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DESKTOP TIPS

Presented by:Doug Bonebrake

Senior Project ManagerGlobal Project Office

FrontRange Solutions Inc.doug.bonebrake@frontrange.com

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Topics

• Add Graphic Indicators

• Create Formulas

• Use Formulas to Change Indicators

• Copy Picture Feature

• Save as Web Page Feature

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Business Problem

Problem: The boss would like to open the project plan and have a quick means to identify the tasks that are coming due within the next five days or are over due.

Solution: Insert Graphic Indicators

Create a formula to calculate days to finish

Use formula to change the indicators

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Insert Graphic Indicator Column

Start by inserting a column to the far left.

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Insert Graphic Indicator Column

Select a “Number” field name. In this example, “Number 1” was used. Also, fill in the “Title” text box.

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Insert Graphic Indicator Column

Right click on the column’s heading, then select “Customize Fields” from the menu.

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Insert Graphic Indicator Column

Use the “Rename” button to change the name to “Status.” Then click the “Graphical Indicator” button to set your indicators.

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Insert Graphic Indicator Column

Set the values in the table, then click “OK”

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Insert Graphic Indicator Column

Make sure the radio button is set to “Graphical Indicator,” then click OK.

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Insert Graphic Indicator Column

With the formula off, you can enter a value (1 – 3) to set the color of the indicator to reflect status – or you can use a formula to create warnings.

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Create Days-To-Finish Formula

Insert and name a column as you did before, then click on the “Formula Button.”

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Create Days-To-Finish Formula

Use the “Field and “Function” buttons to build your formula – or if someone has already figured it out – cut and paste it into the text box.

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Create Days-To-Finish Formula

DateValue([Current Date])-DateValue([Finish])

This formula converts the Current Date and Finish Date to values, then subtracts the Finish Date from the Current Date to calculate the Days till a task is due. If the value is positive, then the due date has passed.

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Enter the Warning Formula

Next, go back to the “Status” column and open the formula dialogue box.

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Enter the Warning Formula

IIf([% Complete]<100,Switch(([Number3]<-5),3,[Number3]>=-5 And [Number3]<0,2,

[Number3]>=0,1),3)

If %Complete is less than 100, test Number3. If less than –5, enter 3 as the value, else, if Number3 greater than or equal to –5 and Number3 is less than zero, enter 2 as the value, else if Number3 is greater than or equal to zero, enter 1 as the value.

3 = Green 2 = Yellow 1 = Red

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Enter the Warning Formula

Now the color indicators give you warnings when a task is due within five days (yellow) or is over due (Red).

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Business Problem

Problem: You need to share project information with team members who do not have Microsoft® Project or access to an enterprise solution such as Project Central.

Solution: Use the “Copy Picture” and “Save as Web Page” features.

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Solution Application

This solution benefits:

• Project Managers with team members who do not have access to Microsoft® Project or Project Central

• Project Managers with access to an Intranet but do not have Project Central implemented

• Consultants managing projects for clients with limited capabilities

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Sample Task List

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Capture the Picture

Highlight the first row, scroll down to last row, press the [shift] key and click left mouse button to highlight all the rows to be captured.

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Capture the Picture

Click on the Camera Icon

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Capture the Picture

Click on “To GIF Image File” Radio button – Then browse to name and specify file path

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Save the Web Page

From the File Menu, select “Save as Web Page”

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Save the Web Page

Specify file and path name, then click “Save”

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Save the Web Page

Highlight a standard report (or build your own), then click on “Edit”

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Save the Web Page

Click on the “Task Mapping Tab” and make any desired changes

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Save the Web Page

Note that you can change title entry to reflect an “As of” date or columns you wish to display

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Save the Web Page

Make sure “Include Image File in HTML Page” is checked

Click on “browse” to specify path and file name – (Caution, don’t skip this step)

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Save the Web Page

Click “Save”

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Sample Milestone Report

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Milestone Report

From the “Project” menu, filter for milestone tasks

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Milestone Report

Capture picture and select web page report format as before

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View Files

The .html file can be viewed with your Web Browser

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Send Files

To view, both the .gif and .html file must be present. The .html file references the .gif file

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Display Via IntranetBoth the .gif and the .html file must be provided to your Web Master – Only the .html file must be referenced by a link

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Questions?