RE: cutomize fields - graphical indicators

Hi Thomas

Thank you for your question. You can use graphical indicators that respond to values in your project by displaying images rather than numbers.

In fact there is one already designed for indicating progress. Right click on one of your columns, choose insert column and from Field name drop down choose Status Indicator. This special flag is used to show whether tasks are complete, due, on track or late.

Custom fields can also be set to display graphical information.

From the Tools menu choose Customize > Fields and choose a type (in this case Number). Click on the Number1 entry and click the formula button. We are going to use this custom field to take a copy of the % complete value for this task.

In the formula box type [% Complete] and click OK
Project warns you that any data in field Number1 will be replaced by the results from your new formula. Choose OK

Next we tell this field to display graphics rather than values.
Click on the Graphical Indicators button

You will see in the lower part of the dialog box an area designed for setting up tests. In the first row, below the column label Test for Number1 click on the drop down arrow.

Set the test to Equals
Set the Value to 100
Set the Image to a Green ball

Click OK, and OK again.


Insert the Number1 column by right clicking on the Column label called Task Name and from the field list choose Number1and OK

Now set your progress on a task to 100% by double clicking on the task and in the general tab setting the percent complete to 100.

You will see the green icon appear in the number column.

To quickly add more tests right click on the column Number1 and choose customize fields. Click on the graphical indicators button.

You could add a further test along the lines of

Equals
50
Yellow ball

You can experiment with comparisons such as greater than or less than.

The graphical indicators dialog box is designed so that many tests can be applied without needing to use IF.

I hope this helps. We cover this topic in more detail on our Advanced Project course. You can find out more by visiting:
http://www.microsofttraining.net/ms-project-courses-london-2003-advanced.php

Kind regards,
Andrew