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Course MS Project 2016

Course MS Project 2016 ® Learnit Training

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Why does Learnit provide free courses?

We believe in your power to strengthen yourself and we want to encourage you to take steps. Once you
have started and you experience the satisfaction of working on your development, we hope that you are
ready for the next step and will follow a training course with us.

For now we wish you good luck and fun with this free course.

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Table of contents
1. Introduction 4

1.1. This course 4

1.2. MS Project 2016 4

1.3. Starting a new project 5

2. Enter tasks 7

2.1 What is a task? 7

2.2. Entering a task 7

2.3. The first project 8

3. Dependencies 10

3.1. The different dependencies 10

3.2. Entering dependencies 10

4. GANTT Chart 14

4.1. Print the schedule 14

5. Do you want to know more? 19

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1 Introduction

1.1. This course

This online course is intended to introduce you to MS Project 2016. In this course you will become
acquainted with the interface and learn to plan a simple project. After entering the tasks, it is explained
how you can create the interdependencies. The display of the schedule will then be adjusted so that you
can print it. If your interest has been aroused, it is certainly worthwhile to follow a complete training at
Learnit Training under the guidance of an experienced trainer.

1.1.1. Foreknowledge

No specific prior knowledge is required to take this online course. We assume that you can use the
mouse and the Windows interface. A working version of MS Project 2016 is required to complete the
assignments.

1.1.2. Coherence with other courses

This online course covers a part of the basic MS Project course. During this two-day training, all aspects of
this package will be discussed. For in-depth knowledge of MS Project, it is possible to follow further
training. This two-day training focuses mainly on advanced filters, formulas, macros and reports.

1.1.3. Intent

You can simply go through this course chapter by chapter and complete the assignments. It is assumed
that you have installed the software as described below and that you have read the previous chapters.
Furthermore, screenshots are regularly used; Due to differences in the operating system and other
software packages, these may differ from what you see on your screen. Don't attach too much importance
to this.

1.2. MS Project 2016

MS Project has a long history. This planning tool has been available since the late 1990s and this version
was published in 2015. After the interface was brought into line with the other Office packages in version
2010, the interface is now the same as that of Office 2016. This means, among other things, that the new
assistant “Specify what you want to do” is also available here to help with finding certain functionality.
Furthermore, a special web version is available aimed at managing resources (manpower). With this
module, people can be deployed to various tasks from a central pool. There is even a system in place to
request permission from the manager for the deployment of his/her employee. When a project is stored in
the cloud, it is even possible to work on the project simultaneously with several people.

1.2.1. Definitions in MS Project

To work with MS Project it is good to know a number of concepts:
● Project: a number of tasks with mutual dependencies and a start and end date
● Task: an activity within a project. You can determine to what level of detail this will be reduced.

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 ● Dependency: describes the order in which the tasks within a project should be performed

● Duration: This indicates the completion time of a task. This says nothing about the amount of
work (hours) required to complete the task
● Resource: People, resources or money needed to perform a task.

1.3. Starting a new project

After starting MS Project, you can choose from previously created projects or create a new (empty)
project. For this course we start with a new project.

By default, this new project is given the name Project and a serial number. To change this name and save
the project, select Save As under File and enter a location and a name for the project.

1.3.1. The interface

When a new project has been selected, the MS Project interface appears. This consists of a number of
parts.
On the left is the table view. Here the tasks and associated specifications are entered and displayed.
On the right, the graphical representation, the tasks and their interdependencies are shown in a
graphical way. Tasks are displayed as bars and arrows make the relationships visible.

Like all other Office packages, the ribbon is located at the top of the screen. Here are all the icons to
select the correct functions. You can customize this ribbon via the options by creating additional tabs
and groups.

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A message briefly appears at the bottom left that new tasks are being scheduled manually. A manually
scheduled task will not shift if the preceding task is moved. So a manually scheduled task is fixed. An
auto-scheduled task will automatically adjust its start date to match the preceding task. If it moves, the
dependent task will move along with it. It is therefore better to first change this setting to New tasks are
scheduled automatically before you start entering tasks.

This setting can be adjusted for all new projects via the File, Options, Planning option so that this
does not have to be done per project.

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2. Enter tasks

2.1 What is a task?

A task is the smallest piece of defined work. This means that a project will have to be split into the different
tasks. Of course, you can decide for yourself to what level of detail you want to do this. It is true that a
detailed planning provides more information than a less detailed one.

2.2. Entering a task

Entering tasks is done in the table view on the left side of the screen. This table view is based on Excel and
therefore has the same navigation. The entry is confirmed by pressing Enter (Return) or moving to the
next cell. Before you start entering tasks, it is important that new tasks are planned automatically. Make
sure this mode is selected.

The table view has a number of columns:

In the first column, the information column, information about the task is provided using icons. These
can be icons that indicate, for example, that a note exists for this task or that a resource is overloaded.

The Task Mode column indicates whether the task is manually or automatically scheduled.
The next column is self-explanatory and there you can enter the name of the task.
When the Tasks are automatically scheduled mode is selected, MS Project will automatically enter a
duration of one day in this column. Behind it is a question mark (?) indicating that this is an estimated
duration that has not yet been adjusted. This question mark will disappear if you have entered a duration
yourself. You can enter the duration in days (default) but also in hours, weeks, months or even years.

What you may notice is that when you make an adjustment, one or more cells will get a blue fill. This
way you can see which cells are also affected by your change.
A bar for this task now appears in the graphical view:

If the task falls on a weekend, MS Project will automatically count it after the weekend. In this case the
lead time will be 4 days due to the weekend.

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2.3. The first project
It is now time to start implementing the first project. In your new project, take over all tasks and their
duration as shown in the image below.

The symbol corresponding to automatically scheduled tasks appears in the task mode column.
Adjusting the column width works the same as Excel. Place the mouse in the header on the
separation between two columns and drag to the right to widen it.
On the far left side of the table view you will see the task numbers, starting with number 1. These task
numbers will be needed later for adding dependencies and you can compare them with the row numbers
in Excel.
Once you have entered all the tasks, your project will look like the example above.

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As you can see, MS Project always fills in the current date for the start date. To adjust the start date of the
project, select the Project data option on the Project tab. The following window appears:

A choice can be made regarding planning from the start date or from the end date of the project. When
planning from the start date, MS Project calculates the end date based on the dependencies. If you plan
from the end date, MS Project will calculate the start date. However, this last option does not work when
the project is updated during execution. In the event of a delay, MS Project will want to adjust the start
date, which in this case means moving it further back. Because this date has already passed, it cannot be
changed. So if you choose the Schedule from end date option, you will have to enter the calculated start
date if you then choose Schedule from start date.

For the assignment, set the start date to the first Monday of the following month.

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3. Dependencies

3.1. The different dependencies

One of the most important characteristics of a project is that all tasks are in some way connected
(dependent) to another task. Tasks without dependencies therefore do not belong in the project.

With MS Project, the previous task is always looked at. Only when this is completed will the next task
start.
MS Project has the following dependencies:
● Start after End (BE) - this task starts when the predecessor has finished
● Same Start - this task starts at the same time as its predecessor
● Tie End - this task ends at the same time as its predecessor
● End after Start (EB) - this task starts and ends before its predecessor.

3.2. Entering dependencies

Dependencies can be entered in different ways. The fastest way is to select the tasks that should be
made dependent on each other.

Then, on the Home tab, select the Link the selected tasks icon.

The tasks are then linked, which is indicated in the Preceding tasks column.

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You can of course also enter the number of the previous task in this column. The dependency type Start
after End (BE) is then chosen.

The third way to enter dependencies is through the Task Details window. This window appears when
you double-click the selected task.

In this window, select the Preliminary Tasks tab.

In this window, the task number of the predecessor task can be entered in the ID column. It is simpler to
choose the list arrow in the task name field so that the preceding task can be selected from a drop-down
menu.

One of the four dependencies can be selected for the Type.

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The last column is used to indicate the possible delay. This means that this task starts after the previous
task and takes the entered delay into account. A delay of 5 days therefore ensures that this task only
starts 5 days after the end of the previous task.

If a negative value is entered here, an overlap will occur with the preceding task. A value of -2 days
causes this task to start two days before the end of the preceding task.

When a dependency is applied, it is shown in the graphical view as follows:

Now on with the new project.

Assignment: Add dependencies

Apply the dependencies as described below. Use the different ways to enter the dependencies.

● After selecting the shed, the order can be placed.

● The container for the removal of the old shed can also be reserved at the same time

● After selection, the demolition of the shed can start immediately

● Once the shed has been demolished, the foundation can be removed
● Making the formwork and pouring the concrete can be carried out afterwards and one after
the other
● Because the concrete needs to harden for 5 days, only then can you start placing the
beams
● After this, the side walls, roof beams and roof tiles are constructed successively
● Because you will receive help, you can start assembling the window frames after placing
the side walls.
● Painting can only start once the roof tiles and window frames have been installed. It takes
two days for the paint to dry and work on the shed to begin again

● After installing the glass, the door can be hung and the shed is ready!

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If you have entered the dependencies correctly, the graphical representation (the GANTT chart) will look
like this:

Now when you choose the Gantt Chart Tools option, the following ribbon will appear:

Select the Project Summary Task option. This causes the task with number zero to be added in the table
view.

If you have completed the assignment correctly, the total duration of this project will be 24 days.

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4. GANTT Chart
4.1. Print the schedule
MS Project offers several ways to share the schedule. When the planning is saved in the cloud (for example
OneDrive), colleagues can be invited to view the planning or even change it.

Another option is to place the planning on a SharePoint site. Information can be shared quickly via this
intranet solution from Microsoft.
A somewhat conservative, but still very useful way to share the schedule is to print it. This can be done via
a real printer, but the planning can also be written to a PDF file.

Printing the planning offers many options and can be found under File, Print.

This screen shows the planning as it is actually printed. Various options can be selected via the
settings. You can choose to print the entire project or a selected period:

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In this screen you can also choose a printer, print size and the choice of a portrait or landscape print.

You can make even more adjustments in the Page Settings submenu.

This option opens a new window:

In this window you can choose the different tabs and the associated options.

On the Page tab you can reduce the view so that it fits on one page. You can also choose a portrait or
landscape print. The Header and Footer tabs allow you to add these to the printout. Fields such as
current date or

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page number can be inserted.

The Footer option has similar options.

The Legend tab can be used to indicate whether a legend is desired and where it should be printed.

Finally, on the Display tab you can indicate which elements should be printed. For example, you can
determine here from which column to print.

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4.1. Adjust the graphics
Before printing, it is possible to adjust the GANTT chart in the graphical view. One of the options is to
display texts (information) at each bar. To do this, right-click in the graphical view, then select the Beam
Styles option.

As you can see, you can adjust the display (shape and color) per type of bar. To display the text, first
select the bar to be adjusted. In this case, the Task bar type is already selected. Then select the Text
tab (see arrow).

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On the left you see the possible positions for placing text for the chosen bar type. You can select from
many fields using the list arrow. Examples of this are:
Starting date: gives the start date of the task
End date: gives the end date of the task gives
Name: the name of the task gives the
Duration: duration of the task

Assignment: Adjust GANTT chart display

Customize the GANTT chart views to display the following information for each task:

Above the bar: the name of the task Left of the

bar: the start date of the task Right of the bar: the
end date of the task In the bar: the duration of
the task

If you have executed the command correctly, this is the result:

After completing the assignments, you have learned to enter the tasks and their dependencies and to be
able to print a clear representation of the schedule.

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5 Do you want to know more?
We hope that after this free course you have become enthusiastic about the possibilities of MS Project
2016. As you have already read, you can also contact Learnit Training for a basic MS Project course
or a MS Project follow-up course.

These training courses are provided on a regular basis for working with MS Project. Also at various
locations in the Netherlands.

MS Project is a very extensive and therefore complex program. Companies and organizations are
increasingly seeing the benefits of working with MS Project. They also note that in order to make use of
the many options, it is necessary to master the program well.

Learnit offers the following training courses:

MS Project Basics

This training is intended for those who have little or no experience with MS Project. During this training
you will learn to independently set up a complete schedule, allocate resources and add deadlines.
Keeping track of the project during implementation is also discussed in detail.

MS Project Continued

The starting point of this training is that you already have experience with MS Project but are not yet
familiar with the advanced options. Do you want to get the most out of the program, for example by using
advanced filters with formulas or adding macros yourself to automate tasks or even expand the
functionality? Then this course is an excellent starting point.

MS Project Elearning

No time to join us? We have also developed an e-learning training ms project. Short videos with examples
and exercises ensure that you quickly master the basics of working with MS Project.

Thank you for your attention and who knows, see you soon!

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You have now seen how you can get started with this course. You need perseverance and time for this.
You can get very far on your own!

Don't have much time and want to achieve even better results? Then it can be very useful to follow a
training course:

● You spend a number of days intensively working on specific skills. You will
not be disturbed and can work all day long.
● You get a trainer who motivates you, stimulates you, shows you your blind spots and lets you
experience what success feels like. The trainer knows which path you can take, has an
extensive network and gives you good, practical tips.
● You will delve deeper into the pitfalls that many novice webinar presenters make.
● You can experience what it is like to be in front of the camera and receive feedback on your presentation
from specialists and fellow students.
● You will come into contact with participants who are following the training with a similar goal. By doing this
together, you will receive a lot of support and dedication during the training. This of course is in addition to
the fact that you have your own learning goals.
● The trainer can help you select topics, so that you only work on parts that are important to you.
This means you get more results in less time.

Feel free to share this free course (with attribution) with colleagues and acquaintances. If you would like
to give us feedback, we would appreciate it!

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 This free course MS Project 2016 is a publication of:

Learnit Training
Piet Heinkade 1
1019 BR Amsterdam
Telephone +31 20 6369179
Fax machine +31 20 7163377
E-mail [email protected]
Website www.learnit.nl

Do you have any questions or would you like more information?

Please contact us on +31 20 6369179 or visit our website

www.learnit.nl . Our employees are on working days

available by telephone from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM.

Copyright © 2016: Learnit Training

All rights reserved. The Learnit Training course content is protected by copyright
and may not be used by third parties in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written
permission of the publisher.

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