information dialog box. In the Notes tab, the shortcut menu is the same whether or not there is an object.

Examples of these shortcut menus are shown in Figures 14 and 15.

Figure 14. Object shortcut menu in the Gantt drawing layer


Figure 15. Object shortcut menu in the Task Form formatted to show Objects

In-place objects in the Gantt drawing layer

The object's shortcut menu Properties command displays the Format Drawing dialog box. The Line & Fill tab (Figure 16) can be used to format the border and fill of the inactive object image, and the Size & Position tab (Figure 17) can be used to control the size and position of the object and whether its position is relative to a specific task or a specific date on the timescale.

Figure 16. Line and Fill Tab


Figure 17. Size & Position Tab

When an object is originally inserted into the Gantt Chart drawing layer it has a transparent background and no border as shown (Figure 18).

Figure 18. Microsoft Excel worksheet object with transparent background

In Figure 19, the inactive worksheet object is given a solid white fill and its view port is enlarged horizontally and vertically to expose more of the sheet (rather than scaling the image).

Figure 19. Microsoft Excel worksheet object with a white background

Activating in-place objects in the Gantt drawing layer

An in-place object can be activated by double-clicking. When an in-place object is activated, the view port (the sheet cells in the case of a worksheet object) is the same size and any scroll bars, column headers, and so on are drawn around the view port, surrounded by a hatched frame (Figure 21).


Figure 20. Before activating the selected Microsoft Excel worksheet object

Figure 21. After activating the Microsoft Excel worksheet object

In-place objects in a Form view

An inactive in-place object in the Object area of a Form view cannot be resized or moved. The object can be resized and moved when it is active.

Figure 22. Active in-place Microsoft Excel worksheet object in the Task Form view


Figure 23. Active in-place Microsoft Excel worksheet object resized and moved in the Task Form view

Figure 24. New size maintained after deactivation, but the move is lost

Objects in rich text Notes

To insert an object in the rich text Notes tab in the Task, Resource, or Assignment Information dialog boxes, right-click the notes area and use the Object command on the shortcut menu as shown in Figure 25.

In-place activation is not supported in the Notes tab. Double-clicking an object in the Notes tab notes area to open the object in a separate application window (also referred to as outside activation) instead of doing in-place activation.

The object image can be scaled when the object is not active, but the scaling is lost when activate and deactivate the object.


Figure 25. Microsoft Excel worksheet object in the Task Information Notes tab

DDE/OLE Linking

Project supports DDE and OLE linking of its table information. This allows you to select a cell in a Microsoft Project table, copy it, and paste link it to another cell in the table, to another Project file, or to another application.

When creating a link to or from a task or resource table field, by default, an OLE link is created. If a task or resource has a linked field, (either DDE or OLE) the field shows a link indicator and the Linked Fields field equals Yes (Figure 26).

Figure 26. View of link indicator and Linked field

The link indicator does not display when the OLE links indicator is not selected. To find this option select the Tools menu, click Options and click the View tab (Figure 27).

Figure 27. Links dialog box

The Links dialog box displays source, type, and updating information.


In the accompanying Links dialog, the first link is a DDE link to cell R1C1 on Sheet1 of Book1 whereas the second like is an OLE link to the same cell, sheet and book. The first Project link is a DDE link and the second is an OLE link.

An OLE link source can be activated by clicking the Open Source button or by directly double-clicking the field that has the links indicator. If the link is DDE based, there is no way to open the source by double-clicking or choosing the Open Source button in the Links dialog box. The user is asked to update links, however, when a destination file that contains DDE links is opened.

If a DDE link is within or connected to another Project file, there isn't a method to discover the source of a link, in the Links dialog box above.

Link numbers are created sequentially starting at number One. Each link has "two" parts -- the source and the destination. This means if a link is created within a file, Project displays the source number, but not the destination number; it may appear that only odd numbered links are created. For example, if task T1's name is copied and paste-linked into task T2's name, and T2's name is copied and paste-linked into task T3's name, LINK_1 and LINK_3 will show in the Links dialog box, but 2 and 4 won't show.

Issue. As an OLE link is created, a DOS file handle is required. If a file is unsaved and has 120 -150 OLE links (dependent on FILES setting in CONFIG.SYS) Project may not be able to save the file. When the user attempts to save the file, the message "Too many open files" may be displayed. The only way to recover from this is to try closing applications and such to free up file handles. When creating OLE links, be sure to save so that file handles can be released.

Note After Project exhaust's Windows supply of File handles, (Windows can allocate 150 or so handles no matter what your Files statement says) DDE links are automatically created instead of OLE links.

Issue. OLE links allow the user to quickly tunnel to the source information. OLE links, however, may be slower than DDE links. If the link involves data only and no graphic information such as linking into a table field, then a DDE link can be used instead.

Creating a DDE Link

There are two ways to create a DDE link. One, create a Visual Basic macro that uses the DDEPasteLink method to create the link. Two, customize a toolbar and attach the DDEPasteLink command as a menu item.

Copy Picture Tool

Microsoft Project has great Copy Picture features. The Copy Picture dialog box displays when the Copy Picture toolbar button is clicked (Figures 28 and 29). Static pictures files are created with no links back to Microsoft Project.

Figure 28. Copy Picture button


Figure 29. Microsoft Project Copy Picture dialog box

The Render image options

For screen. This option will copy the contents of the screen as is. The bitmap image can then be pasted into another application.

For printer. This option will crate a bitmap picture using your default printer settings that can then be pasted into another application. For example, if the printer is not color then the picture that is captured will not be in color.

To GIF image file. This option is used to create a GIF file from the screen shot. The text box is used to enter the file path and name. When the To GIF image file option is clicked, the text box is filled with a default file name and the Browse button is enabled. GIF images are smaller and use less color that bitmap images. When saving pictures for the Web, GIF is the better choice.

The default filename is the same base name as the Microsoft Project file with a GIF extension. The default location is the same directory as the Microsoft Project file if the project is saved as an .mpp file. If the project is new and not yet saved, or if the project is opened from a database, the location defaults to the current working directory.

The Browse button brings up the standard Browse dialog box with GIF set as the default file-type.

If the For screen or For printer option are selected after the To GIF image file option, the GIF text in the path and filename textbox remains, but is disabled (grayed out). The path and filename can be up to 256 characters.

If the GIF option is selected but the associated textbox is blanked out, then an alert is displayed prompting the user to enter a file name when OK is chosen.

If a path and filename is entered and the specified GIF file already exists, then when OK is chosen, an alert is displays to give the user the choice to overwrite or cancel.

The Copy options

The Copy section is only enabled in views that include a task or resource table, such as the Gantt Chart, Task Sheet, and Task Usage view.


Rows on screen. This option copies only the rows visible in the active pane. That includes any partially visible rows. The copied image shows whole rows.

Selected rows. This option copies all the selected rows, no matter how many are selected. It copies the selected rows even if they do not all fit on the screen or if the selection is scrolled off screen.

If more than one row is selected, then the default setting is Selected rows. Otherwise it is Rows on screen.

The Timescale options

The Timescale options are only enabled in views that have a timescale, such as the Gantt Chart and Task Usage.

The Timescale options allow the user to use the displayed timescale data or to select a particular range of time.

The default setting is As shown on screen and the Dates from and To fields default to the corresponding date range displayed on screen.

If the Dates from option is selected or the Dates from and To fields are edited, Microsoft Project remembers the dates during the current session of Microsoft Project and shows them the next time the dialog box is displayed during the same session of Microsoft Project. Each time Microsoft Project starts up, the default dates are used again.

Example

Figures 30, 31, 32, and 33 illustrate how the Copy and Timescale options are used to control what part of a Gantt Chart view gets copied. In part A, the Gantt Chart is copied as displayed on screen. In part B, selected tasks for a specified date range are copied.

Figure 30. Gantt Chart view to be copied (part A)


Figure 31. Resulting copied image (part A)

Part B: Copy only the selected task rows (rows 1-7) and the timescale date range from Sept 1 2000 to Oct 31, 2000.

Figure 32. Copy and Timescale options set for selected tasks and a specified date range (part B)

Figure 33. Resulting copied image (part B)

How the copied image is created

When OK is selected in the Copy Picture dialog box, Microsoft Project constructs an Enhanced Windows Metafile representing the specified image.


However, if the Selected rows option or the Dates from and To option is selected, it is possible to specify too much data for Microsoft Project to render. In that case, the alert shown in Figure 34 is displayed.

Figure 34. Alert if range to be copied is too large

When the picture is pasted into another application, that application determines what to do if the image is large.

For example Microsoft Word, Excel, and Paint have a similar scaling behavior when pasting in a Microsoft Project picture.

• Horizontally. As the horizontal size of the image increases, graphics is scaled but text is not, leading to text that is relatively too big to fit the columns as it did in Microsoft Project.

• Vertically. As the vertical size of the image increases, graphics and text is scaled, but column widths remain unchanged, leading to text that is relatively too small to fit the columns as it did in Microsoft Project.

After the scaling operation is finished, some applications such as Microsoft Word also crop the resulting scaled image to fit on a single page.

Note When a picture is pasted into Microsoft Word, the Float over text option in the Format picture dialog box Position tab is selected by default so the picture can only be seen in Page Layout view. To see the picture in Normal view without text floating around it, uncheck this option.

Example

Figures 35, 36, 37, and 38 illustrate how the copied Gantt Chart image is scaled horizontally and vertically when pasted into Microsoft Excel (the behavior is similar for Microsoft Word and Paint, except that Microsoft Word will also crop to fit a single page).

Part A has a small number of rows and a small amount of timescale copied.

Part B has a small number of rows, but a large amount of timescale.

Part C has a large number of rows, but a small amount of timescale.

Part D has a large number of rows and a large amount of timescale.

Part A - 5 rows and 7 days.


Figure 35. Copy to Microsoft Excel Small Number of rows and small timescale copied

Part B - 5 rows and 120 days. Not all the timescale is shown in Figure 36.

Figure 36.Copy to Microsoft Excel small number of rows with a large timescale

Part C - 100 rows and 7 days. Not all the rows are shown in the picture.

Figure 37. Copy to Microsoft Excel large number of rows with short timescale

Part D - 100 rows and 120 days. Not all the rows or timescale is shown in the picture.


Figure 38. Copy to Microsoft Excel Large Number of rows and large timescale

How the GIF image file is created

If the To GIF image file option in the Copy Picture dialog box is used, then when OK is pressed, Microsoft Project creates a metafile as described above and passes it to the metafile to GIF converter that, also known as the WMF-to-GIF filter. The filename of the filter is gifimp32.flt. This is the same filter that Microsoft Office uses. On a stand-alone installation of Microsoft Project, the filters are normally in the folder C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME.GIF.

The Registry key is:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SharedTools\Graphics Filters\Export\GIF

While Microsoft Project creates the metafile, an hourglass is displayed, but no progress meter. While the filter converts the metafile to a GIF file, a progress meter is displayed (it may flash by quickly if the file is not too large)(Figure 39).

Figure 39. Exporting Picture Progress Indicator

Converter errors

If the WMF-to-GIF filter, gifimp32.flt, cannot be loaded for any reason (for example if it cannot be found or the GIF registry key is missing or invalid), then the alert shown in Figure 40 is displayed:

Figure 40. Creation of GIF file error message


If the GIF registry key discussed above cannot be found, then (gifimp32.flt) is not in the alert message since the filter filename would be unknown in that case.

If the filter encounters any type of error during the creation of the GIF file, it returns an error code to Microsoft Project, and Microsoft Project displays the alert shown in Figure 41.

Figure 41. Alert if there is a problem saving to the GIF file

The above alert is also displayed in the case of an illegal string in the path, a non-existent path, or a read-only folder.



Exercises

1. Define an OLE In Place server.

2. Define an OLE container.

3. How are objects inserted into an application?

4. Where can you find the Link to file or Link option?

5. If the option Link from File is not selected, when inserting an object, what is the resultant behavior of the object?

6. When the Paste command is used, is an active link to the source maintained?

7. What visible indicator informs the user that the object has been activated?

8. When resizing a linked Microsoft Project object, is the object scaled or cropped?

9. Can a Microsoft Project object span multiple pages in Microsoft Word? Microsoft Excel?

10. What command/s is unavailable when a Microsoft Project object is active in another application?

11. Where can objects be inserted into in Microsoft Project?

12. In the Gantt Drawing Layer, if you right click an object the Properties command is available. If clicked, what options become available?

13. The Copy Picture dialog box renders what kind of images?

14. What options are available in the Copy Picture dialog box to control the contents of the image?

15. What is the name of the graphics filter file used to create a GIF image?

Lab 1. Familiarize yourself with inserting Microsoft Project objects and manipulating them in other applications

1. Create a file in Microsoft Project, save the file and close the application.

2. Open Word. Insert a Microsoft Project object from file.

3. Double click the object to activate Microsoft Project. Notice the Microsoft Project toolbars are now available in Microsoft Word.

4. Change the duration of a task and click outside the object window.

5. Insert the same Microsoft Project object from file. This time select the option Link to File. Notice that the change made in step 4 has not changed the source project file.

6. Resize both objects. Notice the different behavior between the linked object (scaled) and the non-linked object (cropped).


Lab 2. Experiment with the copy picture options in Microsoft Project

1. Create a project file with more than 30 tasks.

2. Select the Copy Picture button. Select For screen, Rows on screen and As shown on screen. Click OK.

3. Paste the results from the clipboard into Microsoft Word.

4. Back in Microsoft Project , select the Copy Picture Button. Select For printer, Rows on screen and under Timescale select dates that cover the entire project.

5. Paste the results from the clipboard into Microsoft Word. Note the differences between the two pictures.

6. Back in Microsoft Project, select the View menu and click Zoom, click Entire Project. Select all tasks.

7. Select the Copy Picture Button. Notice that Selected rows has automatically been selected. Click OK

8. Paste the results from the clipboard into Microsoft Word. Notice difference in this picture from the picture in step 3. You should see in the second picture that more tasks are displayed, and the font is larger. Approximately the same area is exposed of the timescale. By manipulating the font and timescale in Microsoft Project you can get more information to copy to the clipboard.

9. Back in Microsoft Project, select the Copy Picture button. This time select To GIF image file. Note the path and name, then click OK.

10. Locate the file in your file system and Open with Microsoft Internet Explorer®. Note any differences between the GIF image and the bitmap images.


Answers to Exercises

1. An OLE In Place server allows objects that are contained in other applications to be edited in-place within the containing document, as opposed to bringing up the application in a separate window

2. An OLE In Place container allows the user to edit OLE objects in-place when inserted into another application.

3. Objects can be inserted into an application by using the Insert menu and selecting Objects.

4. The Link to file or Link option can be found by going to the Insert menu, selecting Objects and clicking the Create from file option or tab.

5. If the option Link from File is not selected, when inserting the object, then modifying the object will not update the source.

6. When the Paste command is used an active link to the source is NOT maintained.

7. The visible indicator that indicates that the object has been activated, is a hatched border around the object window.

8. When resizing a linked Microsoft Project object is the object cropped.

9. Microsoft Project objects can not span multiple pages in Word. However they can span multiple pages in Excel.

10. Commands that are unavailable when an Microsoft Project object is active in another application are:

File Print Setup – Print command

Print PreReview

View Reports Header and Footer

Insert Page Break

Tools Links Between Projects (see the alert after this table).

Assign Resources dialog – cannot Add resources from Microsoft Project server

Resources: Share Resources

Update Resource Pool

Refresh Resource Pool

Organizer

Customize: Toolbars

Published Fields…

Options: Collaborate Tab - everything is disabled

Collaborate There is no connection with the Microsoft Project Server, so none of the sub menu items are available.

11. Objects can be inserted into in Microsoft Project in the Gantt Drawing Layer, the Object tab of Task and Resource Form views and the Notes tab of Task , Resource and Assignment Information dialog boxes.

12. The options available in the Properties command are Line & Fill and Size & Position.


13. The Copy Picture dialog box renders bitmap and GIF images.

14. The options are available in the Copy Picture dialog box to control the contents of an image are Copy (rows on screen and selected rows) and Timescale (As on screen and date range_).

15. The name of the graphics filter file used to create a GIF image is GIFIMP.FLT

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