Objectives:
- Learn to monitor project execution using MS Project.
- Master the program's functions for tracking progress, identifying deviations, and updating task status.
Steps for completing the lab:
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Opening the project:
- Open MS Project and load the project you created or modified in the previous labs.
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Updating task status:
- Go to the «Gantt Chart» view (Gantt Chart).
- Select the task whose status needs to be updated.
- In the «Percent Complete» column (Percent Complete), enter the current percentage of task completion (for example, 50%).
- You can also set the actual start and finish dates if they differ from the planned ones.
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Adding actual costs (if necessary):
- If you are tracking costs, enter the actual costs for resources in the «Actual Cost» column (Actual Cost).
- This will help track deviations in project cost.
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Analyzing project status:
- Go to the «Task Usage» (Task Usage) or «Resource Usage» (Resource Usage) view to analyze task completion and resource workload.
- Compare the planned and actual data to identify deviations.
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Using reporting tools:
- Go to the «Reports» section (Reports) and select one of the available reports, such as «Project Status Report» (Project Status Report) or «Task Completion Report» (Task Completion Report).
- Configure the report to display the data you need.
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Identifying deviations:
- Determine which tasks are behind schedule or over budget.
- Use the Gantt chart to visualize deviations from the planned schedule.
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Adjusting the plan (if necessary):
- If problems with task execution are identified, consider adjusting the plan:
- Shifting the execution timeframes.
- Redistributing resources.
- Changing the scope of work.
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Saving changes:
- After making all the updates, save the project by selecting «File» → «Save».
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Preparing for the next status report:
- Prepare the data for reporting on the current project status for presentation to stakeholders.
Assignments to complete:
- Update the status of 3–5 tasks, specifying the percent complete and actual costs.
- Analyze project execution and identify deviations.
- Create a project status report.
Results of the lab:
Upon completing the lab, you should:
- Learn to monitor task execution and track project status in MS Project.
- Be able to analyze data and identify deviations from the plan.
- Create project status reports to inform stakeholders.
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