When you first open a new Microsoft Project file there are a few things that we recommend you do in order to save yourself some time before you jump straight in and start creating your tasks.

Project Properties

First let’s customise the key information about your project

1. Click the File Menu and Select Info

2. Click ‘Project Information’ and the ‘Advanced Properties’
3. Click the Project Information (arrow) and select ‘Advanced Properties’

4. Complete the key fields as highlighted in red above

Project Information

Next we want to set the time related information about the project.

1. From the ribbon menu select ‘Project’ (box 1)

2. Then ‘Project Information (box 2)
3. Next set the ‘Start date’ and ‘Schedule from’

Note: You can set the ‘Schedule from’ as either a start date or end date.  If you choose the end date Project will schedule tasks with the ‘START AS LATE AS POSSIBLE’ constraint. This is useful when you have a go live date opposed to completing the project as soon as possible.

Project Options

1. Click the ‘File’ menu then ‘Options’
2. Select ‘Schedule’ and set the times for a working week (red boxes)

3. Set ‘New Tasks Created’ to:
   1. Manually Scheduled: Set schedule every time you create a task
   2. Auto Scheduled: Tasks are set to the project start date
   3. Current Date: Tasks are set to the current date

4. Next click ‘Display’ in the left menu and set the ‘Currency Options’ for the project

5. Set the correct currency for this project (ie Pounds)

Project Summary Task

Enabling this will insert a summary row at the top of your Project to track totals for all columns (durations, start, finish).

1. Click the ‘Format’ from the top ribbon menu

2. Tick the ‘Project Summary Task’ check box

Create Your Tasks

That’s it, you are ready to start using your Microsoft Project file!

Now it’s down to you to enter the tasks, set durations, create milestones, link tasks to show relationships, create deliverables, add resources (ie people), assign resources to tasks and enter the work hours.