Formula check and indicator anomaly

[Mark E. Read]

This is Project Pro 2007 with SP1 and several hotfixes (with Project
Server), but NOT the infrastructure update yet.

The field is an enterprise task field, but my validation is ALL in
Project Pro. It doesn't work as expected in the Project Pro client.

I have a formula that returns useful information: slippage = finish
variance/baseline duration, and it behaves the way I think it should.
If I have a negative variance, it gives me a negative result.

I then add on graphical indicators with the following order:

slippage equals #error = blank
slippage less than or equal to 0 = green
slippage greater than 0.2 = red
slippage less than 0.2 = yellow.

I set up 4 tasks of 10 days and baseline them.

I display the slippage column and it all glows green. Excellent

I change task 1 duration to 11 days and it goes yellow. Excellent
I change task 2 duration to 12 days and it goes red. Excellent
I remove the baseline from task 3 and it goes blank. Excellent

all good.

Now I change the duration of task 4 to 8 days, and it goes yellow.
WAIT! it's supposed to be green. The FIRST test is less than or
equal to zero. Why doesn't that test work?

I've recreated the field, I've deleted cache and profile and EGT...
still NOTHING.

Any thoughts? Anyone else care to try?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Mark E. Read]

This is Project Pro 2007 with SP1 and several hotfixes (with Project
Server), but NOT the infrastructure update yet.

The field is an enterprise task field, but my validation is ALL in
Project Pro.  It doesn't work as expected in the Project Pro client.

I have a formula that returns useful information:  slippage = finish
variance/baseline duration, and it behaves the way I think it should.
If I have a negative variance, it gives me a negative result.

I then add on graphical indicators with the following order:

slippage equals #error = blank
slippage less than or equal to 0 = green
slippage greater than 0.2 = red
slippage less than 0.2 = yellow.

I set up 4 tasks of 10 days and baseline them.

I display the slippage column and it all glows green.  Excellent

I change task 1 duration to  11 days and it goes yellow.  Excellent
I change task 2 duration to 12 days and it goes red.  Excellent
I remove the baseline from task 3 and it goes blank.  Excellent

all good.

Now I change the duration of task 4 to 8 days, and it goes yellow.
WAIT!  it's supposed to be green.  The FIRST test is less than or
equal to zero.  Why doesn't that test work?

I've recreated the field, I've deleted cache and profile and EGT...
still NOTHING.

Any thoughts?  Anyone else care to try?

Thanks for your help!

I should add that the tool tip value shows -.2 as expected.

 

[Rod Gill]

What happens if you change the
slippage less than 0.2 = yellow
to
slippage greater than 0.1 = yellow
--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

This is Project Pro 2007 with SP1 and several hotfixes (with Project
Server), but NOT the infrastructure update yet.

The field is an enterprise task field, but my validation is ALL in
Project Pro. It doesn't work as expected in the Project Pro client.

I have a formula that returns useful information: slippage = finish
variance/baseline duration, and it behaves the way I think it should.
If I have a negative variance, it gives me a negative result.

I then add on graphical indicators with the following order:

slippage equals #error = blank
slippage less than or equal to 0 = green
slippage greater than 0.2 = red
slippage less than 0.2 = yellow.

I set up 4 tasks of 10 days and baseline them.

I display the slippage column and it all glows green. Excellent

I change task 1 duration to 11 days and it goes yellow. Excellent
I change task 2 duration to 12 days and it goes red. Excellent
I remove the baseline from task 3 and it goes blank. Excellent

all good.

Now I change the duration of task 4 to 8 days, and it goes yellow.
WAIT! it's supposed to be green. The FIRST test is less than or
equal to zero. Why doesn't that test work?

I've recreated the field, I've deleted cache and profile and EGT...
still NOTHING.

Any thoughts? Anyone else care to try?

Thanks for your help!

I should add that the tool tip value shows -.2 as expected.

 

[Mark E. Read]

What happens if you change the
slippage less than 0.2 = yellow
to
slippage greater than 0.1 = yellow

When that happens, a value of 11 days goes blank, as does a negative
value.

If I was in the London Tube I would say "Mind the Gap"

Hmmm

 

[JulieS]

in message

This is Project Pro 2007 with SP1 and several hotfixes (with
Project
Server), but NOT the infrastructure update yet.

The field is an enterprise task field, but my validation is ALL in
Project Pro. It doesn't work as expected in the Project Pro
client.

I have a formula that returns useful information: slippage =
finish
variance/baseline duration, and it behaves the way I think it
should.
If I have a negative variance, it gives me a negative result.

I then add on graphical indicators with the following order:

slippage equals #error = blank
slippage less than or equal to 0 = green
slippage greater than 0.2 = red
slippage less than 0.2 = yellow.

I set up 4 tasks of 10 days and baseline them.

I display the slippage column and it all glows green. Excellent

I change task 1 duration to 11 days and it goes yellow.
Excellent
I change task 2 duration to 12 days and it goes red. Excellent
I remove the baseline from task 3 and it goes blank. Excellent

all good.

Now I change the duration of task 4 to 8 days, and it goes yellow.
WAIT! it's supposed to be green. The FIRST test is less than or
equal to zero. Why doesn't that test work?

I've recreated the field, I've deleted cache and profile and
EGT...
still NOTHING.

Any thoughts? Anyone else care to try?

Thanks for your help!

Hi Mark,

I've stepped through your scenario in both Project 2003 (SP-3) and
Project 2007 SP-1 and Infrastructure update. I am using Project
Pro, but not connected to a server, so I tested your steps in a
nonenterprise field. I used both a number field and tested again
with a text field and found the following:

I didn't need the first test you cite:

slippage equals #error = blank (I could only include in the text
field)

So, I excluded it. The #error message is apparently not causing
trouble with the graphic indicators.

I had to change the graphic indicator for red to:
slippage greater than or equal to 0.2 = red

or when I changed task 2's duration to 12 days, the slippage = 0.2
and no indicator appeared.

The rest, however worked just fine. You don't note what type of
enterprise task field you are using (text, number, etc) but I don't
find any flaw in what you have done. Again, not in an enterprise
field though.

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