Actual work updated automatically by Project

[MAPretty]

I am revising my workplan assignments. I have some tasks that have some work
done by a resource. When I add another resource to that task, and enter an
amount of hours for Work, Project is putting some of those hours in the
Actual Work field, and some in the Work field for that assignment. In my
opinion, it should never put anything in the Actual Work field.
I am using PWA to enter actual work using the Timesheet feature.
I'm using MS Project Server Prof. 2003, SP1.
Does anyone know why it's doing this?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

MAPretty --

This is not the default behavior of Microsoft Project and I cannot duplicate
your problem. Could you detail the exact steps you used to add the resource
to the task and assign the Work to that resource? Let us know. Thanks!

 

[MAPretty]

here goes:
Background:
- Task "code and UT" has resource Mark assigned. Mark worked 4 hours, has 0
Remaining.
- The Task Type is Fixed Units (although this happened with a Fixed Work
task as well). Effort Driven is not selected.

On a custom view, based on the Task Usage view, I:
- used the Task Form split screen
- selected a resource Neil in the Resource Name field (enterprise resource),
Units = 100%, Work = 15 hours.
- clicked "Next" on Task Form make the update.

The result, in the Task Usage view, is that:
- the Task has Mark's assignment with no changes
- Neil is assigned to the task with 15 hours in the Actual Work field,
Remaining Work = 0, Work = 15.
- If I search through the Details on actual work, the time shows up in
Actual Work in July.

Any help is appreciated...

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

MAPretty --

Yes, I have confirmed the behavior you are seeing. Thanks for explicitly
stating the steps you have followed. What you have seen seems to be the
default behavior of the software when adding an additional resource on a
completed task. This does not happen when I add a resource to an
in-progress task, however. Therefore, to address this little problem, I did
the following workaround:

1. Right click in the lower viewing pane (Task Form) and select the
Resource Work details
2. Set the second resource's Actual Work to 0 hours
3. Click the OK button

Hope this helps.

 

[MAPretty]

Thanks, Dale. I'm glad (I think) that you were able to replicate the
problem. It least it shows it is a bug within MsP. And you're right, it is
only with completed tasks, because I know that this doesn't happen all the
time.
Yes, I've just been zeroing out the actual work. But I was concerned that
this would corrupt my actuals, and there is much history there that I don't
want corrupted.