Level 1 exam — Microsoft Project

Exam — fresh questions

12 questions to validate the basics of scheduling with Meriem, project manager in an engineering & construction company in Algiers: entering tasks and their duration, structuring into a WBS, setting milestones, scheduling automatically, linking tasks, managing imposed dates and making the Gantt communicative.
Answer everything, then click Check: your score and explanations will appear.

1 · Recall

1. What is the right way to structure a project into phases in Project?

Create summary tasks (phases) and indent the subtasks underneath Enter the start and finish date of each task by hand Enter the phase's duration, then that of each of its subtasks Create a separate project file for each site phase

You structure the project into a hierarchy (WBS) with summary tasks, and indentation places the subtasks under their phase.

1 · Application

2. Meriem creates the “Structural works” phase above the foundations and the structure. What does she notice?

She must enter the summary task's duration and dates by hand The duration and dates of “Structural works” are calculated by themselves from the subtasks The summary task blocks recalculation of the tasks it groups The phase appears as a milestone (diamond) on the Gantt chart

The summary task summarizes its subtasks: its duration and dates automatically derive from them, and you do not enter them.

1 · Recall

3. What distinguishes a milestone from an ordinary task?

A milestone always has a very long duration compared with tasks A milestone occupies a dedicated resource that must be assigned to it A milestone has a zero duration and marks a key event (diamond) A milestone is a fixed cost added to a schedule phase

A milestone is a zero-duration task that serves as a checkpoint and appears as a diamond, without representing work.

1 · Application

4. Meriem's schedule “does not move” when she changes a duration. Where does she start?

She recreates the whole schedule in a new project file She replaces all milestones with multi-day tasks She switches the whole project to manual mode to force the dates She checks the Task Mode column and switches the tasks back to automatic

A frozen schedule generally indicates tasks left in manual mode: you switch them to Auto Scheduled to restore recalculation.

1 · Recall

5. What is the most common type of dependency link in a schedule?

Finish-to-Start (FS): B starts when A is finished Start-to-Finish (SF): task B finishes when A starts Finish-to-Finish (FF): both tasks finish together None: tasks are always left completely independent

The Finish-to-Start link is the most common: the successor task starts when the predecessor is finished. SS, FF and SF address other situations.

1 · Application

6. Meriem wants to leave 2 days of drying between the plaster and the painting. How does she model it?

By entering “+2 d” as a lag on the link between the tasks By increasing the painting task's duration by 2 days By creating a 2-day milestone between the plaster and the painting By setting a “must start on” constraint on the painting

A waiting time is modeled by a lag on the link — “5FS+2 d” — rather than by a frozen date or an artificially inflated duration.

1 · Arbitration

7. Meriem hesitates: link her tasks or give them fixed dates. What does she choose?

Fixed dates, to control each task independently A random mix, depending on the schedule's mood that day Dependency links, so the schedule shifts by itself Neither: she lets Project guess the dates alone

Link rather than date: links describe the real logic and let Project recalculate; if an upstream task moves, the schedule shifts.

1 · Recall

8. What is the default state of a normal task in Project?

“Must Finish On…”, an imposed firm constraint “Start No Earlier Than…”, a flexible constraint “Must Start On…”, an imposed firm constraint “As Soon As Possible”, a flexible constraint with no imposed date

By default, a task is “As Soon As Possible”: it follows its links (flexible, with no imposed date). You only constrain when truly necessary.

1 · Arbitration

9. The client gives Meriem a “desired” target date (non-contractual). Which tool does she favor?

A deadline, which alerts on overrun without forcing the date A “must finish on…” constraint, which freezes the task and makes the schedule rigid A non-zero-duration milestone set on the task to monitor it No tool: she leaves the task “As Soon As Possible” with no tracking

For a flexible target date, the deadline is the right choice: it displays a marker and an overrun alert without blocking schedule recalculation.

1 · Application

10. Meriem wants to show the sponsor the tasks that determine the project finish. What does she do?

She hides late tasks to show only the early ones She displays the critical path (Format > Critical Tasks): the bars turn red She deletes the milestones to lighten an overloaded Gantt chart She prints the Gantt as is, without setting the timescale

Displaying the critical path highlights the tasks with no float, which condition the project finish: it is the most useful information for the sponsor.

1 · Arbitration

11. Meriem's detailed Gantt prints badly and looks too dense for management. What does she favor?

Printing the Gantt as is, every day, without changing any setting Entering dates by hand to fit everything on a single page Setting the timescale and layout, and using the Timeline for management Switching all tasks to manual mode to freeze the printed schedule

You adapt the output to the audience: a careful timescale and layout for a clean PDF, and the Timeline, which is more synthetic, for management.

1 · Arbitration

12. Meriem drafts a still-vague schedule, then stabilizes it. How does she manage the scheduling mode?

She stays in manual mode: it is meant for steering a stable project She reinstalls Project to change the software's default mode She creates a non-zero-duration milestone to represent the chosen mode She drafts in manual mode then switches the tasks back to automatic to steer

Manual for drafting, automatic for steering: as soon as the schedule stabilizes, you switch the tasks back to Auto Scheduled.

What's next?

Score ≥ 80%: you master the basics of scheduling with Meriem — move on to Level 2 (resources, assignments & costs).
Score between 50% and 80%: review the failed sections (1.1 tasks & WBS, 1.2 milestones & auto mode, 1.3 links, 1.4 constraints & deadlines, 1.5 Gantt formatting), reread the course then retake the test.
Score < 50%: reread the whole level 1 while applying each 48h challenge (Meriem's WBS, milestones & modes, task chaining, deadline vs constraint, communicative Gantt) before trying again.
What next? Keep Meriem's WBS structure and link logic: level 2 plugs resources, assignments and costs into them.