Quick summary
Setting a baseline in Microsoft Project captures your original project plan — including task dates, durations, and costs — as a fixed reference point. This allows project managers to track variances and measure actual progress against the approved schedule throughout the project lifecycle.
Steps
- Click on the Project tab in the ribbon menu to access project-level scheduling options.
- Find and select Set Baseline from the Schedule group to capture your current plan as a measurable snapshot.
- From the dropdown menu, choose Set Baseline... to open the baseline options dialog box.
- Select which baseline number you want to set from the available options.
- Ensure Entire project is selected to baseline all tasks, or choose Selected tasks if you only want to baseline specific items.
- Click OK to save your baseline and establish a reference point for tracking schedule variances as work progresses.
