It seems to me that project management is all about expertly juggling lots of different balls whilst taking care to catch them all at the right time. Consequently, it appears logical that great benefits will come from using a tool that can aid this juggling process. Those of you who are actively involved in project management activities such as project managers, team leaders and consultants are most likely to be familiar with Microsoft Project software and its' application in project management.

It is to be expected that if you have had experience working with Microsoft Project then you will be aware of how to develop plans, assign resources to tasks, manage budgets and track the progress of projects. You may however, as yet be unfamiliar with some of the advanced features of Microsoft Project. If this is the case, or if you have recently changed to a newer version of the software, then it may be worth considering advanced Microsoft Project training.

Let us review some of the features explored during advanced Microsoft Project training courses.

PERT analysis


A Program, Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) analysis can be performed to estimate the duration of a task. This is a very important part of managing a project. The analysis takes into account previous experience and current conditions to make an accurate estimate of the necessary time scale.

Macros


If you frequently perform the same task in Microsoft Project, rather than continuing to repeat the process, it is possible to automate the task with a macro. Advanced Microsoft Project training explains the principles behind automating common tasks. It is a useful feature because it saves time by avoiding repetition.

Filters


Advanced Microsoft Project training can demonstrate how filters are used to select only the necessary information that is required for viewing at a particular time. This is useful when one is dealing with a project that has many tasks and resources. There is also the ability to create or modify filters if existing filters do not meet your requirements.

If you have reached an intermediate level of expertise when using Microsoft Project, then it is possible to attend an advanced Microsoft Project training course. In addition to self-directed learning, there are opportunities for instructor-led courses. These can take place in-house or at a training centre; either in a group format or on a one-to-one basis.

Training in using the advanced features of Microsoft Project will give you increased expertise in using this software. This can only be beneficial when undertaking sophisticated project management tasks in the future and will enable you, the juggler, to produce a highly polished performance.