% Complete VS. other tracking means

[jp]

Hi,

Can someone clarfiy what the negative and positive effects of inputing the %
complete on a task is, aside from knowing the status of the project?

Also, if I track the project I can insert the columns named "Actual Start"
and "Actual Finish" how do these fiels the "% Complete" differ or are similar?
Thanks.
-JP

 

[Jack Dahlgren MVP]

Positive:
Easy to do.

Negative:
Need to know exactly what percent complete means and use that definition
consistantly
Can lead to inaccurate updates if actual varies from plan.

Actual Start will be set automatically when you enter any percent complete
greater than 0. Actual finish will be set to finish date automatically when
percent complete is set to 100%. Conversely, percent complete will be set to
100% when an actual finish is entered.

Choosing an update method depends on a lot of factors. Any could be
appropriate given the right set of factors so making a recommendation
without knowing those factors is not very useful.

What are you trying to achieve? Where does your data come from? Where does
it go? How often? Who is responsible for it? ...

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[JulieS]

Hello jp,

I think you'll find some strong agreement here that simply using the
% complete is not the most effective and accurate way to track
progress for a couple of reasons:
1. If you simply enter a percent compete, Project will set the
Actual Start Date equal to the scheduled start date. On many
occasions a task doesn't start as it was scheduled.
2. If you enter 100% complete, Project will assume the task finished
as scheduled and that the duration was as planned. Again, rarely do
we hit complete accuracy in planning.
3. Percent complete is *very* subjective. Most of us would prefer
to ask resources more detailed questions (When did you start, how
long have you worked on it, how much longer do you think it will
take to complete) and let Project update % complete based upon those
values.

I prefer to show the tracking table to track at a task by task
basis. The tracking table shows Actual Start, Actual Finish, %
complete, Actual and remaining duration.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

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

 

[jp]

Thank you very much Julie,
Thank you to you as well Jack Dahlgren

I am very grateful for both your answers.

Many thanks Julie.

-JP
;-)

 

[JulieS]

You're welcome again JP and thanks for the feedback.
Julie

 

[Jim Aksel]

Please check my blog (below), the first couple of white papers address
%Complete.
Remember that %Complete in project is always (assuming status date is to the
right of start date): (Difference Between Status Date and Actual Start
Date)/(Duration).

So, you never really have to calculate it, instead, look at remaining
duration and adjust that. Adjusting remaining duration causes %Compelte to
change. Let %Complete land where it may.

Actual Start overrides all constraints, etc. It represents reality.... the
date you actually started the task. The presence of a real date in Actual
Start or Actual Finish will reset Start/Finish accordingly. Same for Actual
Duration.

HTH
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com