Learn how to use summary, milestones and recurring tasks, how to apply lag, lead and elapsed time in tasks and determine the critical path in this second part of our practical guide to Project 2013. View the whole blog post with explanations: http://deltabahn.com/project-2013-microsoft-project-for-professionals-5-simple-practical-steps-to-mastering-task-context-in-under-30-minutes/

1. Project 2013
Microsoft Project for
Professionals
5 Simple & Practical Steps to Mastering Task Context in under 30 Minutes
Jakub Marciniak
Solution Consultant
DeltaBahn LLC

2. Agenda

3. 1. Open the project saved last time
• Open the project that was created and saved from the previous
part of the series Task Basics
OR
• Create a new project from the Commercial Construction
Template and follow the instructions choosing different tasks

4. 2. Create a summary task
Task tab:
Select the three tasks Prepare and submit project schedule, Prepare and submit schedule of
values and Resource Allocation

5. 2. Indent and Outdent tasks
Select the next task that does not belong to the summary task:
Task tab: Task tab:
Indent task Outdent task

6. 3. Add a milestone task
Task tab:
Name it:
Note: Milestone tasks have a default
Duration of 0 days.
The are shown in the Gantt Chart as a
diamond shape.

7. 4a. Create a recurring task
Task tab:
Select the task Submit monthly request for payment
Configure the details for the recurring task:

8. Project identified that some occurrences will take place in non-working times.
Confirm with Yes:
4b. Create a recurring task

9. 5a. Adjust the recurring task
View tab:
In the Task form (at the bottom) right-click
and select Predecessors & Successors:

10. 5b. Adjust the recurring task
In the predecessors pane choose the task Receive notice to proceed and sign contract and click OK.

11. 5c. Adjust the recurring task
Look up the ID of the first occurrence of the recurring task, in this case number 11.
Click in the Predecessors column of the task Submit shop drawings and
order long lead items – steel and type in 11.

12. 6a. Create Lag time
View tab:
In the Task form (at the bottom) right-click
and select Predecessors & Successors:
Scroll to the summary task Foundations and select the task Cure concrete elevator walls.

13. 6b. Create Lag time
Increase the lag to 2 days and click OK:
Observe the changes in the Outline pane:

14. 7a. Create lead time
Task tab:
Increase the duration to 3 days:

15. 7b. Create lead time
Decrease the lag to -2 days and click OK:
Note that in the Gantt Chart the tasks are now overlapping and
the Predecessor column reflects the changes:

16. 8a. Elapsed time
Right-click on the task Cure elevator wall concrete and click Insert Task:
Enter “4ed” for elapsed days:

17. 9a. Determine critical tasks
Scroll down to the summary task Site Grading and Utilities
View tab:

18. 9b. Determine critical tasks
Select the task Perform final site grading. This task is critical and has no slack:
Select the task Install storm drainage. Hover over the thin black line after the task bar in the Gantt Chart:

19. Thank you!
success@deltabahn.com (281) 344-0437 www.deltabahn.com