Task Creation in Microsoft Project 2010

It is a good idea to break out required tasks into the detail level that you would like to track for the project. If there are high risk portions of the project, it may be an idea to break these portions into even greater detail. How will you know when the task is completed? Defining a specific determinant for completion of a task is required for each task. By defining all task durations, the shorter tasks are the areas where it will be easier to estimate the use of time and resources. Organizing your tasks is the process of applying an outline and ensuring that the tasks are in a pre-specified order. This will make it easier to manage and maintain your task list. Applying an outline can be done as you enter each task or it can be done after the tasks are entered.

Adding Tasks

1. On the View Tab, in the Task Views Group, click on Gantt Chart.
2. In the Task Name Field, choose an empty cell and type a task name
3. Click Enter.

Add a Task while viewing the Network Diagram

1. On the View tab, in the Task Views Group, click on Network Diagram.
2. On the Task tab, in the Insert Group, click on the Task Button.
3. Type the new task name in the new task box
4. Click Enter.

Inserting Tasks into a task list

1. Select the row below where you want the task to be inserted.
2. On the Task Tab, in the Insert Group, click on the Task Button.
3. Type the new task name in the inserted blank row.
4. Click Enter.

Creating Repeating Tasks

Repeating tasks, or tasks that are repeated at separate times, should be entered as a Recurring Task. If the task does not repeat, it should not be entered as a Recurring Task and should be entered as a Regular Task each time that it occurs.
1. On the View tab, in the Task Views Group, click Gantt Chart.
2. Select the row below where the recurring task will appear.
3. On the Task tab, in the Insert Group, click the Task button and then click Recurring Task.

4. Type the task name in the Task Name box.
5. Type the duration of the task (as a single occurrence) in the Duration box.
6. In the Recurrence Pattern section, click Daily, Weekly, Monthly or Yearly
7. Select the checkboxes to better specify the timing, such as the days of the week, or months that the task will occur.
8. Enter a start date. If no date is specified, the date will be automatically set to be the project start date.
9. Enter the end of the task. This can be specified by either entering the number of occurrences or by entering the specified end date.
10. Select either a specific calendar that will be used for this task, or select None. You will have an option to choose a calendar to apply but by selecting the Scheduling Ignores Resource Calendars check box, the calendar will not be tied into the scheduling of the task.

Creating Multiple Tasks

Task Form View is used when you are entering numerous tasks with similar resources and dependencies. A split window displays the Gantt Chart view and the Task Form view together on the screen. The Task Form view is not used to create sub-tasks in the project. Subtasks are created by in-denting and out-denting tasks while in the Gantt Chart view.

1. On the View tab, in the Task Views group, click Gantt Chart.
2. On the View tab, in the Split View group, select Details.

3. In the Gantt Chart view, click the empty row at the end of the task list.
4. In the Task Form view, you can type the information required for the task, such as the Name, and Duration. If the task will be for a fixed duration in spite of other resource assignments, then the Effort Driven check box should be selected. Detailed information can be entered in the form columns, such as predecessor tasks and specified resources required.
5. Click OK to save the task.
6. Click Next to move to the next row in the Gantt Chart view.

Simon Calder

Chris “Simon” Calder was working as a Project Manager in IT for one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious cultural institutions, LACMA. He taught himself to use Microsoft Project from a giant textbook and hated every moment of it. Online learning was in its infancy then, but he spotted an opportunity and made an online MS Project course - the rest, as they say, is history!