Import Outlook Tasks in MSP 2010

Many times we create our important tasks in Microsoft Outlook and when we upgrade to some project planning tool like Microsoft Project 2010, we want our that tasks to be listed in our project planning tool.

In Microsoft Project 2010 you do not need to create that tasks again, you can easily import your Outlook tasks to MSP. Microsoft Project 2010 provides an easy way to do that.

To Import your Outlook Tasks to Microsoft Project 2010 follow the following steps:-

       In Task Pane, Under Insert , click on Task and then select Import Outlook Tasks

   



Now list of Outlook tasks should have appear, select the tasks you want to import to MSP 2010 by clicking on the corresponding checkbox and the click on OK.

   

















Now you can see all your tasks that you have selected are shown in Microsoft project 2010 task list.

Resource Cost Tables in MSP 2010

Microsoft Project 2010 provides you the option to change the Resource Standard Cost as well as Overtime cost by manually specifying the date. MSP 2010 automatically calculate the new Resource cost effective from the date you specify in your project budget automatically.

Select Resource then click on Resource Information.

Select Cost tab from the Resource Information Dialog Box

Now you can select the effective date from which your New Standard as well as Overtime rate are applicable for your project.
Microsoft Project 2010 provides 5 tables  namely A,B,C,D,E to store your different rates

To change the default table used by your resource in Microsoft Project 2010, double click on your resource under Task Usage.Assignment Information dialog box will open, from there you can select the cost rate table you want to used in your project for your particular assignment.

Types of Resources available in Project 2010

There are 3 types of Resources available in Microsoft Project 2010
1. Work Resource
2. Material Resource
3. Cost Resource

Work Resource: - Any working individual of your organization or a group of people in your organization can be counted under work resource. E.g. System engineer is a work resource, a group of testers is a work resource.

Material Resource: - Any materialistic thing require in your project is come under material resource. E.g. your project is to build a building, to do that you require cement, bricks etc. these resources like cement, bricks come under material resource.

Cost Resource: - Any miscellaneous cost to project is come under cost resource. E.g. in your project, it may happen that some of your team members are require to go to some other city for some work then their travelling expenses are come under costing of your project, then this kind of expenses like travelling come under cost resource.  

Task Relationships available in MSP

Task Relationship in Microsoft Project 2010 is of 4 types

1. Finish-to-Start: - The successor task cannot be started until its predecessor task completed. For example if you have two tasks “requirement captured” and “Designing” then “Designing task” cannot be started until “requirement captured” task is completed.

2. Start-to-Start: - Two tasks, let say A and B has start-to-start relationship and task B is Dependent on Task A, then the task B cannot start until task A starts. It means that dependent task start only when or after the task on which it is dependent is started. For example if you have two tasks in Microsoft project 2010 “Pour concrete” and “Level concrete” then "Level concrete" cannot be begin until "Pour concrete” task begins.

3. Finish-to-Finish: - In this type of relationship, let say A and B has Finish-to-Finish relationship and task B is Dependent on Task A, then the task B cannot completed until task A completed. It means that dependent task completed only when or after the task on which it is dependent is completed. For example if you have two tasks in MSP “Coding” and “Testing” then “Testing” task cannot be completed until “Coding” task is completed.

4. Start-to-Finish: - - In this type of relationship, let say A and B has Start-to-Finish relationship and task B is Dependent on Task A, then the task B cannot be completed until task A starts. It means that dependent task completed only after the beginning of the task on which it is dependent is started. For example if you have two tasks "Truss delivery" and "Assemble roof". The "Assemble roof" cannot be finished until the "Truss delivery" task started.

Add Constraints to your Tasks

To add constraints to your tasks, follow the following steps

Step 1 Create a automatically scheduled task. Don't try to apply a constraint to manually scheduled task because MSP 2010 doesn't allow this. Open task properties by clicking on Information under Task menu present in ribbon interface.




Step 2 Now the task properties are opened, Select Advanced Tab under task information and then select the constraint from the given list of constraint that you want to apply to your task

 



Step 3 Apply the Constraint date to your task






Now the constraint is applied to your task.

Points Remembered while assigning constraints in MSP
1. Tasks should be Automatically scheduled.
2. Only 1 constraint can apply to one task.
3. Don't forget to mention the constraint date.