Change task status automatically when % complete changes?

[Emily]

I am hoping to find a way to have my "task status" change automatically when
the "% complete" field has any value/% entered into it. So to clarify right
now in task status I have several options (not started, in progress,
complete) I would like to be able to have the "task status" field
automatically change to "not started" when the "% complete" field is blank
and when any percentage/value is entered in the "% complete" then have the
"task status" field change to "in progress" and lastly when the "% complete"
field has a value of 100% in it have the "task status" field change to
"complete". Is this possible?

 

[Jim Aksel]

There is a field called [Status] in MS Project that does most of this for you
already. The field can be inserted as a column. It does the following:

If the task is 100 percent complete, then Microsoft Office Project 2003 sets
the Status field to Complete.

If the task start date is greater than the status date, then the Status
field contains Future Task.

If timephased cumulative percent complete is spread to at least the day
before the status date, then the Status field contains On Schedule.

If the timephased cumulative percent complete does not reach midnight on the
day before the status date, then the Status field contains Late.

There is a sister field called Status Indicator which is an icon.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Emily]

Someone in my office actually figured it out for me I am using the field Task
Status and we had just customized it to show our own entires which are Not
Started, In Progress & Complete. So to change things so whenever we had 0%
in % complete the status changed to Not Started & when the % complete was
between 1-99 the task changes to In Progress and if the % complete is 100%
then the task status changes to Complete we did the following:

Go to Tools
Select Customize
Select Fields
Select Task Status (in Field options box)
Check off the Formula Option (right below the Fields box)
Select the Formula button
and enter this formula:
Switch([% Complete]=0,"Not Started",[% Complete]=100,"Complete",0<[%
Complete]<100,"In Progress")

There is a field called [Status] in MS Project that does most of this for you
already. The field can be inserted as a column. It does the following:

If the task is 100 percent complete, then Microsoft Office Project 2003 sets
the Status field to Complete.

If the task start date is greater than the status date, then the Status
field contains Future Task.

If timephased cumulative percent complete is spread to at least the day
before the status date, then the Status field contains On Schedule.

If the timephased cumulative percent complete does not reach midnight on the
day before the status date, then the Status field contains Late.

There is a sister field called Status Indicator which is an icon.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

I am hoping to find a way to have my "task status" change automatically when
the "% complete" field has any value/% entered into it. So to clarify right
now in task status I have several options (not started, in progress,
complete) I would like to be able to have the "task status" field
automatically change to "not started" when the "% complete" field is blank
and when any percentage/value is entered in the "% complete" then have the
"task status" field change to "in progress" and lastly when the "% complete"
field has a value of 100% in it have the "task status" field change to
"complete". Is this possible?

 

[Jim Aksel]

Yes that will work fine, I am glad you figured it out.
Something to consider that the [Status] column will give you that your
forumula will not---

If a task was supposed to start "yesterday" yours will show "Not Started"
which is no different than a task that is supposed to start in two weeks....
"Not Started". So, if management asks "What are the unstarted tasks?" the
answer will contain those that should have started and those that start in
the future. An additional filter would be required on the [Start] column to
properly identify the late unstarted tasks.

Same thing with "In Progress", you could be at 20% complete as "In Progress"
yet be terribly behind schedule (or ahead for that matter). "In Progress"
does not always equal "On Schedule"

So, the Project Field [Status] is also sensitive to the field [Status Date]
where yours is not.

I just wanted you to understand the difference in the two solutions. Either
way, I am sure you will use what is best in your situation.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

Someone in my office actually figured it out for me I am using the field Task
Status and we had just customized it to show our own entires which are Not
Started, In Progress & Complete. So to change things so whenever we had 0%
in % complete the status changed to Not Started & when the % complete was
between 1-99 the task changes to In Progress and if the % complete is 100%
then the task status changes to Complete we did the following:

Go to Tools
Select Customize
Select Fields
Select Task Status (in Field options box)
Check off the Formula Option (right below the Fields box)
Select the Formula button
and enter this formula:
Switch([% Complete]=0,"Not Started",[% Complete]=100,"Complete",0<[%
Complete]<100,"In Progress")

There is a field called [Status] in MS Project that does most of this for you
already. The field can be inserted as a column. It does the following:

If the task is 100 percent complete, then Microsoft Office Project 2003 sets
the Status field to Complete.

If the task start date is greater than the status date, then the Status
field contains Future Task.

If timephased cumulative percent complete is spread to at least the day
before the status date, then the Status field contains On Schedule.

If the timephased cumulative percent complete does not reach midnight on the
day before the status date, then the Status field contains Late.

There is a sister field called Status Indicator which is an icon.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

I am hoping to find a way to have my "task status" change automatically when
the "% complete" field has any value/% entered into it. So to clarify right
now in task status I have several options (not started, in progress,
complete) I would like to be able to have the "task status" field
automatically change to "not started" when the "% complete" field is blank
and when any percentage/value is entered in the "% complete" then have the
"task status" field change to "in progress" and lastly when the "% complete"
field has a value of 100% in it have the "task status" field change to
"complete". Is this possible?

 

[cqra]

Hi Jim - Would you know why the [Status] values on my Plan are Complete
and Future Tasks only? The Plan certainly has tasks that are late.
Thanks!! CQRA