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Creating Relationships between Tasks with Microsoft Project

One of the most useful features of Microsoft Project is its ability to handle tasks. In order to get the most out of this feature and all of the other components found in the software, Microsoft Project Training is a must. If you're just getting started with Project 2007, here's a brief overview of entering tasks and creating relationships between them.

Microsoft Project uses two types of tasks: summary tasks and subtasks. Entering tasks is a matter of typing the task name directly into the cell below the Task Name column heading. Next enter the estimated duration of each task but skip entering the start and end dates for now. As you enter tasks into your project, the Gantt chart is automatically updated with bars representing the values you entered.

Summary tasks represent a series of tasks grouped into phases of the project. For example, if your project involves filming a television commercial, you might break the project into three phases: pre-production, production, and post-production. Each of these phases can coincide with summary tasks. Subtasks for are the task that fall under each summary task. Writing the commercial's script and auditioning actors would be subtasks of the pre-production summary task.

Each task has dependencies on one another which can be linked within Microsoft Project. The default start date when entering tasks is the project's start date. However, these are easily changed through linking. By setting relationships between tasks such as "finish to start" and "start to finish," the software will assign start and stop dates based on the tasks relationship to other tasks.

To link tasks, use the Link Tasks option in the Edit menu. You can also drag and drop tasks in the Gantt chart to create relationships between them.

If you're using Project 2003, Microsoft Project 2003 Training will go over working with tasks in greater detail. Likewise, Microsoft Project 2007 Training does the same for users who have the 2007 version.

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