Finish-To-Start against EITHER Dependency

[Nugby]

Hey guys, been that long since I've been on TT I can't even remember my Username, but working as a PM and discovering MS Project's limitations.

Is there a way to set a Dependency for a Task against 2 Predecessors, which can begin when EITHER ends?
E.g.
*System 1 Generates a Report
*System 2 Generates a Report
User can begin to work on whichever Report is generated first (and THEN begins work on the other Report). I won’t know which System will produce its Report first.

Thanks!

 

[johnherman]

I've been using MS Project since 1997 and I'm thinking "NO", but would certainly like to know how if possible. However, there may be some creative workarounds. For instance, having the same person assigned to both reports with a finish to finish dependency on the two reports. That would allow you to track the work accomplished (earned value) while preserving the flexibility of working on either.

==================================
adept adaptive uber solutions for data galaxies (agile big data clouds and then some)

 

[Nugby]

Hmm, the Finish to Finish dependency WOULD be a creative way to track that User's completion, but (and I admit I should've included this) would delay the start of one of the two Users taking the End product of this User's Reports (at least according to MS Project).

 

[JulieInMaine]

Sorry, no. Links are never either/or. I would not link the Report generation tasks in a F to F or you will lose any advantage of ending one report and starting the report ASAP. I'd link the successor task and monitor completion. Delete the link to the other task when the first one ends.

 

[Nugby]

Ohh, sadly these are repeating Data Migration tasks that I'm measuring in as little as 10 minute intervals, so monitoring and dropping the dependency won't be feasible :-(

 

[JulieInMaine]

No offense - but how do you plan in tracking a project with tasks detailed to 10 minute intervals? Is it necessary to plans and document at that level of detail?

 

[Nugby]

None taken.

I'll be tracking somewhere between 400-500 moving parts when this is completed, for events that will take place across different teams, different locations (different countries) over only two days, on more than a dozen occasions between October and July, so tracking dependencies, critical path, etc, will prove extremely important, hence the MS Project usage.

But at the same time, bedding this down is the whole reason I'm contracting at this company, so I can hardly complain!

 

[JulieInMaine]

I understand your scenario, but would still try to work at a larger grouping. 500 tasks in two days sounds more like a to do list. Project certainly can handle that level of detail, but I don't know how it could ever be updated.