This document outlines a course on project planning and scheduling using Microsoft Project, aimed at project management professionals. The course includes 6 hours of lectures and workshops covering various aspects of project management from planning to scheduling, with modules focusing on task linking, resource management, and tracking progress. The course is delivered by experienced instructors and includes practical applications using licensed software.

1. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Project Planning
Scheduling MS Project
&

2. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF COURSE
This course is aimed at project management professionals who are
interested in learning how to plan a project. The course is designed
to precede a project scheduling software course such as Microsoft
Project, P3, SureTrak or P6 COURSE AIM
The aim of this course is to demonstrate:
• What a project plan is
• Why projects should be planned
• Some generic methods of planning projects
• Why plans are used to control a project
COURSE DELIVERY
The course is presented in 6 lecture hrs (one day) using a PowerPoint
presentation and includes a workshops at the end of each module
where the students practice preparing a number of planning docu-
ments.
MODULES INCLUDE:
• Introduction and Overview of Planning
• Planning the Plan
• Project Breakdown Structures
• Activity Definition
• Activity Sequencing and Critical Path Calculations
• Resource Planning and Analysis
• Finalising the Plan, Baselines, Monitoring and Control
• Scope Changes, Hints and Tips.
COURSE INSTRUCTORS
The instructors are Senior planning Engineers and involved in Project
Management Consultancies with more than 10-5 years service
record providing project control services to innumerable projects.
Zabeel uses licensed software for conducting their training.
MS PROJECT ( COURSE CONTENT)
PART 1 -THE BASICS OF PROJECT SCHEDULING
Session 1 Overview and Context
• What is a Project
• Recurring Theme 1 - Simplicity, Transparency & No Loss of Control
• Recurring Theme 2 - Effort vs Accuracy - the Asymptotic Curve
Session 2 Customizing the Microsoft Windows Environment
• Using Windows Explorer
• File Name View Options

3. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
Session 3 Opening Microsoft Project and Customizing the
User Interface
• Verifying the Version Number and the Application of Service
Releases/Service Packs
• Help Facilities -- Too Much? -- How To Turn Off
• A Tour of the Screen - Names & Definitions
• Notice lateral scroll bars at the bottom of both sides of the screen
• Menu Bar, Tool Bars, Icons, and the View Bar
• Turning Off Personalized Menus
• Customizing a Tool Bar -- Adding Some Icons
Session 4 Starting a New Project
• Selecting a Project Start Date
• Start Date versus End Date Scheduling
• Entering Tasks - Observe What Project Does
• Adding and Hiding Columns, and a Quick Discussion of Project's
Data Base
Session 5 Durations and the Time Scale
• Duration Defined • Elapsed Duration
• The Time Scale -- Various Ways to Manage It
• The Third Timescale Level
Session 6 Outlining a Project
• Summary Tasks and Detail Tasks
• Properties of Summary Tasks
• Outline Levels
• The "Line Zero" Project Summary Task
• Viewing Outline Numbers
• WBS Numbers and Outline Numbers -- Differences
• Viewing Outline Levels - Preview of Filters
Session 7 Linking Tasks
• Standard Links (FS) using the Link and Unlink Icons
• Selecting Adjoining Tasks with the Shift Key
• Selecting Non-Adjoining Tasks with the Control Key - The Order
Matters!
• Linking Graphically - Slightly Dangerous
• Three Other Types of Links (SS, FF, and the bizarre SF)
• Entering Links in the Task Information Box and Other Forms
• Power Linking by Typing Directly into the Predecessors or
Successors Columns

4. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
• Linking Summary Tasks -Controversy & Confusion ("Hidden Hands")
• Linking Tasks • Concepts used
• Creating a link between tasks • Removing a link
• Changing a Task relationship • Types of task relationships
• Overlapping and delaying tasks
• Specifying Lead or lag time in Gantt Table
Session 8 Adding Lags to Links
• Lags: Positive, Negative, and Percentage
• Combining Lags with SS and FF Link Types
• Documenting the Reasons for Lags with Notes
• Small Negative Lags versus Large Negative Lags
• An Alternative to Lags
Session 9 Date Constraints
• Constraints Frequently Set in Error - By Typing Dates
• Eight Types of Constraints - Purposes of Each Type
• When Constraints Conflict with Links - a Switch Determines
Who Wins
• What Types of Tasks are OK to Constrain
• Documenting the Reasons for Constraints with Notes
Session 10 Milestones
• The Purpose of Milestones - When Are They Useful?
• Conflicting Definitions with Other Applications like MPM
(not needed)
• The Milestones Filter
Session 11 Working with Project Tasks
• The Deadline Feature
• More About Notes - Capacity and the Ability to Insert Objects
• Adding Hyperlinks to Tasks, and How they Compare with Notes
• Recurring Tasks
• Splitting Tasks
• Moving Tasks Around in a Schedule - Methods & the Level Problem
• Moving Columns to New Positions
• To Autolink or Not To Autolink Inserted or Moved Tasks
• Saving Work with Autosave, and Version Control Issues
• The Language of Tasks: When Verbs, When Nouns
• How Logic Flows Through an Unconstrained Schedule
• How Detailed Should Schedules Be?

5. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
Session 12 The Critical Path
• Understanding The Critical Path
• Different Views that Show the Critical Path
• Adding the Critical Path to the Gantt View with a Wizard
• Microsoft's Critical Path Options in the Tool Box
(Tools-Options-Calculation)
• The Impact of Date Constraints on the Critical Path
• The Impact of Task Progress on the Critical Path -- The Different
Effects of FS and SS Links
• The Impact of Deadlines on the Critical Path - A Departure from the
Classic Definition of "Critical"
• Elapsed Durations, ALAP Tasks, and their Effect on Critical Path
• Crashing the critical path (shortening the schedule by changing
task relationships, assigning more resources etc)
• Identifying the critical path
• Shortening schedule by changing task relationships
• Shortening schedule by decreasing task relationships
• Shortening schedule by decreasing a resource’s work on a task
• Shortening schedule by assigning more resources
• Shortening schedule by increasing a resource’s work schedule
• Shortening schedule by assigning overtime work
Session 13 Filters
• What is a Filter and Why is it Useful?
• Filters (1) - The Short List in the Menu
• Filters (2) - The Long List in "More Filters"
• Filters (3) - The Power of Autofilters, Singly and in Combination
• Filters (4) - Total Control - Creating and Saving Custom Filters
• Applying a Highlight Filter
• Linking a Filter with a View & the Permanent Highlight Filter Option
Session 14 Sorting and Grouping
• When Would Sorting be Useful
• Sorting (1) - The Quick Sort -- Several Choices in the Menu
• Problems and Limitations with the Quick Sort
• Sorting (2) - The Full Sort -- Managing the Two Check Boxes
• Restoring Original Line Order with the Sort by ID Option
• The "Grouping" Function - a Kind of Group Sorting with Subtotaling

6. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
Session 15 Customizing Fields
• Changing Field Names - 2 Ways
• The View-Specific Change Technique Double
Click Column Header
• The Durable Change Technique -- Customizing the Field
• Limiting Entries into Optional Fields with Data Validation
• Adding a Formula to an Optional Field
• Adding "Stoplight" Graphics to an Optional Field
• Separate Customization Choices for Summary Tasks
Session 16 Other Views and Display Options
• The Calendar View
• The Network Diagram View (Formerly Called "PERT" View)
• The Relationship Diagram View
• Splitting the Screen, and Managing the Two Split Halves
• The "Arrange All" Function -- For Managing Multiple Open Projects
Session 17 Reports
• The Standard Reports
• Editing and Customizing Reports
• Using the Gantt View instead of Microsoft Project's Reports
Session 18 Adding Graphics and Multimedia Objects to the
Gantt Area
• Adding a Text Box
• Adding Clip Art
• Adding Sound and Video Objects
Session 19 Formatting for Printing
• Wrapping Text to Handle Long Task Names
• What Columns Will Appear in Print -- a Big Problem Resolved
• Gantt Bar Appearances - the Bar Styles Dialogue Box
• Adding & Removing Text, Dates from Gantt Bars and Milestones
• Link Appearances - Suppressing Links in Large Schedules
• The Scaling Option - Get More Space with Percent Scaling Tool
• Building Headers with Variable Inserts
• Building Footers with Variable Inserts - a Suggested Standard
• Turning the Legend On and Off
• The Final Setup Tab: Showing Notes, Blank Pages, Etc.
• Last Look at Zooming - Where is the Print Date Range Dialogue
Hidden?
• Extra Polish: Adding Logos to Headers for Special Presentations
• Formatting Options are Stored in Views

7. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
Session 20 Exporting Project Images and Data to Other
Applications
• Exporting Gantt Views to Word & PowerPoint with the Camera Icon
• Exporting with the PrintScreen Key and ALT-PrintScreen
• Exporting Data to Excel - the Outline Level Problem
• Exporting Data to Access - the Choice of Power Users
• Critical Tasks • The Gantt Chart Wizard
• Format Gantt Bars • Timescale
• Format tasks in task list • Group tasks in the task list
• Group tasks or resources by criteria
• Filter tasks or resources by criteria
Session 21 The Organizer
• Overview of the Organizer: the -2Library Concept
• What Project Does When it Looks For a New View or Filter, etc.
• Where Modifications are Saved - the Local Library
• What the Global Library is (GLOBAL.MPT), and Why it is Useful
• Making Custom Filters, Views, etc. Available to Other Schedules
on Your Computer
• Sharing Custom Filters, Views, etc. with Friends and Colleagues
• More about Views - What They Contain and What They Don't
PART 2 - WORKING WITH RESOURCES
Session 22 The Resource Sheet
• Entering and Naming Resources - Two Ways
• Maximum Availability -- What it Means
• Showing Availability as a Percentage or Decimal
• Human Resources, Fixed Cost Items, and Material Resources
• Resource Rates and Costs
• Adding Resource Notes
Session 23 Assigning Single Resources to Tasks
• Many Ways to Assign Resources
• Virtues of the Resource Assignment Icon and Box
• Adding a Resource at Less than its Maximum Availability
• Filtering on Resources
• Look at Project Total Cost as Resources are Added:
The Statistics Box

8. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
Session 24 Assigning Multiple Resources to Tasks
• Whiteboard Lecture: The Project Triangle - Relationships Among
Scope, Resources, and Time
• Creating a Schedule for Each Task Type, With and Without "Effort
Driven"
• Watch What Happens When the Second Resource is Added -
Another Big Problem Clarified
Session 25 Special Tools for Resource Assignment and
Cost Estimating
• The "Usage" Views: Resource Usage and Task Usage
• Resource Editing and Contours • The Concept of "Assignment"
• Assignment Information Options • Five Cost Schedules
Session 26 Managing Resource Workloads
• Viewing Resource Workloads and Task Assignments
• The Resource Graph - Note Peak Units Problem Versus Total Work
• Analyzing Resource Conflicts With Split Screen Views
• Whiteboard Notes: The Manager's Knowledge and Options
• Replacing a Resource
Session 27 Resource Leveling
• Definition and Overview of Leveling
• Demonstration of Leveling with a Sample Schedule
• Look at "Leveling Delay" in the Detail Gantt View
• Leveling Options: Level Within Slack, and Other Options
• Task Priority and How it Changes Leveling
• Clearing Leveling - Doesn't Always Remove Splits
• Discussion: When Leveling Makes No Sense, and When it Might
Session 28 Working with Calendars
• Using Calendars
• Creating a New Base Calendar
• Setting the Overall Project Calendar in Project-Project Information
• Assigning Resources to Different Base Calendars
• Customizing Resource Calendars
• Problem: A Day for You Isn't a Day for Me: The Options Tab
Controls what a Day of Duration Means
• Problem: Assign Work to a Resource when the Resource Isn't
Working (First with Fixed Duration, Then with Fixed Units)
• Assigning a Calendar to a Task
• Resource Availability Dates

9. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
3 - TRACKING PROGRESS
Session 29 The Baseline
• Definition and Use of a Baseline
• Saving a Baseline
• Saving Interim Plans
• Multiple Baselines Why? When These Are Useful
• Clearing a Baseline When and Why
• Comparing the Baseline to Actual Data - Available Views & Reports
Session 30 Tracking Progress with the Percent of Comple-
tion Method
• Overview of the Percentage Method
• Using the Percentage Icons
• Inserting the % Completion Column
• What is % Work Complete & How Does it Differ from % Complete
• Physical % Complete & How it Differs from % Complete & % Work
Complete
• Summary Tasks Build Averages as Individual Tasks are Tracked
• Percentages Translate to Costs in the Statistics Box and in Reports
• Moving Up the Accuracy Curve Add the Actual Start, Actual
Finish, and Actual Work Columns
• Still Greater Accuracy - Track the Hours by Resource & Remaining
Hours, with the Split Screen
Session 31 Tracking Actual Hours with the Usage Views
• Overview of the Actual Hours Method
• Working in the Resource Usage and Task Usage Views
• Why the Plan Changes to Equal the Actuals
• How the Plan Reschedules Undone Work - Depends on Task Types
• Dangers of the Percentage Icons when Using the Actual Hours
Method
Session 32 Earned Value Concepts
• The Background for Earned Value
• Cost Variance and Schedule Variance
• Performance Indexes
• The Earned Value Data Fields in MS Project
• Companion Tools for Earned Value such as MPM - What Value Do
They Add?
• Does Anyone Use Microsoft Project Alone for Earned Value?

10. Project Planning & Scheduling MS Project
Session 33 Progress Lines and Updating Tools
• Adding Progress Lines to a Schedule
• Using the "Update Tasks" Dialogue Box
• Updating an Entire Project to a Status Date
Session 34 Issues and Problems Arising With Tracking
• Partially Complete Tasks Preceding Other Partially Complete Tasks
• Tasks Won't Move Once Started
• Task Splitting to Reschedule Unfinished Portions
PART 4 - WORKING WITH MULTIPLE PROJECTS
Session 35 Resource Pooling
• Overview of Resource Pooling
• Setting Up a Resource Pool as a Separate Project File
• Linking into the Pool with Tools-Resources-Share
Resources Dialogue Box
• The Same Dialogue Box as Seen from the Resource Pool File
• Split Screen Views in the Resource Pool - Add the "Project"
Column for Clarity
Session 36 Consolidating Projects
• Consolidating the Quick Way with "New Window"
• Observe the Simultaneity of the Consolidation and the Individual
Project
• Consolidating by Inserting Projects
• The Outline Level Issue -- Can't Promote to the Top
• What Happens When a File is Moved or Renamed
Session 37 Links Among Projects in a Consolidation
• Building Links Across Project Boundaries
• Note the Information in the Predecessor and Successor Fields
• Revisiting the Individual Projects - the Ghost Tasks & Line Numbers
• Regenerating Broken Links with the Multiple Project Dialogue Box

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abeel Institute, established in 1988, is a leading Educational and Training Institute for executives in Dubai & is accredited by the Ministry of
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