The MS Excel and MS Project Basics for Project Managers Training Course offered by Oxford Training Centre provides a foundational understanding of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Project—two essential tools widely used in project environments. Designed for project professionals aiming to build confidence in digital planning, tracking, and reporting, this course delivers practical skills for real-world applications in managing timelines, resources, and project progress.
Included within the scope of essential project management training courses, the course equips learners with working knowledge of Excel tools for project tracking and reporting and basic functionalities of MS Project required for scheduling, assigning tasks, and visualising progress. Through guided instruction and scenario-based exercises, participants gain exposure to project management techniques enhanced through digital tool usage.
This programme addresses the operational needs of professionals who require Microsoft Excel and Project basics for project planning and control, supporting both daily task management and long-term scheduling. The combination of Excel’s data handling capacity and MS Project’s scheduling capabilities positions this course as an ideal starting point for any manager looking to improve planning precision and project visibility.
Objectives
- Understand the core functionalities of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Project for effective project planning and monitoring.
- Gain hands-on experience in basic MS Project skills for project scheduling, task allocation, and timeline visualisation.
- Learn how to use Excel tools for project tracking and reporting including Gantt charts, pivot tables, and conditional formatting.
- Develop fundamental skills in resource allocation, progress updates, and baseline tracking in MS Project.
- Apply Microsoft Excel and Project essentials for project managers in real-world task coordination, status reporting, and schedule monitoring.
- Learn to interpret and create project dashboards in Excel for clearer communication with stakeholders.
- Build confidence in switching between manual tracking and automated scheduling tools for improved project control.
- Strengthen understanding of project constraints and dependencies using Microsoft Excel and Project basics course for project professionals.
- Familiarise with best practices in managing change, updating schedules, and maintaining consistency in deliverables using both tools.
Target Audience
- Project managers and team leads looking to integrate MS Excel and MS Project training for project managers into their daily project workflows.
- Early-career project professionals seeking a beginner-level project management tools training with Excel and MS Project.
- Project assistants, coordinators, and analysts responsible for generating reports, updating timelines, and communicating project status.
- Managers seeking to understand Microsoft Excel and Project basics for project planning and control to supervise cross-functional teams.
- Professionals in construction, IT, marketing, engineering, and business operations managing multiple workstreams simultaneously.
- Individuals pursuing general project management training courses who want to deepen their understanding of software tools used for project execution.
- Administrative and operational staff who contribute to planning, scheduling, and reporting efforts across project cycles.
- PMO support staff seeking structured insight into project tracking, scheduling, and reporting with MS Excel and MS Project.
- Consultants or business advisors managing internal or client-facing projects needing to align schedules and budgets through digital platforms.
How Will Attendees Benefit?
- Gain foundational proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Project basics course for project professionals, applicable across multiple industries.
- Learn to build automated Gantt charts, resource plans, and budget trackers using Excel and MS Project.
- Improve accuracy in scheduling tasks, tracking performance, and identifying project delays through structured digital workflows.
- Develop reporting tools that support executive updates, progress status reviews, and resource utilisation summaries.
- Increase confidence in handling project scheduling software for internal team management and external client delivery.
- Understand how to use MS Project planning and Excel project dashboards training for consistent visibility and communication.
- Build reusable templates for common project scenarios to increase productivity and standardisation.
- Strengthen alignment between project timelines and organisational objectives through efficient schedule management.
- Enhance professional credibility through practical skill acquisition that complements traditional planning methods.
Course Content
Module 1: Introduction to Excel and MS Project in Project Environments
- Overview of project management functions performed using Excel and MS Project
- Interface navigation, basic toolbars, and functionality overview
- Role of software in introductory project management software training course
Module 2: Task and Schedule Management in MS Project
- Creating and defining tasks, durations, dependencies
- Gantt chart creation and timeline adjustment
- Application of basic MS Project skills for project scheduling
Module 3: Resource Allocation and Work Breakdown Structures
- Assigning resources and managing workload in MS Project
- Understanding work breakdown structures (WBS)
- Using Excel to support WBS planning and task grouping
Module 4: Project Tracking and Status Updates in MS Project
- Recording progress and updating task completion
- Baseline setting and variance analysis
- Status indicators and performance summary creation
Module 5: Excel for Project Data Management and Analysis
- Using tables, filters, and conditional formatting to monitor project health
- Basic formulas for budget tracking, effort estimation, and milestone progress
- Overview of project management training with Excel and MS Project techniques
Module 6: Project Dashboards and Visual Reporting in Excel
- Designing visual dashboards using charts and pivot tables
- Integrating schedule data into status presentations
- Supporting Excel tools for project tracking and reporting
Module 7: Schedule Optimisation and Task Dependencies
- Managing task constraints, float, and critical path
- Using MS Project to explore alternative sequencing
- Tools for project rescheduling and delay recovery
Module 8: Budget Planning and Cost Tracking in Excel
- Developing cost worksheets and linking to timeline changes
- Forecasting resource expenditure and cumulative costs
- Reporting project financials through dashboard summaries
Module 9: Introduction to Custom Templates and Data Import/Export
- Saving and reusing project templates
- Importing/exporting data between Excel and MS Project
- File formatting best practices and integration use cases
Module 10: Project Simulation and Hands-on Exercise
- Application of learned skills to a simulated project
- Building a plan, updating progress, and reporting status using both tools
- Final review and feedback on tool usage aligned with real-world expectations