Microsoft Project Training & Project Courses

Overview
This learning course is designed to familiarize you with the basic features and functions of Microsoft Project so you can use it effectively and efficiently in a real-world project management environment. This project management course covers the critical knowledge and skills a project manager needs to create a project plan during the planning phase of a project.

Version Note
This learning course is taught using Microsoft 2019 software but it is also applicable to users of Project Online and earlier versions of the Project desktop software. Instructors will note any features that are exclusive to 2019. This is an excellent introduction for users of Project 2019, Project Online, or earlier versions of the project management software.

Note: This management course is for anyone who has Project on the desktop, regardless of whether they purchased an “on-premise” edition or subscribed to a “cloud-based” (online) edition. Most project managers and project team members use the desktop application, so that is the main focus of this course. The main features of the online app are presented in an appendix.

PDU Credits
Our Registered Education Provider (REP) number is: 3452
This course is worth: 14 PDU's

Target Student
This course is designed for a person with general desktop computer skills who will be responsible for creating and maintaining project plans. This course will give you the fundamental understanding of Microsoft Project necessary to construct basic project plans. This essential training is ideal for beginner level students because it covers the basics of Microsoft Project.

Prerequisites
To ensure your success in this learning course, you should have basic knowledge and skills using the Microsoft® Windows® operating system—preferably the most current version. While you do not need to be an expert, some experience and competency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word and Excel®, will be useful when completing the project training course.

NOTE: If you already have a basic understanding of how to use Microsoft Project or are self-taught using Project and want additional practice with project management concepts, topics, and techniques, you should consider the second classes in this series, Microsoft Project Level 2: Mastering Project (55301)

Course Objectives
In this management learning course, you will be able to construct basic project plans using Microsoft Project and will cover a variety of topics. You will:
• Identify project management concepts and navigate Microsoft Project Professional.
• Create a new project plan.
• Add tasks to a project.
• Manage task relationships within a project.
• Manage project resources.
• Finalize a project plan.
• Update a project plan.
• Generate project views to manage a project.
• Create project reports to share a project's status.
• Reuse project plan information.
• Work with multiple projects.

COURSE OUTLINE

Lesson 1: Getting Started with Microsoft Project
Topic A: Identify Project Management Concepts
Topic B: Navigate in the Microsoft Project Desktop Environment

Lesson 2: Defining a Project
Topic A: Create a New Project Plan File
Topic B: Set Project Plan Options
Topic C: Assign a Project Calendar

Lesson 3: Adding Project Tasks
Topic A: Add Tasks to a Project Plan
Topic B: Enter Task Duration Estimates

Lesson 4: Managing Tasks
Topic A: Create a Work Breakdown Structure
Topic B: Define Task Relationships
Topic C: Schedule Tasks

Lesson 5: Managing Project Resources
Topic A: Add Resources to a Project
Topic B: Create a Resource Calendar
Topic C: Enter Costs for Resources
Topic D: Assign Resources to Tasks
Topic E: Resolve Resource Conflicts

Lesson 6: Finalizing a Project Plan
Topic A: Optimize a Project Plan
Topic B: Set a Baseline
Topic C: Share a Project Plan

Lesson 1: Updating a Project Plan
Topic A: Enter Task Progress
Topic B: Enter Overtime Work
Topic C: Edit Tasks
Topic D: Update Cost Rate Tables
Topic E: Update a Baseline

Lesson 2: Viewing Project Progress
Topic A: Use View Commands
Topic B: Add a Custom Field
Topic C: Create Custom Views
Topic D: Format and Share the Timeline View

Lesson 3: Reporting on Project Progress
Topic A: View Built-in Reports
Topic B: Create Custom Reports
Topic C: Create a Visual Report

Lesson 4: Reusing Project Plan Information
Topic A: Create a Project Plan Template
Topic B: Share Project Plan Elements with Other Plans

Lesson 5: Working with Multiple Projects
Topic A: Share Resources
Topic B: Link Project Plans

Appendix A: Exploring Project Management in the Cloud

Overview
This three-day instructor-led learning course is intended for individuals who are interested in expanding their knowledge base and technical skills with Microsoft Project. The course begins with a quick review of the basic Microsoft Project concepts and leads students through all the functions they’ll need to plan and manage a small to medium-size project, including how to level resources and capture both cost and schedule progress.

It is meant to be a follow-on to our Microsoft Project Level 1 course and provides additional practice with the tool, a deeper exploration of the advanced techniques, and more time reviewing project management concepts important to the successful planning and delivery of projects on time and within budget.

Audience Profile
This learning course is intended for novice and experienced project managers, managers, schedulers, and other project stakeholders who need to incorporate the discipline of project management with Microsoft Project 2019.

*** Project Series Note ***
This class is the second part of our two-part series that provides a complete overview of the main features in Microsoft Project. While there is some review of basic Microsoft Project concepts, this Level 2 class provides a deeper exploration and additional practice with Project. If you are not already familiar with Microsoft Project you should instead consider the first class in this series, Microsoft Project Level 1: Comprehensive Introduction

Prerequisites
Though not required, attendees should have prior experience using Microsoft Project such as what you'd receive by attending our first course in this series: Microsoft Project Level 1: Comprehensive Introduction.

At Course Completion
• Understand the discipline of project management as it applies to using Microsoft Project 2019.
• Create a Work Breakdown Structure.
• Identify Task Types & Relationships.
• Define Resources within Project.
• Make Work Package Estimates.
• Create an Initial Schedule.
• Create a Resource Leveled Schedule.
• Create Projects from templates, Excel files.
• Create Global templates.
• Create formulas and graphical indicators.
• The steps to record a macro.
• Format Output and Print Reports.
• Integrate Multiple Projects.
• Set up a Project with a Calendar, Start date, and scheduling method.
• Understand Manually Schedule vs. Auto Schedule.
• Manage multiple projects.
• Be able to create a master project list with shared resources.

COURSE OUTLINE

Module 1: Introduction to Microsoft Project
This module provides an overview of how the features of Project relate to the job of the project manager. The module also teaches the student how to access different features by navigating through the ribbon.
Lessons
Describe how Project relates to the discipline of Project management.
Learn what the new features are in Project 2019.
Navigate to the primary views available using the Ribbon.
Choose Views that display task, resource, or assignment information.
Select table within views to change the information that is available to see and edit.
Relate the features of Project to the 5 steps for building a plan in Project.
Learn new accessibility features in Project
Lab 1: Introduction to Mastering Microsoft Project
Learn how to change views from a table to a chart.
Learn the different subcommands that are under each command group.
Learn what functions are under the format tab.
Learn how to access the backstage.

Module 2: A Quick and Easy Overview of Managing with Project
This module explains how to create and use Microsoft Project 2019 through the life cycle of a project.
Lessons
Create a new project and prepare it for data entry.
Enter project tasks.
Sequence the tasks.
Define resources.
Estimate Task duration and assign resources.
Baseline the project.
Track project progress.
Lab 1: Creating a Basic Project with a template
Learn how to create a project plan from a template.
Learn how to turn off the timeline.
Learn how to change the project start date.
Learn how to add holidays to the company calendar.
Lab 2: Creating a Basic Project
Learn how to add resources and their cost.
Learn how to switch views.
Learn how to insert summary tasks.
Learn how to link tasks and summary tasks.

Module 3: Setting Up a Project
This module explains how to create a new project and establish the basic constraints that Microsoft Project will use for its calculations.
Lessons
Use multiple methods to create a new project from an Excel file and a SharePoint Tasks list.
Establish one or more calendars to constrain resource availability.
Configure Project to calculate the schedule from the Start Date forward, or from the Finish Date backward.
Lab 1: Setting Up a Project
Learn how to add Holidays to the company calendar.
Learn how to make a custom calendar.
Learn how to set the Project Start date.
Learn how to set constraints.

Module 4: Manually Schedule vs. Auto Schedule
This module explains how to manually schedule project tasks and how to leverage the auto schedule feature.
Lessons
Students practice switching tasks between Manually Schedule and Auto Schedule modes. By switching modes, students learn the impact made on the project schedule and the individual tasks.
Lab 1: Explore Task Modes
Describe which project functions are turned off for tasks using Manually Schedule mode.
Change the task mode from Manually Schedule to Auto Schedule and back.
Identify tasks that are in Manually Schedule mode by the task mode column and shape on the Gantt chart.
Describe situations that are particularly appropriate for using Manually Schedule.
Describe the limitations that a user must be aware of when using Manually Schedule mode.

Module 5: Creating a Work Breakdown Structure
This module explains how to create a useful work breakdown structure and enter it into Microsoft Project.
Lessons
Build and use summary and subordinate tasks.
Understand and use milestones.
Develop WBS Outlines.
Assign completion criteria.
Evaluate the WBS.
Understand and use WBS templates.
Lab 1: Manipulate a WBS
Learn how to create and manipulate WBS.
Learn how to utilize an Outline.
Learn how to create notes within tasks.
Lab 2: Supporting the Project Plan
Learn how to hyperlink project artifacts to your project plan.
Learn how to create reoccurring tasks.

Module 6: Identifying Task Relationships
This module explains the rules for establishing dependency links between tasks and how to use Project to display these dependencies.
Lessons
Understand the different types of task relationships.
Understand and use various methods to create relationships.
Determine and display task sequence.
Understand and use lag, lead, and delay.
Understand the new feature of Task Paths.
Lab 1: Display the sequence
Identify the different ways to create dependent relationships
Format a Network diagram.
Modifying dependency lines.
Modifying items to be shown on the critical path.

Module 7: Defining Resources within Project
This module explains how to enter resources and specific resource information in Microsoft Project and assign resources to specific tasks.
Lessons
Define resource types.
Define individual resources that will be used on the project.
Record the cost (s) of using each type of resource.
Record the limit of availability for each type of resource by establishing a resource calendar and defining the maximum units of that resource.
Lab 1: Resource Calendar and Availability
Add holidays to a standard calendar.
Applying different types of calendars to a project and analyzing the impact to the project schedule.
Applying vacation schedules to the calendar.
Replace resources based upon the resource’s calendar.

Module 8: Making Work Package Estimates
This module explains how Microsoft Project calculates task duration, task work (effort) and task resources. Students will be able to choose among three task types as they enter task estimates and they will know which task type is appropriate for the type of estimate they are making.
Lessons
Enter estimates for duration and costs for each task.
Distinguish between task types and describe when each is appropriate.
Describe the relationship between work, units, and duration.
Describe the way Effort Driven scheduling is affected by work, units, and duration.
Assign tasks to resources using the Team Planner view.
Lab 1: Work, Duration and Labor
Analyze the impact of duration, work, and labor.
Create material resources and assign costs to the resource.
Understand how to leverage Project statistics
Apply a material resource to a task and examine the impact to project costs.

Module 9: Creating an Initial Schedule
This module explains how Project calculates a schedule based on task relationships and task duration. Students will understand the purpose of identifying critical path tasks and will be able to identify schedule floats within the project.
Lessons
Calculate float and identify a project’s critical path.
Understand and identify task constraints.
Create milestones.
Use the Task Inspector to troubleshoot the initial schedule.
Lab 1: Calculating an Initial schedule
Reviewing changes that can have a positive or negative impact on the project plan.

Module 10: Create a Resource Leveled Schedule
This module explains how over-allocated resources create unrealistic schedules and shows methods for rescheduling in order to create a realistic schedule based on resource availability.
Lessons
Adjust a project schedule to account for limited people and other resources.
View the overall cost and schedule of a project.
Identify resources that have been overallocated for a project schedule.
Use multiple ways to adjust tasks and assignments to remove over allocation for any resource.
Lab 1: Resource Leveling
Evaluate the project’s resource plan using the resource views.
Adjust the schedule manually.
Adjust the schedule using the leveling feature.

Module 11: Managing the Project
This module explains how to use Microsoft Project to control a project. Students will save their plan to a baseline and see how entering actual task performance data enables them to view differences between planned and actual performance.
Lessons
Learn how to set a baseline.
Learn how to enter and track project performance data.
Learn how to apply different tracking methods.
Learn how to perform a variance analysis on a project.
Learn how to Reschedule Work
Learn how to inactivate tasks
Learn how to synch projects to SharePoint
Lab 1: The Baseline
Use Project Statics to see the changes in a project plan.
Use the variance tables to understand the changes in a project plan.
Understand the value of baselining.
Lab 2: Baselining & Tracking Performance
Understand the value of Baselining a project.
Understand how to Enter Actuals and measuring their impact.
Lab 3: Variance
Understand how variance is calculated with cost, finish and work.

Module 12: Formatting Output and Printing Reports
This module explains how participants will be able to control project output by creating and using Custom Fields, Sorting, Filtering, and Grouping of the project data.
Lessons
Print
Views
Formats
Sorting
Filtering
Grouping
Custom Fields
Reporting
Other File Formats
Lab 1: Use the Grouping Feature
Create new fields to group.
Create new group fields.
Create new views.
Lab 2: Create Visual Reports in Project 2019
Learn how to leverage Microsoft Project’s View Report features.
Learn how to create a Visual Report.

Module 13: Managing Multiple Projects
This module explains how to view many projects as parts of one very large project in order to gain new views on resource availability and task relationships among projects.
Lessons
Learn how to use common resources among multiple projects.
Learn how to link tasks between multiple projects.
Learn how to create a consolidated view of multiple projects.
Lab 1: Identifying Overallocated Resources from a Resource Pool and Consolidated File
Learn how to create a master project file.
Open Resource Pool.
Learn how to look for over-allocated resources.

Module 14: Advanced Topics
This module explains how to leverage some of the advanced features of Microsoft Project.
Lessons
Learn how to customize the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar.
Learn how to customize WBS numbering.
Learn the concepts of Formulas and Graphical indicators.
Learn the purpose of the Global template and Organizer.
Learn how to record a Macro.
Lab 1: Recording a Macro in Microsoft Project
Learn how to create a macro that will automate a process.

** Note: This is an On-Demand (self-study) course, 90-day, 24/7 access via the internet **
(Applicable State and Local taxes may be added for On-Demand purchases, depending on your location.)

About This Course
This online, On-Demand (self-study) Microsoft Project course includes hours of instructor video demonstrations, lecture and lab exercises. This learning course covers fundamentals through advanced material and refers to 2013 to 2019 and Office 365 Project Professional. Note: The 90-day access period will begin at time of purchase.

**What You Need to Take this Training**
You will need Microsoft Project software or free trial and a high-speed internet connection.

Overview
The course is designed to teach project managers how to create, update and manage project schedules with Microsoft Project. Participants will learn how to create new projects, enter tasks, create a WBS, set dependencies, create constraints and deadlines and manage resource assignments. You will also learn how to analyze and manage resources over and under-allocations, set baselines, track and manage progress and generate reports. Advanced topics covering master, sub-projects and resource pools will also be learning topics. We will also go over macros, EVM and advanced dashboard reporting as part of the curriculum. Sharing with SharePoint and managing templates will also be areas of learning in this course.

Audience
This course is intended for project, program and portfolio managers who will be working with Project and will be responsible for creating and managing projects and resources with Project. This course does not assume any previous knowledge of Microsoft Project but a basic understanding of windows and other Microsoft applications will be helpful. Familiarity with project concepts is helpful but not required.

Do You Still Prefer a Live, Instructor-led Class?
Already know Project On-Demand training is not right for you? We also offer this course in a live, instructor-led format. For more details, click on the link below:
Microsoft Project Instructor-led Training

At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to:
• Explore the Project Environment
• Getting Started with Microsoft Project
• Modifying and Organizing a Task list
• Shaping the schedule
• Modifying Task Dependencies
• Working with Calendars
• Using Project Resources
• Entering Project Costs
• Task Type Settings
• Resolving Resource Over-allocations
• Setting Constraints and Deadlines
• Tracking Project Progress
• Reporting in Project
• Customizing the Project Environment
• Creating and Managing custom Fields, Tables and Views
• Importing and Exporting Project Data
• Managing Project Templates and Sharing with SharePoint
• Working with Master Projects, Sub-Projects and Resource Pools
• Advanced Dashboard & Visual Reporting
• Tracking and Analyzing EVM
• Automating with Macros
• Advanced Customizations with Project

Course Outline
Introduction: Welcome to Project Professional 2016/2019/P3
Module 1: Exploring the Project Environment
Module 2: Getting Started with Project
Module 3: Managing and Organizing a Task List
Module 4: Shaping the Schedule
Module 5: Managing Resources
Module 6: Working with Calendars
Module 7: Managing Costs
Module 8: Task Types Settings
Module 9: Resource Allocations and Conflicts
Module 10: Schedule Constraints & Deadlines
Module 11: Tracking Project Progress
Module 12: Filtering and Grouping
Module 13: Project Reporting
Module 14: Customizing the Project Environment
Module 15: Managing custom fields, Tables and Views
Module 16: Importing and Exporting Project Data
Module 17: Managing Project Templates and Sharing with SharePoint
Module 18: Working with Master, Sub-Projects and Resource Pools
Module 19: Advanced Dashboard & Visual Reporting
Module 20: Analyzing Progress and EVM
Module 21: Automating with Macros