Calculating both ends of a project

[Deluth]

I have a series of tasks that are date dependent. I would like to set dependencies so that if I set the start date of the first task, it would calculate everything in the middle and then the end date to the last task. However, if I set the end date to the last task, I would also like the same calculation to occur for all the middle tasks back to the first task. I tried doing this, but could not because the middle tasks can not be both a predecessor to the same task that it depends on. Is there anyway I can accomplish this? Thanks for the help.

 

[John]

Deluth,
It is not clear what exactly you are trying to accomplish. Project plans
can be set up basically one of two ways but not both simultaneously.
They can either be forward scheduled or reverse scheduled. In the first
case (the default), the Project Start date is set (Project/Project
Information, Start date) and everything is scheduled from that date. In
the second case the Project Finish date is set (Project/Project
Information, Finish date and "schedule from" is set to "Project finish
date")) and everything is scheduled in reverse from that date.

Each person has their preferred way of setting up a schedule plan. I'm a
forward scheduler myself. I set up the plan with all tasks linked in a
logical sequence and an estimated duration for each task. If the end
date meets the required date of the completion milestone, everything is
great. Most likely however, the end date will be beyond the completion
milestone. I then either set a Deadline milestone or simply put a
"finish no later" constraint on my completion milestone and display the
"Total slack" field to see how much schedule I need to make up by
rearranging the plan or adding workaround tasks if the slip occurs after
the plan is started.

Hope this helps.
John

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Sorry John, but Project DOES do this simultaneously.
When you calculate from Project Start, Late Start and Late Finish give the
result of the backward calculation, and Total Slack the difference between
the two.
No need to change the option.

HTH

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Deluth,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Reading between you lines, I get the impression that you are typing in the
dates for your tasks. Doing this will create constraints that are causing
the problems you see. Try View/Table: Entry/More Tables.../ and select
Constraint Dates. Reset all the Constraints to As Soon As Possible to
remove the Constraints (Change the top one and Fill Down). Project is
designed to work by scheduling from the Project Start Date (set in
Project/Project Information). So, for each task, enter the Duration and
then the Precedence logic links. Project will then calculate the Start and
Finish Dates for you.

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
MS Project MVP

I have a series of tasks that are date dependent. I would like to set

dependencies so that if I set the start date of the first task, it would
calculate everything in the middle and then the end date to the last task.
However, if I set the end date to the last task, I would also like the same
calculation to occur for all the middle tasks back to the first task. I
tried doing this, but could not because the middle tasks can not be both a
predecessor to the same task that it depends on. Is there anyway I can
accomplish this? Thanks for the help.

 

[John]

Jan,
I guess I wasn't too clear. When I said both couldn't be set
simultaneously, I meant the setting for "schedule from" in the
Project/Project Information window. But thanks for correcting me. I've
never paid any attention to the Late Start and Late Finish fields. I
always just look at Total Slack.

John

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Deluth,

That's exactly what Deadline dates are for! Don't type in dates, but set a
deadline (Task Information/Advanced tab) and see where the milestone will
occur according to the Durations and logic of its Predecessors. If the
scheduled date becomes before the milestone, then you have some leeway in
your plan. On the other hand, if the milestone is beyond the Deadline date,
then Project will tell you with an warning icon in the Indicator column, and
you can then re-adjust your plan until it shows you should meet the Deadline
date set. This way you will be modelling what is possible rather than
planning to meet an impossible milestone.


Mike Glen
Project MVP

Jan - I am not looking to set this for the entire project. I just have a

few milestones that I need "on-the-fly" calculations of dates. Yes, I am
entering the dates directly onto the milestones. I sometimes have to work
out the constraint given to me via a release date and the constraints given
via features of the project. If it's date driven, I want to drive the
milestones backwards to find what features cannot be completed by the given
date. If it's feature driven, I want to drive forwards to find out what
date will the project completes - based on the milestones. Hope this
clarify things.