MODULE 11: OUTLINING TASKS

Overview

The outlining tasks module introduces the concept of outlining tasks so that a project can be viewed at a micro and macro level of detail. This module also looks at how to insert a recurring task.

Objectives

The participant will:

Be able to structure a project to include summary levels.
Be able to view a project at either a summary level or a subtask (detail task) level.

Preparation

Review the contents of this module and do each of the exercises at least once to familiarize yourself with the logic and outcome.

Presentation

The activities in this module cite the aims for each exercise. The level is suitable for the basic users.

ACTIVITY

11.1 How to insert summary or outline tasks.

EXERCISE 11.1 ¢ LEVEL: BASIC ¢ INSERTING SUMMARY TASKS

Open Golf1D.
Select "Clear land."
Pick Insert menu.
Choose new task.
Type in "Phase 1 “ Earthmoving."
Select "Clear land."
Click indent button on formatting toolbar.
Note change in duration of Phase 1.
Note change in bar of Phase 1.
Select Tasks 5, 6 and 7 and click indent button.
Repeat for Phase 2, before "Dig trenches."
Repeat for Phase 3, before "Final grading."
Remove final milestone from Phase 3 by outdenting the task.

Dialog

Explain that summary or outline tasks serve to divide the project in sections that can be used to report higher-level information to management. The duration of the Summary task is never specified because the durations for all the detailed tasks beneath it are rolled up into the duration figure in the summary task.

Summary tasks	We have reached the stage in our planning when we need to examine the overall plan and report to our manager on it. We currently have just a list of tasks so the first step is to organize these a little better.
	We will identify 3 phases in our project
	¢Phase 1: Earthmoving
	¢Phase 2: Drainage/Irrigation
	¢Phase 3: Landscaping
	We will insert these as outline tasks (another name for summary tasks) in our project. A summary task does not exist as a specific task. It is a way of summarizing information about the detailed tasks indented below it.

ACTIVITY

11.2 How to hide or show detailed tasks.

EXERCISE 11.2 ¢ LEVEL: BASIC ¢ HIDE AND SHOW SUBTASKS

Select all tasks.
Click on hide subtasks icon on formatting toolbar ( “ ).
Select Phase 1 task.
Click on show subtasks icon on formatting toolbar ( + ).
To show all, click on show all subtasks icon on formatting toolbar ( ++ ).
To hide or show subtasks, click on + next to Summary task name.

Dialog

Explain that the user can manipulate the information seen on the computer display screen by rolling up some or all of the subtasks or detailed tasks within the summary tasks. This is done by using the small boxes next to the summary task name which have either a - or a + sign in them. Having created some summary tasks we can now create some useful displays of our project tasks.

ACTIVITY

11.3 How to enter a recurring task.

EXERCISE 11.3 ¢ LEVEL: BASIC ¢ ENTER A RECURRING TASK

Select "Clear land."
Pick Insert menu.
Choose Recurring task command.
Name = "Status Meeting."
Duration = "2 hours."
This Occurs = "Monthly, 1st Monday."
Insert Start date and note the number of occurrences as 6.
Click OK button.
Note the warning message that appears and choose the appropriate response.

Dialog

Explain that tasks such as meetings or the preparation of status reports that happen at the same time each week or month can be inserted into the plan by using the Recurring Task command. These tasks can be altered or tracked the same way as normal tasks.

Recurring task

We sometimes want to schedule a task to occur on a regular basis, for example, a status meeting. We can easily do this with MS Project 2000.

ACTIVITY

11.4 How to show a summary of the entire project.

EXERCISE 11.4 ¢ LEVEL: BASIC ¢ DISPLAY SUMMARY AT PROJECT LEVEL

Pick Tools menu.
Choose Options command.
Select View tab.
Select box = Project Summary.
Click OK button.

Dialog

Explain that instead of indenting all the summary tasks under a summary task that is to represent the entire project, MS Project can do this for you automatically. The project summary can be copied and pasted to another file with other projects on it.

ACTIVITY

11.5 How to show numbers like a table of contents on the MS Project plan.

EXERCISE 11.5 ¢ LEVEL: BASIC ¢ DISPLAY OUTLINE NUMBERING

Pick Tools menu.
Choose Options command.
Select View tab.
Select box = Show Outline Number.
Click OK button.

Do you recognize the Work Breakdown Structure?

Dialog

Explain that sometimes it is convenient to show a numbering system for your task list. This can be inserted automatically by MS Project 2000.