Sign up for the free trial of Note that this free trial version is only available for 30 days from sign up

1. Sign up for the free trial of Note that this free trial version is only available for 30 days from sign up.
2. Click the Create New tab. On the left hand side you will see the Template Gallery.
3. Select “Project Management” from the left hand list.
4. Scroll down the template list and search for “Basic Project with Gantt & Dependencies.” and click “Use Template” under template option:.
5. Name your sheet as first name.last name.inf410.w2 (example: jane.doe.inf410.w2) and leave all options checked.
6. Review the following video tutorials Note: although the tutorials are for Microsoft Project software, Smartsheet has the same Gantt chart functionality.
7. Once it comes up, you will see the Gantt view. To see the rest of the tabs (duration tab), move the border of the calendar over to the right or click on the Grid View Button under the home tab and that will show the rest of the menu tabs.
8. Modify the work breakdown structure names and levels to look exactly how it is shown in Tutorial #2 (the basic breakdown structure is already provided for you in the Smartsheet template) and enter the tasks exactly how the video tutorial describes. You will need to add and remove rows along with indenting and outdenting to complete this assignment. Start and finish dates do not have to be copied from the video example.
9. Select the durations of the tasks as shown in Tutorial #5. Use the exact durations shown in Tutorial #5 for your assignment. You do not need to use the “alternative” timeframes, as shown in Tutorial #5. You can keep everything in single numerical days.
10. Save your project.
11. Under the Home window on the left side of the project tab, click on the paper icon, select “Export” from the dropdown list and “Export to Excel” to save your file as an Excel document on your computer, keeping the file name already assigned in Step 3.
12. Submit the file by following the Waypoint Assignment Submission instructions.
13. Experiment with some of the features of the program that may help you to organize and track your future projects. (Not graded but encouraged.)

The Correct Answer and Explanation is :

To complete this assignment effectively, you should follow the step-by-step instructions to create and modify a project management sheet using Smartsheet, a platform that provides Gantt charts for project tracking. Here’s a breakdown of the process and additional explanation:

Steps Overview:

1. Sign Up for the Free Trial: Begin by registering for a Smartsheet free trial, which is only available for 30 days from the sign-up date. This provides full access to the platform during the trial period, allowing you to complete the assignment.
2. Create a New Project: Once you’ve logged into Smartsheet, click on the “Create New” tab. On the left-hand side, you’ll see the “Template Gallery,” which contains different types of project management templates.
3. Select Template: From the Template Gallery, choose “Project Management” and locate the “Basic Project with Gantt & Dependencies.” This template includes pre-set features like task dependencies, durations, and Gantt chart views, which will save you time and effort.
4. Name Your Sheet: Name your project sheet following the specified format: “first name.last name.inf410.w2” (e.g., jane.doe.inf410.w2). Keeping the sheet name standardized helps ensure your project is easily identifiable.
5. Review Tutorials: Watch the provided video tutorials to understand how to navigate Smartsheet’s Gantt chart and task tracking features. Even though the tutorials are for Microsoft Project, the functionality in Smartsheet is quite similar, particularly the Gantt chart features.
6. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): Modify the WBS in the Smartsheet template by changing the task names and levels to match the example shown in the tutorial. You will need to add, remove, and indent or outdent rows to properly reflect the structure.
7. Adjust Task Durations: Use the exact task durations from Tutorial #5 (expressed in days) and apply them to your project. You don’t need to use the “alternative” timeframes provided in the tutorial; just stick with the primary timeframes.
8. Save Your Project: After completing all modifications, save your project. This ensures that your work is securely stored in Smartsheet before exporting.
9. Export to Excel: To submit your work, export the sheet as an Excel file by clicking the paper icon in the Home window, selecting “Export,” and choosing “Export to Excel.” Save the file with the same name you assigned in Step 5.
10. Submit the File: Follow the Waypoint Assignment Submission instructions to submit your completed project.

Explanation of Steps:

The assignment requires you to demonstrate proficiency in using Smartsheet’s project management tools, particularly the Gantt chart. The Gantt chart is crucial for visualizing project timelines, tracking progress, and identifying dependencies between tasks. By following the steps to set up the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), inputting task durations, and adjusting the structure as per the tutorial, you will be familiarizing yourself with project management software used in real-world settings.

The project will also help you understand how to break down a large project into smaller, manageable tasks, assign durations, and track them over time. By using the same structure shown in the tutorials, you will learn the process of organizing and completing tasks efficiently, an essential skill in project management.