MS Project - 11 Useful options to set in MS Project 2013

These options will be handy when you create schedules on MS Project 2013.

Navigate to File / Options for setting these options.

Save: 
Don't show the backstage when opening or saving the files :Check.
Auto-save every: Set value (e.g. 30 minutes)
Save to Computer by default: Check.
Default file location: Set the directory

Schedule:
New task created: Change to Auto scheduled
Auto link inserted or moved tasks: Check.

General: 
Default view: Set the most used view here as the default view.

Advanced:
General: Open last file on startup: Check.
Quickly access this number of Recent projects: Set the number.
EVM related options:
Default task Earned Value method:   Set % complete or physical % complete.
Baseline for EVM: Set the baseline.

MS Project - 7 Steps to do EVM in MS Project 2013

Note: The navigation is given for the MS Project 2013.

Step 1: Create the project plan by entering tasks with predecessors, assigning resources, updating resource sheet with the cost details etc.

Step 2: Create a Baseline for the project. (Navigation: Project/Set Baseline/Set Baseline)

Step 3: Update the Actual start dates / % complete.
(Navigation: From Gantt chart screen, View/Tables/Tracking)

Step 4: Update the Status date. The PV calculation depends on the status date.
(Navigation: Project/Status date/Select Status date)

Step 5: Check the EVM values like PV, EV and AC.
(Navigation: View/Tables/More Tables/Earned Value)
The EAC (Estimate At Complete) is calculated by AC+(BAC-EV)/CPI i.e.
ACWP+(Baseline Cost – BCWP)/CPI. VAC = BAC – EAC.

Step 6: Check the Cost Performance Index (CPI).
(Navigation: View/Tables/More Tables/Earned Value Cost Indicators)

Step 7: Check the Schedule Performance Index (SPI):
(Navigation: View/Tables/More Tables/Earned Value Schedule indicators)

MS Project - different variants

Loading...

This post covers the different variants of MS Project like Standard, Online , Project Server etc.

MS Project - What was new?

There are different versions of MS Project. This post covers the features which were introduced newly in the different versions of MS Project like 2007,2010,2013 and the latest 2016.

Loading...

MS Project - Task types Fixed Unit/Duration/Work simplified

There are 3 Task types in MS Project regardless of its different versions. They are Fixed Unit,Fixed Duration and Fixed Work. 

Before discussing them lets discuss a basic formula : 

                                              Work = Duration * Units

Scenario 1: If 1 person is doing a task for 2 days, then Work as per the above formula is

                                 Work = 2 * 8 = 16 hours.

1 Unit 100% equals to 1 person doing 8 hours of work. 1 Unit 50% means 1 person doing 4 hours of work.

Work: The effort for the task

Duration: The time period the task is done

Units: The number of people doing the task

Task types:

Fixed Unit: 

When Unit is fixed, if you change Duration or Work the other will change. In Scenario 1, you change the Duration to 3 days, Work = 3*8 = 24 hours OR change the Work to 24 hours,

Duration = 24/8 = 3 days.

Fixed here doesn't mean fixed once and for all. You may change the unit.

You may set a Fixed Unit task as either Effort driven or Non Effort driven. Effort driven means fixing the Work also.

In Scenario 1, with Effort driven,

If you change the units to 2 (which means 2*8=16 hours ), the duration will be changed to 1 day. Duration = Work / Unit= 16/16)

In Scenario 1, with Non Effort driven,

If you change the units to 2 (which means 2*8=16 hours ), the Work will be changed to 32.  

Fixed Duration:

When Duration is fixed, if you change Unit or Work the other will change. In Scenario 1, you change the Work to 24 hours, Work = 3*8 = 24 hours OR change the Work to 24 hours,

Duration = 24/8 = 3 days.

In Scenario 1, with Effort driven,

If you change the units to 2 , the Unit will be changed to 50% to maintain the Work at 16 hours. 16=2*8. 2 Units at 50% means 4 hours of work by one resource.For 2 Units 4+$=8.

In Scenario 1, with Non Effort driven,

If you change the units to 2 (which means 2*8=16 hours ), the Work will be changed to 32.  

Fixed Work:

Fixed Work is basically Effort driven.

In Scenario 1, if you add more resources, the duration will be reduced i.e. Work will not be changed.

How to change Task type: Double click on the task to see the Task information. Change the Task Type.

Default Task type is Fixed Unit, Non Effort driven.