New to Microsoft Project, ten things I should know

[charles14]

I am brand new to Microsoft Project but have been useing Primavera,
ProjectView, Premis for years. I have to build a whold project in fairly
short order.

Does anyone have any heads up on things that will be very different in MS
Project from other programs I have used or the "top ten things I should know"
about MS Project?

Thanks in advance, Charles14

 

[davegb]

I am brand new to Microsoft Project but have been useing Primavera,
ProjectView, Premis for years. I have to build a whold project in fairly
short order.

Does anyone have any heads up on things that will be very different in MS
Project from other programs I have used or the "top ten things I should know"
about MS Project?

Thanks in advance, Charles14

My number One is this: Do a "Tools, Options", select the Scheduling
tab, and turn off "Autolink Inserted or moved tasks", then click on
"Set as Default". That is, unless you like your scheduling software to
guess where you might like links you've entered removed and replaced
with different links, of course!

Entering dates into any date field creates Constraints. I reccommend
you set them by double-clicking on the task, select the Advanced tab,
and set the type of constraint and date you want so you're sure you get
the type and date correct.

To remove constraints, do as above, but under "Constraint Type" select
"ASAP".

If I think of more, I'll add later.

 

[Catfish Hunter]

1) There are 3 task types in this program and each can mess with you schedule:

Fixed Units: A task in which the assigned units [or resources] is a fixed
value and any changes to the amount of work or the task's duration do not
affect the task's units. You assign one mechanic to a 30 hour task. Later you
decide the task will take 50 hours. The resource will remain at 1 mechanic.

Fixed Duration: A task in which the duration is a fixed value and any
changes to the work or the assigned units [that is, resources] don't affect
the task's duration. Duration is the length of working time between the start
and finish of a task. When you choose to make a task Fixed Duration, the
task's duration remains at whatever value you enter and Project recalculates
the resource units as you change assignments.

Fixed Work (normally called man-hours): Use this task type if you want to
control the amount of work that resources are assigned to for tasks, and
prefer to have Microsoft Project determine the duration from the work, start
dates, and finish dates you enter. This is useful if, instead of managing
tasks, your focus is managing resources, especially when hourly billing is
involved. You can do this by making all tasks fixed-work tasks and then
entering your own work values. Set the task to Fixed Work when you want the
amount of work to remain constant, regardless of any change in duration or
resource units.

If you will run progress curves and plan to ge the % complete out of
projects you must use Fixed Work. If you don't MS Projects will add man-hours
in an attempt to forecast productivity. To add this as a column it's really
called Type even though it shows up every where else as Task Type.

2. Another thing is MSP uses text fields instead of code fields.
3. There are unique ID's and ID's in Projects. As you add new task the ID
numbers can and will change. The unique ID never changes.
4. There 3 types of percent completes in this program. You can do a search
on these.
5. This is the most important thing I can pass on. Forget what you can do in
Primavera and don't try to make Projects do what it can do.
Fell free to ask questions. I also went from Primavera to MSP.

 

[Gustavo Horacio]

Be carefull and keep reviewin this discussion group whish people is superve.
The calculations criteria (fixed units default can become difficult to wrasp.
I am returning to P3 after frustrated ... my project does not levell and
can´t fin why.
--
Project no redistrribuye recursos. No sé qué hacer. Alguien puede ayudar?

1) There are 3 task types in this program and each can mess with you schedule:

Fixed Units: A task in which the assigned units [or resources] is a fixed
value and any changes to the amount of work or the task's duration do not
affect the task's units. You assign one mechanic to a 30 hour task. Later you
decide the task will take 50 hours. The resource will remain at 1 mechanic.

Fixed Duration: A task in which the duration is a fixed value and any
changes to the work or the assigned units [that is, resources] don't affect
the task's duration. Duration is the length of working time between the start
and finish of a task. When you choose to make a task Fixed Duration, the
task's duration remains at whatever value you enter and Project recalculates
the resource units as you change assignments.

Fixed Work (normally called man-hours): Use this task type if you want to
control the amount of work that resources are assigned to for tasks, and
prefer to have Microsoft Project determine the duration from the work, start
dates, and finish dates you enter. This is useful if, instead of managing
tasks, your focus is managing resources, especially when hourly billing is
involved. You can do this by making all tasks fixed-work tasks and then
entering your own work values. Set the task to Fixed Work when you want the
amount of work to remain constant, regardless of any change in duration or
resource units.

If you will run progress curves and plan to ge the % complete out of
projects you must use Fixed Work. If you don't MS Projects will add man-hours
in an attempt to forecast productivity. To add this as a column it's really
called Type even though it shows up every where else as Task Type.

2. Another thing is MSP uses text fields instead of code fields.
3. There are unique ID's and ID's in Projects. As you add new task the ID
numbers can and will change. The unique ID never changes.
4. There 3 types of percent completes in this program. You can do a search
on these.
5. This is the most important thing I can pass on. Forget what you can do in
Primavera and don't try to make Projects do what it can do.
Fell free to ask questions. I also went from Primavera to MSP.

I am brand new to Microsoft Project but have been useing Primavera,
ProjectView, Premis for years. I have to build a whold project in fairly
short order.

Does anyone have any heads up on things that will be very different in MS
Project from other programs I have used or the "top ten things I should know"
about MS Project?

Thanks in advance, Charles14

 

[charles14]

Thank you for your responses, I think the "don't try to make it do what P3
can do and vice versa" comment is the one I need to take to heart right now.

Keep the thoughts coming

 

[Steve House]

Another standard setting to turn off and change the default - on Tools,
Options, General disable "Automatically add new resources and tasks."