Fundamentals of Microsoft Project 2013

For those who are getting started with Project 2013

About This Course

This 2-day course is for new users of Project 2013 who want to get started on planning their projects in Project 2013. Overall, the objective of the course is to make participants feel comfortable with Project 2013.

If you are choosing between attending the Fundamentals or Forecast Scheduling course, it is important to realize that the Fundamentals course is for new users, whereas, Forecast Scheduling is for people who have been using MS Project regularly.

Each participant will receive a course manual and an electronic certificate with 12-14 PDUs upon completion.

Learning Objectives

 You will learn how to:

  • Navigate the Project 2013 interface: the ribbon
  • Set up a new project in Project 2013
  • Enter deliverables and tasks: Create a WBS
  • Enter duration or work estimates
  • Enter dependencies between tasks
  • Enter deadlines and constraints
  • Define and assign resources
  • Optimize the schedule
  • Modify views and reports
  • Enter and track progress

Please Bring to the Class

  • A computer loaded with Project 2013. If you have the 2010 version you can attend the course without problems. If you have Project 2007 or earlier, we recommend you load the evaluation copy of Project 2013.
Course Topics
Setting up a new Project
  • Enter the project title, manager and start date
  • Set up the project calendar
  • Set some important options
Identify the deliverables in your project
  • Enter the deliverables and insert activities to accomplish them
  • Organize the deliverables and activities in a WBS: create summary tasks, detail tasks and milestones
  • Insert/delete and indent/outdent tasks
Enter Estimates
  • Enter Duration or Work (effort) Estimates
  • Differentiate duration from work
  • Set task types: fixed work, fixed units, fixed duration
Enter dependencies between activities
  • Enter relationships to minimize the effort maintaining the schedule
  • Edit the type of relationship and lag
Enter deadlines and constraints (fixed dates)
Define and assign resources
  • Create a resource list of people, facilities, equipment and materials
  • Modify resource calendars: working hours and non-working days
  • Modify resource availability to the project: maximum units
  • Assign resources to tasks: Assign Resources or Team Planner
  • Add or remove resources
Optimize the Schedule
  • Display the Critical Path
  • Filter on critical tasks
  • Shorten the project schedule
  • Identify the slack on tasks
  • Display resource assignments and workloads
  • Level the workloads of the resources
Modify Views and Reports
  • Select and modify standard reports
  • Timeline view
  • Select and modify standard views, tables and filters
  • Report on the Critical path of the schedule
Enter progress and revised forecasts
  • Save a baseline for the entire project or for selected tasks
  • Set the project status date
  • Enter actual and remaining duration (or work) on activities
  • Reschedule incomplete work
  • View percent complete
  • Compare with the project baseline