When using Microsoft Project Online to plan, manage, track and control projects, project managers can benefit from using collaboration capabilities that are available in the platform. For each new project you start, there’s the option to set up a Project Site in which project artifacts — such as risks, issues and documents — can be…

In prior articles I’ve reviewed how leveling determines which task to delay and the techniques Microsoft Project can use to resolve those allocations. In this article you learn about additional resource leveling limitations. Contrary to what you might think, leveling doesn’t always resolve every overallocation. I know, it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? Prior articles…

A few months ago I wrote about the structure of the project management office or PMO. In that article I referenced the concept of the ad hoc PMO — one that’s formed to meet a specific goal, such as for training project managers or performing an audit on a portfolio of projects. What I didn’t…

Welcome back to our series on resource leveling! This article wraps up the core leveling functionality by examining the leveling fields available to: Override leveling options at a task or resource level; and Review leveling changes or impacts. Override Fields “Level Assignments” This Yes/No field is a task level override for the project-level “Leveling can…

Meeting a new client for the first time can be challenging; especially when they have a reputation for being difficult. What is the best way to establish a positive relationship with a demanding client who doesn’t always get along with others? What do you do? How do you build a good rapport? Each situation is…

Simply defined, the word “split” means “to break apart.” There are many types of splits in the world, ranging from banana splits to stock splits. And not to be left behind, Microsoft Project allows tasks to be split. But what does “split” mean within the context of resource leveling and what actually happens when Project…

During Microsoft Project Online implementations, our clients and users often ask two questions: What is the best practice for using Strategy, the portfolio analysis, feature in Microsoft Project Online? Can we depend on the outcome of a portfolio analysis process? In this article I address both. The main goal of portfolio analysis is to identify,…

In prior articles, we’ve talked about two of the three resource leveling components. The first component, leveling mechanics, defines what will be leveled and when leveling will occur. The second component, leveling hierarchy is a decision tree for defining the tie-breaker aspects of leveling. In other words, it determines which task stays put and which…

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The field of project management is a demanding one. It takes a great deal of training and experience to become an effective project manager, which is the reason why there’s such a high demand for them in the job market. Common skills needed to effectively manage projects include a clear vision of the goals to…