Project 2016 For Dummies
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You don't have to use predesigned filters in Project 2016: You can get creative and design your own filters. To define a new filter, you specify a field name, a test, and a value.

For example, the following line filters for any task on the critical path:

Critical (field name) Equals (test) Yes (value)
You can also include additional qualifiers to the filter. The following example filters for tasks that are on the critical path and have a baseline cost of more than $5,000:
Critical (field name) Equals (test) Yes (value)

and

Baseline Cost (field name) Is Greater Than (test) 5000 (value)

Here's how to build your own filter definition:
  1. Choose View→Filter→More Filters.

    The More Filters dialog box appears, as shown here. It lists all available filters — built-in and custom.

    More Filters dialog box in Projects 2016.
    The More Filters dialog box lists all available filters.
  2. Select either the Task or Resource radio button to specify in which list of filters you want the new filter to be included.
  3. Click the New button. The Filter Definition dialog box appears.
  4. In the Name field, type a name for the filter.

    If you want the filter to be easily accessed in the drop-down lists, select the Show in Menu check box.

  5. Click the first line of the Field Name column and then click the down arrow that appears to display the list of choices, as shown here.

    Creating a New Filter in Projects.
    Give the new filter a name that describes what it does.
  6. Click a field name to select it.
  7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for the Test and Value(s) columns.
    • Test is a condition that must be met, such as Does Not Equal or Is Greater Than.
    • Value(s) is either a value you enter, such as a specific date or cost, or a predetermined value, such as baseline cost.
  8. If you want to add another condition, choose And or Or from the And/Or column and then make choices for the next set of Field Name, Test, and Value(s) boxes.

    Note that you can cut and paste rows of settings you've made to rearrange them in the list, or use either the Copy Row or Delete Row button to perform those actions for filters with several lines of criteria.

  9. Click the Save button to save the new filter and then click Apply to apply the filter to your plan.

Click the Organizer button in the More Filters dialog box to copy filters you've created from one Project file to another file or to make them available in all your files by copying the new filter into the Global.mpt.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Cynthia Snyder is a well-known speaker, consultant, and trainer on project management, as well as the project manager of the team that updated PMI's Project Management Body of Knowledge, Sixth Edition. Her other books include PMP Certification All-in-One For Dummies and A User's Manual to the PMBOK.

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