Microsoft Project 2013: The Missing Manual

Complementary Software

Managing a project requires other programs in addition to Project. Word and Excel are great for working with the documents and financial-analysis data you produce. PowerPoint is ideal for project presentations and status meetings. And Outlook keeps project communication flowing. This book includes instructions for using these programs in some of your project-management duties.

Office 2013 Home and Business includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook. You can purchase Office at stores like Staples or websites like www.bestbuy.com. Office 2013 Professional adds Office Web Apps, Publisher, and Access to the Office Home and Business suite. (Office 2013 Professional Plus adds Lync to the Office Professional lineup so your team members can communicate via instant messaging, voice, and video.) Here are some of the ways you might use these products in project management:

• Word. Producing documents like the overall project plan, work-package descriptions, requirements, specifications, status reports, and so on.

• Excel. Creating spreadsheets for financial analysis or tracking change requests, risks, issues, and defects reported.

• PowerPoint. Putting together presentations for project proposals, project kickoff, status, change control board meetings, and so on.

• Outlook. Emailing everyone who’s on the project team.

• Publisher. Publishing newsletters, fliers, invitations to meetings, and so on.

• Access. Tracking change requests, requirements, risks, and issues. Access is ...