It is possible to apply project management principles to most activities that we undertake in our daily lives. Whether we are planning to build a house or set up a new business or even offer this service to others. It therefore seems logical to take advantage of any available systems which can aid us in such activities. Microsoft Project is an example of such a tool. If you are unfamiliar with this program or are unaware of all the advanced features that it has to offer, then it may be worth taking a Microsoft Project Training course.

The first step is to identify your level of skill in using Microsoft Project software. If you have had no experience in using this software or feel that you are in need of a recap of the basic principles, then an introductory level course would be most appropriate. It can, however, be a little trickier to decide whether an intermediate or advanced level course is more appropriate.. Are you familiar with how to run the Gantt chart wizard or how to use the variance tables? Do you know how to create a project template? Let us briefly review some of the material that is covered at different levels of Microsoft Project training courses.

Introductory Level

Complete beginners to this software could consider taking an introductory level Microsoft Project Training course. Basic concepts such as opening and closing a project file, creating and modifying a task list and working with filters are usually covered.

Intermediate Level

Intermediate level training material includes management of resources, schedule analysis, project tracking, importing of data and management of multiple projects. The idea is to build upon basic concepts and to develop an understanding of the more complex features of the software.

Advanced level

Microsoft Project training courses at an advanced level aim to enable operation of the software at a sophisticated level. The most advanced functions that are covered include creation of filters, the use of custom fields, PERT analysis and macro features. Project managers can thereby maximize their efficiency and hopefully utilise the full potential of this program.

Having identified your level of ability, the next step is to consider your training options. For the individual, possibilities include e-learning, self-directed learning or instructor-led courses. Courses can be tailored to your specific requirements and even delivered on a one-to-one basis. In addition to the training opportunities mentioned previously, companies can select on-site training which can again be targeted to requirements. It could be said that choosing the right Project Management training course in itself requires a certain amount of personal project management.