Seven Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys You Must Know When Using Microsoft Project

Microsoft Project is the number one tool to have when it comes to project management. It is the one tool that every project manager should have in their bag of tricks to ensure that their project will run on time and on budget. To be truly able to utilise Microsoft Project effectively and efficiently there are Seven Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys that all project managers should know.

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Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys Number 1 -

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The first MS Project shortcut keys you must know is the [Enter] keystroke. You use this shortcut keystroke to accept the data entered into a cell in a task or a resource. For example if you are working in the Gantt Table and entering a new task name, before the task name is accepted you must select the [Enter] key.

Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys Number 2 -

Sometimes you will find that the value you have just entered into a cell was not correct. If you want to cancel what you have typed into a cell you simply use the MS Project shortcut key - [Esc] (the Escape key). The escape key is located in the top left hand corner of your keyboard.

Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys Number 3 -

To be able to change the cells of a task you must first activate the cell so just like in Microsoft Excel we have a shortcut keystroke that allows you to that, the shortcut is [F2]

Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys Number 4 -

Sometimes you will find that you need to insert a task whilst you are developing a new project plan. To insert a new task using just your shortcut keystrokes, press the [Ins] key. This key may also be shown as the [Insert] Key.

Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys Number 5 -

There are many pieces of information that you can enter in Microsoft Project simply using the Gantt table but in some situations there are simply some pieces of information that can only be entered into the Task Information dialog box or the Resource Information dialog box. To open the Task Information dialog box or the Resource Information dialog box using the shortcut keystroke - [Shift] + [F2]

Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys Number 6 -

To link tasks in Microsoft Project you must first select the two tasks you want to link and then you can use the shortcut - [Ctrl] + [F2]. Sometimes you will also want to unlink a task, simply select the tasks you wish to unlink and then press - [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [F2]

Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys Number 7 -

To use MS Office Project to its full potential you really need to assign resources to tasks. To achieve this you can bring up the Assign Resources dialog box by using the MS Project Shortcut Key - [Alt] + [F10]

To finish off this article, I want to list the seven essential MS Project Shortcut Keys you should know together-

1. Accept Data Entered Into A Cell- [Enter]

2. Cancelling Data Entered Into A Cell - [Esc]

3. Insert New Task - [Ins]

4. Activate the Entry Area - [F2]

5. Open the Task Information Dialog Box - [Shift] + [F2]

6. Assign Resources - [Alt] + [F10]

7. Link Tasks - [Ctrl] + [F2] & Unlink Tasks - [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [F2]

Seven Essential MS Project Shortcut Keys You Must Know When Using Microsoft Project

© Chris Le Roy. I wrote this article to help you master MS Project Shortcut keys, I also have MS Project Cheat Sheets to help you as well they include - MS Project Shortcut Keys. My team also provides Microsoft Project Consulting and Microsoft Project Training Seminars [http://www.1-on-1.biz/microsoftprojecttrainingseminars.asp]

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Smart Tips For Preparing a Budget in MS Project

Knowing how to use Microsoft Project is only the most basic level of proficiency with the software. Advanced MS Project users have a clear understanding of all aspects of project management, which means a comprehensive knowledge of the small details. For example, to create an accurate project budget managers have to understand the three fundamental types of costs.

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Fixed Costs

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Fixed costs are the easiest budget items to understand and predict. Any resource that will cost the project a fee regardless of how frequently it is used or how long it will take is a fixed cost. For example, a contractor who charges a flat fee to produce the documentation for a new piece of software is a fixed cost.

Since these resources incur the same charge regardless of use they are easy to predict without advanced MS Project experience. Even if the project runs well past its completion date, these expenses won't increase and this part of the budget will remain stable.

Project can add fixed costs at the level of tasks, summary tasks, or even the entire project. Project automatically totals the costs of each sublevel in the hierarchy allowing the manager to easily see how these expenses will impact the project.

Per Use Costs

Any resource that incurs a fee each time it is used is a per use cost. Say a company is conducting water quality testing and contracting with an outside laboratory to analyze the samples. The lab charges a fee per sample, creating a per use cost.

The manager has to predict how much a resource will be used in order to create an accurate budget. Continuing the example above, if the company knows there are 100 wells to sample then the manager knows to budget for 100 lab tests. On the other hand, if there is provision for retesting wells that show contamination to verify the results, the manager must estimate how often this is likely to happen.

Advanced MS Project techniques allow the software to automatically track these expenses on the resource sheet.

Resource Rates

Any consumable resource such as fuel or building supplies will fall under this category. Employee hourly wages will also be included here as will any other expense that increases the longer it is used.

These are the hardest budget items for even advanced MS Project users to predict. This can be complicated further if the rate fluctuates, such as employees who get overtime after exceeding forty hours per week. If the project completion date exceeds the original estimate, resource rates are likely to be the largest budget increase.

As a project manager gains more experience, more accurate estimates of all three types of budget items are possible. Properly accounting for them in the Project software will make it easier to predict the cost impact of changes to the job.

Smart Tips For Preparing a Budget in MS Project

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on advanced ms project, visit http://www.MicrosoftTraining.net/.

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Microsoft Project 2010 - Do You Need to Upgrade?

The internet age is characterized by fast technological change and constant updates and advances. Ten years ago, nobody had heard of Facebook or Twitter. Five years ago most people still thought a Blackberry was a fruit. Two years ago, just a decade after Jorn Barger coined the term "web-log", blogs written by Buddhist monks constituted the primary news channel during the Burmese protests.

And now, yet again, Microsoft is marking a shift in way that the internet community works by launching a new generation of MS Office products, including Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SharePoint Server and Microsoft Project 2010.

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What's changed?

The main focus of the Microsoft 2010 products is on the increasingly blurred boundaries of work/home and computer/phone, the consequences partly of technological advances and partly of the changing business environment. Customers, suppliers and even employees are drawn from across the globe, necessitating flexible working hours and locations.

The Microsoft 2010 suite integrates various forms of communication, allowing users greater control over what, when and how they talk to one another.

MS Project

The first version was released in 1984 by a company working for Microsoft. Since then, users have seen a revolution in project management software. The latest edition, 2007, enables project managers to create complex Work Breakdown Structures, estimate costs and resources, experiment with "what if" scenarios and create comprehensive project documentation at a mouse-click, using templates.

The 2010 version will be released in the first half of 2010. Apart from the initial press release on April 15th 2009, Microsoft are keeping quiet about the specific features of the new product, which will be unveiled at the Microsoft Project Conference in September 2009.

Which version should you use?

Some project managers still use early versions. However, for most projects and project managers there are clear advantages to upgrading to the latest edition:

o Enhanced features enable more efficient planning, monitoring and control

o Optimized compatibility between MS Project and other software programs

o Up-to-date training ensures users can work with any edition of MS Project

Summary

The release of 2010 version will not necessarily entail throwing out 2007 version and retraining every staff member from scratch. However, it is in the interest of every project manager to remain informed about the new capabilities of MS Project 2010, and to update their knowledge through training-courses and tutorials. In the changing world of modern business, keeping up with technological advances is essential to survival and success.

Microsoft Project 2010 - Do You Need to Upgrade?

Simon Buehring is a project manager, consultant and trainer. He works for KnowledgeTrain which offers ISEB training courses in the UK and overseas. He can be contacted via the ISEB business analysis website.

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Microsoft Project Training - MS Project Tutorial #18 - Enable Useful Menus and Toolbars

Navigating in Microsoft Project can be tricky with all the different views and tables. Users can often navigate through the menu bars although this can be a little time consuming if you want to switch specific views and tables. Microsoft Project 2003 and 2007 provides a Project Guide window that displays helpful tips and directions on related tasks, resources, tracking and reporting activities.

To add/remove the Project Guide:

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1. Select View, Toolbars.

2. Check / Uncheck Project Guide.

The Project Guide is a useful reference based on the type of task you want to perform in MS Project. Feel free to use it for the first few schedules, but after you learn a tactical technique on how to build a project schedule, you won't need it very often.

MS Project provides a view bar to quickly switch between common views. Previous versions in Microsoft Project included the View Bar by default. The 2003 and 2007 version doesn't display the View Bar by default and needs to be enabled:

To display the view bar:

1. Select View, View bar.

2. The view menu will be displayed on the left hand side.

I find display this navigation pane very useful when switching between the common delivered views and the custom views that I often create to manage the project data.

A useful tool bar to help in schedule development is the Resource Management Toolbar. During schedule development, resources will be assigned to project tasks. The resource management toolbar assists project managers in assigning resources, finding over allocations, and switching between task and resource management views.

To Enable the Resource Management Toolbar:

1. Select View, Toolbars.

2. Select the Resource Management toolbar.

There are a lot of neat features in Microsoft Project so be sure to check out all our Microsoft Project tutorials including our latest MS Project tutorial on how to build a project schedule in 10 Easy Steps.

Microsoft Project Training - MS Project Tutorial #18 - Enable Useful Menus and Toolbars

Andrew Makar is an IT program manager who successfully translates project management theory into actual practice. His Microsoft Project training website features ms project tutorials, project management techniques and project management advice. His latest MS Project Tutorial teaches project managers how to EFFECTIVELY Build a Microsoft Project Schedule in 10 easy steps. Learn more at http://www.tacticalprojectmanagement.com.

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Why Very Small Businesses Benefit from Microsoft Project Training Seminars

There are many people in the UK who are leaving behind the daily grind of corporate life and striking out on their own. Some of these businesses might be as small as one person working from his kitchen table in a bathrobe. These micro-business owners might think that project management software is unnecessary, but a Microsoft Project training seminar can help their business run more profitably.

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Run a tight ship

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One of the primary reasons small businesses fail is a lack of discipline and direction. Business owners have vague ideas of goals, but goals are useless without concrete plans on how to reach them.

For example, a business owner wants to make enough money to be self sufficient. A training seminar teaches the owner to turn that fuzzy idea into something more substantial. How much money is needed to be considered self sufficient? When should that goal be reached? How will the business grow to meet that goal?

This quantification of time and money is a critical tool for the private consultant. New clients want cost and time estimates, and an inaccurate estimate can be costly. Estimate too low and you get an angry customer when the bill comes much higher than the estimate. Estimate too high and you might find yourself turning away work thinking you don't have enough time for it. Project estimation is much easier with the skills learned in a MS training seminar.

Work expands to fill the time

Many small business owners allow the work to dictate the schedule, which is the wrong way around. For example, let's say a person is given a task with a three-day deadline and completes it. If the same person is given the same task but a four-day deadline, often the task will take four days. We naturally adjust our speed to meet the deadline which is an inefficient use of the time.

Using the techniques learned in a Microsoft Project training seminar, small business owners learn to let schedule dictate the work. By assigning tasks to the schedule and rigidly observing self-imposed project deadlines, many owners find that they suddenly have more time than they thought.

Using the example above, a business owner using the skills from MS training would schedule the four-day task. It would be clear that only three days of work would be needed. By scheduling additional projects into the excess hours, the owner can now complete the task at full speed without wasted time.

A Project training seminar might lead to a new career

Project management skills are in great demand in the UK. Many businesses are struggling and need an outside consultant to help them get organized. A Microsoft training seminar might not only save your own business but could open up a new opportunity for a career. Start your own project management consultancy and let your new knowledge get others back on the right track.

Why Very Small Businesses Benefit from Microsoft Project Training Seminars

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on Microsoft Project 2003 training, visit http://www.MicrosoftTraining.net/.

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