Microsoft® Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies®

Chapter 1. Building a Project Plan

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✓	Opening a new, blank project
✓	Opening project templates
✓	Opening a schedule based on an existing project
✓	Entering basic project information
✓	Saving projects

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When you’re ready to begin your first project using Microsoft Project 2007, you start by opening a file. You can use a blank template or get a head start by opening a template that includes sample tasks for a certain category of project.

After you open a project, your first step is to enter certain global project information, such as the scheduling method for the project. Finally, you should know how to save and close a project so that it’s ready for you to work on it another day.

In this chapter, you get going with the creation of your very first Project schedule.

Creating That First Project

You can create a new project in three ways: You can open a new, blank project; open a project template that contains sample tasks; or open a project based on an existing project. In the following sections, you get a feel for the pros and cons of each method.

Starting from scratch

If you want a clean slate to work with when you begin a new project, opening a blank template is your best bet. You can start building your new project directly in this blank schedule, which contains no tasks, resources, or other settings except default project settings. Starting a project from the blank template requires you to do more work inputting information, but if your project is ...