Anaheim, CA | February 2-5, 2014

Steffen ReisterSenior Consultant, Book AuthorThe Project Group

10 Golden Rules for working with MS Project

Question

Who has ever heard the phrase:

“MS Project calculates wrong!”

The 10 Golden Rules• Rule 1: Define Project Start in “Project - Project

Information“• Rule 2: Define Task Type in “File - Options”• Rule 3: Follow Black-Box-Principle• Rule 4: Let Project calculate - Do not edit Dates!• Rule 5: Use Milestones for specific Events and Dates• Rule 6: Use “Deadlines” instead of Constraints• Rule 7: Avoid open ends for Summary Tasks• Rule 8: “Highlander“ Principle – one Task, one Resource• Rule 9: No Work Resource Assignments on Summary Task

level• Rule 10: Update Project at Status Date

Handout

Rule #1 Define Project Start Date

Do not use the first Task to define the Project Start Date

Project always calculates from Project Start (Finish) Date

Schedule from Project Finish Date

Option in an early planning phase:

Project Start Date – Demo #1

Rule #2 Define Task TypeWork = Duration * Units * Hours/Day

Task entry= variable

ResourceAssignment= variable

Calendar Setting= fixed

Rule #2 Define Task TypePlanning focus is fundamental

When you assignResources

CostorDates

Project calculates according to Task Type

More in Rule #8

Rule #2 Define Task Type

Work

Work

Peak Units

Work

Duration

Duration

Peak Units

Duration

Duration

Duration Units Work

If you change one of these variables:

Fixed Duration

Fixed Units

Fixed Work

Task is set to: Project then calculates:

How Project calculates

Rule #3 The Black-Box Principle

Phase 2

Phase 3Phase 1

Project Black Box

Project Start Project EndEach Box is independent

One path in One path out

Each Box acts like a small Project

Rule #3 The Black-Box Principle

Collapse Phases and still see the logical structure of the Project

Rule #3 The Black-Box Principle

Start Structure on Phase level

Summary or Taskon one level - never both

Each Black Box has a defined End

How to define Black Boxes?

Each Task has a Summary

How to set up Dependencies?

Connect Tasks within a Summary never across Summaries

Never connect to a higher or lower level

A Summary can be connected to a Milestone

Short Overview

The Black-Box Principle – Demo #2

Rule #4 Let Project calculate

Date Columns allow editing

Editing Dates produces Constraints

Start and Finish are Calculated Fields

Hidden side effects for Project calculation

Rule #4 Let Project calculate

Constraints produce Planning Wizard Messages

Beware of simply clicking “OK”

Recommendation

Do NOT edit Start and Finish!

Instead follow Rule #5 and #6

Let Project calculate – Demo #3

Rule #5 Use Milestones for specific Dates

Enter a separate Line for each Milestone

Entering “0” in Durationcreates a Milestone

This highlights a Specific Date

Milestone appears with a special shape

Rule #6 Deadlines instead of Constraints

Project shows a graphical Indicator

Messages in Indicator column

Total Slack shows exact delay to Deadline

Milestones & Deadlines- Demo #4

Rule #7 Control open end in Schedule

Outline Project to Level 1

First & Last item in Plan should be a Milestone

Every item in Plan should have a Successor

Only End Milestone has no Successor

Control open end in Schedule – Demo #5

Rule #8 Highlander Principle

Who knows the movie „Highlander“ with Christopher Lambert?

There can be only One!

One Task – One Resource!

Highlander Principle – Demo #6

Rule #8 Highlander Principle

Always a 1:1 relationship between Task and Resource

Assigned Resource and Work on Task belong together

Avoid very strange Work calculation for Tasks

Task Type is no longer as important to know

Key Takeaways

Rule #9 No Resources on Summary

Version 2: 9 days * 200% * 8 hrs = 144 Hours

2 methods2 different results

Work = Duration * Units * Hours/Day

Version 1: 3 days * 100% * 8 hrs = 24 Hours

2 days * 100% * 8 hrs = 16 Hours

6 days * 100% * 8 hrs = 48 Hours

Summary:88 Hours

No Work Resource on Summary – Demo #7

Rule #10 Update Project at Status Date

Update the Project to know the truth about your Dates

Uncompleted work has to be in the future

Update Project at Status Date – Demo #8

Resources

• For Germany, Switzerland, Austria and everyone else who speaks German:http://amzn.to/LHfeXP

• For demo files or Print Template of Handoutsteffenr@theprojectgroup.com

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