MS Project: Getting Started and Navigating

Name: MS Project: Getting Started and Navigating
Author: Elissa Smith

How to use the primary functions of MS Project

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Course: On-Demand

In this lesson, I will show you how to locate Microsoft Project on your Windows computer and also fast and easy ways to open it in the future when you need to get back to it. Let's go ahead and get started. So the first thing I want to do is locate Microsoft Project on this Windows computer. We're going to use our Microsoft Windows taskbar. The taskbar is of course the horizontal bar located down on the bottom of your Windows device. Now the very far left corner of the Windows taskbar is the Start button. When you click on the Start button, you're going to see tiles on the right representing the default applications that are installed on the device, and then an alphabetized list to the left of the different software applications. Now I'm not seeing a tile for Project, however, if I come in the middle and scroll down to the letter P's, I'll see that Project is right here on a small tile. Now this is a rather long way to open Project Up, so let's look at some other options. Down on the Windows taskbar again, directly to the right of the Start button, we have the Search bar. When we click here, we can actually type in files or applications that we want to open. In this case, I've typed in the very first few letters of Project, and you'll see that my computer already begins searching for the application. I don't even have to finish typing it in. And here we're seeing again Microsoft Project, both on the left and on the right. Notice if you right click, you're also going to see the same menu that's over on the right at the bottom. Now let's talk for a minute about this icon representing Project. We know whenever we see this logo, we'll be dealing with something to do with Project, from the application itself to a Project file. Notice that it's a green background with a white letter P, and we know how much Microsoft loves their logos. Now when it comes to opening Project Up, I could just left click on this icon, either on the left or right, and Project would open. However, what happens when I need to open it again? So again, some tried and true methods. Our first of all, I could select Pin to Start, notice it's here and also here. When we select this option, it actually takes Project, and if we come down and click back on the Start menu, we'll see that. It's actually going to appear as a tile with the other applications that are on my device. Again, this is one option. Now my preferred method is actually to go back to the search bar, type in Project again, and instead I'm going to come over and select Pin to Taskbar. Now we've been using the Windows Taskbar this entire time. When I select Pin to Taskbar, notice there's a small icon representing Project now down in my Windows Taskbar. This becomes a shortcut or a doorway. Whenever I need to open Project now, I can just click right on that icon and it takes me into the Getting Started screen for Microsoft Project. Now there are some of us who still prefer Desktop Shortcuts, and that is an option. So going back down again to the search bar, we're going to type in Project one more time. This time, I'm going to come down to the menu and select Open File Location. Now this doesn't open up the actual Project application. What it does is open up the location where Project is installed on my computer. So it takes me to my File Explorer, and I can see here the icon representing Project. I'm going to right click on that, and notice right here I can come down fourth from the bottom and select Create Shortcut. Now my computer is going to tell me I can't create a shortcut here. However, I can create a shortcut on my Desktop as you see in the second sentence. That's what I want. So I'm going to select that, and notice now on my Desktop, I have a lovely shortcut to Microsoft Project. And just briefly, a little bit of background on Project. I'm going to double click on this. Project was the third software application created by Microsoft as a Windows application. It comes in two desktop versions, the standard version, and then the professional version, which you will pay a little bit more for. And it's not part of the traditional Microsoft suite of applications that includes Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Project has to be purchased with a separate license. So in this lesson, we've learned how to open Project and also how to make shortcuts for it on our desktop or the Windows taskbar so that we can open it again easily in the future. Now, thanks for joining us and stay tuned for the next lesson where we're going to look at how to navigate and utilize the Gantt chart of Microsoft Project.

Beginner Provider : Elissa Smith 5 Lessons · 19m in English

Course Description

Microsoft Project is a project management software product that helps project managers complete their work. MS Project is used when developing a schedule, assigning resources to tasks, tracking progress, managing the budget, and analyzing workloads. Using tools like Gannt charts can help you visualize and manage project schedules and deadlines. MS Project can make your work more efficient and effective, but only if you know how to navigate the ribbon and the various features it has to offer. So how can you use MS Project?

In this course, you’ll be introduced to a tool project managers across industries find invaluable—MS Project. You’ll learn about primary functions, such as how to pin a project and how to use Gantt charts. You’ll also review the ribbon features and complementary tools and functions available in the program. At the end of this course, you’ll gain an understanding of how to manage the timeline view and the short views as well.

What You'll Learn

Learn the primary tools and functions of Microsoft Project
Use Gantt charts to visualize your projects and timelines
Manage the timeline view and the short views in MS Project
Navigate the ribbon and its complementary features and tools
Launch and pin a project to get started in MS Project
Access project help and supporting functions within the program

Key Takeaways

Microsoft Project is project management software that helps project managers complete their work.
MS Project is used for developing a schedule, assigning resources to tasks, tracking progress, managing the budget, and analyzing workloads.
Gantt charts help you visualize and manage project schedules and deadlines.
MS Project can make work more efficient and effective when you know how to navigate the ribbon and its features.
Project managers across industries find MS Project an invaluable tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

It is designed for project managers and others who want to use Microsoft Project, a tool project managers across industries find invaluable.

What does this course cover?

It introduces the primary functions of MS Project, including how to pin a project and how to use Gantt charts, reviews the ribbon features and complementary tools, and covers managing the timeline view and the short views.

What skills will I gain?

The course builds skills in Microsoft Project, Project Management, Project Management Software, Microsoft Enterprise Project Management, Project Portfolio Management, and toward Microsoft Project Certification.

What lessons are included?

The lessons are Launch and Pin Project, Gannt Chart Introduction, Ribbon Overview, Manage Timeline View, and Short Views and Project Help.

What will I be able to do by the end?

You will gain an understanding of how to manage the timeline view and the short views, use Gantt charts to visualize projects and timelines, and navigate the primary tools and functions of MS Project.