Drive Predecessors Based on End Date of Task

[kgrigio]

I have a task that needs to finish on a certain date and I have a bunch of
predecessors that must happen prior to the final task finishing. How can I
drive all the precedessors start dates based off the final task? This is
kind of the opposite of how project works, I know, but basically I want to
know when all of the work has to start based off the final end date.

Here is an example of what I am asking, just in case I am not clear.

Task 1 (5 days)
Task 2 (10 days)
Final task must finish on specific day

I want project to move task 2 automatically to start 10 days prior to the
specific final task being completed and task 1 to start 5 days prior to this.

Any way to do this wth project?

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Hi,
Have you tried the SF link wich allow to plan backwards ?
The Final limestone will be the "predecessor" even if it happens after...

Gérard Ducouret

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Simply link the tasks FS, then show the Late Finish column.

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[Projectability]

You could always elect to Schedule from the Project Finish date, available
from Project>Project Information. Enter the required finish date once you
have selected this option, then enter your tasks with required durations and
link them using the default FS link, predecessor tasks will "push back" from
the required finish date of the last task. Watch out though as this approach
means all the tasks will be constrained to be "as late as possible" and any
delay to any of the tasks will jeopardise your target end date.

--
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Projectability - Helping People achieve more with Microsoft Project

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[José Miguel Piñeres]

Hello,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project General Questions newsgroup.

You could use a milestone as a bridge (hammock).
1.- Link the milestone as predecessor to the final task: Copy the finish
date of the final task; then select the start date of the milestone and go to
the edit menu>paste special>paste link.
2.-Then establish links from the milestone to task1 and task2 as start-start
relationships giving them the corresponding lead time (negative lag).

Following your own example (assuming that the milestone would be task ID 1),
it would work as follows:

Task 1 (5d) (predecessor: 1ss-5d)
Task 2 (10d) (predecessor: 1ss-10d
Milestone (paste special link to start when final task finishes)
Final task

I hope this works for you. Please let us know how you get along with it.

--
If this answer has been of help, please consider rating it.

José Miguel Piñeres
MCITP | MCT
San José, Costa Rica
http://projectpedia.blogspot.com

 

[Jim Aksel]

You are asking for trouble scheduling this way as it leaves you no slack what
so ever. What happens if your 10 day task requires 12 days to complete?

With that risk in mind, here is how you can do it.

1. Establish a milestone that marks the specific day you want. On this
milestone, change the constraint to "Must Finish On" by double clicking the
task, pull the advanced tab and change the Constraint type.

2. Link your predecessor tasks in series just how you would normally.
3. For each predecessor, change the constraint type to "As Late As Possible"

Not knowing your real tasks, it would be much more sound to let the
predecessors finish As Soon As Possible as long as you can tollerate the
empty space between the last predecessor and the Must Finish on task start
date.

An example might be making a wedding cake. You can buy most of the
ingredients many weeks before hand. However, "Mix Batter" and "Bake Cake"
would be as late as possible with a finish milestone of "Deliver Cake to
Reception" on a specific date.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

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

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi kgrigio,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Well you've had a lot of suggestions, perhaps I can offer another. For your
final task, in Project/Task Information/Advanced tab set a Deadline date to
meet your finishing requirement. Schedule your predecessors to start As
Soon As Possible and see where the project is scheduled to finish . If the
scheduled date is later than the Deadline date, Project will tell you via an
indicator in the Indicator column. Now adjust your project start date until
the finish becomes before the Deadline. You will then have a project plan
that is possible rather than a fudged project which is blind to reality.
Use Deadlines not Must Finish On dates.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials

 

[Prasad]

Hi kgrigio,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Well you've had a lot of suggestions, perhaps I can offer another.  Foryour
final task, in Project/Task Information/Advanced tab set a Deadline date to
meet your finishing requirement.  Schedule your predecessors to start As
Soon As Possible and see where the project is scheduled to finish .  Ifthe
scheduled date is later than the Deadline date, Project will tell you viaan
indicator in the Indicator column. Now adjust your project start date until
the finish becomes before the Deadline. You will then have a project plan
that is possible rather than a fudged project which is blind to reality.
Use Deadlines not Must Finish On dates.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seenat
this web address:http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
Seehttp://tinyurl.com/2xbhcfor my free Project Tutorials

Kgrigio,

What you are seeking is described as backward scheduling, which is a
common feature in many scheduling modules of ERP systems. Mike Glen's
reply is quite appropriate for you.

Prasad

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Backward scheduling is indeed so common that Project does it wthout any
intervention from the user - just show Late Start and Late Finish.
No other manual intervention is necessary. None.

Greetings,

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

Hi kgrigio,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

Well you've had a lot of suggestions, perhaps I can offer another. For
your
final task, in Project/Task Information/Advanced tab set a Deadline date
to
meet your finishing requirement. Schedule your predecessors to start As
Soon As Possible and see where the project is scheduled to finish . If the
scheduled date is later than the Deadline date, Project will tell you via
an
indicator in the Indicator column. Now adjust your project start date
until
the finish becomes before the Deadline. You will then have a project plan
that is possible rather than a fudged project which is blind to reality.
Use Deadlines not Must Finish On dates.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen
at
this web address:http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
Seehttp://tinyurl.com/2xbhcfor my free Project Tutorials

Kgrigio,

What you are seeking is described as backward scheduling, which is a
common feature in many scheduling modules of ERP systems. Mike Glen's
reply is quite appropriate for you.

Prasad