Best Free Microsoft Project Resources & Tutorials

Many professionals are eager to learn Microsoft Project but hesitate because of the perceived up-front costs. You may also hesitate because Microsoft Project has a learning curve. However, despite hesitations, it’s worth learning Microsoft Project if you’re interested in becoming a professional Project Manager. However, many free resources are available to help beginners get the hang of this exciting program. 

Read on to learn more about the free resources and tutorials available to help you master Microsoft Project. 

What is Microsoft Project?

Microsoft Project is the project management software in the Microsoft Office suite of programs. Microsoft Project is the world's most widely-used project management software and has been since its release. MS Project currently has around a 66% project management software market share. Proficiency in Microsoft Project is a must-have skill for aspiring Project Managers. 

Project management is a booming field: the number of Project Manager jobs is expected to increase by over 33% over the next five years. The Project Management Institute (PMI) predicts that over 22 million new project management jobs will be created by 2027. Project management is growing rapidly because more companies recognize the need for professional help managing projects. However, there are already more Project Manager positions than employees trained in project management. 

Microsoft Project assists Project Managers in prioritizing tasks, defining expectations, delegating tasks, tracking and managing resources, creating and tracking budgets, and sharing calendars with your team. Project also includes project management methodology tools, such as kanban boards and Gantt charts. Some of Project’s major features include tools for project planning, communication and collaboration, progress tracking and reporting, roadmaps for project tracking, financial management and timesheets, and resource management. 

Project is fully integrated with Microsoft Teams, allowing team members to share files, attend meetings, and chat easily. Its scheduling features are automatic, which can help teams stay on track with less direct supervision from the Project Manager. Project also incorporates the cutting-edge Microsoft Power BI dashboard, allowing project teams to visualize and analyze data in real-time. 

While Microsoft Project may seem easy to learn because of its familiar Microsoft Office interface, you will need to learn its advanced features to use it effectively. Senior Project Managers praise its power to manage multiple complex projects. Developing your ability to manage complex projects is the key to a successful career in project management. 

One of the biggest advantages of Microsoft Project is its full integration with other Microsoft Office programs. Microsoft Office is the most widely-used software suite in the world. If you’re serious about pursuing project management as a career, you’ll want to consider training in the entire suite of programs, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 

Read more about what Microsoft Project is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Microsoft Project?

Project management is a hot career path: the Project Management Institute (PMI) predicts that over 22 million new Project Manager jobs will be created by 2027. Even without this 33% increase in job positions, there is already a significant talent gap in project management, with more companies seeking Project Managers than qualified candidates. 

Another perk of a career in project management is a high salary: the average salary for a Project Manager is around $116,000 annually. That is more than double the national average of approximately $50,000 across all occupations. Training in project management could lead to a lucrative career. 

Project Managers need to have many skills, including soft skills such as communication, leadership, and time management. Project Managers will also need to have advanced skills using Microsoft Project, the world’s most widely-used project management software tool, for decades. 

Microsoft Project is the industry-standard for managing complex and multiple projects. Its powerful project management features include interactive dashboards for project monitoring, integrated project timeline, task prioritization and delegation, team dashboard, report generation, resource tracking and management, and the Master Project Plan for managing multiple projects.

Free Videos

There has never been an easier time to learn things. The internet makes so much knowledge instantly available at our fingertips. Many of these resources are free, so there is no excuse to start learning Microsoft Project. 

One option for learning Microsoft Project is free videos on websites such as YouTube. Microsoft offers a few overview videos of Project on their YouTube channel. These provide an overview of the program’s features, not hands-on training in using the program for project management. Keep in mind that anyone can upload a tutorial to YouTube: you’ll want to ensure that the training you’re receiving is reliable by providing your tutorial comes from a reliable source. 

One way to ensure your tutorial is reliable is to seek reliable sources. For example, Noble Desktop is a highly-rated coding, design, and business school based in New York City that offers free video tutorials via its YouTube channel. 

Free Courses

If you’re looking for slightly more structured training, Linkedin offers some free video courses on Microsoft Project. Some free video courses on Linkedin include Microsoft Project Quick Tips, Managing Projects with Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Project Essential Training. You can also receive more focused training with video courses such as Mastering Microsoft Project Graphical Reports, Managing Resource-Constrained Projects, and Reporting with Power BI. 

Please note that these courses are not complete training in Microsoft Project. If your interest in Microsoft Project is to boost your career, try not to rely on these free courses entirely. Instead, you can use them to supplement more structured instruction. For example, if you’re struggling with actual values in Microsoft Project, you can take Managing Actual Values in Microsoft Project.

Free Seminars

Free seminars are an excellent option for free online resources since they often include live instruction. Noble Desktop offers free live online seminars on various coding and business topics, with free recordings available after the seminar ends. 

Microsoft offers free virtual training days via its website. These training days are provided for every skill level and cover project management and Project topics as part of their Microsoft Business Applications program. For example, some past offerings include Finance Management, Integrating Power BI, Hybrid Work Management, and Team Task Delegation. You can sign up and view upcoming events using Microsoft’s website. 

Learn Microsoft Project with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

If you’re an aspiring Project Manager, you’ll need to train in Microsoft Project. NYIM is a business, design, and coding school based in NYC. They offer tech courses and bootcamps both live online or at their state-of-the-art campus in Midtown Manhattan. 

All of NYIM’s courses have guaranteed small class sizes and are taught by instructors who are experts in their industry. NYIM uses a unique hands-on approach in which instructors give a “micro-lecture” and then immediately guide students through applying what they learned using real-world projects. Graduates can take advantage of NYIM’s “free retake” option, which allows them to retake the course for free for up to one year to refresh or further develop skills. 

Live online courses are a great option if you don’t live in the NYC area. Because the class is happening live, it works exactly like an in-person class: you’ll be able to ask questions, interact with your instructor and classmates in real-time, and even receive direct feedback on your work using screen-sharing software. 

NYIM offers many options for learning Microsoft Project and the other programs in the Microsoft Office suite. In their Microsoft Project Level I course, students learn essential project management concepts and the fundamentals of using Microsoft Project to manage projects. Some of the Project skills that graduates will develop include defining projects, creating and organizing tasks, analyzing task relationships, creating a work breakdown structure, creating a resource calendar, resource management, creating baselines, sharing project plans, and finalizing project plans. Graduates earn a Certificate of Completion, which is sharable on Linkedin and your Project Manager Resume. 

NYIM’s Microsoft Project Level II covers more advanced techniques, including managing multiple projects. Instructors guide students through hands-on projects to develop skills using Microsoft Project to execute a project, monitor progress, control a project plan, create progress reports, and use advanced customized features. Graduates earn a Certificate of Completion to share on their Project Manager resume or Linkedin. 

If you want to study project management or pursue project management education hours toward CAPM Certification, you should consider a course like Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp. A PMP-Certified instructor trains students in project management theories and methodologies to help them launch a new career as Project Managers. Topics covered include the Project Management LifeCycle, project scope, project planning, resource management, risk management, financial management, team management, and becoming a professional Project Manager.

Key Insights

• There are a lot of free videos which can help you start to familiarize yourself with Microsoft Project.
• Free courses and seminars provide more structured training than free videos.
• You can receive comprehensive Microsoft Project training through an in-person or live online class with NYIM.