Handling TBA

[David R]

When your boss puts "TBA" for [start] or [duration] how is the best
way to handle this? He wants it printed in a gantt chart.

 

[John Beamish]

<mounting soap box>

Technically, except for kickoff tasks, the task start date is always "tba"
because it is derived from the completion date (and lags, if necessary) of
the predecessor task or tasks. Entering a start date (except in certain
circumstances) curtails the built-in functionality of Project to
automatically push out (or pull in) dependant dates if predecessor tasks are
running late or early.

<dismounting from soap box>

Format | Bar styles ... and click on the Task item in the upper portion of
the display and then click on the Text tab in the lower portion. Default
(at least on my machine) is to display the resources to the right of the
Gantt bar. You could replace that with the Duration field. In P2003 (I'm
not certain which release it appears in) you get a question mark along with
the duration if it is only estimated.

As for the Start dates (and you can also do this for the durations), you
could do something the same way. Instead of changing the bar text to
display the Duration (as you did in the paragraph above), you could change
it to display the contents of the Text1 field. In the grid portion of the
Gantt view display the Text1 field and, for the affected tasks, enter
something like "Est." or "TBA". That notation will appear on the bar chart
portion of the Gantt view.

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Hello David, hello John,
Could you explain to a French guy what the acronym TBA stands for?
Thanks,

Gérard

<mounting soap box>

Technically, except for kickoff tasks, the task start date is always "tba"
because it is derived from the completion date (and lags, if necessary) of
the predecessor task or tasks. Entering a start date (except in certain
circumstances) curtails the built-in functionality of Project to
automatically push out (or pull in) dependant dates if predecessor tasks are
running late or early.

<dismounting from soap box>

Format | Bar styles ... and click on the Task item in the upper portion of
the display and then click on the Text tab in the lower portion. Default
(at least on my machine) is to display the resources to the right of the
Gantt bar. You could replace that with the Duration field. In P2003 (I'm
not certain which release it appears in) you get a question mark along with
the duration if it is only estimated.

As for the Start dates (and you can also do this for the durations), you
could do something the same way. Instead of changing the bar text to
display the Duration (as you did in the paragraph above), you could change
it to display the contents of the Text1 field. In the grid portion of the
Gantt view display the Text1 field and, for the affected tasks, enter
something like "Est." or "TBA". That notation will appear on the bar chart
portion of the Gantt view.

When your boss puts "TBA" for [start] or [duration] how is the best
way to handle this? He wants it printed in a gantt chart.

 

[SSF]

To Be Announced; sort of the same as To Be Determined (TBD) or To Be
Confirmed (TBC).

DJM

Hello David, hello John,
Could you explain to a French guy what the acronym TBA stands for?
Thanks,

Gérard

<mounting soap box>

Technically, except for kickoff tasks, the task start date is always "tba"
because it is derived from the completion date (and lags, if necessary) of
the predecessor task or tasks. Entering a start date (except in certain
circumstances) curtails the built-in functionality of Project to
automatically push out (or pull in) dependant dates if predecessor tasks are
running late or early.

<dismounting from soap box>

Format | Bar styles ... and click on the Task item in the upper portion of
the display and then click on the Text tab in the lower portion. Default
(at least on my machine) is to display the resources to the right of the
Gantt bar. You could replace that with the Duration field. In P2003 (I'm
not certain which release it appears in) you get a question mark along with
the duration if it is only estimated.

As for the Start dates (and you can also do this for the durations), you
could do something the same way. Instead of changing the bar text to
display the Duration (as you did in the paragraph above), you could change
it to display the contents of the Text1 field. In the grid portion of the
Gantt view display the Text1 field and, for the affected tasks, enter
something like "Est." or "TBA". That notation will appear on the bar chart
portion of the Gantt view.

When your boss puts "TBA" for [start] or [duration] how is the best
way to handle this? He wants it printed in a gantt chart.

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Thanks a lot !
Gérard

To Be Announced; sort of the same as To Be Determined (TBD) or To Be
Confirmed (TBC).

DJM

Hello David, hello John,
Could you explain to a French guy what the acronym TBA stands for?
Thanks,

Gérard

necessary)

of tasks
are

portion

of

the display and then click on the Text tab in the lower portion. Default
(at least on my machine) is to display the resources to the right of the
Gantt bar. You could replace that with the Duration field. In P2003 (I'm
not certain which release it appears in) you get a question mark along with
the duration if it is only estimated.

As for the Start dates (and you can also do this for the durations), you
could do something the same way. Instead of changing the bar text to
display the Duration (as you did in the paragraph above), you could change
it to display the contents of the Text1 field. In the grid portion of the
Gantt view display the Text1 field and, for the affected tasks, enter
something like "Est." or "TBA". That notation will appear on the bar chart
portion of the Gantt view.


When your boss puts "TBA" for [start] or [duration] how is the best
way to handle this? He wants it printed in a gantt chart.

 

[John Beamish]

TBA is a TLA <grin> for "To Be Advised".

(and TLA stands for "Three Letter Acronym")

Hello David, hello John,
Could you explain to a French guy what the acronym TBA stands for?
Thanks,

Gérard

<mounting soap box>

Technically, except for kickoff tasks, the task start date is always "tba"
because it is derived from the completion date (and lags, if necessary) of
the predecessor task or tasks. Entering a start date (except in certain
circumstances) curtails the built-in functionality of Project to
automatically push out (or pull in) dependant dates if predecessor tasks are
running late or early.

<dismounting from soap box>

Format | Bar styles ... and click on the Task item in the upper portion of
the display and then click on the Text tab in the lower portion. Default
(at least on my machine) is to display the resources to the right of the
Gantt bar. You could replace that with the Duration field. In P2003 (I'm
not certain which release it appears in) you get a question mark along with
the duration if it is only estimated.

As for the Start dates (and you can also do this for the durations), you
could do something the same way. Instead of changing the bar text to
display the Duration (as you did in the paragraph above), you could change
it to display the contents of the Text1 field. In the grid portion of the
Gantt view display the Text1 field and, for the affected tasks, enter
something like "Est." or "TBA". That notation will appear on the bar chart
portion of the Gantt view.

When your boss puts "TBA" for [start] or [duration] how is the best
way to handle this? He wants it printed in a gantt chart.

 

[Guest]

I would say if tf your boss says TBA for start or
duration, he's saying he doesnt know.
I would - reschedule the task or network of tasks
- leave all tasks with duration of n?
- leave generic resources against the tasks where
applicable
- obviously, leave unbaselined
- minute in Notes section that boss advised TBA
And when he asks about the finish date ask the
prime questions from the scheduler's vocabulary ie. - who/
what/ when and why.

-----Original Message-----
Hello David, hello John,
Could you explain to a French guy what the acronym TBA stands for?
Thanks,

Gérard

"John Beamish" <JLBeamishAThotmailDOTcom> a écrit dans le message de

<mounting soap box>

Technically, except for kickoff tasks, the task start date is always "tba"
because it is derived from the completion date (and lags, if necessary) of
the predecessor task or tasks. Entering a start date (except in certain
circumstances) curtails the built-in functionality of Project to
automatically push out (or pull in) dependant dates if

predecessor tasks
are

running late or early.

<dismounting from soap box>

Format | Bar styles ... and click on the Task item in the upper portion of
the display and then click on the Text tab in the lower portion. Default
(at least on my machine) is to display the resources to the right of the
Gantt bar. You could replace that with the Duration field. In P2003 (I'm
not certain which release it appears in) you get a

question mark along
with

the duration if it is only estimated.

As for the Start dates (and you can also do this for the durations), you
could do something the same way. Instead of changing the bar text to
display the Duration (as you did in the paragraph above), you could change
it to display the contents of the Text1 field. In the grid portion of the
Gantt view display the Text1 field and, for the affected tasks, enter
something like "Est." or "TBA". That notation will

appear on the bar
chart

portion of the Gantt view.

When your boss puts "TBA" for [start] or [duration] how is the best
way to handle this? He wants it printed in a gantt

chart.

.