Project Commander - planning software Hints & Tips (in Word format)

There are many Hints & Tips for existing clients. All hints refer to the Professional & Personal version, but many planning hints assist users of the Barchart version.

The tips are designed predominantly for version 6.5/6.6 & 7.0, but could also used in previous versions if the features are present.

The screens and options may slightly vary from version to version.

This section is organised into 8 sections (and is being updates continually)
Troubleshooting
FAQ's
Advanced - Open other project software,Barchart, Linking/Critical Path, Costs, Resources
Other

TROUBLESHOOTING

My chart is printing a different time range than on-screen?
You have put a tick in the box FIT TIMESCALE TO PAGE in the FILE menu, PRINT

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A3 printing - advice
Activity Number per task - as well as Row/ID number
Add extra weeks on chart displayed on-screen
Add User text around bars
Add ID numbers to all bars
Add Unique Activity Number - as well as Row/ID number
Autosave - save automatically in timed intervals
Backup files - recover corrupt file
Bar types & Legend
Bar width - height of all bars or specific coloured bars
Column width
Copy and paste tasks
Change Date Range on chart
Calendar shadings on chart
Date Range on chart - change
Default File location change - location for opening files and saving new files
Default task duration - change from Days to either Weeks, Hours or Minutes
Duration input as Weeks, Days, Hours & Minutes
Export to Microsoft Project
Export to other project software - PowerProject, Primavera, CS Project
Fit timescale to project
File location - default location for opening files and saving new files
Fonts - change system fonts on table columns and chart
Hide columns
Hide weekend shadings
Insert User columns - insert own columns
Microsoft Project files - open MPP files
Open files from other project software (not Microsoft Project) - using MPX
Open Microsoft Project files - open MPP files
PDF Creator -saving files as PDF
Passwords on files
Print more pages horizontally - print continuous pages horizontally
Printing A3 and above - advice
Recover Backup files - recover corrupt file
Row numbers - shown against all bars
Save to Microsoft Word
Save to Microsoft Project
Save to other project software - PowerProject, Primavera, CS Project
Save - save automatically in timed intervals using Auto Save
Task Start & Finish dates - where Duration is not known or difficult to calculate
Task Unique Activity Number - as well as Row/ID number
Task text wordwrap - multiple line task descriptions
Text - add user text around bars
Template projects - preformatted layouts that can be re-used
Timescale on Chart - Change Date Range
Timescale - fit to project
Unique Task Activity Number - as well as Row/ID number
User columns - insert own columns
User Text - add user text around bars
Viewer - Project Commander free Viewer
Weekend shadings - hide on chart

OPEN OTHER PROJECT SOFTWARE FILES

Microsoft Project files - open MPP files
CS Project files - open using MPX
PowerProject files - open using MPX
Primavera files - open using MPX

BARCHART

Date lines - vertical lines down the chart on a specified date
Add Timescale Heading at bottom of page
Export to Microsoft Word
Hide Week in chart - Hide whole week in chart for holiday or non working weeks
Hide Week Numbers - Hide Project Week Numbers in Timescale headings
Project Week Numbers - Customise Project Week Numbers in Timescale headings and show blank Week No.
Shade Working Weeks on chart
Shade Range of Working days on chart
Tender format - showing no date related information on Timescale or in Task data
Timescale headings - Customise Project Week Numbers and show blank Week No.
Timescale Heading at bottom of page
Vertical text - to use against shaded areas or Date lines
Week Numbers - Customise Project Week Numbers in Timescale headings and show blank Week No.
Working weekend - Shade working weekends

CRITICAL PATH & LINKING

Critical Path - highlight CPA more clearly
Critical Path - full explanation document
Date constraints on linked bars to a different date from that normally scheduled by the link
Linking - making links and editing
Lock linked bars to a permanent date

COSTS

Input budget costs analysed over labour, equipment, materials & other

RESOURCES

Colour bars and legend using Resources
Legend for Resources

OTHER ADVANCED FEATURES

Borders - how to put a standard corporate border around a chart or edit one
Column formulas - calculating columns and showing results
Create own Views
Create own Reports
Don't show me again - how to reset
Use same settings for all users - copy .INI file