Copyright: ® Polaris Software, Inc.


Contents

Project Management

1)  Creating a Project List Viewer

2)  Setting Up a Project

3)  Adding Tasks to a Project

4)  Setting Prerequisites and Dependencies

5)  Setting Up a Resource

6)  Assigning Resources

7)  Calculating a Project

8)  Starting a Task

9)  Completing a Task

10)  Slipping a Task

11) Viewing the Project Summary

12) Viewing a Project on the Gantt Chart

Resource Management

Setting Up a Resource

Using a Resource

Viewing Resources with the List Viewer

Viewing Resources with the Gantt Chart


Project Management

Project Management allows you to plan and track an unlimited number of projects, each of which can consist of up to 200 tasks.  PackRat's Project Management maintains planned vs. actual Project completion, resources assigned, costs, prerequisite tasks, and an up to the minute status of each project.

In the following example, we will be managing the Project "International Sales Presentation".  We will be adding 5 tasks that need to be done to accomplish the Project.  And we will be using a number of Resources to complete the tasks.  Here is the Project outline:

Resources

The company car is a Resource used for task 4.

A conference room and overhead projector are the resources for task 5.

Prerequisites and Dependencies

Task 1 is a Prerequisite for tasks 2 and 3.

Tasks 2 and 3 are Prerequisites of task 4.

Tasks 2 and 3 are Dependent on task 1.

Task 5 is Dependent on task 4.

Select Always on Top from the Help menu to keep this help file on top of your PackRat desktop and use the advance [image] Browse arrow in this help file to scroll through the steps it takes to complete this Project.


Creating a Project List Viewer;Project Management
Creating a Project List Viewer

A List Viewer object can be added to your Projects folder for you to view your Project Task records.  To add a List Viewer object:

1.	Right-click on a blank area of the Projects folder to display the Instant Options Menu and select Add Objects.  The Objects dialog box appears.

2.	Select List Viewer from the Objects: box and click the Add button.  The List Viewer dialog box displays.

3.	Select Projects from the Category: drop-box and Project Task from the Form: drop-box.

4.	From the Available: box, highlight the SUMMARY field and click the [image] button.  The SUMMARY field appears in the Selected: box.

5.	Repeat Step 4 for the STARTDATEACTUAL, STARTTIMEACTUAL, and PROJECTSTATUS fields.

Note:  You can select whichever fields you would like to display on the List Viewer as described in Step 4.

6.	Select the Project Gantt Action Bar from the Action Bar: drop-box.

7.	Click the Title button to display the Title dialog box where you can define a Title Bar to be displayed on the Project List Viewer.

8.	Click OK on the Title dialog box and click OK on the List Viewer dialog box.

9.	Click the Cancel button on the Objects dialog box.

10.	Move/Size the Projects List Viewer as necessary.

11.	Right-click on the Projects List Viewer and select Move/Size to remove the black handles.

The Projects List Viewer can now be used to monitor Project Tasks.


Setting Up a Project

Before we begin, you need to setup your default Work Schedule.  From the Options menu, select Work Schedule.  Check the boxes of each day and each hour during the day that you normally work.  The default Work Schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM with lunch from 12 PM to 1 PM.  Your Work Schedule is used when calculating the time spent on tasks and on the project.

To setup the project:

1.	Choose Projects from the Setup menu.  The Projects dialog box displays.

2.	Click the New button to display the New Project dialog box.

3.	Enter the description, "Int'l Sales Presentation" in the Project Name field.  If we were copying the contents of another Project as a template for this Project, we would check the Copy Project From box and select the name of the Project from the drop box.

4.	Enter the date and time the project will begin.  Check the Recalculate Project Automatically box to automatically recalculate the Project whenever changes are made.

5.	Click OK on the New Project dialog box.  The Project is created.


Adding Tasks to a Project

Once the Project has been created, you can begin adding the tasks needed to complete the project.  To add the first task:

1.	Click the [image] Add button on the Project Manager List Viewer.  The Project Task form displays.

2.	Enter the description "Research sales figures" as the Task Name, and assign the number 1 as the Task ID.  (The Task ID field allows you to assign a numbering sequence to each of your Project Tasks.)

3.	Enter 1 week as the length of time needed to complete the task in the Duration field.

4.	Enter the fixed cost associated with the research in the Base Cost field.  For instance, the base cost for the research is $59, this does not include any additional costs such as Resources used.  Additional costs are calculated later along with the Project.

5.	Enter the probability 100 as a percent (do not use the % symbol) that the task will be completed within the duration entered.  PackRat uses each task's probability to determine the probability of completing the entire project on time.  If there is no probability entered for the tasks in a project, a default probability of 0 will be used.

Note:  It's important that you enter a Probability.  If the Probability is 0 on any one task, the Probability of completing the entire Project will be 0.

6.	Enter 6/26/95 as the earliest date that the task can start in the Fixed Date field and 8AM as the earliest time that the task can start in the Fixed Time field.  If no date is entered, the date will default to the current date.  If no time is entered, the time will default to the earliest work hour specified in your Work Schedule.

Note:  The Planned/Actual Calculations and Status are calculated by PackRat and can not be entered.

7.	Click OK on the Project Task form to save the information entered for the task.

8.	Repeat steps 1 through 7 for the remaining tasks as follows:

Task 2	Duration    Base Cost    Fixed Date    Fixed Time

Make slides	1 Week     $75.00         7/3/95           8 AM

Task 3

Write	3 Days           0            7/3/95           8 AM

presentation

Task 4

Pick up	2 Hours      $30.00        7/10/95         9 AM

distributor

from airport

Task 5

Give	2 Hours      $35.00        7/10/95         2 PM

presentation

All tasks should have a 100% Probability of being completed.


Setting Prerequisites and Dependencies

A Prerequisite Task is one that must be completed before another task can begin.  A Dependent Task is one that depends on another to be completed before it can be started.  In order to complete the tasks "Make slides" and "Write presentation", you must first complete the task "Research sales figures".  We now need to define these relationships.

To define prerequisites:

1.	Click on the [image] Define Prerequisites button on the Project Manager List Viewer.  The Define Prerequisites dialog box displays.

2.	Select the task "Write presentation" from the Prerequisite for Task drop-box.

3.	Highlight the task "Research sales figures" listed under Available Tasks and click the [image] button.  The selected prerequisite task appears in the Prerequisites box.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the task "Make slides".

4.	Select the task "Pick up distributor from airport" from the Prerequisites for Task drop box and double-click on the tasks Make slides and Write presentation to define them as Prerequisites.

Note:  It is not necessary to exit the dialog box to define the remaining Prerequisites, simply select a different task from the Prerequisite for Task drop-box.

5.	The Prompt when saving changes checkbox is checked by default.  If you uncheck this box, the Project will automatically be updated without prompting you.  Click Close on the Define Prerequisites dialog box.

To define dependencies:

1.	Click on the [image] Define Dependencies button on the Project Manager List Viewer.  The Define Dependencies dialog box displays.

2.	Select the task "Pick up distributor from airport" from the Dependencies for drop-box.

3.	Highlight the task "Give presentation" listed under Available Tasks and click the [image] button.  The task appears in the Dependencies box.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 to define the tasks Make slides and Write Presentation as dependencies of the task Research slaes figures.

Note:  It is not necessary to exit the dialog box to define the remaining Dependencies, simply select a different task from the Dependencies for Task drop-box.

4.	The Prompt when saving changes checkbox is checked by default.  If you uncheck this box, the Project will automatically be updated without prompting you.  Click Close on the Define Dependencies dialog box.


Setting Up a Resource

In order to complete some of the Tasks in the Project, certain Resources are required.  Resources must first be setup in the Resources dialog box before they can be used in the Project Manager List Viewer.  To setup a new resource:

1.	Choose Resources from the Setup menu.  The Resources dialog box displays.

2.	Click the New button from the Resources dialog box to display the New Resource dialog box.

3.	Enter a description of the resource and the cost of using the resource (for example $10.00), select the appropriate time interval from the Cost drop-box (such as per Hour).

4.	Click OK on the New Resource dialog box.  This Resource can now be used to complete a task.

5.	Repeat steps 1 through 4 to set up the remaining Resources as follows:

Company Car at $30.00 per day

Overhead Projector at $35.00 per day


Assigning Resources

1.	Click on the [image] Assign Resources button on the Project Manager List Viewer.  The Assign Resources dialog box displays.

2.	Select the task "Pick up distributor from airport" from the Resources for Task drop box.

3.	Highlight the Resource "Company Car" listed under Available Resources and click the [image] button.  The Resource appears in the Selected Resources box.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 for assigning the Conference Room and Projector as Resources needed to complete the Task, "Give Presentation".

4.	Click the Close button on the Assign Resources dialog box.


Calculating a Project

Now that all the Tasks and Resources have been added, we need to calculate the Project.  If you checked the Recalculate Project Automatically box when the Project was created, you will only have to manually calculate the Project the first time.

1.	Click the [image] Projects button on Project Manager List Viewer.  The Projects dialog box displays.

2.	Highlight the Project name to be calculated and click the Calculate button.  When the Project is calculated, the status of the Project is changed, the cost of the Resources assigned are added into the total Project cost, and the Probability of completion is calculated.


Starting a Task

1.	Highlight the task "Research sales figures" on the Project Manager List Viewer and click the [image] Start a Task button.  The Start Task dialog box appears.

2.	Enter the Date and Time the task is actually started and click OK.

Repeat these steps when you begin each of the remaining tasks.


Completing a Task

1.	Highlight the task "Research sales figures" on the Project Manager List Viewer and click the [image] Complete a Task button.  The Complete Task dialog box appears.

2.	Enter the Date and Time the task is actually completed and click OK.

Repeat these steps when you complete each of the remaining tasks.


Slipping a Task

You receive a call from the international distributor, saying he is arriving on a later flight.  This means you will need to slip task 4.

1.	Highlight the task "Pick up distributor from airport" on the Project Manager List Viewer and click the [image] Slip a Task button.  The Slip Task dialog box appears.

2.	Enter the Date and Time the task is being slipped to and click OK.  The Planned Start Date and Time of the task is changed.

Note:  Once a task has been started it cannot be slipped.  Also, the Project will maintain it's initial Planned dates and times unless you restart the Project.  To restart the Project:

1.	Click on the [image] button on the Project Manager Action Bar and then click on the [image] button in the Projects dialog box.

2.	Check the Restart Project checkbox and click OK.  The Project is automatically recalculated.


Viewing the Project Summary

The Project Summary dialog box summarizes the various attributes of the project, such as Planned vs. Actual differences, the number of tasks, how many are completed, and the percentage of time used.

To display the Project Summary dialog box:

1.	Click on the [image] Projects button on the Project Manager List Viewer.  The Projects dialog box appears.

2.	Highlight the desired Project name and click the Summary button.


Viewing a Project on the Gantt Chart

You can add the Project Manager Gantt Chart object to any folder.  This Gantt Chart object allows you to display a graphical representation of your time related Project Tasks.  The vertical axis of the Gantt Chart displays the Project Tasks and the horizontal axis displays the increment of time.  Gantt Charts can display in hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly increments.  A teal colored bar represents the duration of the Project.


Resource Management

Resource Management is made possible through the use of PackRat's Resource Manager List Viewer and Gantt Chart.  They allow you to track the costs, amount of time, and number of different Resources you use in your business, such as conference rooms, projectors, vehicles, computers, and similar pieces of equipment.  Here are just a few of the ways Resource Management can help you:

*  Maintain a list of several different Resources.

*  Keep track of the cost and number available of a Resource.

*  Schedule the checkout and use of Resources.


Using a Resource

1.	Click the [image]  Add button from the Resource Manager List Viewer.  The Resource In Use form displays.

2.	Complete the Resource In Use form as follows:

Enter a description of how the Resource will be used in the Summary field.

Select the name of the Resource from the drop box.

Enter the name of the person who will use the Resource in the Check out to field.

Enter the duration of time the Resource will be allocated, using Start Date and Time and End Date and Time.

Enter the cost of using the Resource in the Rate field and select the billing time.  For example, $20.00 Per Day.

3.	Click OK on the Resource In Use form to save the information entered.


 Viewing Resources with the List Viewer

Specific Resources in use can be displayed on the Resource Manager List Viewer by using the Resource List drop box located on the Action Bar.

1.	Click the [image] down arrow on the Resource List.  All Resources you have created appear in the drop-box.

2.	Select the name of the Resource you would like to display.  Only the records regarding the selected Resource appear in the Resource Manager List Viewer.


Viewing Resources with the Gantt Chart

You can add the Resource Manager Gantt Chart object to any folder.  This Gantt Chart allows you to display a graphical representation of your time related Resources.  The vertical axis of the Gantt Chart displays the Resource item and the horizontal axis displays an increment of time.  Gantt Charts can display in hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly increments.  A colored bar represents the duration of the Resource.