Microsoft Project 2013 Fundamentals

Picture of Microsoft Project 2013 Fundamentals
Quick Facts
  • Delivery Method Online
  • Professional Certificate
  • 24hrs Suggested Study Time
  • 3 Months Access
  • Tutor Support
  • Study On Any Device
  • 272 Students

Discover how to effectively plan, implement, manage, and control projects using the world's most popular project management software.

Discover how to effectively plan, implement, and control projects using the world's most popular project management software, Microsoft Project 2013. From sequencing tasks, producing a baseline, and assigning resources and costs, to tracking progress, analysing variances, and revising your project plan, Microsoft Project can help you organise all your project's details quickly and effectively.

In this course, you'll master the basics of Microsoft Project 2013 so you can create a project schedule in no time flat and then share it with clients and co-workers. Using the program's different views, such as the Calendar and Gantt chart views, you'll be able to manage your project information and produce effective reports. Armed with this information, you'll avoid going down dead-end alleys and overloading your schedule. And should you encounter trouble, you'll master a number of tried-and-true problem-resolution techniques to help get your project back on track.

You'll also learn how to fine-tune different aspects of your project, including splitting tasks for work interruptions and defining material consumption rates. After completing the course, you'll know how to develop, implement, and control a project plan that meets organisational and customer objectives.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

Microsoft Project can help you manage your project's schedule, costs, and scope in a way that you've never dreamed of. Too often, Project users never use this powerful tool to its fullest potential. In your first lesson, you'll discover how to improve your project by adopting a formal management approach. You'll get a quick overview of Project Management, and then you'll learn the basics of Microsoft Project, including a summary of the Gantt Chart view and ways to create and enter project tasks.

If you're looking for ways to keep organized, you'll see just how to do that in today's lesson! We'll walk through steps to create a project schedule in no time flat. Once you create and enter tasks in Project's Gantt Chart view, you'll set a schedule by using a calendar and assigning lead times. Then, you'll need to create task dependencies, sometimes known as links. You'll see how to perform these activities and, in the process, you'll become comfortable using Project's many dialog boxes. Before you know it, you'll be creating schedules for all your projects with little effort.

<p>You won't get too far with your project without adding resources. While tasks create the backbone of your project, people, equipment, and material bring your project to life. In this lesson, you'll find out how to apply two types of Project resources&mdash;work resources, and material resources. We'll look at two more dialog boxes&mdash;Resource Information and Assign Resources&mdash;and you'll learn how to analyze resources by using the Resource Sheet and Resource Usage views. </p> <div><br> </div>

<P>No matter what project you work on, the bottom line is always important. So get ready to add the final piece to your basic project schedule&mdash;costs. We'll start things off by looking through a brief overview of cost accounting, exploring fixed, variable, relevant, and accrued costs. After this review, you'll learn how to assign costs by using the Resource Sheet. You'll even discover how to assign different costs for the same resource and analyze the overall costs for your project by using the Cost Table. </P> </H1>

Successful project managers are known for their efficiency and for safeguarding private information. Microsoft Project provides two excellent methods to help you in these areas: project templates and project security. You'll find out how to use some of the many templates Project has to offer, including the Residential Construction template and the New Product template. You'll also learn how to protect your project information with backups, passwords, and write protection. Then you'll discover how to put Project's task constraints to good use.

In this lesson, you'll discover how easy it is to modify your basic schedules and work with project data. You'll look at the various Project views, such as the Calendar, Leveling Gantt, and the Network Diagram. And if you don't like the default colors or fonts in your schedule or table, you'll be well-prepared to make changes. You'll even learn how and why you might want to create a combination view; add notes to your project; or sort, filter, and group data.

Many projects experience schedule compression when management or clients ask that the project be completed sooner and for less. In today's lesson, you'll discover how to improve your schedule's performance. You'll explore the Project Statistics dialog box, and you'll learn how to determine the ideal starting point in terms of planned costs and completion dates. You'll see how to change task dependencies to speed up your project and also find out how to split tasks to add more lead time. You'll also learn how to create recurring tasks and attach notes to your project's taskbars.

Before you implement your project, you need to create a baseline. This will help you track actual results against what you originally set out to accomplish. Microsoft Project makes it possible to set up a baseline with a few mouse clicks. You'll learn how to create a baseline and then see a variety of ways, including using the Tracking toolbar, to record your actual project results.

Here's where things really start to come together! You'll learn how to compare actual results to your baseline by using the Gantt Chart and reviewing a table. You'll discover how useful status identifiers and progress lines can be to quickly gain information about your project's position. You'll also begin using the Tracking Gantt and filters to automatically identify slipping tasks. You'll also take a stroll through the basics of variance analysis by discussing the Start and Finish Date, Resources, and Work Variance Tables.

Once your project gets rolling, outsiders will probably want to know how things are going. It can be a real time drain answering each request individually. When others request information from you, Microsoft Project offers the perfect solution: Reports. We'll go over a representative sample of the standard reports as well as discuss how to modify and create new reports in today's lesson. By the time you finish, you'll be well acquainted with Project's reporting capabilities and also know how to create Visual Reports as Project automatically exports data to Microsoft Excel and Visio.

Now that you're using reports to share project information, you'll occasionally need to print various views and tables. In this lesson, you'll delve into printing Microsoft Project documents. You'll be a master at creating different views of your project with the Page Setup dialog box, and you'll clearly understand the mechanics of the Print dialog box and the Print Preview.

No project is complete until it's officially closed. In this final lesson, you'll find out how to close your project and use the Organizer to help you customize and copy views for future projects.

Tony Swaim

Tony Swaim

Tony Swaim has helped many clients, colleagues, and students reach their professional and personal goals. He has been an online instructor since 1998 and has taught at colleges and universities across the United States since 1981. His focus areas ... Read more

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Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Microsoft Project 2013 Fundamentals you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

Still looking?

Check out the following courses related to Microsoft Project 2013 Fundamentals:

Creative Writing Workshop Online Course | Vibe Learning
 

Creative Writing Workshop

Picture of Creative Writing Workshop
Quick Facts
  • Delivery Method Online
  • Professional Certificate
  • 24hrs Suggested Study Time
  • 3 Months Access
  • Tutor Support
  • Study On Any Device
  • 24032 Students

Get a taste of the writer's life and improve your writing skills in this introduction to writing creatively.

If you've always wanted to write but have no idea where to start, this course will demystify the process for you. You'll get a taste of the writing life, improve your writing skills, and develop new ways to stretch your creative muscles.

This exciting, hands-on course for the creative writing novice is filled with challenging exercises, expert advice, and plenty of direct support and encouragement. As you work your way through the lessons, you'll develop your own short, creative fiction or nonfiction piece.

Our emphasis in this course is on developing your skills through practice, so you'll spend more time writing than reading. You'll master important concepts by completing enjoyable writing exercises and assignments, and you'll discover a variety of strategies and techniques the pros use to develop characters, create a compelling point of view, build interest through dialogue, and add meaning to your stories.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

You'll jump right in and start writing in this first lesson, but with the permission to write as poorly as you want. This isn't school as you knew it! Today, you'll find out how to enjoy yourself while you write—when you're having fun, that's when the learning starts. You'll learn how to listen to your mind work so you can practice turning your thoughts into words. You'll discover that you're quite a complicated person and why it's all right to think of yourself as a writer.

In today's lesson, you'll write even more as you practice writing description and capturing detail. More than that, you'll complete writing experiments that will help you discover what ideas and symbols reside in the things you write about. And you'll practice using description to capture emotion. By the end of the lesson, you'll have enough material to decide what you want to write about. You'll start work on a short, creative piece that you'll finish by the end of the class.

Today, you'll explore the different forms that fiction and creative nonfiction can take. Form is the container that holds your ideas. Creative nonfiction is a new genre that offers you many terrific ways to explore your love of writing. To stimulate your creative side, I've also included a list of some odd forms you might try. You'll find out that you have the option of ignoring the decision about form for now, letting it emerge from your content as you write. It takes courage, but you can do it.

Memorizing the major points of view is boring! Instead, you'll spend this lesson writing from each of the points of view, then learning about them afterward. You'll have a lot more fun that way. I'll show you how distance works in creative writing, and why your verb tense can make a big difference. This practice will give you as taste of each point of view option, and help you decide which you want to use in your own creative piece.

In this lesson, you'll get a chance to play by exploring the concept of creativity. You'll find your own creative center and use it to come up with ideas that are better than you expected. You'll try a technique called "galumphing" to create a mini-story. You'll learn to take the attitude of a <em>bricoleur</em> so that you can make something out of nothing. You'll gain the knowledge you need to continually nurture your creative ability.

You'd think the topic of revision would be dull and dry. The exact opposite is true. Revision is one of the most amazing tools a writer can use. Beyond learning the nuts and bolts of revision, you'll learn how revision is a process of discovery. Your creativity will constantly contribute while you evaluate your words using all your abilities. Come along for a bit of revelation.

Here's where you'll learn why it's so easy to write poorly, and you'll discover some good ways to catch yourself when you do. You'll find out why nouns are more powerful than adjectives and why a strong verb outshines a descriptive adverb. Next, we'll examine each step of the communication process and practice making dull sentences interesting. You'll learn a great technique for eliminating clichés and use the depths of your creative ability to write a powerful, original description.

Every creative writer can use some tips about the logistics of dialogue. It's not easy to write what characters are thinking, avoid hedging words, use conflict to create interest, describe emotions, and always get your facts right. These techniques aren't typically taught in school, so it's helpful to learn them here. You'll practice fixing choppy sentences, and you'll begin to think about your readers and what they have to do with what you want to write.

It's time to examine how the act of writing teaches you about yourself. You'll take a good look at the voices of your inner critics to see what they're really telling you. You'll discover whose voices you're listening to and write them "Unsent Letters" to tell them what you think about their messages. You'll try a writing exercise called "The Story of My Life" that will help you examine where you've been and where you'd like to go from here. Then you'll practice the "Ultimate Motivation" exercise to figure out what it takes to make your dreams come true.

Today, you'll delve into the inner workings of stories. We'll explore the three basic building blocks of a plot. You'll try out several ways to make up a plot and learn how to write endings. We'll discuss the option of writing a story before you know how it ends. It takes courage, but the result can be worth the bumpy ride. You'll explore how to move through time using summaries, scenes, and flashbacks. This lesson will help you understand why even simple stories can intrigue and hold your reader.

All people have a lot in common. We share the same basic story. We're born, we struggle, and in the end, we die. Your job as a writer is to create characters that your readers feel similarities with. In this lesson, you'll practice developing characters and using dialogue. You'll learn how to pay attention to people—what makes them different and what makes them the same. I'll pass on some tips on writing good dialogue, and then you'll conduct an in-depth interview—with yourself!

In our last lesson, we'll talk about the ways you'll inevitably doubt yourself as you write. You'll try out two exploratory writing exercises that will help you develop the trust you need to keep on writing. I'll have you consider the point of view of an alien living five million light years away. Humans have an odd habit of writing down events that may or may not have happened. Why do they like to write? What good does it do? How can they tell good writing from what isn't so good? From this perspective, you'll discover why the pursuit of meaning comes naturally to human beings. You'll get some good advice about steps you can take to continue to improve your writing, as well as explore publishing. In your final assignment, you'll share your short creative piece with me and your fellow students.

Ann Linquist

Ann Linquist

Ann Linquist is a popular continuing education tutor, at corporations, and with non-profit organisations. She has helped thousands of adults learn to tackle their writing tasks with enthusiasm. Having written everything from novels to newsletters,... Read more

Read Ann Linquist's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Creative Writing Workshop you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

Still looking?

Check out the following courses related to Creative Writing Workshop: