Concatenate Tasks With Summary Tasks in Reports

[mrobles]

I think I have found in other posts but I want to ask directly just in case
someone else has other info...

Can MSP concatenate each task in a report with its summary tasks? Without
this, I don't know what part of the project each task pertains to. (Example,
does "Buy space" pertain to the April or May set of tasks?) If I add a
breadcrumb to each task in the entry view, not only is this time consuming
but I also can't read the entry view as well as before.

This limitation severly cuts down on the usefulness of the reports for me.

 

[John]

I think I have found in other posts but I want to ask directly just in case
someone else has other info...

Can MSP concatenate each task in a report with its summary tasks? Without
this, I don't know what part of the project each task pertains to. (Example,
does "Buy space" pertain to the April or May set of tasks?) If I add a
breadcrumb to each task in the entry view, not only is this time consuming
but I also can't read the entry view as well as before.

This limitation severly cuts down on the usefulness of the reports for me.

mrobles,
The simple answer to your question is yes, but not via an option setting
or other built in feature. You would need to write a VBA procedure to
concatenate the summary description with the performance task
description.

I find that many users want to oversimplify task descriptions by using
only one or two words and not describing the action to be taken to
perform the task. For example, "requirements", "spec" and "implement"
are not very good task descriptions. Although adding the summary line
description of "feature X" to each of the performance task descriptions
does add useful information, it falls short in providing a good
description of exactly what the task is. For example is the first task
to write the requirement, review the requirements or something else? Is
the second task to write the spec, edit the spec, review and provide
feedback on the spec or something els? The same type of question applies
to the third task.

In order to develop a good readable plan it is going to take some
effort. And yes, that will require spending some time on good task
descriptions. The reward will be a plan that both makes logical sense,
and is easier to read by anyone who looks at it.

Probably not what you wanted to hear but hope it helps.

John
Project MVP