Objectives:
- Learn to estimate project cost using MS Project.
- Master the program's functions for managing project costs, resources, and budget.
Steps for completing the lab:
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Creating a new project or opening an existing one:
- Open MS Project.
- Create a new project or open an existing project that you used in previous labs.
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Defining the project tasks:
- Make sure the project already has all tasks entered, with their durations and dependencies specified.
- If there are no tasks, add 5–10 tasks with their execution timeframes specified.
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Creating and configuring resources:
- Go to the «Resources» view (Resource Sheet).
- Enter information about the resources needed for the project, if you have not already done so:
- Resource name: The resource's name (e.g., «Developer», «Tester»).
- Resource type: Work, Material, Cost.
- Workload: Specify the resource's available hours per week.
- Resource cost: Specify the hourly rate or fixed cost (e.g., $50/hour for a developer).
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Assigning resources to tasks:
- Select the task to which you want to assign a resource.
- On the «Task» tab, select «Assign Resource» (Assign Resources).
- In the window that opens, select the resource and click «Assign».
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Entering fixed costs (if necessary):
- If you have fixed costs for tasks (for example, the cost of licenses or equipment), select the task.
- Go to the «Tasks» table and enter the fixed costs in the corresponding field (Fixed Cost).
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Analyzing project cost:
- Go to the «Resource Usage» view (Resource Usage) to see how costs are distributed across resources.
- Also use the «Gantt Chart» view to visualize the tasks and the costs associated with them.
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Estimating the total project cost:
- Go to the «Project Summary» view (Project Summary).
- Here you can see the total project cost, which includes the costs of all assigned resources and the fixed costs.
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Creating a cost report:
- Go to the «Reports» section (Reports) and select the cost report (Cost Report).
- Configure the report to include information on resource costs, tasks, and the overall budget.
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Saving the project:
- Save your changes by selecting «File» → «Save As».
Assignments to complete:
- Create a project with 5–10 tasks and assign resources with different rates to them.
- Enter fixed costs for some of the tasks.
- Estimate the total project cost and create a cost report.
Results of the lab:
Upon completing the lab, you should:
- Learn to estimate project cost, including resource costs and fixed costs.
- Be able to analyze costs in MS Project.
- Create a cost report for presentation to stakeholders.
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