Chapter at a Glance
Create a list of resources, page 61. Change a resource’s capacity to perform work, page 63. Enter resource cost rates, page 68. Change a resource’s working time, page 70.
Set up basic resource information for the people who work on projects.
Enter basic resource information for the equipment that will be used in projects.
Enter resource information for the materials that will be consumed as the project progresses.
Enter cost resource information for financial tracking.
Set up cost information for work resources.
Change a resource’s availability for work.
Record additional information about a resource in a note.
Tip | Do you need only a quick refresher on the topics in this chapter? See the Quick Reference entries on pages xxv–xlviii. |
Resources include the people and equipment needed to complete the tasks in a project. Microsoft Office Project 2007 focuses on two aspects of resources: their availability and their costs. Availability determines when specific resources can work on tasks and how much work they can perform, and costs refer to how much money will be required to pay for those resources. In addition, Project supports two other types of special resources: material and cost.
In this chapter, you will set up the resources you need to complete the TV commercial project. Effective resource management is one of the most powerful advantages of using Project instead of task-focused planning tools, such as paper-based organizers. You do not need to set up resources and assign them to tasks in Project; however, without this information, you might be less effective in managing your schedule. Setting up resource information in Project takes a little effort, but the time is well spent if your project is primarily driven by time or cost constraints (and nearly all complex projects are driven by one, if not both, of these factors).
Important | Before you can use the practice files provided for this chapter, you need to install them from the book’s companion CD to their default locations. See “Using the Book’s CD” on page xix for more information. |