You can always create a new project from a template or another project. But if you need to start fresh, you can create a blank project file:
Click File > New > Blank Project.
That gives you a blank canvas to work on. If you’re not sure what to do next, read on.
What to do with your new project
Set the project start or finish date
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Click Project > Project Information.
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Go to the Schedule from box, and pick Project Start Date or Project Finish Date.
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Add the date to the Start date or Finish date box.
Project management tip Schedule from the finish date to figure out how late you can start a project and still meet your deadline. Change the setting above to schedule from the start date once work begins, so you can see when changes put the deadline in danger.
Once you get the big picture in place, Project can help you sort out the details of the schedule:
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Use a calendar to change the working days and hours.
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Add holidays or any nonworking time to the schedule.
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Set vacation days for people working on the project.
Set the name or title and other file properties
Save your project to give it a name or title. You can change the name and other file properties at any time.
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Click File > Info.
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On the right, click Project Information and then click Advanced Properties.
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On the Summary tab, type the name in the Title box.
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Add any other info you want to be part of the project file.
Note: To get back to your project view, click the back button
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Add tasks
Most projects start their lives as a list of tasks in Excel, Word, or even on a piece of paper. Before you can schedule and manage those tasks, you need to get them into your project file.
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Add tasks manually That is, type them into Project.
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Cut and paste Project remembers the outline structure you created for your tasks in Word, Outlook, or PowerPoint, and it makes them summary tasks and subtasks when you paste them into Project.
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Import data from Excel If your Excel task list had durations, cost estimates, deadlines, or other data about the project, you can bring that over, too.
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Sync with SharePoint You can import a SharePoint Tasks List into Project. After you schedule these tasks, tour team members can see the schedule and update their work in SharePoint, and you’ll see the changes in Project. And vice-versa.
Once you add them, you can start to work with your tasks:
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Link them together to create dependencies between them.
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Add milestones to mark important events in the schedule.
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Make an outline of your project with summary tasks and subtasks.
Show the project summary task
The project summary task contains all other tasks, and it appears at the top of your task list. Project hides the project summary task by default. To turn it on, go to the Gantt Chart, click Format, and then check Project Summary Task.
