Automated dashboard using formulas in MS Project

1. Building a Project Dashboard with Formulas
in MS Project
Relu Rosenberg
PMP, Six Sigma Black Belt

2. Introduction
 This presentation will show how to build a Project Dashboard using Excel like formulas and
functions in MS Project
 The study case will walk through the steps for creating a field called “Task Progress” to
calculate the Progress status of a task and use graphical indicators for creating a dashboard
view for active tasks (task level) or project summary view (Summary tasks level)
 Steps
 Define the logic
 Build the formula
 Add graphical indicators for quick identification of tasks status, issues
 Build filter based on calculated values to select tasks of interest (focus tasks)
 Make customizations available to all your Project plans
 Make customizations available to someone else , publish a template plan
 Benefits
 Automated calculation and identification of active tasks
 Automated identification of tasks requiring attention
 One step preparation of high level project status report for management
 As always, a good, detailed plan will drive the quality of the resulting report !
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3. Introduction - 2
 The end result will take you from a project plan with no easy way to identify a status (left) to a
toolbox to produce one click status reports, issues , focus tasks list (right side).
If this interests you, follow the rest of this presentation !
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4. Logic #1 - Calculate Task Progress based on Start/End dates
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5. Logic #1 – Notes
•Logic #1 is very simple to implement as it is based only on
“% Complete” and Start, End dates of the task.
It automates calculation and identification of 8 task status values !
•If %Complete is >0 it will know task work started and it will mark as “In
progress”
•Doesn’t require accurate estimate of %Complete.
•It is suitable for tasks of short duration, w/o interim milestones
•This calculation cannot establish if a task in progress is late or ahead of
the schedule. This is where logic #2 and #3 will help
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6. Logic #2 – Use task “Status” field
Task Status Field
Condition
Display Value
%Complete = 100 Complete 0
Timephased Cumulative %Complete >0 on midnight of day before On Schedule 1
Timephased Cumulative %Complete =0 on midnight before Late 2
Task Start Date > Today Future Task 3
Go To View->More Views ->”Task Usage”
To add fields
Format -> “Detail Styles” and add “Cumulative Percent Complete” to show pane
To change displayed fields
Format->”Details” and Check/Uncheck fields
Note:
In order to use Task Status and be able to display “Cumulative %Complete“ you
must assign a resource (real or generic) to each task !
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7. Logic #2 – Notes
•Logic #2 leverages the “Status” task field from Microsoft Project. This
will help to determine not just if a task is in Progress but also if it is on
Schedule or Late.
•It is the correct way to calculate because the time phased
“% Complete” accounts for the actual work performed over elapsed
time.
•A resource can have days off , days not worked full time, etc and
comparing ((Date()-*Start+)/*Duration+) with “% Complete” is
misleading.
•Requires more accurate estimate of %Complete of a task
•It’s suitable for tasks of longer duration where %Complete can be
measured
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8. Logic 2 - Task Progress using “Status” field (task field)
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9. Logic 3 - Using EVM SPI
 Resources
 Define all resources
 Assign rates to each resource (Std. Rate,
Ovt. Rate)
 Assign resource to each task
 Define Earned Value Calculation options
(Tools ->Options -> Calculation)
 Default task Earned Value method:
% Complete
 Edits to total task % complete will be
spread to the status date (to see SPI>1)
 Baseline project
 Re-baseline every time you add tasks and
resources or change tasks, resources
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10. Logic 3 – Notes
• Logic #3 is the most sophisticated and accurate. It will allow to
determine if a task in progress is Behind Schedule, On Schedule, Ahead
of Schedule.
• It uses Earned Value Methodology and specifically it uses Schedule
Performance Index.
• For older versions of Microsoft Project which don’t have the SPI
calculated you can add SPI as a customized field, Number , with
following formula:
IIf([BCWS]>0,[BCWP]/[BCWS],0)
Since BCWS is 0 For future tasks in MS Project 2000, the formula checks
and returns SPI=0 to prevent Error due to division by 0.
• It requires accurate measurement of %Complete to provide accurate
indicator of progress status (Ahead, On Schedule, Behind)
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11. Logic 3 - Task Progress using EVM SPI
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12. Creating a custom field
 The are several types of fields you can customize, depending on desired data type
 Text, Date , Number are the most used
 Start, Finish, Cost, Duration, Flag are additional types
 Right click on project headings to “Insert Column” , will choose Text type field, Text2 for “Task Progress”
field
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13. Customize field applet
 Right click on field header and select Customize field
 Use Rename to rename the field from Text2 to “Task Progress” for use in formulas
 Check the boxes for Formula and Graphical Indicators buttons for customization
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14. Writing Formulas – simple examples
 We will use these statements and functions
 IIf(expression-to-test, Do-this-if-true,Do-this-if-False)
 Date() - returns current system date
 Project fields - designated as [field-name]
 Examples
 Flag all active tasks (Start < Date < Finish)
IIf((Date() > [Start]) And (Date() < [Finish]),"Active Task","")
 Flag all overdue tasks – (Finish < Date) and (%Complete <100)
IIf(([Finish] < Date()) And ([% Complete] < 100),"Overdue","")
 Flag active and overdue tasks – combine the above
IIf((Date()>[Start]) And (Date()<[Finish]),
"Active Task",
IIf(([Finish]<Date()) And ([% Complete]<100),"Overdue","")
)
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15. Writing the Formulas for “Task Progress” logic
 Below formulas implement the logic diagrams (decision trees) depicted in slides
 It is recommended to check each decision path in the formula using the Logic diagram
 Easiest way to test the values is by adjusting the % Complete
Logic 1 - % Complete and Start/Finish Dates
IIf(*% Complete+=100,"Complete",IIf(*Estimated+=Yes,"TBD",IIf(Date()>*Finish+,”Not Finished",
IIf(Date()>*Start+,IIf(*% Complete+=0,“Not Started",IIf((*Finish+-Date())<7,"Ending Next",
"In progress")),IIf([Start]-Date()<7,"Starting Next","Future")))))
Logic 2 - % Complete, Task Status and Start/Finish Dates
IIf([% Complete]=100,"Complete",IIf([Estimated]=Yes,"TBD",IIf(Date()>[Finish],"Not
Finished",IIf(Date()>[Start],IIf([% Complete]=0,"Not Started",IIf(([Finish]-Date())<7,"Ending
Next",IIf([Status]=1,"On Schedule","Late"))),IIf([Start]-Date()<7,"Starting Next","Future")))))
Logic 3 - Use SPI and Start/Finish Dates
IIf([% Complete]=100,"Complete",IIf([Estimated]=Yes,"TBD",IIf(Date()>[Finish],"Not
Finished",IIf(Date()>[Start],IIf([% Complete]=0,"Not Started",IIf(([Finish]-Date())<7,"Ending
Next",IIf([SPI]<1,"Late",IIf([SPI]>1,"Ahead","On Schedule")))),IIf([Start]-Date()<7,"Starting
Next","Future")))))
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16. Formula written in structured format
IIf([ % Complete]=100,
“Complete"
IIf([Estimated]=Yes,
"TBD",
IIf(Date()>[Finish],
"Not Finished",
IIf(Date()>[Start],
IIf([%Complete]=0,
"Not Started",
IIf(([Finish]-Date())<7,
"Ending Next",
IIf([Status]=1,
“On Schedule”,
“Late”
)
)
),
IIf([Start]-Date()<7,
"Starting Next",
"Future Task"
)
)
)
)
)
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17. Using Formula Applet
 Press Formula button to open the applet
 Use Field button to inserts field names in formula and Function button to select functions
 To learn more about functions search for “Project functions” in Help
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18. Add Graphical Indicators
 Check Graphical Indicators … Radio button to enable
 Press Graphical Indicator… Button to define the values
 Select “Nonsummary rows” to display indicator for tasks only
 Assign icon for each status value – right click and select from pull-down menu
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19. Set Calculations Mode
 Confirm/Set Calculations mode to Automatic
 Tools->Options->Calculation Tab
 Check/Set Calculation Mode: Automatic
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20. Project Plan without Graphical Indicators
Very difficult to understand tasks status
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21. Project Plan with Calculated Status & Graphical Indicators
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22. Project Plan with Graphical Indicators – 2
Optional – Display also Status Values (can also be seen when pointing over the Indicator )
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23. Project tasks review using filters
 Select tasks of interest
 In progress, Ending Next, Starting Next
 Select issues
 Not started, Late, Not Finished, TBD (Dates not Confirmed)
 Create Filter
 Got to Project->Filtered For->More Filters
 Select New
 Check radio button for Task filter
 In New Filter Applet
o Define the Name
o Check Show In Menu to see it in Filters list
o Define the rules for tasks selection
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24. New Filter Applet
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25. Project tasks review – Filter: Focus tasks (less clutter)
Optional – Data can be seen also when pointer is over the indicator
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26. Project tasks review – Filter: Issues
Not Started, Not Finished, Late, Duration estimated (TBD)
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27. Project Dashboard – phase level report for management
Apply Dashboard filter to produce this phase level view ((Outline level <=2) And (Summary=Yes))
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28. Project Dashboard – Phase & Major Activities review
Add filter with ((Outline level <=3) And (Summary=Yes))
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29. Share customizations
 Make customizations available to all your projects
 Any MS Project object customized in a project plan will be saved within the project file only.
 In order to make these objects available to the other projects they need to be saved in the global template.
 Identify all customizations
o Tools->Organizer and go through each tab (object category).
o Left side “Global.MPT” represents global objects, right side shows the objects exiting only in the specific project
file.
o Select object from Fields, Filters, Views, etc, on right side, press Copy and it will be copied to Global Template.
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30. Share customizations - 2
 Share customizations with others
 Create a blank project files
 Copy all customizations from Global to the Project file
o Tools->Organizer and go through each tab (object category).
o Left side “Global.MPT” represents global objects, right side shows the objects exiting only in the specific project
file.
o Select a an object field, filter, etc, on Left side, Global Template, and press Copy to copy to project file
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31. Questions ?
Email: relur@comcast.net
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