MS Project

Microsoft has developed a project management application, MS Project, which may be available to many Windows users which rely on MS Office.

I was initially frustrated by the software because it appears to only allow a user to track one project in a single file. In the Gantt Chart format, it will list multiple tasks for the project file, but doesn't seem to have a way to add a separate project without creating a whole new file. My aim with the software was to track a large number of pending projects, and then list the various tasks need to complete the project.

New columns can be added to the Gantt chart for an individual task, and text can be entered in each cell. But each cell will not have its own separate dialog box where attachments and other notes can be added. The Task Information box has different tabs, but notes, resources, and so on, can only be added for all columns at once. It is not possible to add check lists within the Task Information box.

The key to using MS Project to track each step within a project, while having everything in one file, is to take advantage of the sub-task feature. Add a new task and then make it a sub-task by going to Task . . . Ident Task (the little green arrow pointing right).

This way you can create a cascading structure of tasks within distinct projects, and sub-tasks within tasks, or even individual steps in the sub-tasks. Each level will have its own information box that can have documents attached to it.