Project 365: Build Plans & Calendars

Course description

This course is designed to equip learners with the essential skills to initiate and structure project plans using Microsoft Project. It focuses on the foundational steps required before task entry, ensuring that learners understand how to configure project settings, calendars, and scheduling modes to align with organizational needs. Participants will begin by learning how to create a new project plan from scratch or using templates, including how to leverage existing organizational standards. The course then explores the critical distinction between manual and auto scheduling, helping learners understand how each mode affects task dependencies and project timelines. Through practical demonstrations, learners will see how auto scheduling dynamically adjusts successor tasks, while manual scheduling offers more flexibility for discretionary dependencies. A significant portion of the course is dedicated to configuring project properties and customizing calendars. Learners will discover how to define project metadata, such as title, subject, and client, and how these details integrate into reports and file properties. The course also covers creating and customizing project calendars, including setting exception days and defining work week patterns like summer hours or weekend shifts. By the end of the course, learners will be able to confidently set up a project environment that supports accurate scheduling and reporting, laying a strong foundation for successful project execution.

Course outline