Assignment dates not moving with task dates

[JimS]

Hi,

I'm finding that when I extend the end date of a task, the assignments on
that task are not being extended automatically. This is causing problems
when examining the resource allocations and my only solution has been to run
a macro to align the assignment dates with the task dates. Is there a better
way of correcting this?

In the Options/Calculation tab I have updating task status updates resource
status checked, and Actual costs are calculated by MSP, but the rest are
unchecked.

Thanks in advance
JimS

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

Can you provide more details or a concrete example because I've been trying
to duplicate your problem and haven't been able to. How are you extending
the task end date, the exact method you're using, what view and what field
are you editing? What is the task type (fixed work, fixed effort, fixed
duration)? Does the task have any constraints on it? Does that task have
any actual progress on it, actual work posted? Is calculation set to
automatic?

 

[JimS]

Steve,

I tried to duplicate it on demand after I first spotted it - I thought that
checking the 'task status updates resource status' fixed it. Regarding the
update methods - a simple example is a project management task that we update
using the 'update as scheduled 'button. However, when the project timelines
have changed, we would have updated the task finish date to be later (in a
split view or with the finish column in a gantt) and then increased the work
of the resources. However, the resource assignment end dates didn't move
with it. Almost all tasks in the plan are fixed work (too easy to increase
work/cost by accident with other settings). The project management task has
a finish no earlier constraint on it (not particularly relevant), but most
tasks have start no earlier constraints as they are pushed back through
delays. Calculation is usually set to automatic, but sometimes turned off
for bulk macro changes.

Cheers
JimS

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

It sounds like you're updating the finish date by manually entering the new
expected date in the Finish field ... is this what you are doing? In fact,
it sounds like you are entering Start and Finish dates for all of your tasks
even before posting progress. Do either is going to come back to haunt you
sooner or later. Entering anything in the Start field establishes a SNET
constraint on the task while an entry in the Finish field sets a FNET
constraint - what the task finally ends up with depends on the order of
entry - and only rarely is either one of them appropriate. You really
should never be designating the task dates except for those specific tasks
where a constraint is actually in order - say a task that is dependent on
parts from a supplier and he can't deliver before a certain date so a SNET
constraint on the task using the parts provides an accurate model.
Project's basic job is to calculate your schedule for you based on the
Project start, work processes and task relationships, and resource
availability and not just record one you derived in some other way.

When a task is in progress and you realize the original estimated duration
is too short, the best way to update it is to first enter in the Actual
Start date and the Actual Duration worked so far. Enter the revised
estimate of duration remaining in the REMAINING duration field. Or you can
enter Actual Work and a revised estimate of Reamining Work. Project will
set the Start field to equal the Actual Start date and calculate a new
Finish date to whatever the new total duration (Actual Duration + Remaining
Duration) dictates, adjusting your work and assignments accordingly. If the
Actual Duration is less than what should have been worked by today - lets
say a task that is 10 days long began 5 days ago but after day 2 the
resource called in sick so only 2 out of the 5 days that should have been
worked before today actually were - there's one more step. In the Tools,
Tracking, Update Project menu choose "Reschedule uncompleted work" and
designate the date when you think work can resume. Project will split the
task (for our example at day 2) and move the unworked portion forward so
work resumes the first working day after the "resume at" day and
recalculating a new Finish date in the process.

--
Steve House [MVP]
MS Project Trainer/Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs

 

[JimS]

Steve,

We capture progress by updating the % work complete. I use the reschedule
remaining work to make sure that the remaining effort is in the correct
timeframe, but if the team lead advises on a revised end date (perhaps to
level the delayed workload on the resource) then I update the finish date.
Am I right in thinking that if I update the remaining duration instead of the
date then this problem will not occur?

Thanks for the detail in your responses.

Cheers
JimS

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi JimS,

Have you sntered any predecessor links for the tasks? That's what drives
tasks forward when a predecessor is delayed, provided you haven't entered
any dates in the Start or Finish fields which will remove the flexibility of
your project by the constraints that this will enforce. If you're not sure
about these logic links, you might like to see FAQ Item: 42. Guide to
Network Analysis.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://www.mvps.org/project/

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[JimS]

Hi Mike,

There are some dependencies but as Steve has noted we are using project to
capture and track the schedule rather than drive it. I'm happy with this,
apart from how the resource assignment loads are distorted by the assignment
dates not moving when the task dates move. I can't think of a good reason
why this would be the case and as Steve and I have found, it isn't the
easiest thing to replicate when you want to investigate.

By the way - this is using MSP 2000. Could this have been improved in the
latest versions?

Cheers
JimS

 

[Mike Glen]

Not that I know of, JimS.


Mike Glen
Project MVP

Hi Mike,

There are some dependencies but as Steve has noted we are using
project to capture and track the schedule rather than drive it. I'm
happy with this, apart from how the resource assignment loads are
distorted by the assignment dates not moving when the task dates
move. I can't think of a good reason why this would be the case and
as Steve and I have found, it isn't the easiest thing to replicate
when you want to investigate.

By the way - this is using MSP 2000. Could this have been improved
in the latest versions?

Cheers
JimS

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

I can't guarantee it because I don't know exactly the details of everything
that went into your particular file but it will go a long way to helping
resolve it. The task Finish date should be a computed value based on
duration from Start rather than a date you enter directly. When the team
lead is giving you a revised end date, what he's really saying is "I think
we have 10 days work left to do so that would make it 10 Nov" or something
to that effect. Use the 10 days estimated remaining as the Remaining
Duration or Remaining Work (depending on what it is) and let Project
calculate the finish date that it implies. Are you using the Tracking
Table? It shows the fields you should be using - Actual Start is the date
the task actually began, Actual Duration is the duration worked to date,
likewise Actual Work (careful, work and duration are different metrics even
though they both are recorded in hours) and the remaining fields. Start and
Actual Start are different fields, likewise Finish and Actual Finish.
Revising "Start" does NOT record an Actual Start but entering an Actual
Start of some date other than the present schedule will update the scheduled
"Start" field to the same date.

Steve House [MVP]