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How to Overlay Committed and Proposed Resource Information in Resource Graph

Definitions:

Committed - A resource that is formally allocated to any task assignments they have within a project. This is the default booking type.

Proposed - A resource with a pending resource allocation to a task assignment that has not yet been authorized. This resource assignment does not detract from the availability of the resource to work on other projects.

1. Within your schedule, click on >View, >Resource Sheet

2. Insert the column Booking Type

3. Code your resources either Committed or Proposed

4. Develop your schedule assigning resources to tasks

5. Click on >View, >Resource Usage

6. Click on >Window, >Split

7. Click anywhere on the bottom pane to activate

8. Click on >View, >Resource Graph

The Resource Graph will now appear in the bottom pane. Note that this shows a graph for Peak Units. (this is not the graph we would like to leverage)

9. Right click in the TimePhased portion of the Resource Graph and click on Work

10. Right click in the TimePhased portion of the Resource Graph again and click on Bar Styles. The following dialogue box will appear:

11. Under Selected resources, for Overallocated work (left side) show as Bar. For Allocated work, show as Bar. For Proposed Bookings, Show as Bar.

12. Under Resource, for Overallocated work, Show as Don’t Show. For Allocated work, show as Don’t Show. For Proposed Bookings, Show as, Don’t Show. As a final step, check the Show Availability line. Here is how the dialogue box should be configured:

Click on OK!

13. Now, click on the first resource name and lets examine the screen.

14. Now click on the second resource name, and let’s inspect this view.

15. Now click in the blank square in the upper left corner (above the ID number) to select all resources.

16. Before leaving this exercise, let’s look at one more scenario. Let’s play with a Role.

17. On the Resource Sheet, set Resource 2 Booking Type to Committed. Then add a resource named Role 1. Set the Booking Type to Proposed….AND…the Max Units to 0%.

18. Now let’s say two new tasks are identified for our project. We are not sure exactly which resource we want to assign to those tasks yet, so we assign Role 1.

19. Moving back to our combination view of Resource Usage on top and Resource Graph on bottom, let’s examine the details.

By clicking on Role 1, we see there is 40 hours of Proposed Work for the weeks of July 6^th and July 13^th. But notice there is no Availability line. This is because Role 1 is actually a placeholder and has no 0 hours of availability. We need to figure out which resource we can assign these tasks to.

20. Now hold down the Control Key and click on Resource 1.

From this graph we see that if we moved this work from Role 1 to Resource 1, Resource 1 would become overallocated. We would be asking Resource 1 to do 80 hours worth of Work for the weeks of July 6^th and July 13^th.

21. Let’s see if Resource 2 could handle the Work. Click on Role 1, hold down your Control Key and click on Resource 2.

Upon examining this graph, we can see that Resource 2 has the availability to handle this Proposed Work.

EXTRA: How to easily transfer the assignments from Role 1 to Resource 2.

1. Click on the row to highlight Task 5.

2. Hover over this row within the indicator column. You will see your cursor turn into 4 arrows. Now hold down with your left mouse button and drag this task until it is under Task 4. Release the left mouse button.

3. Click on the row to highlight Task 6. Hover over this row within the indicator column. You will see your cursor turn into 4 arrows. Now hold down the left mouse button and drag this task until it is under Task 5. Release the left mouse button.

4. Click on Resource 2

Notice that Role 1 no longer has any assignments. Resource 2 has all 4 assignments and the graph indicates all this work can be done without causing Resource 2 to be overallocated.

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5 Free Microsoft Project Server Exam Prep Questions (70-633)

These questions are based on 70-633: TS: Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, Managing Projects Self Test Software Practice Test. They have been reproduced with the permission of CertMag.com

1. You have been asked to manage a project using Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. The project should be initially created to include the following information:

Project name.
Project description.
Project cost.
Resource requirement.

After the initial creation, the project should be sent to the senior management for approval. After it has been approved, the project should be converted into an enterprise project.

What should you do?
A. Create a project template using Microsoft Office Project Web Access.
B.  Create an Operations work project using Microsoft Office Project Web Access.
C.  Create project proposal using Microsoft Office Project Web Access.
D.  Create a project plan in Microsoft Office Project Professional and publish it on the Project Server.

Click here for answer #1

2. You are working on a project proposal using Microsoft Office Project Web Access. You also have created a resource plan for the proposal. Some of the tasks have generic resources assigned to them.

The project proposal has been approved by the senior manager. You want the named resources who have been assigned to various tasks to be able to log time in their worksheets.

What should you do?
A.  Publish both the project proposal and the resource plan on the Project Server.
B.  Publish the project proposal and save the resource plan on the Project Server.
C.  Save both the project proposal and resource plan on the Project Server.
D.  Save the project proposal and publish the resource plan on the Project Server.

Click here for answer #2

3. You are managing a project using Microsoft Office Project Server 2007. The team members must submit their timesheets to you for approval. You approved the timesheet for one of your resources, but then discovered the resource had filled in incorrect time values. The status of the timesheet is currently marked as Approved.

What can you do to correct the timesheet?
A.  Use the Adjust permission to make changes directly in the timesheet.
B.  Ask an administrator to make changes to the timesheet using a third-party tool.
C.  Recall the timesheet.
D.  Create a surrogate timesheet for the resource.

Click here for answer #3

4. You are working on a project managed using Microsoft Project Server 2007. Your project manager wants to know the progress of all the tasks assigned to you in the form of the percentage completed for each task.

What should you do to submit the task progress report to the project manager?
A. Submit the task updates to the project manager.
B.  Submit the timesheet to the project manager.
C.  Import the task updates into the timesheet and submit the timesheet to the project manager.
D.  Submit a status report to the project manager.

Click here for answer #4

5. You are managing a project using Microsoft Project Server 2007. You want to receive a weekly notification of your overdue tasks.

What should you do?
A. Create a new task and assign it to yourself.
B.  Create a new status report request and set the frequency to weekly.
C.  Create an unrequested status report.
D.  Change the notification options on the Manage My Alerts and Reminders page.

Click here for answer #5

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Components of Microsoft's EPM Solution Aligned to Roles

Here is the list of components in Microsoft's Enterprise Project Management Solution:
Portfolio Server
Project Server
    PWA (Project Web Access)
    SharePoint
    Microsoft Project

Here is a matrix of these components aligned to roles within an organization.
Ranking in value to Role with 1 being highest. Blank indicates little to no value.

Here is a brief summary of each component:
This provides the justification for the value ranking.

Portfolio Server - A top down planning tool. Used to help align potential projects to organization strategy. Useful in determining which projects are of priority and should be initiated given the constraints and objectives of the organization.

Project Server - Best to describe as a suite of the following three products:

PWA (Project Web Access) - Summarizes all project schedules and resource information across the organization. Information is made available via the web. Project progress is entered via the web. Eliminates the need for Team Members to install MS Project. Built in security allows for customized access to information.

SharePoint - This is the collaboration component of the suite. The Project Manager becomes the "Website Administrator" of the SharePoint site for his/her project. Features include Document Management, Issue and Risk Management, Wiki, Work Flow, Discussion Board and many more "canned" views (web parts). Additional levels of security can be established.

Microsoft Project (Professional) - Connecting to the Enterprise Resource Pool, this is the tool used for detailed planning and resource assignment. Tightly integrated with PWA for reporting and tracking project progress. Also integrated with SharePoint for Deliverable reporting.

For more information on these components, try these links:
Portfolio Server
Project Server
    PWA
    SharePoint
    Microsoft Project

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Dumbing Down Microsoft Project

Creating a Checklist or To-Do List in Microsoft Project

Ok…so you’ve got a VERY small project, or simply a collection of tasks that you need to complete. Call it a checklist or a To-Do list if you will. You know MS Project is a powerful tool and can be used to manage very complex projects. But you don’t really need a full blown dynamic schedule, so you are thinking of creating your list in Excel…WAIT!!!

This article will show you how to “dumb down” Microsoft Project for the purposes of creating a simple To-Do list. You’ll learn some easy, yet powerful features that will make creating and maintaining a To-Do list easier in Microsoft Project than Excel.

Building the List
1.    Open Microsoft Project and save your file with a meaningful name
2.    Modify the Gantt Chart View
       a.    Hide the Indicator column
       b.    Hide the Duration column
       c.    Hide the Start column
       d.    Hide the Predecessor column
       e.    Insert % Work Complete
       f.    Insert Notes column
      g.    Slide the vertical divider for the Gantt Chart all the way to the right

3.    Add Data
      a.    Input task within Name column
      b.    Input targeted finish date within Finish column
      c.    Input the name of the person or people responsible for the task in the Resource Names column

4. Save a Baseline
Click on >Tools, >Tracking, >Save Baseline

Managing the List
5.    Input Updates
       a.    Modify Finish date as necessary
       b.    Update % Work Complete
       c.    Add Notes to tasks as needed

Reporting from the List
6.    Print the list in its entirety
7.    Filter the list
       Click on >Project, >Filter and you can quickly filter for:
       a.    Incomplete tasks

Result:

b. Complete tasks

Result:

c. By Resource

Result shows any task assigned to Sam:

d. By Date Range

Result:

8. Autofilter
You can enable the Autofilter for all columns.

You can now click on the auto filter dropdown for any column and leverage it to filter the list. A good example is you could click on the dropdown for Name, use the custom option and filter for only the tasks that contain the name “furniture”.

Result:

9. Compare to Baseline
By inserting the Baseline Finish and the Finish Variance columns, we can see our original targeted finish dates and how far tasks have slipped.

10. Insert Project Summary task to get overall % Work Complete
Click on >Tools, >Options, >View tab and check “Show project summary task”

Result:

11. View as Calendar
Click on >View, >Calendar

Question: Now…can you do all that in Excel?
Answer: Yes, but not near as easily!!!

CAUTION: Using this approach removes the dynamic scheduling capabilities of Microsoft Project. In other words, if the tasks on your To-Do list must be done sequentially, and you experience a delay in one of the “upstream” tasks, you will need to manually change the dates of all the downstream tasks. This is not the best approach when working with Microsoft Project. However, as the article started, if you currently create and maintain To-Do lists in Excel, you may find using this approach in Microsoft Project to be more beneficial.

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Microsoft Project Templates Added To Research Center

PMConnection recently acquired a website (www.projecttemplates.4t.com) that provided free Microsoft Project schedule templates. PMConnection then added more free templates to this list! There are currently over 80 free templates in all.

These templates can be sorted by Title, Popularity or Date added. New templates will be added in the near future. These templates can be found within the Research Center , or found directly by clicking this link.

So if you are getting ready to start a new project, why not start with a pre-populated Microsoft Project schedule? Remember, saving time saves money!

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Microsoft Project Certifications Insight

At the time of this article, Microsoft has moved three of the four proposed certifications that align with their project management tools to a "production" state. Finding one page on Microsoft's site or any website that pulls the details of these certifications together is virtually impossible. Thus the reason for this article!

Exam Name	Microsoft Office Project 2007, Managing Projects	Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, Managing Projects	Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, Configuring	Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, Managing Projects and Programs	Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007, Managing Portfolios*
Exam Number	70-632	70-633	70-639	70-634	70-635*
Tool Focus	Microsoft Project 2007	Microsoft Project Professional and Project Server 2007	Microsoft Project Server 2007	Microsoft Project Server 2007	Microsoft Portfolio Server 2007
Credential	Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)	Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)	Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)	Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)	TBD*
Prerequisite	N/A	N/A	N/A	Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)	TBD*
Date Available	July 2007	October 2007	January 2008	January 2008	4th Quarter 2008
Preparation Guides	How to Prepare for the Microsoft Project 2007 Certification Exam	Preparation Guide for Exam 70-633	Preparation Guide for Exam 70-639	Preparation Guide for Exam 70-634	TBD*
Exam Prep Questions	Free Microsoft Project Certification Exam Prep Questions
Exam Prep Books	Managing Projects with Microsoft® Office Project 2007	Managing Projects with Microsoft® Office Project Server 2007
Self Paced Training Products	Other Microsoft Project Books	Other Project Server Books	Other Project Server Books	Other Project Server Books
Exam Prep Courses	Course 5927	Course 5928	Technical Implementation and configuration of Project Server 2007	Course 5929
Process Focus	Project Management	Project Management	Server and Network Administration	Project and Program Management	Portfolio Management
Additional References	Microsoft Project	Microsoft Project Server	Microsoft Project Server	Microsoft Project Server	Microsoft Portfolio Server

Additional information on these certifications.

The tests are NOT taken using the software. They all consist of multiple choice questions. You get 2.5 hours to complete the exams.

Get a second chance to pass your Microsoft Certification exam—free offer!

Learn where the MCTS & MCITP certifications fit within Microsoft's certification framework - Here

Interesting Article "The Value of Certification"

*Exact details not yet available.

This site will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Are you ready for Earned Value Management?

Andy Makar, a frequent PMConnection.com contributor, is seeking your help in validating an assessment tool to determine when an organization is ready for earned value management.

Earned value management is a project management technique with well over 100 years of history. Despite the benefits found in implementing earned value management, the technique still lacks successful implementation in both private and public sectors.

The research projects purpose is to develop an assessment tool and validate it within the project management community. The research project?s proposition is EVM organizational readiness can be determined by building an assessment tool based on an EVM implementation model.

Your time and input into improving the assessment tool is greatly appreciated. As a project management community of practice, it is critical to incorporate real world feedback into the tool to effectively help other organizations assess their earned value
management implementation readiness.

To take the EVM survey, please visit:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=f9k37hX_2fGr3mKoJ79Hz9sg_3d_3d

To learn more about study, please read visit http://www.amakar.com for more information.

PgMP Certification Insights

Cost
$1,500

Process Flowchart and Timeline

PMI’s PgMP Application Online:
https://www.pmi.org/certapp/default.aspx

MULTI-RATER ASSESSMENT (MRA)
Need 12 People:
• One (1) supervisor
• Four (4) peers
• Four (4) direct reports
• Three (3) professional references of the candidate’s choice

Each person must complete a 70 statement questionnaire, rating your performance on a scale of 0 to 5.

Already PMP? Sharing PDU’s
If you hold the PMP, you can maintain both credentials by accruing and reporting 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) within the three year cycle. Select one of the following options if you hold the PMP.

Option A:
PMP credential and PgMP credential will share PDUs going forward. Any PDUs earned for the PMP prior to obtaining the PgMP will be forfeited. The PMP renewal date will be set equal to the newly-acquired PgMP renewal date.

Option B:
PMP credential and PgMP credential will share PDUs including those earned for the PMP before obtaining the PgMP and any PDUs earned after receiving the PgMP. The PgMP renewal date will be set equal to the existing PMP renewal date. Therefore, renewal of the PgMP credential will need to occur with the renewal of the PMP credential.

Additonal Information on the PgMP can be found HERE.

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The Faces of Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project Through the Years

Thought you might like to take a stroll down memory lane! Where were you when these pictures were taken?

Microsoft Project 94
Microsoft Project 95
Microsoft Project 98
Microsoft Project 2000
Microsoft Project 2002 Standard
Microsoft Project 2002 Professional
Microsoft Project 2003 Standard
Microsoft Project 2003 Professional
Microsoft Project 2007 Standard
Microsoft Project 2007 Professional

For help with Microsoft Project, try this link.

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Top 5 of 2007

Below are the top 5 most visited articles from each category within our Research Center for 2007.

If you missed any previous newsletters, this is a great way to catch up!!

Project Management
1. A Burn-Rate Based Estimation Tool / Template
2. Implementing Modern Project Management
3. The Project Pyramid
4. Project Management for Construction - Free eBook
5. A Small-Project Playbook

Microsoft Project
1. 15 Free MS Project Exam Prep Questions~
2. How scheduling works in MS Project
3. MS Project Training Tip #1~
4. 6 factors that affect how MS Project calculates time
5. 10 Signs You Don't Really Know Microsoft Project~

PMP
1. Earning PDU's the Economical Way~
2. Brainstorming the PMBOK Guide
3. Free online course for PDU's
4. Essential PMP Formulas
5. Budgeting Time for Certification Study

Program Management and PMO
1. PgMP: PMI's new Program Manager Certification
2. 6 Reasons to Join a PMO
3. PgMP: PMI's Program Manager Certification Handbook
4. Project vs Program Management
5. Creating the Project Office - Part One

Microsoft Project Server
1. Managing Cross Project Dependencies with Deliverables
2. MS Project Server 2002 vs 2003 vs 2007
3. Downloadable books for Office Project Server 2007
4. MS Project Server 2007 pays off
5. Resource Utilization in Project Server 2007

Portfolio Management
1. Defining IT portfolio management
2. A Microsoft Portfolio For Project
3. Project Portfolio Management: It Only Works If It's Used
4. 10 Critical Steps for Successful Project Portfolio Management
5. A Guide to Portfolio Management

Other
1. 10 Time Management Tips from a Successful CEO
2. An introduction to the Microsoft Office 2007 ribbon interface
3. Microsoft Releases Scrum Tool
4. PM Humor
5. How to Succeed in 2007

Here is the top 5 of 2006

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