Building a test project

Starting a new project requires that 3 fundamental steps be completed: (1) Enter the tasks, their budgeted hours and create any dependencies between tasks. (2) Assign resources to each task. (3) Level and publish the project. The following gives an overview of each.

Other sections within this help system provide detailed instructions on these and other important Project Planning tool functions.

Watch the Getting Started video:

To build a sample project:

  1. Click the New button on the toolbar.

  2. Enter a Name and Planned Start date for the project.

  3. In the Task column at the far left side, enter the first task’s name.

  4. Enter the budgeted hours for this task in the Hours column.

    The task is now displayed in the middle section of the view (Gantt chart) as a horizontal timeline bar with a length proportional to the budgeted hours.
     

  5. Enter the project's other tasks in the next empty cells.

  6. (Optional) Create a Finish to Start dependency between any two tasks by selecting the first task and then, while holding the Ctrl key, select the second task, and click the Link button on the toolbar. Tip: If you select multiple tasks and click the Link button, then all are linked sequentially.

    Task dependencies are visible in the Gantt area by the use of small gray arrows between the connected tasks.

 

PROJECT PLANNING

 

Setup Overview

Building a small test project

Adding tasks and estimates

Assigning resources to tasks

Leveling a project's resources

Publishing a project

Tracking a project's progress
 

FAQs...
 

Operational Questions

Do we have resources to take on a project?

How long will a new project take?

How much will a project cost?

How is a project doing vs. its budget?

Do I have over utilized employees?
 

More...

 

  1. Assign an employee to a task by first selecting the employee in the upper right pane and then dragging and dropping the employee either on top of the timeline bar in the Gantt area, or on top of the task in the task list. TIP: You can assign an employee to multiple tasks in one shot by first selecting the tasks in the task list and then dragging the employee on top of any of the selected tasks.

    In the Gantt area, the employee name appears next to the task.

    Important    : By default, the software will use all (100%) of the assigned employee's working time to schedule work for the project. To conserve some free time for other projects occurring in the same time frame, then reduce this 100% value to a lower amount using the Target Allocation function for each applicable employee assigned to the project.

  2. Once all assignments are completed, click the Level button on the toolbar to distribute the budgeted hours so that employees are not overbooked (over allocated). Leveling a project's resources adjusts task start and finish dates based on employee availability.

  3. You can review summary budget and cost statistics by clicking in the Project Statistics area in the lower left corner.

  4. You can print the project plan by clicking the print button located in the Chart section of the toolbar.

  5. Once satisfied with the project's budgeted finish date and costs, click the Publish button to make the project available to the employees for time tracking.
     

From the employee list on the right, click on an assigned employee to review his or her Allocation Heat Map located below the Gantt chart. This graph shows the employee’s allocation for all projects - not just the project displayed in the Gantt chart. The mid-level horizontal line represents the selected employee's 100% allocation level.

 

Now what?

Once the project is published and employees have begun tracking their time, it’s important to keep an eye on the project’s progress. The Progress view is used for this purpose.