Shifting an entire project

[CaptSport]

I'm sure this is a basic question, but how can I shift an entire project to finish on a different day than the original finish date without having to reschedule every task?

I've tried updating using <Tools><tracking><update project><reschedule uncompleted work to start after> With no individual tasks selected. And, finish to start dependencies. However, it only adjusts the first task.

What I'm basically doing is I have a project template so to speak. We have projects that have the same tasks each time. I'd like to shift that project schedule on the calendar to see what the project schedule would look like with different finish dates. Our customers give us a finish date and I'd like to reschedule all the tasks based on the date they give to see if it's feasible to complete the project on time. Before our sales guys accept the project and set us up to fail.

Thanks a ton for your help,

jr

 

[PDQBach]

There are two approaches that may help you.

Under Project | Project Information ... there is an option "Schedule From" which lets you choose project start date or project finish date. This works well if all tasks have ASAP constraints; not so well if you have any other constraints.

If you want to take an existing template with a project start date of Jan 6 and want to see what the completion date will be if you start it on Mar 3 then, in P98 for example, Alt+F8 will bring up the macros and you can run "Adjust Dates". This works well as long as you don't have any actuals recorded.

 

[CaptSport]

PDQBach,

Thanks for the reply. I've tried what you recommended an unforntunately neither has worked. Project information shows a new project date, but the tasks in the gantt chart view fail to shift to there new prospective dates. So, even thou I know what the finish date is I don't have the information on what date to start each task.

Could I be setting up my dependances wrong? One would think that with finish to start dependances that each task would shift in time on gantt chart to show a later start date if you move the project start date or even the first task to a later date.

Thanks again for your help,

jr

 

[PDQBach]

The issue isn't your dependencies, it's your constraints.

In the Gantt view, if it isn't already showing, display the Indicators column. Every item which shows a calendar has a constraint date on that task. Those constraint dates inhibit easy movement of tasks because those tasks have constraints such as "must start on" or "start no later than" or "finish no later than", etc.

Judging by your comment, I'm guessing that the only easy way (and it is easy -- but also somewhat finicky) is to write some VBA to

1. get a revised project start date,
2. calculate the delta between original start and revised start, and
3. then apply it in an appropriate manner to tasks that do not have an ASAP constraint.

The ASAP constrained tasks do not have a constraint so their start and finish dates are simply calculated dynamically by Project.

Alternatively, you could take the template and rework all tasks so that they have no constraints (i.e., they are all ASAP tasks with appropriate dependencies, links -- FS, FF, SS, SF -- and lags). Then add a Milestone task at the beginning: "Anchor Date". The "Anchor Date" task has all the initial tasks (in other words, all the tasks that do not have predecessors) as successors. When you change the start date of the "Anchor Date" task then the change will ripple through the rest of the project tasks.

One potential "gotcha": hammock tasks (which use dynamic links on the date fields). I don't know if there's a way to detect them in VBA.

 

[CaptSport]

That's what has me confused. I've changed all my constraints to ASAP (as you suggested) and I only have FS dependences yet I can't get the tasks to shift in time on the calendar unless I reschedule each task. Using the Gantt view of course.

I've tried the adjust dates macro and it slides the tasks, it's just that it has some task starting before others irreguardless of dependencies. For example two tasks are linked with a FS dependencie yet the latter task starts first after hitting adjust dates. Yet the FS link is still showing?

jr

PS. I really appreciate your help and time.

 

[PDQBach]

Hmmm ... do you have any actuals recorded against those tasks? (Display the column "Actual Work".)

If you want, sanitize the plan and send it to me at pdqbach4100 at hotma.l dot com.

 

[CaptSport]

No, no actuals. I'll send it to ya it's just a basic schedule. So, nothing to worry about.

Thanks,

jr