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 &7.1, but could also used in previous versions if the features are present.

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

Tutorials in Word format are available for Version 7 & 7.1 click here.

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