Microsoft Project Basics (Getting Started)

Open Microsoft Project 200X (Double Click the program icon or click at START and go to PROGRAM and scroll to MICROSOFT PROJECT and let go of the mouse.

Click inside a cell in the TASK NAME column, Type in START, Click in the next cell (DURATION) and type in 0 (zero), press enter.

You should by now see the change of the blue box into a black diamond, indication the presence of a milestone.

Click the cell below START and type in Activity 1, repeat again for Activity 2.3 and 4. Type in after that FINISH with a duration value of zero. For Activity 1 type in 3 days duration. Activity 2, Duration of 4 days and Activity 3 , duration 3 days and Activity 4, Duration of 5 days.


Linking the ACTIVITIES
Click the START milestone (don’t let go of the mouse) drag the arrow to ACTIVITY 1, release the mouse button.
You will see a black line joining START to ACTIVITY 1.
Repeat the following:

Link ACTIVITY 1 to ACTIVITY 2

Link ACTIVITY 2 to FINISH

Link START to ACTIVITY 3

Link ACTIVITY 3 to ACTIVITY 4

Link ACTIVITY 5 to FINISH

You should get the chart o your left.

If you do, then congratulations, it’s your first work flow diagram. If you don’t, Close the screen and repeat step 1 all over again.

Click the WIZARD icon (it’s is a picture of a Magician’s wand against a bar chart diagram)
The following message box will appear, click NEXT

Select CRITICAL PATH
Click FINISH click FORMAT IT and click EXIT WIZARD. The program will display your work program with blue and red bars.
Blue bars are activities that are not critical, i.e. will not contribute to any delay against your project should it not be complete within the duration set (but if you really delay it seriously bad, it can become red). A red bar is indicating a critical activity namely so if you don’t finish the work within it’s stated duration, then the whole project gets delayed big time.


* Still not sure how to do it?

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