Customizing Microsoft Project
Some things I’ll never understand. Like; Why the sky is blue, why my toast always lands butter side down and why Microsoft left a few critical buttons off their default toolbars within Microsoft Project. I have not only been using Microsoft Project 98 for quite some time, but I have also taught a few classes of newbies the fine art of managing a project through the software as well. Most folks that crack open this spreadsheet looking creature think that it should look and drive similar to Excel. And in some aspects it does. However, there are a few buttons that could be added to the standard toolbars that could not only make things more simple, but it ultimately speeds up the process of updating your project plan.
To insert these buttons:
1. Open Microsoft Project
2. Click on View – Toolbars – Then Customize
3. Click on the Commands Tab
4. Now click on the Edit Command
5. The first option to add is the Fill Down button
6. Simply scroll down and click on Fill Down. Now drag it up and place it where ever you would like on your standard tool bar.
7. Now scroll down and click on Delete Row.
8. Drag it up to your toolbar.
Now that you have the feel for this, here is the entire list of buttons that I would suggest you add:
- Fill Down
- Delete Row
- Clear Contents (deletes contents of cell)
- Hide Column
- Insert Task
- Column (Inserts Column)
- Font (Quickly change font style and color)
I promise these 7 buttons will speed your work tremendously. Feel free to add any additional buttons that you might use frequently.
