Creating custom reports in Microsoft Project is a powerful way to communicate your project's progress and key metrics to stakeholders. Even though Microsoft Project offers several pre-created reports, customizing them can make your reports more relevant and impactful.

If you're new to the software or looking to enhance your reporting skills, we offer extensive Microsoft Project courses to get your feet on the ground. But for now, let’s get into how you can make an impactful and detailed report:

Creating a Report from Scratch

If the pre-created reports don't meet your needs, you can create a custom report from scratch. Go to Report > New Report and select Blank. Let's create an Issues Report as an example. Start by adding a name to your report and setting up the page breaks to ensure it fits on a single page.

Next, add the elements you need, such as tables, charts, or images. For a table, you can select the fields you want to include, such as task name, start date, finish date, and custom fields like issues. Adjust the size and position of the table to fit within the page boundaries.

You can also add filters to your tables to display specific data. For instance, if you have a custom field for issues, you can filter the table to show only tasks with issues. This makes your report more focused and relevant.

Checking If Your Report Fits Single Page

To get started, navigate to the Report tab and select one of the pre-created reports from the Dashboards section. For example, let's choose the Project Overview report.

Even if the default report looks good, it's often beneficial to customize it. One of the first steps you might take is to check how the report fits on a printed page. Go to File > Print, and you might notice that the report doesn't fit neatly on a single page. In this case, you can use the Page Setup option to adjust your report. 

Adjusting Page Layout

To avoid the limitations of the Fit to option, go back to the report and use the Page Breaks tool from the Report Tools Design tab. This tool helps you see where the report will break across pages. 

For instance, if a table's columns are too wide, you can resize them by dragging the edges of the columns. By doing this, you can ensure that the content fits neatly within the page breaks.

Let's say you notice that some text boxes overlap or extend beyond the page boundaries. You can resize or move these text boxes to make everything fit within the page. Additionally, if there are unnecessary elements or empty spaces, you can remove or adjust them to make the report more concise and readable.

Customizing Report Elements

When customizing a report, you might encounter different elements such as tables, charts, and text boxes. For example, if you see an orange box that looks like text, it might actually be a table. By clicking on it, you can access table-specific options similar to those in Word or Excel. 

You can adjust the data fields, change colors, and format the table to suit your needs.

Similarly, if your report includes charts, you can use the Chart Tools Design tab to customize them. You can change the chart type, design, and data fields to display the information that's most relevant to your audience. 

You can easily update the chart to reflect this change if you want to switch from displaying percentage complete to percentage work complete.

Enhancing Report Appearance

Once you've added the necessary elements, you can further enhance your report's appearance. Use the Design tab to add charts and customize their design. You can change chart types, colors, and layouts to make the data more visually appealing. The Format tab provides additional options for fine-tuning the appearance of your charts and tables.

After you've customized your report, you can save it and access it later from the Custom section under the Report tab. This can be found by scrolling to the bottom of the Field List and clicking on Other Fields > Custom. Here you’ll find elements you can include or remove in your report as your project progresses.

Additional Tips and Tricks for Customizing Reports in Microsoft Project

Beyond the basics of customizing reports in Microsoft Project, there are several advanced tips and tricks that can help you create even more effective and insightful reports. These tips go beyond the typical adjustments and can be particularly useful as you advance through your Microsoft Project course.

1. Utilize Custom Views

Custom views allow you to create specific perspectives on your project data. By combining different tables, filters, and groupings into a custom view, you can focus on the information that matters most to your stakeholders. Save these views and switch between them easily to quickly generate reports that cater to different audiences.

2. Incorporate Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting can make your reports more informative by automatically highlighting key data points. For example, you can set rules to highlight tasks that are behind schedule in red or tasks that are under budget in green. This visual cue helps stakeholders quickly identify important information.

3. Embed Live Data

Instead of using static data, consider embedding live data from other sources like Excel or SharePoint. This ensures your reports are always up-to-date without needing manual updates. You can link charts and tables to live data sources, making your reports dynamic and interactive.

4. Create Custom Calculated Fields

Custom calculated fields allow you to perform specific calculations within your reports. For instance, you can create a custom field to calculate the variance between planned and actual work or to compute the total cost of a project phase. These fields provide deeper insights tailored to your project's unique requirements.

5. Use Timeline View for High-Level Overviews

The timeline view is an excellent tool for creating high-level overviews of your project. You can add key milestones and phases to the timeline, providing a clear visual summary of your project's schedule. This is particularly useful for executive summaries and stakeholder presentations.

6. Leverage Built-In Report Templates for Specific Needs

Explore the built-in report templates designed for specific project management needs, such as resource allocation, cost overruns, and task progress. These templates can provide a quick starting point and often include useful metrics and visualizations tailored to common project management scenarios.

7. Export Reports to Different Formats

Microsoft Project allows you to export reports to various formats, including PDF, Excel, and PowerPoint. This can be particularly useful for sharing reports with stakeholders who may not have access to Microsoft Project. 

To sum it all up, try exporting to different formats. This lets you integrate your project data with other tools and platforms.

8. Integrate with Other Microsoft Office Tools

Take advantage of the integration between Microsoft Project and other Microsoft Office tools like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint. You can copy and paste data, charts, and tables between these applications to enhance your reports and presentations. For example, use Excel to perform advanced data analysis and then embed the results into your Project report.

9. Schedule Automatic Report Generation

Automate your reporting process by scheduling reports to be generated and sent out regularly. This ensures that your team and stakeholders receive timely updates without manual intervention. Lastly, use Project Server or Project Online to set up these automated reports.

10. Customize Report Themes

Personalize your reports by customizing the themes. You can change colors, fonts, and styles to match your organization's branding or differentiate between different report types. This attention to detail can make your reports more professional and easier to navigate.

These techniques will help you make the most of your Microsoft Project and deliver insightful, professional-quality reports that meet the needs of your stakeholders.

Conclusion

Whether you're using pre-created reports or building them from scratch, Microsoft Project provides the tools you need to create professional and impactful reports. As you continue your learning journey with MS Project, these tips and tricks will help you leverage the software's full potential and communicate better with stakeholders.

If you’d like a comprehensive walkthrough, watch our video on YouTube. We also recommend going through the rest of our videos to learn more about how to use other Microsoft and Google products effectively. 

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