Chapter 2 - Project 2010 Basics

CHAPTER 2 - PROJECT 2010 BASICS

2.1 Entering and Leaving Project
Oening Project
To start using Microsoft Project you must first open the application. You can see several ways
to do this in the diagram below:
C!o"ing Project
When you have finished working with Project you can close the application as shown below:
Ribbon Keyboard

A!t

#

$%
lternatively! you can close Project with a single click:
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)irst! click the Start &en' at
the bottom left of the screen.
You can type *Project+ into
the search bo, and then press
to start the application.
You might see an icon
here if Project has been
used recently.
#lick here to search for
Project among your
other programs.
#lick the top cross to close
the application. #licking
the bottom cross closes the
current file.
Chapter 2 - Project 2010 Basics
2.2 T(e Project Screen
T(e &ain )indo*
When you start Project a new project file is created automatically. The view that you see by
default is called the Gantt Chart view.
The -antt #hart view is the default view in Project! primarily used to enter tasks. There are
many views in Project! and you can customise each of them in various ways.
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Ta+!e
You enter information about tasks here.
C(art
The -antt #hart appears here and is linked to the table.
Ti,e!ine
.iew a condensed version of your project here.
Ri++on
/se these tools to perform actions in Project.
Chapter 2 - Project 2010 Basics
2.- .etting He! in Project
0f you don+t know how to do something in Project! you+re not sure what a menu option means! or
you just can+t remember what to do ne,t there are several ways to get help.
Searc(ing /or He!
To search for help in Project choose one of the options from the table below:
Tool Keyboard
$1

You can then type in a word or phrase to search for in the window that appears.
He! in Ta+!e"
When you are entering information in a table you can get 1uick help about what sort of data
should go into a particular column.
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a2 Type in what you
want to search for help
on then click the search
button.
b2 The window will
show a list of matching
results. #lick the one
you want.
c2 The help window that
opens will contain
information and links to more
topics.
a2 To get information about a specific
column let the cursor linger over the title of
it! and then press when the hint appears.
b2 The help
window provides
detailed
information on
the table column.
Chapter 2 - Project 2010 Basics
He! in 0ia!og Bo1e"
Many dialog bo,es in Project provide you with detailed help on all the options available to you.
)(at Haened to t(e Project .'ide2
0f you have used a previous version of Microsoft Project you may be used to using the Project
Guide as a way of getting help. /nfortunately this feature has been removed from Project $%&%.
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a2 Many of the more comple, dialog
bo,es have a He! button.
b2 #lick the He! button to see information
on how to fill in the dialog bo,.
The Project .'ide provided a step3by3step list
of key things you should do when planning a
project.
4ach item in the list is a clickable link to a page
giving help on how to achieve each of the steps.
Wise 5wl can+t understand why the feature was
taken out6
Chapter 2 - Project 2010 Basics
2.% Saving and Oening Project $i!e"
Project $%&% includes several new features that are incompatible with previous version. When
saving files in Project $%&% it+s important to know which file type to use6
$i!e $or,at"
There are different file formats available for previous versions of Project. You can see these file
types when you choose to save a file.
Saving Project $i!e"
To save a file! follow the steps shown in the diagram below:
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These are the choices of file type you
will see when you save a project file.
To have access to all of the new $%&%
features you should use the Project
34.,5 file type.
b2 0f you chose Save A"
or if you are saving the
file for the first time you
will see this dialog bo,.
c2 /se this list to choose
the location to save the file
in.
d2 Type a name for the
file and choose a file type.
e2 #lick here to save the
file.
a2 #lick the $i!e menu and then choose either Save to save the file with the
same name in the same location! or Save A" to choose a new file name 8you can
also press 9 S on the keyboard2.
Chapter 2 - Project 2010 Basics
2.6 )or7ing )it( O!der Project 8er"ion"
:ot every new feature of Project $%&% will work with older versions of the application. There
are several things you can do to ensure that everybody will be able to use your files.
Saving a" an O!der $i!e T9e
Project $%&% allows you to save a file so that it is compatible with older versions of Project. You
can choose these file types when you save your file.
Co,ati+i!it9 C(ec7ing
When you save a file in an earlier format some features of your project might not work properly
in this format. Project will tell you about potential problems when you save.
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The file types have fairly obvious names. You can
choose one from the list on the Save A" dialog bo,.
fter you choose to save your
file in an older format Project
will show you a list of changes
that have to be made to make
the file compatible.
#lick Contin'e to save the file
with the changes listed! or click
Cance! to abandon saving the
file.