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Introduction
Project management has evolved from a discipline that began with index cards and yarn to one that now uses sophisticated analysis techniques, projections, reporting, and time and resource tracking. Project management software offers functionality that makes planning and tracking the complex projects we undertake a little more manageable.
About This Book
Microsoft Project is one of the most popular project management software applications. It offers a tremendous amount of functionality to users. However, as with most software, mastering it can seem like a daunting process.
It helps to understand how Project’s features relate to what you do every day as a project manager. In Microsoft Project For Dummies, my goal is to help you explore Project Professional (an on-premises or desktop version) and Project Online (a cloud-based version). This book provides information on relevant project management concepts while also offering step-by-step instructions to build and track a Project schedule.
Here are some broad topics that this book explores. You can:
Start out in Microsoft Project by entering tasks and dependencies and estimating durations
View your project as a Gantt chart, Task Board, network diagram, and other views
Work with resources, calendars, and costs
Negotiate constraints, fine-tune the schedule, and set a baseline
Gather data, analyze progress, take corrective actions, and report project status
Set up and track a Sprints Project with backlogs, Task Boards, and specialized reports
Throughout this book, I offer advice on how to make all these features and procedures mesh with what you already know as a project manager.
Finally, Microsoft Office runs on Windows 10 and 11 (as of this printing), and not Windows 7 or 8.1, so you’ll need to have Windows 10 or 11 in order to run Microsoft Project. This book is written as if you’re using the “on-premises” or “desktop client ” version of Microsoft Project. If you are using a cloud-based solution, this book assumes the “Project Plan 3” subscription plan. For more information on features for various online subscriptions, you can visit www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/project/compare-microsoft-project-management-software.
What's Not in This Book
Microsoft has a lightweight project application called Project for the Web. Project for the Web is appropriate for smaller projects or for people who aren’t project managers but who manage projects as part of their job. It is not sufficient for large or complex projects. It is built on the Microsoft Power Platform rather than SharePoint, so the features, functions, and interface are very different. This book does not cover any information about Project for the Web. If you want more information, you find it here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/project.