ALAP not working in 07

[theintern]

When i enter tasks in Project 2007, assign a deadline, and change the
constraint to AS LATE AS POSSIBLE, nothing happens, or at best the task
shifts a little bit, but not all the way to the deadline. it was working
perfectly in 03, but now it doesn't seem to be working in 07. help!

thanks
scott

 

[Rod Gill]

Hi,

I'm seeing exactly the same behavior in '03 and '07. Have you applied SP1 to
Project 2007? If not try it.

--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

You are unfortunately right.
Microsoft has changed the way a deadline behaves when it is positioned later
than the task's finish.
In P2000 and in the early versions of 2002/2003 in that case it generated a
positive total slack, so an alap constraint moved the taslk to make irt
critical.
In 2007 (and as you make me discover, in SP3 of 2003) someone has deemed it
useful not to have total slack influenced by a deadline later that the
task's finish.
This greatly reduces the usefulness of the deadline property. Pity, pity,
pity.

I'm now back to my habits from before P2000 (when the deadline property did
not exist): instead of a deadline, when I need the "old" logic, I insert
after the task a deadline with a must finish on constraint and link the task
to it. That combination works exctly as the deadline used to work.

Hope this helps,

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Sorry I meant "... after the task a milestone" not a deadline.
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[theintern]

So in 2007, when you create a 2 day task with a deadline a week from now, and
then change the task constraint to ALAP, the task shifts all the way up to
the deadline?

I've looked over SP1 and dont' see anything that helps with this, but if
it's working on your computer...

thanks Rod

 

[theintern]

thanks Jan,
Would I need the milestone or can I just change the task constraint to MFO
and set the constraint date to the deadline?

scott

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

I have to repeat no, it won't.
It did in 2000 and in the early versions of 2002/2003
HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

There is a difference.
Working with the milestone will leave the task scheduled as dictated by the
other links (so it will show a buffer).
However if you combine with ALAP constraint, indeed, MFO replaces the both.
HTH
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf