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╔══════════════════════════════╗
║ E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm) ║
║ ║
║ USER GUIDE ║
║ Version 2.5 ║
╚══════════════════════════════╝
A Project Management and Tracking System
for the I.B.M. Personal Computer and Compatibles
(c) Copyright 1987, 1988 Parcell Software
All Rights Reserved
Parcell Software
948 Manchester Course
Geneva, Il 60134
(312) 232-6328
CompuServe ID: 72250,1356
┌─────────┐
┌─────┴───┐ │ (tm)
──│ │o │──────────────────
│ ┌─────┴╨──┐ │ Association of
│ │ │─┘ Shareware
└───│ o │ Professionals
──────│ ║ │────────────────────
└────╨────┘ MEMBER
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Registration
Easy Project is a Shareware program.
You are encouraged to copy and share this program with other users.
No fee can be charged for such copying and distribution except for
a nominal charge to defray expenses.
If you find this program useful, we trust you to send a $39.00
payment. Registration covers a single PC only. Site licenses
available upon request.
Shareware constitutes a viable, low cost alternative to many
commercially available products. Shareware distribution gives users
an opportunity to try software before buying it. If you try a
Shareware program and continue to use it, you are expected to
register. Your support is important and greatly appreciated.
All registered users will receive:
- Latest version of Easy Project with Shareware screen
disabled
- Printed User Guide
- Notification of updates
- Free technical support
Please use the form below when registering your copy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E A S Y P R O J E C T
2.5
Registration Form
Name: Date:
Address:
Where did you hear about Easy Project:
Registration is $39.00 and covers a single PC only.
Please send a check or money order to :
Parcell Software
948 Manchester Course
Geneva, Il 60134
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Introduction
Easy Project is a project management tool for the I.B.M. and
compatible personal computers. Easy Project is designed to be an
easy to learn, practical, and efficient method for planning,
tracking, and controlling all types of projects.
Easy Project features:
1. User defined project phases (20 maximum)
2. Unlimited number of resources per project
3. User defined tasks (1000 per project)
4. User defined subordinate tasks or items (100 per task)
5. Fast data entry with multiple resource assignments
per task
6. Automatic scheduling and schedule maintenance
7. Gantt charts showing planned vs. actual dates
with variable scales
8. Extensive reporting including work plans, status reports,
and earned value accrual reporting
9. Online context sensitive help screens
10. dBASE III file compatibility
Sample data is provided to assist in learning Easy Project.
Disclaimer
Parcell Software specifically disclaims any warranty, either
expressed or implied, including but not limited to the
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a
particular use.
In no event shall Parcell Software be liable for any special,
consequential, or other damages, including loss of profit
arising out of the us of this program.
Trademarks
Easy Project is a trademark of Parcell Software
I.B.M. is a registered trademark of the I.B.M Corporation.
dBASE III is a registered trademark of Ashton-Tate, Inc.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
System Requirements
Hardware
I.B.M. PC/XT/AT/PS2 or 100% Compatible with at least 256K RAM
Monitor
Any
Printer
Over 40 different printers are supported. To print Gantt
charts using graphic characters, your printer must support
the I.B.M. character set.
Software
DOS 2.x or 3.x
CONFIG.SYS File
A CONFIG.SYS file must be in the root directory of the
boot disk. This file should contain the following two
records:
BUFFERS = 24
FILES = 24
These values are minimum values.
Re-boot DOS after making these changes.
Installation
Hard Disk
To install Easy Project on a hard disk system, place your copy
of Easy Project in drive A and type:
INSTALLH
This installation procedure will create a sub-directory on
your hard disk of \EP and copy the necessary files.
2 Floppy System
1. Make a backup of your Easy Project disk.
2. Using backup copy in drive A and blank formatted disk
in drive B, type: INSTALLF <enter>
This process will copy all necessary data files to drive
B and keep system files on drive A. Label the disk in
drive A "EP System" and the disk in drive B "EP Data".
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Starting Easy Project
Hard Disk
From the \EP directory, type: EP <enter>
2 Floppy System
With the EP System disk in drive A and the EP Data disk
in drive B, type : EP <enter>
NOTE: The first time you execute Easy Project, choose the
Utilities option from the Main Menu. From this menu,
configure both your monitor and your printer. After
making your monitor and printer choices, exit the system
and re-enter to have the monitor configuration take effect.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Data Entry Notes
On all Easy Project screens and menus, the cursor can be controlled
in the following fashion:
Key Result
<--| (Enter) Proceeds to the next field. When
pressed while the cursor is in the
last field of a screen or menu, all
data will be saved.
PgDn Exits the screen saving all changes.
Esc Exits the screen without saving any
changes.
Up Arrow Moves cursor to previous field.
Down Arrow Moves cursor to next field.
<- Moves cursor backward one space.
-> Moves cursor forward one space.
F5 Deletes record while in Resource or
Task update screens.
F1 At any time while in Easy Project,
help is available by pressing 'F1'.
Easy Project will recognize what field
or menu the request came from, and
then display the appropriate text.
Three heavily used fields will provide additional HELP when F1 is
prossed:
Project Number: Will list all current projects on file.
Task Number: Will list all current tasks for a particular
project.
Resource: Will list all current resources for a
particular project.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Main Menu
The Main Menu is the driver for Easy Project. On this and all
other menus, enter the number choice for the function you want.
The components of the Main Menu are:
Set Up Project Parameters
Used to create project numbers, project descriptions,
phase descriptions and set Gantt scales.
Add/Change/Delete Resources
Used for adding and maintaining resource data.
Add/Change/Delete Tasks
Used for adding and maintaining task detail data.
Automatic Schedule Generation
Schedule work plans automatically.
Gantt Charts
Produce Gantt charts for a project or phase showing
original vs. current task dates.
Reports
Generate nine different reports including work plans,
status reports and summary reports. This function contains
its own menu.
Utilities
Used to configure system and provide sundry utility
file handling. This function contains its own menu.
Registration Information
How to register Easy Project.
Exit to DOS
Return to operation system.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Creating a New Project
Easy Project is designed for quick project creation. After
spending a short time entering project data, Gantt charts and
reports will become available.
Follow this process when creating a new project:
1. Choose 'Set Up Project Parameters' from the Main Menu and
enter project number, descriptions, phase descriptions and
appropriate Gantt scale information.
2. Choose 'Add/Change/Delete Resources' from the Main Menu and
add resource data for the project. Resources will be
identified by assigning them a unique user defined code.
3. Choose 'Add/Change/Delete Tasks' from the Main Menu to
enter individual tasks to the project. (See Notes On
Entering Tasks)
4. If you want Easy Project to calculate estimated schedule
dates, choose 'Automatic Schedule Generation' from the Main
Menu. (See Notes on Automatic Scheduling)
5. At this point, Gantt charts and/or reports may be produced.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Set Up Project Parameters
Easy Project has the ability to store data from several different
projects at one time. Each of those projects can have different base
parameters.
Before task or resource data can be entered for a particular
project, certain parameters or criteria must be defined.
Project Number
Every project must have its own unique project number. This
number is used to tell the system what project should be
retrieved. This number can be composed of any combinations of
characters or numbers (5 character maximum).
NOTE: Pressing 'F1' while on the project number field will
provide a list of all currently used numbers.
Project Name
The Project Name is used to identify the project. This
description will appear on all screens and reports.
Project Description
To further define a project, use these fields. The data
entered here will print on all reports.
Phase Descriptions
For most projects, it is better to divide the project into
smaller, more manageable phases. Examples of phases could be:
1. Lay foundation
2. Framing
3. Plumbing
OR
1. Feasibility Study
2. Design and Analysis
3. Programming
4. Acceptance
Easy Project permits 20 different phases to be defined for one
particular project. The descriptions entered here will appear
on project summary reports.
Gantt Scale
Flexible Gantt scales can be chosen to insure the most
complete view of a project. Each symbol on the chart can
represent from 1 to 6 days or weeks. For projects of short
duration, a scale in days is probably more appropriate.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Add/Change/Delete Resources
Before task data can be entered, resource information must be
established. Resources may consist of human type
(employees, consultants, etc.) or fixed type (materials, capital
expenses, etc.).
Field Descriptions
Identifier: Each resource must be assigned a unique
identifier. This identifier could be a name,
initials or an account code. The identifier
can be up to 6 characters and is alphanumeric.
NOTE: Pressing F1 while the cursor is in the
Identifier field will produce a list of
all resources already assigned to the project.
Name: Enter the full name or description of the
resource.
Rate: The charge rate for the resource.
Type: Choose either Hourly, Daily, or Fixed. If
Fixed is chosen, this resource will not be
automatically scheduled.
Dept: Enter a department code for the resource. This
code may be up to 3 characters and is
alphanumeric.
NOTE: This is an optional entry but is required
to produce departmentalized reports.
Useage: Used to identify how many hours this resource
works in one day. (not needed for Fixed types)
Source: An optional entry to further describe the
resource.
Example: EMP = Employee
CON = Consultant
Note 1 &
Note 2: An optional entry to use for any purpose.
E A S Y P R O J E C T
Add/Change/Delete Tasks
Task definition is the heart of project management. Easy Project
permits for practical task creation and maintenance. Before sitting
down and entering data, plan what logical order your tasks will
follow and if possible, divide your project into phases. Once your
data has been entered, refinement and maintenance is easy.
Field Definitions
Task: Enter the two digit phase number plus
three digit task number for this task.
Refer to 'Notes on Entering Tasks' for
choosing task numbers.
Item: Each task can consist of numerous
subordinate tasks or items. Enter an
item number in this field. (optional)
Predecessor: Use this field to tie tasks to a
proceeding or parent task. Refer to
'Assigning Predecessors'.
Description: Enter the description for this task.
This description will appear on all
reports and Gantt charts.
Milestone: If this task in considered a Milestone
in the project, enter 'Y'.
Resource: Enter the resource identifier of the
resource assigned to this task. A
maximum of four different resources
may be assigned to a particular task.
Est. Time: Enter the amount of time (hours/days)
this task is expected to take to
complete this task.
Time To-Date: Enter the amount of time this resource
has taken thus far for this task.
Original Start/Stop: Enter the original or planned start
and stop date for this task.
Current Start/Stop: Enter the current start and stop date
for this task.
Note 1 & Note 2: To be used for any purpose.
Remaining: Enter the time remaining for this
task. The system will default to
the difference between estimated and
time to-date.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Notes on Entering Tasks
Every task number consists of the following elements:
Task Number - 2 character phase number (01-20) plus
3 character task number (user defined)
Item Number - 2 characters, user defined (optional)
Predecessor - 7 characters, made up of (Phase + Task +
Item)
Keep in mind that most reports are produced in task number
order. Using sequential task numbers of 001, 002, etc. within
each phase is recommended.
Item number is meant as a subordinate task. This is an
optional entry but is useful in breaking down a large main
task. Again, it's useful to use sequential item numbers
within each task number.
Predecessor designates what task, if any, the current task is
dependent upon. This field is also optional and will default
to its own task and item number. If this is used, it should
consist of the phase, task and item number of the preceding
task.
Assigning Predecessors
Predecessor numbers should be assigned using the parent or
host task number. Several tasks can all contain the same
predecessor number. If no predecessor is assigned, the system
will default to the task number.
Sample Task Numbers
Task Field = 01-002
Item Field = 03
Predecessor = 01-002 03
Definition: This task belongs to phase 1, task equals 002 and
this is the third item for task 002.
This task is not dependent on any other task so the
predecessor field defaults to the phase, task and
item number.
Task Field = 01-003
Item Field = 01
Predecessor = 01-002 03
Definition: This task belongs to phase 1, task equals 003 and
this is the first item for task 003.
This task is dependent on the task from the first
example (its parent task).
E A S Y P R O J E C T
Automatic Schedule Maintenance
If an original start or stop date is changed, for an existing
task, the automatic scheduler will be invoked adjusting both
original and current start/stop dates. This adjustment will
occur only for tasks assigned the same predecessor. You will
have the ability to override the proposed dates.
Likewise, if a current start or stop date is changed, the
automatic scheduler will be invoked to adjust current dates
only.
Marking Tasks Complete
For the purpose of the Project Status Report, Easy Project
considers a task complete when time remaining equals zero and
estimated or time to-date is greater than zero.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Automatic Schedule Generation
Easy Project will automatically calculate original start and stop
dates based on the estimated time assigned to each task.
To calculate dates, enter the project number followed by the base
start date. The base start date should be the date the project may
begin.
Schedule Screen Display
As the schedule generates, each task and the newly calculated dates
are displayed. After the screen fills, you have the ability
to change or override the calculated date. Pressing <ESC> aborts
the update process and the records will not be updated.
Use the <ENTER> key to advance the cursor. When the screen
is completely updated, these dates will be used to update both the
original and the current start and stop dates for the tasks.
Notes on Dependencies
For automatic scheduling and Gantt charts, dependencies should be
created using the following example:
In the case of tasks 001, 002, 003 and 004 being dependent
upon the respective prior task (004 on 003, 003 on 002, etc.)
assign tasks 002, 003, and 004 dependent to task 001.
Think of task 001 as the parent task and then place the
dependent tasks in task number order.
Notes on Scheduling
1. In the case of multiple resource tasks, the resource
taking the greatest amount of time will be used in
calculating the schedule. (the display reflects this)
2. Any task which has a fixed type resource will be ignored.
3. On the Resource update screen, the Useage field should
reflect the total number of hours the resource works
in one day. Use this for both hourly and daily type
resources.
4. Weekends will be taken into consideration when
calculating the schedule.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Gantt Chart
Easy Project's Gantt charts are designed to give a graphic display
of a projects planned vs. actual progress.
Two different types of charts may be produced:
1. A chart displaying task for one particular phase in
task number order.
2. A chart displaying the entire project with tasks grouped
by dependencies.
In order for a task to be displayed, it must have an Original Start
Date.
Scale Options
Refer to Set Up Project Parameters on how to set the Gantt scale.
It may be changed at any time during the project.
Output Options
Easy Project offers three options for generating Gantt charts:
1. (D)isplay - The chart will be displayed on your monitor.
If the scale is set to 1 day, a view of
2 months will be displayed.
2. (P)rint - The chart will be printed in compressed format.
With a scale set to 1 day, a view of approximately
4 months will be printed.
3. (F)ile - The chart will be written to a disk file named
GANTT.PRN. This is an ASCII file that may be
printed through DOS or by using another print
utility program. If the scale is set to 1 day,
a view of approximately 6 months will be printed.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Report Menu
Many helpful reports can be instantly generated either online or
sent to your printer. Due to space limitations, some reports are
printed in compressed format - thus giving more detail than when
displayed online.
Sample copies of all reports are contained at the end of this
manual.
Work Plan By Task - Produces a detailed work plan for
a particular phase in task number order.
Work Plan By Resource - Produces a detailed work plan for
the entire project in order of task original start date
within resource.
Work Plan Project Summary - Summarizes all phases of a
project plan giving a concise report.
Work Plan Resource Summary - Produces a departmentalized
resource summary either for a particular phase or the entire
project.
Project Status Report (Plan vs. Actual) - A to-date status
report for the entire project.
Project Status Summary (Actual) - Summarizes all project
phases showing actual costs and current dates.
Project Resource Summary (Actual) - Shows departmental
break down of actual costs by individual resource.
Earned Value Report - A to-date report detailing cost
accruals.
Resource List - Gives a detailed list of all resources
assigned to a particular project.
Exit - Return to the Main Menu.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Utility Menu
The Utility Menu consists of various functions that may be used for
file handling or system configuration.
NOTE: Be sure to backup all Easy Project files on a regular basis.
This will help in recovering from any potential disasters.
Reindex All Files
Easy Project uses several index files which permits fast data
retrieval. These index files are not compatible with dBASE or
any other known applications. All files with the extension of
.NTX should never be deleted.
If the file integrity of your files is every in question,
choose the reindex option. File integrity may degrade due to
abnormal termination of the system.
It can never hurt the system to reindex files.
Delete (Pack) Marked Records
When task or resource data is deleted using the 'F5' key,
they (records) are actually marked for deletion but physically
remain on file. These records are unavailable for normal use.
The delete option on this menu will physically delete all
marked records. Once this option is exercised, the marked
records can no longer be used or recovered.
Undelete (Recall) Records
This option will seek all records that have been marked for
deletion (and not packed), and recall or make them available
again for processing.
NOTE: This option will recall all records from all project
from all files regardless of project number.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Utility Menu (continued)
Delete Project
This function will delete all tasks, resources and related
records for a particular project.
To use, first enter the project number to delete. Next, you
will be prompted to verify that you really want to delete the
project. Answering 'N' will bypass any deletions. If
verified, records are marked for deletion.
Copy or Clone Project
On occasion, you may want to create a project that has many
similar tasks as another project previously entered. The copy
option will take a current project and duplicate all tasks and
resources using a new project number. The old project remains
intact with no changes.
Rebuild Files from Importing
Easy Project database files (.DBF) are dBASE III compatible
and can be exported directly into many other applications.
Exporting may provide useful for additional reporting or mass
updating.
If files are exported and then imported into Easy Project,
they must be rebuilt. This function will automatically
rebuild index files and all necessary relations.
NOTE: Exercise caution when updating Easy Project files from
outside applications. Be sure to have recent backups of all
files as a safeguard.
Backup Data Files
On a regular, consistent basis, backups should be made of
Easy Project files. This option will copy all databases
(.DBF) to a floppy disk. If you are using a two floppy
system, use drive A:
NOTE: This function copies only data files. Regular backups
of all Easy Project files should be made using the DOS COPY or
DISKCOPY commands.
If files are used from a backup, be sure to reindex the
files.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Utility Menu (continued)
Configure Monitor
This option sets the proper type of monitor for your system.
To have these changes take effect, exit Easy Project
completely and then re-enter.
Configure Printer
Easy Project supports many printers. Find the number that
corresponds to your printer and enter the number at the
prompt. If your printer is not listed, choose either the
I.B.M. Graphics or Other ASCII Printer.
To print Gantt charts using the same graphic characters that
are displayed, your printer must support the I.B.M. character
set.
Exit
This will return you to the Main Menu.
E A S Y P R O J E C T (tm)
Conclusion
We hope this User Guide assists in your using Easy Project.
Easy Project is a dynamic system that will constantly be upgraded
and improved. Your suggestions and comments are greatly appreciated.
If you have any questions about Easy Project, please contact us
by mail or via CompuServe EasyPlex.
Please remember to register if you find yourself using Easy Project.
Registered users will receive:
1. Latest version of Easy Project with Shareware screen
disabled
2. Printed User Guide with sample screens, reports and
Gantt charts
3. Notification of updates
4. Free technical support
Thanks again for using Easy Project.
Parcell Software
948 Manchester Course
Geneva, Il 60134
(312) 232-6328
CompuServe ID (72250,1356)