Capture supporting information in a project plan

Managing a project often involves more work than only managing project management software. A typical project can have many documents in different formats associated with it, such as proposals, spreadsheets, organizational charts, and presentations. In addition, notes, graphics, sound, and video files can also be attached to project files.

In this article

What kind of information can be attached to a project?

Where can I add the information?

How can the attached information be found?

What kind of information can be attached to a project?

To attach supporting information, you can use the following methods:

• Add a note to a task, resource, or assignment     You can add information about that item, such as text reminders, hyperlinks, or links to other files. For example, add a note to indicate the skill set of a particular resource or a reminder about when rented equipment must be returned. Or link to a file from a note to include a resource's photo, to attach a slideshow explaining a process, or to include other related information.

  Learn how to add a note to a task, resource, or project.

• Create a hyperlink to supporting information     You can create a hyperlink to a file or folder on a networked computer or to a Web site. When you click the hyperlink, the linked information appears in a browser window. A hyperlink does not increase the size of your project file. Hyperlinks make updates to the linked information immediately available. However, when you are working offline you may not be able to access hyperlinked information.

  To insert a hyperlink into a project, select a task or resource, and then on the Insert menu, click Hyperlink.

• Copy and paste the information     You can copy information from another Windows-based program and paste it into your project file. Pasted information becomes part of your project file, which increases the size of your file. Use the copy-and-paste method for small amounts of text and graphics that won't be frequently updated, such as a company logo pasted into a header.

  Learn how to copy a task, resource, or Project element.

• Embed the information using OLE     You can embed an object, such as a picture, an entire file, or part of a file, into your project file using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE). An embedded object can be updated in its source program. Because an embedded object becomes part of your project file, which increases the size of your file. In addition, the information in your project file will not change if someone modifies the source file.

  Learn how to embed an object into a project.

• Link an object that uses OLE     When you link an object, the object itself or an icon appears in your project file. Updates to the original area are automatically reflected in your file. Because linked data is stored in the source file, a linked object does not increase the size of your project file.

  Learn how to link an object into a project.

• Use Microsoft Windows® SharePoint ™Services for document management     If you use Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007 with Office Project Server 2007, you can take advantage of the document management features of Windows SharePoint Services. You can then use Office Project Web Access to link documents to tasks and to view the information.

  Learn how to view and upload documents to Project Server.

Where can I add the information?

The kind of information and the way you choose to attach it to your project determines where you can add it. Consider the following when you want to add additional information to your project.

• You can associate notes with any task, resource, or assignment. Besides adding text messages in notes, you can include hyperlinks to Web-based information or links to files stored elsewhere.

• You can insert a single hyperlink that will be shown in the Indicators column in a sheet view. You can place any number of hyperlinks in a note. You can also use additional text columns in your project for hyperlinks.

• You can paste objects into a graphics area in Project.

• You can place objects in a graphics area or a sheet view.

• You can link or embed entire files or sections of files into a graphics area.

• You can upload Word documents to Office Project Web Access.

Learn more    

• Add a note to a task, resource, or project

• Copy a task, resource, or Project element

• Embed an object into a project

• Link an object into a project

• Upload documents to Project Web Access

How can the attached information be found?

Attached information can be found in several ways.

• In sheet views, hyperlink indicators and notes indicators appear in the Indicators column. If you've used the Hyperlink field or an additional field, these hyperlinks are visible in sheet views as well. To see where a hyperlink leads or what a note contains, you can rest the pointer on the indicator.

• Information added to a header, footer, or legend appears on the printed page.

• Hyperlinks can be displayed in the Objects box on forms. You can use the Tasks with Attachments filter to quickly locate them.

• You can also print notes when you print reports and some views.