Project management can be defined as the planning, organization, monitoring, and control of all aspects of a project. When discussing a project, four essential parameters are often considered: objectives, costs, deadlines, and implementation conditions.
Managing a project successfully isn’t always easy, especially when faced with multiple demands and deadlines. However, joining in Ms Project training in Sydney can make all the difference between disorganized management and a clear, efficient process.
Microsoft Project (MS Project) is project management software created natively for project managers so that they can best manage their projects.
To learn how to create a project in Microsoft Project, in this blog, we’ll guide you step-by-step so you can create an effective project using Microsoft Project, ensuring you maintain a clear vision and focus at every stage of the project.
What is Microsoft Project ?
Microsoft Project is the most widely accepted project management software worldwide due to its ease of use and versatility. Using MS Project is fundamental to ensuring the successful planning and execution of projects.
Through its application, managers can manage resources, evaluate budgets, create schedules, measure performance, analyze opportunities, and assess risks. With the correct use of this software, you have total control over your projects and are prepared to make strategic decisions.
Microsoft Project Features :-
There are many features that project managers and their teams need to better manage their work, and MSP has several. However, to give you a complete picture,
Here is a list of all the features available to those who opt for the top-tier plan offered by Microsoft 365 :
⟳ Grid view : project view used to plan and manage projects with a task list.
⟳ Map view : A Visual kanban board view that helps manage workflow and task status.
⟳ Chronological display : a traditional Gantt chart used to plan tasks on a project timeline.
⟳ Communication & Collaboration : enables teams to work together on projects.
⟳ Co-creation : stakeholders and team members work together to modify and update task lists and schedules.
⟳ Reports : Reports that allow tracking of progress, resources, programs, and portfolios.
⟳ Roadmap : This allows for the monitoring of programs and project portfolios.
⟳ Timesheets : We use them to collect project and non-project time for payroll and invoicing.
⟳ Resource management : Helps manage resources by requesting and assigning tasks.
Why use MS Project ?
The use of MS Project is fundamental to ensuring the success of project planning and execution. Its features allow managers to manage resources, evaluate budgets, create schedules, measure performance, analyze opportunities, and assess risks. By using this software, you have complete control over your projects. In other words, it allows you to make strategic decisions.
Through its use, you can also plan activities, track deadlines, define costs, allocate resources, and qualify the importance of a project as a whole. One of the strengths of MS Project is its adaptability to different circumstances.
You have a major decision to make about your project, and it could determine its success. So you’re wondering: how do I make the right choice? Or what’s the best strategy to adopt ?
Questions You May Have About MS Project :-
This is where MS Project comes in. It allows you to find quick answers to these types of questions. Here’s a short list of common questions :
(i) What tasks do I need to perform ?
(ii) Is there a specific order to follow when performing them?
(iii) How will I know the deadlines for each task?
(iv) Who will be part of these processes?
(v) What will the expenses be?
(vi) How should I communicate the specifics of the project to those involved in the project ?
You will be able to clarify all these questions by using the MS Project application for managing your project.
What are the advantages of MS Project ?
One major advantage is that it’s a Microsoft tool, so it works smoothly with other Microsoft products like Microsoft 365, Skype, and SharePoint.
Also, there are other benefits such as :
(1) Increased Productivity :
With advanced planning and monitoring tools, Microsoft Project helps increase team productivity. The ability to visualize schedules, manage resources efficiently, and generate detailed reports allows project managers to keep everything under control, minimizing delays and unforeseen events.
(2) Full Integration with Microsoft 365 :
Integration with Microsoft 365 is a major advantage of Microsoft Project. This connectivity facilitates information sharing and collaboration between different tools, such as Excel for data analysis, Word for documentation, and Teams for real-time communication.
(3) Flexibility and Scalability :
Microsoft Project is suitable for both small projects and large corporate initiatives. Its flexibility allows you to adapt the tool to the specific needs of each project, while its scalability ensures you can manage multiple projects simultaneously without losing efficiency.
(4) Informed Decision Making :
With access to detailed data and comprehensive reports, project managers can make more informed decisions. Microsoft Project offers valuable insights into project progress, resource utilization, and potential risks, helping to ensure that decisions are based on accurate and up-to-date information.
What are the main tasks performed by MS Project ?
Now that we know what MS Project is and its importance for project management, we need to talk about the tasks that this software performs.
The main tasks performed by MS Project are :
(i) Drafting various types of reports
(ii) Integration with team members via chat
(iii) Create a clear overview of the entire project timeline
(iv) Managing resources, whether financial, human, or physical
(v) To improve the organization and structuring of plans
Why is it necessary to train in MS Project ?
In addition to being a powerful tool, Microsoft Project guarantees optimal project management. Experience shows that good project planning allows you to anticipate and address problems and risks so that the project is completed in full compliance with constraints. Therefore, mastering good project management software allows you to complete your projects with minimal risk and maximum profit.
MS Project allows you to create tasks for each project, define links between them, assign teams, control completion times, progress status, follow any strategy using management templates, in addition to generating reports in Word, PDF and HTML format.
You can also manage your project resources, define costs, and analyze your business data in the form of tables, graphs, diagrams, etc. One of the most significant advantages is the ability to change project parameters according to different scenarios. This feature is very useful because it saves time by allowing users to change one or more parameters, either during or before the project begins, to examine possible scenarios and make informed decisions.
It is also important to mention the ability to control the project’s progress. With MS Project, the project manager can monitor all aspects of their projects at any time.
This shows that MS Project is more than just a management tool. It is very powerful software that covers all aspects of project management, from the first planning stage to the final monitoring stage.
This is very interesting software that undoubtedly allows you to maximize company profits and minimize project completion times, which are key factors in your success. MS Project training may seem like a simple step, but it has amazing long-term results for your business.
Want to learn more about MS Project ?
As we’ve seen throughout this article, MS Project is a powerful tool for project management, being the most widely used software on the market today for this purpose.
Although it is a complete tool that delivers excellent results for the companies that use it, many organizations still do not use this software due to a lack of professionals trained to operate it. So, if you are looking for the best MS Project training centre in Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington, get in touch with BIM TECHNOLOGIES. We are the best professional development centers that teach project management theory and practice in Microsoft Project.
Having accumulated extensive experience in both individual and corporate Project training, and employing only certified instructors, we can guarantee that not only beginners but also professionals will gain a wealth of new and useful information from our courses.
So don’t wait any longer, join us to get the Microsoft Project Specialist (CMPS) Certificate!
