Datasheet

In Figure 1-13 you see Gantt Chart view. You can discover more about various
views in Chapter 2. For now, note the following:
 View bar: To go to different views, click the bar of icons on the far left:
the
View bar. If this bar isn’t displayed, choose View➪View Bar to do so.
 Project Guide: To the right of the View bar is the Project Guide task
pane,
which is an informational area with step-by-step guidance on how
to build your project. If Project Guide isn’t displayed, click the Show/
Hide Project Guide button on the Project Guide toolbar to display it.
 Sheet: In the middle of the view is the sheet section. You can use this
spreadsheet interface to enter, edit, and view information about your
project.
 Chart area: Finally, the chart area on the far right reflects your task
information graphically as soon as you begin to add tasks.
•
Taskbars in this area indicate the duration and timing of tasks in
addition to the progress you record on them.
• The
timescale — the indications of time increments across the top
of the chart area — helps you interpret the timing of each taskbar.
You can adjust the increments to show your project in larger or
smaller increments of time. Figure 1-12, for example, shows incre-
ments in days.
You start building a project by entering tasks. Simply click a cell in the Task
Name column of the sheet section and then type the name. You can enter and
edit details of a task by entering information directly into various columns
(which you can display in many views) or by double-clicking the task name in
the sheet to access the Task Information dialog box (see Figure 1-14). I get
into more detail about entering task information in Chapter 2.
Figure 1-14:
The various
tabs in this
dialog box
hold a
wealth of
information
about a
single task
in your
project.
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Chapter 1: Project Management: What Is It, and Why Should You Care?
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