Planning and Control Using Microsoft Project 2013 & PMBOK Guide

The book is designed for users of earlier versions to upgrade their skills and for new planners to learn the software. It starts with the basics required to create a schedule, through resource planning and on to the more advanced features. A chapter is dedicated to the new functions and it outlines the differences from the earlier versions throughout the book. A Microsoft Project user guide and training manual written for Project Management Professionals following the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition who wish to learn how to schedule projects in a single project environment with or without Resources with Microsoft Project. The book is packed with screen shots, constructive tips and is suitable as a training course handout, for learning the software or as a reference book. The book contains workshops with solutions at the end of each chapter for the reader to practice the skills taught in the chapter. Microsoft Project 2013 is an extensive software update with many new functions and as a result this is a complete rewrite of the author's previous book. It is primarily a Microsoft Project book and has been written for people learning to use Microsoft Project in a project environment applying the PMBOK Guide Fifth Edition processes. It aims to teach readers how to plan and control projects created within the software package and stays focused on explaining how to use Microsoft Project to schedule projects by: Explaining which PMBOK Guide processes the software will support and which it will not support. Concentrating on the core functions required to plan a project. Presents workable solutions to real day to day planning and scheduling problems and contains practical advice on how to set up the software. Explains some of the important difference between Microsoft Project and other scheduling software. Explains some of the more difficult calculations often omitted in other books. Includes exercises to reinforce the learning outcomes, a large number of screen dumps, numerous tips, a detailed index and command list at the start of each chapter as a quick reference. It has a chapter dedicated to the new functions available in Microsoft Project 2013. BOOK REVIEWS Project Management tools and standards keep evolving, so it is great to see the Paul Harris books are also evolving. Paul has been writing these excellent references for some time now, but the quality and depth of content just keeps getting better and better. There is plenty of information out there in the internet relating to PMBOK and MS Project, but none as comprehensive and in depth as this book. Covering the PMBOK process steps relating to scheduling, it explains both the how and the why when it comes to MS Project. Sure you can self-teach, sure you can trawl the internet discussion forums. The smart investment of time and effort is in one of Paul's books. They meet the needs of the novice, right through to the advanced user helping people plan, update and report consistently. The book is a guide, it is a reference, it is a self-paced training course, it is so much more.

Table of Contents:
1 Introduction 2 Creating a Project Schedule 3 Navigation and Setting the Options 4 Creating Projects and Templates 5 Defining Calendars 6 Adding Tasks 7 Organizing Tasks Using Outlining 8 Formatting The Display 9 Adding Task Dependencies 10 Network Diagram View 11 Constraints 12 Filters 13 Tables and Grouping Tasks 14 Views and Details 15 Printing and Reports 16 Tracking Progress 17 Creating Resources and Costs 18 Assigning Resources and Costs to Tasks 19 Resource Optimization 20 Updating Projects with Resources 21 Project Options 22 Microsoft Project Server 23 More Advanced Scheduling 24 Tools and Techniques for Scheduling 25 Appendix 1 - Screens Used to Create Views 26 Index

About the Author :
Paul Harris holds an Honours Degree in Civil Engineering obtained in the UK and is a Certified Cost Engineer through AACEI International, a PRINCE2 Registered Practitioner, an Approved PRINCE2 Trainer and a "Managing Successful Programmes" Registered Practitioner. He has worked in the project controls industry for a number of years and has assisted many companies in a range of industries to set up and run project controls systems. His Melbourne, Australia based company, Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd, offers project controls consulting and training services worldwide with a strong focus on Microsoft Project and Primavera software.

Review :
Project Management tools and standards keep evolving, so it is great to see the Paul Harris books are also evolving. Paul has been writing these excellent references for some time now, but the quality and depth of content just keeps getting better and better. There is plenty of information out there in the internet relating to PMBOK and MS Project, but none as comprehensive and in depth as this book. Covering the PMBOK process steps relating to scheduling, it explains both the how and the why when it comes to MS Project. Sure you can self-teach, sure you can trawl the internet discussion forums. The smart investment of time and effort is in one of Paul's books. They meet the needs of the novice, right through to the advanced user helping people plan, update and report consistently. The book is a guide, it is a reference, it is a self-paced training course, it is so much more. Martin Vaughan, Director, Core Consulting Group, Melbourne, AU. An accurate and maintainable project plan is critical for project success. Paul Harris has created a book that not only introduces a very powerful Project Management tool, Microsoft Project 2013, and he also provides PMBOK Guide process context and the steps to ensure that a plan is created that is accurate and maintainable! In addition, Paul has provided a single example project that is developed through a series of workshops in the context of the PMBOK Guide processes. Each workshop includes a set of correct answers and screen shots to confirm the correct use and understanding of the way Microsoft Project helps project managers manage their planning data. The screen shots are carefully crafted to communicate each step of the way supported by text that is clear and written for the project manager in their language. Bruce McNaughton, Director, Customer Driven Solutions Limited