Adding Tasks
The first task CarCo Motors schedules for the design of a new car is a planning meeting with the goal of forming the basic design concepts.
We can label the first task Planning Meeting. To add this task to the Gantt chart, click Add Task in the Tasks group of SmartPanel. The first row of the Gantt chart becomes highlighted with information on the following columns: Number, Task, Start, End and Duration. The Months column has a taskbar stretched out based on the length of time in the duration column. In the Task column is the word "Task," which is highlighted. Simply begin typing to replace the text with the name of the first task, Planning Meeting.
The date of this meeting is April 1, 2009, and will last throughout that day only. Therefore, change the Duration value to "1" by clicking into the Duration cell to highlight the number and type "1." Notice how the End Date automatically changes to "4/2/2009." Also notice how in this case the length and position of the taskbar becomes very small in size to match a day size of one.
The next Task to add is the design process.
Click Add Task and a second row of data will appear below the first.
As the Task column is already highlighted, begin typing to label it Designing Process.
This task also starts on 4/1/2009 but lasts 9 days. Press the Tab key twice to move the cursor to the Duration column; type "9" as the new duration; and press Enter.
SmartDraw counts only the working days that you set in SmartPanel, so 9 working days moves the end date to 4/15/09.
Since this task begins on a Wednesday in 2009, and lasts through two weekends, two Saturdays and two Sundays are excluded during that time period.
The next task is a meeting for project approval, held once the design is completed.
Add another Task using SmartPanel and label the task Approval Meeting.
The Approval Meeting begins on 4/15/2009 and takes two days so minor adjustments can be made. Press the Tab key once to select the Start column, enter "4/15/08" as the start date, and press Enter.
Next, press Tab a couple more times to select the Duration column; type "2;" and press Enter.
Here are the remaining tasks that must be included in this Gantt chart:
Upon approval, CarCo Motors must build an initial car to test. The next task, Build Car, will begin on 4/19/2009 and last for 10 days. Testing, the follow-up task, will begin on 5/3/2009, and last for 40 days. Adjustment will also begin on 5/3/2009 but last for only 35 days. After the final Adjustments, the car will be finished and ready for mass production.
The CarCo Motors New Car Design Gantt chart is shaping along nicely.
