Tracking question 1

[14051981]

In a construction plan, i have a task

Start : 20.09.06
Finish: 28.10.06
Duration: 30d

Resources : material 1450, work 710h

so, actually :
start: 13.09.06
complete% : 2% for 20.09.06

if i enter the values of start date and %complete, ms project splits the task`s 2% part and keeps empty all the time until project starts on plan. anyone who looks at the tracking gantt will think that we worked 1 day and then we stopped working..

how should i change the splitting of that task? The work is continuous and the %complete values isn`t regular. (because of the performance)

 

[PDQBach]

I'm having a few minor problems trying to replicate your situation.

1. When I use the start date and duration you supplied, I get a finish date of October 31. I'm guessing you have a few Saturdays in there -- but I don't think that will have an impact on the final answer.

2. When you created the task, did you have it in a Predecessor/Successor relationship to get the start date? If not, what Constraint Type and Constraint Date did you use.

3. What, exactly, did you do when you entered the revised start date while maintaining the original finish date. How did you enter the hours and %Complete to revise the Start date? How did you adjust the finish date?

Thanks.

 

[14051981]

1) Only sunday is off
2) it has predecessor and successor.
3) i changed the actual start date to 13.09 and put %complete to 2%.. duration won`t change

so, first 7 days i`ll finish 2% of work, and next 23days i`ll finish 98%

i think that ms project is not for tracking the construction works. It always splits the task. if it doesn`t split, then %complete shows the number 23% after 7 days

 

[PDQBach]

When I do the steps you described I don't see what you're seeing. I *think* I know what you're getting at, but I want to go through the exact steps you're doing before I give you a solution.

Tools | Change Working time ...
I created a calendar "WrkSat" with Saturday as a working day.

Project | Project Information
I changed the project calendar to WrkSat.

View | Resource
Create R1 as a work resource and M1 as a material resource.
Set the default calendar for each to WrkSat.

View | Gantt
I created task T0 (to use as a predecessor task) finishing on Sep19.

I created task T1 as you described (ASAP, predecessor is T0, duration is 30d -- giving a finish of Oct24).

Window | Split
RightMouseButton in the bottom and select "Resource Work"

In the bottom form:
I set the type to Fixed Duration, cleared the "Effort Driven" box and clicked OK.

I assigned R1 and M1 in the units you described and clicked OK.

I clicked on the task in the upper grid display

I changed the start of T1 to Sep13 and answered the popup telling project to drop the link. This kept the duration at 30days and changed the finish to Oct17.

I changed %Complete to 2%.

I did not get a split task as you describe.

Clearly I am doing something different from you. Please give me the exact steps you are performing.

 

[14051981]

it`s not the planning phase

it`s the tracking phase

the plan is between 25.09-28.10

i edit `actual date` to 13.09 (it`s not on the planning it`s in tracking)

i edit the complete : %2

so it splits task

 

[PDQBach]

I'll try one more time:

Please give me the exact steps you are doing. Which view are you in? If you're in something like View | Task Usage then what are the display params for the right side of the display? If you're editing the date, are you in the grid display or have you split the window and are entering it into the lower portion form. If it's in the lower portion form which form are you displaying.

 

[PDQBach]

I may have found the answer: it's the Predecessor constraint.

You entered a Start Date that violated the constraint but the remaining work is still subject to the dependency.

Remove the dependency.

 

[Maximizer]

Nice catch -- I'll give you the Star!

Thanks!

James Keep, PMP
Crystal Reports(tm) Certified Consultant 8.5 (CRCC)
Authorized Crystal Engineer (ACE)
CMRC
Crystal Decisions Business Partner
Montreal, Qc, Canada

http://www.cmrc.qc.ca