Building a Project Plan—Exercises

Basic Data Setup

Person Identity

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to show you how to create a person identity. For example, create a person connected to your system user ID.

Windows:
Persons

  1. Create a new record.
  2. Enter a person identity and a name.
  3. Enter the user ID to be associated with this person, or select it from the List of Values.
  4. Save your changes.

Activity Classes

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to show you how to register activity classes.

Windows:
Project Basic/Activity Class

  1. Create activity classes that you can assign to your activities.
  2. Save your changes.

General exercise for Registering Activity Classes

Progress Templates

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to show you how to create progress templates.

Windows:
Project Basic/Progress Template

  1. Create progress templates that you can assign to your activities.
  2. Save your changes.

General exercise for Entering Progress Templates

Required Data

Creating Project

Purpose: The purpose of this exercise is to familiarize you with the data that must be in place before you can do the exercises below.

  1. Create a project ID.
  2. Save your changes.

General exercise for Creating Projects

Main Exercise

Purpose: The purpose of these exercises is to show you how to build a project plan by manually creating a project structure consisting of subprojects and activities. You will register information about the activities. Also, this lesson will show you how to revise your project structure.

Windows:
Project Navigator/Activity
Project Navigator/Sub Project
Project Navigator/Activity List
Project Navigator/Activity

Inserting Subprojects Manually

  1. Open the Project Navigator window, and click the Sub Project tab.
  2. Select the desired subproject or project node in the project Navigator, and create a new record.

Note: You must select the Project icon in the Navigator if you want to create a new subproject directly under the project. If a subproject is selected, the new subproject will be created under the selected subproject. You cannot select an activity.

  1. Enter a subproject ID.
  2. Enter a subproject description.
  3. The project manager appears as the default value for subproject manager. Optionally, enter another person identity with a user ID in the subproject manager field, or select it from the List of Values.
  4. Optionally, enter the department responsible for the subproject.
  5. Optionally, select a delivery address from the addresses defined for the specific project, to be used as the default for the sub project.
  6. Save your changes.
  7. Repeat steps 2–7 to create more subprojects.
  8. Optionally, if project roles and project role assignments are used, run the Generate Role Assignments option in the Project Role Assignments tab to reflect the changes in the project structure to the project role assignments.

Inserting Activities Manually

  1. In the project Navigator, select one of the subprojects created in the above exercise.
  2. Click the Activity List tab, and create a new record.
  3. Enter an activity number.
  4. Enter an activity description.
  5. Enter the early start date for the activity.
  6. Specify whether to enter the early finish date so that the value for total workdays is calculated automatically, or enter total workdays so that the early finish date is calculated. (If there is no calendar associated with the project, you can enter a value only for early finish date, and the field for total workdays is left empty.)
  7. Optionally, select a delivery address from the addresses defined for the specific project, to be used as the default for the activity.
  8. To continue adding activities to the selected subproject, create a new record, and repeat steps 3–6.
  9. Save your changes.
  10. In the project Navigator, select one of your new activities, and click the Activity tab. Note that your new activity has the Planned status.
  11. Click the Details tab. Note that a unique activity sequence number and short name have been generated.
  12. Select each of your subprojects in the project Navigator, and repeat steps 2–8 so that you create at least one activity under each subproject.
  13. Optionally, if project roles and project role assignments are used, run the Generate Role Assignments option in the Project Role Assignments tab to reflect the changes in the project structure to the project role assignments.

Adding Activity Information

  1. Select one of your activities in the project Navigator, and click the Activity tab.
  2. View the information that you previously entered, and note that other fields have default values.
  3. Note that the subproject manager has been assigned as activity responsible by default. Optionally, enter another person identity in the Responsible ID field, or select it from the List of Values.
  4. Enter an appropriate activity class, or select it from the List of Values.
  5. If the activity is an activity milestone, select the Activity Milestone check box. Note that the activity's work days will be set to 0 (zero).
  6. Click the Estimate tab and enter estimated values for the activity.
  7. Note the default value for the activity planned cost driver. In the Planned Cost Driver list, select a relevant activity-planned cost driver.
  8. Note the default value for the activity progress method. In the Progress Method list, select a relevant activity progress method.
  9. Click the Details tab.
  10. Note the default value for the activity short name that has been automatically generated. Optionally, enter another short name for the activity.  If you leave the field empty, it will automatically be regenerated with the default value when you save your changes.
  11. If you want to use the template progress method for this activity, enter an appropriate progress template, or select it from the List of Values.
  12. In the Progress Template Step field, use the List of Values to view the available steps that are associated with the selected progress template. Because we have not yet started to execute the activity, leave this field blank.
  13. Optionally, enter a note about the activity.
  14. Save your changes.
  15. Repeat the above steps to add information to other activities.

Revising the Project Structure

  1. Move an activity from one subproject to another. To do so, select the desired activity in the project Navigator and drag it to its new subproject. Note that you must release the activity when your cursor is over the new subproject node.
  2. Note that all activity information is unchanged, including the activity number, sequence number, and short name.
  3. Move a subproject to another node in the project structure. To do so, select the desired subproject in the project Navigator, and drag it to its new location in the project structure. Note that you must release the subproject when your cursor is over the new subproject node or the project node.
  4. Note that the moved subproject has retained its activities with information.
  5. To copy an existing activity, click the Activity tab. In the project Navigator, select the activity that you want to copy.
  6. Right-click anywhere in the tab, and then click Copy Activity.
  7. Select the subproject to which your new activity should belong using the List of Values.
  8. Enter an activity number for your new activity.
  9. Click OK. A message appears indicating that your new activity has been successfully copied.
  10. Click OK. If the activity you copied has any connected resources or tasks, or valid report codes, these will also be copied to your new activity.
  11. To delete an existing activity, click the Activity tab. In the project Navigator, select the activity that you want to delete.
  12. Right-click anywhere in the tab, and then click Delete Activity.
  13. Click Yes. Note that the activity with connected objects is deleted.
  14. To delete an entire subproject structure, select the desired subproject in the project Navigator, right-click, and then click Delete Sub Project Structure.
  15. Click Yes. Note that the subproject, its underlying subprojects, and activity with connected objects are deleted.
  16. Optionally, if project roles and project role assignments are used, run the Generate Role Assignments option in the Project Role Assignments tab to reflect the changes in the project structure to the project role assignments.