Create a daily schedule for my department

[scottbar6]

I manage an engineering department and I am looking to use Project to
manage the schedule of my ECO's (Engineering Change Orders). I don't
need each ECO to be an individual project. I am trying to set the
finish no later than date to be the date that I need to release the
change to production. Also each task is not dependent on any other
task. I have the tasks grouped by the engineer that is assigned to
them. Project won't let me drag the task (ECO) in to make the finish
date earlier than the constraint date even though it still meets the
"finish no later than constraint". Help?

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

scottbar6 --

Why don't you simply change the Duration of the task to shorten it?

 

[scottbar6]

scottbar6 --

Why don't you simply change the Duration of the task to shorten it?

The durations are based on the estimated time to complete the job.
Even with a shorter duration the job continues to justify itself to
the finish date. I would think any start date that allows the task to
complete before the constraint date would be ok, but it is not working
that way.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

scottbar6 --

Well, I'm at a total loss at understanding what you are trying to
accomplish. Perhaps someone smarter than me can figure it out and assist
you.

scottbar6 --

Why don't you simply change the Duration of the task to shorten it?

The durations are based on the estimated time to complete the job.
Even with a shorter duration the job continues to justify itself to
the finish date. I would think any start date that allows the task to
complete before the constraint date would be ok, but it is not working
that way.

 

[scottbar6]

scottbar6 --

Well, I'm at a total loss at understanding what you are trying to
accomplish.  Perhaps someone smarter than me can figure it out and assist
you.








The durations are based on the estimated time to complete the job.
Even with a shorter duration the job continues to justify itself to
the finish date.  I would think any start date that allows the task to
complete before the constraint date would be ok, but it is not working
that way.

I am definitely having a difficult time explaining this issue. Maybe
the diagram below will help.

--Task1--
--Task2--
--Task3--

Each task has a "finish no later than" constraint and project places
the task at the finish date. If I try to slide Task2 to the left so
that it finishes before Task3 I get a message that states that I need
to delete the constraint to continue. If I use other constraints I
can drag the bar but then I am allowed to have the task finish after
the constrained finish date.

I might be trying to use the software differently than intended. The
schedule for the department does not have an order to complete the
tasks, it just has a hard stop date based on when the customers order
is due.

Thanks for trying to help.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

scottbar6 --

Your non-standard use of this tool is troubling. I cannot imagine how you
can manage this project as you have planned it, but that's your problem and
not mine!

More troubling is that I cannot duplicate your problem completely. Out of
curiosity, have you scheduled this project from a Start date or a Finish
date? If you schedule it from a Finish date, and you set a Finish No Later
Than Constraint on each task, the software forces the task Finish date to
match the Constraint date. On the other hand, if you schedule the project
from a Start date, you don't get that behavior at all. Do this:

1. Click Project - Project Information.
2. Click the Schedule From pick list and select the Project Start Date
item.
3. In the Start field, select the planned Start date for this project.
4. Click the OK button.

Warning: If you have Actual Start dates on any task, the tasks will not
move. Try this and let us know what happens.

scottbar6 --

Well, I'm at a total loss at understanding what you are trying to
accomplish. Perhaps someone smarter than me can figure it out and assist
you.








The durations are based on the estimated time to complete the job.
Even with a shorter duration the job continues to justify itself to
the finish date. I would think any start date that allows the task to
complete before the constraint date would be ok, but it is not working
that way.

I am definitely having a difficult time explaining this issue. Maybe
the diagram below will help.

--Task1--
--Task2--
--Task3--

Each task has a "finish no later than" constraint and project places
the task at the finish date. If I try to slide Task2 to the left so
that it finishes before Task3 I get a message that states that I need
to delete the constraint to continue. If I use other constraints I
can drag the bar but then I am allowed to have the task finish after
the constrained finish date.

I might be trying to use the software differently than intended. The
schedule for the department does not have an order to complete the
tasks, it just has a hard stop date based on when the customers order
is due.

Thanks for trying to help.

 

[scottbar6]

scottbar6 --

Your non-standard use of this tool is troubling.  I cannot imagine how you
can manage this project as you have planned it, but that's your problem and
not mine!  

More troubling is that I cannot duplicate your problem completely.  Outof
curiosity, have you scheduled this project from a Start date or a Finish
date?  If you schedule it from a Finish date, and you set a Finish No Later
Than Constraint on each task, the software forces the task Finish date to
match the Constraint date.  On the other hand, if you schedule the project
from a Start date, you don't get that behavior at all.  Do this:

1.  Click Project - Project Information.
2.  Click the Schedule From pick list and select the Project Start Date
item.
3.  In the Start field, select the planned Start date for this project.
4.  Click the OK button.

Warning:  If you have Actual Start dates on any task, the tasks will not
move.  Try this and let us know what happens.










I am definitely having a difficult time explaining this issue.  Maybe
the diagram below will help.

--Task1--
                    --Task2--
                              --Task3--

Each task has a "finish no later than" constraint and project places
the task at the finish date.  If I try to slide Task2 to the left so
that it finishes before Task3 I get a message that states that I need
to delete the constraint to continue.  If I use other constraints I
can drag the bar but then I am allowed to have the task finish after
the constrained finish date.

I might be trying to use the software differently than intended.  The
schedule for the department does not have an order to complete the
tasks, it just has a hard stop date based on when the customers order
is due.

Thanks for trying to help.

Thanks for the encouraging words
The problem is that jobs (ECO's) come and go through the department.
I am trying to use this for a department schedule, so there is no
defined start or end date to the project. Each job has a set end
date, but not the "project" as a whole. Each day new jobs come into
the department requiring that the work is completed by a defined
finish date.
Thanks for the tip about scheduling from a start or end date that does
change the behaivor of the tasks. I am still struggling with which
way will work best for me.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

scottbar6 --

Here's what I would do if I were in your situation:

1. I would set the project Start date (Project - Project Information) to
the Start date of the earliest ECO.
2. I would set a Start No Earlier Than (SNET) constraint to constrain the
Start date of every other ECO.
3. I would use a Deadline date to indicate the required Finish date for the
ECO instead of using a Finish No Later Than (FNLT) constraint.

I think that would be simpler. Actually, to make it ever simpler, I would
probably use Excel! Hope this helps.

scottbar6 --

Your non-standard use of this tool is troubling. I cannot imagine how you
can manage this project as you have planned it, but that's your problem
and
not mine!

More troubling is that I cannot duplicate your problem completely. Out of
curiosity, have you scheduled this project from a Start date or a Finish
date? If you schedule it from a Finish date, and you set a Finish No Later
Than Constraint on each task, the software forces the task Finish date to
match the Constraint date. On the other hand, if you schedule the project
from a Start date, you don't get that behavior at all. Do this:

1. Click Project - Project Information.
2. Click the Schedule From pick list and select the Project Start Date
item.
3. In the Start field, select the planned Start date for this project.
4. Click the OK button.

Warning: If you have Actual Start dates on any task, the tasks will not
move. Try this and let us know what happens.










I am definitely having a difficult time explaining this issue. Maybe
the diagram below will help.

--Task1--
--Task2--
--Task3--

Each task has a "finish no later than" constraint and project places
the task at the finish date. If I try to slide Task2 to the left so
that it finishes before Task3 I get a message that states that I need
to delete the constraint to continue. If I use other constraints I
can drag the bar but then I am allowed to have the task finish after
the constrained finish date.

I might be trying to use the software differently than intended. The
schedule for the department does not have an order to complete the
tasks, it just has a hard stop date based on when the customers order
is due.

Thanks for trying to help.

Thanks for the encouraging words
The problem is that jobs (ECO's) come and go through the department.
I am trying to use this for a department schedule, so there is no
defined start or end date to the project. Each job has a set end
date, but not the "project" as a whole. Each day new jobs come into
the department requiring that the work is completed by a defined
finish date.
Thanks for the tip about scheduling from a start or end date that does
change the behaivor of the tasks. I am still struggling with which
way will work best for me.