Project Knowledge

How To Move Tasks Within An Existing List with Microsoft Project

Have you wanted to quickly move tasks around your project plan within an existing task list?

In the past, you may have had to delete an existing task, and then have to re-insert the task where you wish it to be placed within the project plan.  Not now.  You can use the ‘Drag and Drop’ facility to move your tasks effortlessly around your task list.

 

How to move tasks within an existing list

Tasks, or groups of tasks often need to be moved up or down the task list, either within their own summary tasks or to within other summary tasks.

Within Microsoft Project 2010, to move one task above another:

1.    Select the entire task with a click on its row heading:

2.    Drag the task to its desired position, indicated by a line cursor:

3.    Then drop the task at its new position:

 

 

General tips in moving tasks

1.    Move tasks before linking them.
2.    Selecting a cell and not a row will ONLY move (cut/paste) that cell’s contents.
3.    Use Undo (   ) to move the task back to its original row if required.

 

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How To Split A View In Microsoft Project

In Microsoft Project, more than one view can be displayed simultaneously.

For example, within Microsoft Project 2010 a Timeline view can be displayed in conjunction with a Gantt Chart view, or in both versions a Task Form view can be displayed horizontally within a split pane view below or above the default Gantt view.

 

How to display split work panes

If you are using Microsoft Project 2003/2007, to display a Task Form and Gantt Chart combination:

1.    Select Split from the Window menu, creating a combination view:

This places the upper pane at the top of the screen, with a lower pane at the base of the screen. 

This lower pane contains a ‘Task Form’ view by default.

If you are using Microsoft Project 2010 more than one view can also be displayed simultaneously. 

For example, a Timeline view can be displayed in conjunction with a Gantt Chart view, or a Task Form view can be displayed in a details pane below the default (upper pane) view.  To display a Task Form and Gantt Chart combination:

1.    On the View tab, in the Split View group, click the Details check box.

 

How does a Task Form work?

When a task form is displayed in a lower pane it exhibits a number of characteristics:

• The lower pane shows detail about the selected object above (within the upper pane).
• The current ‘live’ pane has a dark left border.

Within Microsoft Project 2010, selecting detail options can be achieved using buttons in the Details group of the Format tab: