How to Create Master "Key Driver" Milestones copied from subprojec

[mcf_post]

Hi there,

I'm developing an integrated workplan comprising several subplans. I wish
to tie them together through a milestone schedule at the top of the
integrated project that shows the key dependencies and drivers. A simplified
example: the HR plan and the IT plan are linked on:

HR gathers the data
IT cannot load the data until HR has gathered it
Once the HR data is loaded HR can start a payroll

I have 3 created milestones:
1. HR data gathered - dependent on a task in the HR plan
2. HR data loaded - a summary task in the IT plan, dependent on 1
3. Payroll initiated - Tasks in the HR plan, dependent on 2

This works great but I want to also reflect % complete. Is there a way to
show % complete on the milestone task at the top of the master plan?

Thanks...M

 

[John]

Hi there,

I'm developing an integrated workplan comprising several subplans. I wish
to tie them together through a milestone schedule at the top of the
integrated project that shows the key dependencies and drivers. A simplified
example: the HR plan and the IT plan are linked on:

HR gathers the data
IT cannot load the data until HR has gathered it
Once the HR data is loaded HR can start a payroll

I have 3 created milestones:
1. HR data gathered - dependent on a task in the HR plan
2. HR data loaded - a summary task in the IT plan, dependent on 1
3. Payroll initiated - Tasks in the HR plan, dependent on 2

This works great but I want to also reflect % complete. Is there a way to
show % complete on the milestone task at the top of the master plan?

Thanks...M

M,
Are you James Bond's boss?

First a comment. A milestone is by definition either complete or not
complete (i.e. 0% or 100%), there is no in-between.

If you want to see the % Complete of various subprojects why not simply
collapse each subproject to its top level Summary Line and either
display the % Complete field and/or show the Summary Line progress line
on the Gantt bar? In my view this is a little more realistic way of
showing the progress.

With that said, now to answer your specific question. Yes, it is
possible. If I were forced to do it I would probably set up a spare text
field to display next to the milestones at the top. I would then use a
very simple VBA macro to populate the appropriate spare text field with
% Complete information from the subproject. I don't see a way to do it
with a formula - but then, I've been wrong before.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[mcf_post]

Hi John,

It is somewhat hokey to have % complete on a milestone, so I'm calling these
linking tasks "key drivers". More flexibility and less maintenance can be
acheived by using your idea, is there a macro available out there that I
could use as a model?

I did enable the copying of %complete by using Paste Special Link, but I am
limited to a single task, and it wouldn't reflect % complete for multiple
tasks from different subplans. Using a macro would allow me to compute %
complete from multiple sources.

Fortunately (or unfortunately for some), I'm the boss of noone (husband
excluded). I'm PCO on a roach motel of a project, once you're in you can't
get out.

thanks..M

 

[John]

Hi John,

It is somewhat hokey to have % complete on a milestone, so I'm calling these
linking tasks "key drivers". More flexibility and less maintenance can be
acheived by using your idea, is there a macro available out there that I
could use as a model?

I did enable the copying of %complete by using Paste Special Link, but I am
limited to a single task, and it wouldn't reflect % complete for multiple
tasks from different subplans. Using a macro would allow me to compute %
complete from multiple sources.

Fortunately (or unfortunately for some), I'm the boss of noone (husband
excluded). I'm PCO on a roach motel of a project, once you're in you can't
get out.

thanks..M

M,
Wow, I've heard people call Project some awful things but never a roach
motel. And since you vaguely indicate you are the boss in the family,
here is the perfect opportunity to delegate to the next in command (i.e.
hubby). "Here, you take this piece of #%$@&* and run with it" ;-)

I take it my suggestion of collapsing the subproject Summary Lines just
doesn't do it for you. Sample macros? Yes, but it will depend a little
on your experience with VBA. If you don't have any VBA experience but
would like to learn, there is an excellent tutorial on our MVP website
at: http://www.mvps.org/project/links.htm
Go to the bottom of the page and look for the link to: "Project 98
Visual Basic Environment Training Materials". Even though it says it is
for Project 98 it is equally applicable to all current versions of
Project. For several example of VBA code for Project, go to fellow MVP,
Jack Dahlgren's website at: http://masamiki.com/project/macros.htm

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[mcf_post]

John, thanks for the links, I'll make good use of them!

 

[John]

John, thanks for the links, I'll make good use of them!

M,
Great, that's why they are there.

John