Cause for Grayed Out Columns in Table?

[Ed Hanna]

Yesterday, I was conducting an introductory MS Project class and ran across some MS Project Professional behavior that I couldn't explain. On the Gantt Chart view, we were looking at the Cost Table as a place to enter Actual Cost. One of the students could not make entries in the Actual Cost column because it was grayed out.

I couldn't come up with an on-the-spot reason why it would act that way but thought that I could later try some things that might reproduce the condition. So far, I haven't been able to reproduce the behavior.

It was Project Professional 2003 and we were not connected to Project Server. We started with a new project schedule and entered 8-10 tasks and were exploring the basic operations (e.g. creating a task list, creating summary tasks, linking tasks, assigning resources to tasks, assigning costs to resources).

Does anyone know what might cause columns of data in MS Project to be grayed out?

Ed

 

[JulieS]

Hi Ed,
I was able to reproduce the behavior you describe fairly
easily. There is an option on the Calculation tab of the
Tools --> Options dialog box controlling actual costs.
If the "Actual dosts are always calculated by Microsoft
Office Project" is enabled, the actual cost field cannot
be manually edited. Project will calculated the actual
costs as you track data.
According to help, the option is enabled by default.
Hope this helps.
Julie

-----Original Message-----
Yesterday, I was conducting an introductory MS Project

class and ran across some MS Project Professional
behavior that I couldn't explain. On the Gantt Chart
view, we were looking at the Cost Table as a place to
enter Actual Cost. One of the students could not make
entries in the Actual Cost column because it was grayed
out.

I couldn't come up with an on-the-spot reason why it

would act that way but thought that I could later try
some things that might reproduce the condition. So far,
I haven't been able to reproduce the behavior.

It was Project Professional 2003 and we were not

connected to Project Server. We started with a new
project schedule and entered 8-10 tasks and were
exploring the basic operations (e.g. creating a task
list, creating summary tasks, linking tasks, assigning
resources to tasks, assigning costs to resources).

 

[Ed Hanna]

Julie,

Thanks for the quick reply. You have got it! And it makes perfect sense--a
lockout for Actual Cost.

I had looked at that Calculation tab setting but hadn't explored it
thoroughly enough. And I do note what you've said, that it is the default
setting.

I was thinking to myself "I've routinely entered actuals in the past"--but
it was Actual Work that I was thinking of. Thanks for helping me sort it
out.

Ed

 

[JulieS]

Hi Ed,
You are most welcome. Glad to have helped.
Julie