How to Show Baseline in Microsoft Project

Quick summary

Setting a baseline in Microsoft Project captures your original project plan as a snapshot, allowing you to track variances between planned and actual progress. This six-step process uses the Project tab and Set Baseline dialog to lock in your schedule for ongoing performance measurement.

Steps

1. Click on the Project tab at the top of your screen.
2. Locate the Schedule group and select Set Baseline to capture your current plan as a snapshot for tracking progress later.
3. From the dropdown menu, click Set Baseline... to open the baseline options dialog.
4. Select which baseline number you'd like to use from the dropdown menu.
5. Choose Entire project to apply the baseline to all tasks in your schedule.
6. Click OK to save your baseline and begin tracking variances between your plan and actual progress.