Customise the network diagram view

Using Microsoft Project’s network diagram view is a clearer way to express task relationships than the more common Gantt Chart View.
On our Project Knowledge blog, we show you how to display Link Labels on the Network Diagram View, making it easier to indicate the dependency type and any lag time applied between tasks within the project plan. 

Did you know that the Network Diagram view can be highly customised and improved quickly?
Here's an example of a highly customised network diagram:

How to display Link Labels on the Network Diagram View
Although the Gantt chart allows the display of task links, a clearer way to express task relationships is to use Microsoft Project’s network diagram view. By default, the network diagram displays summary tasks, subtasks and milestones with a logical left-to-right sequence.

Microsoft Project’s network provides a number of ways to configure its appearance.

If you are using Microsoft Project 2003/2007 you can achieve this as follows:
1. Select Network Diagram from the View menu..
2. Selecting Layout from the Format menu will configure the general appearance of the view..
3. Now select ‘Show link labels’, then OK to confirm..

With ‘With ‘Show link labels’ checkbox activated, this allows you to view the dependency type and lead/lag times applied between tasks within your project plan.

If you are using Microsoft Project 2010, we have instructions and a screenshot on our Project Knowledge blog.

To catch up with our previous Hints & Tips, choose one of these links.

The Microsoft Project Knowledge Base

Don't forget to visit our knowledge base section - containing links to a huge amount of project management and Microsoft Project information.

Are you getting the most out of Microsoft Project?

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The cost of a comparable classroom course would set you back almost three times as much.

Using Templates to Create Project Plans in Microsoft Project
Employing templates is a good way to introduce standardisation and consistency for both planning and reporting between projects.

Find out more in our next Hints & Tips Newletter, and don't forget to bookmark our Project Knowledge blog, where detailed Microsoft Project Hints & Tips are published regularly.