How to Force Dates to and Determine Resource Requirements

[Karen]

I just want to enter tasks, hours, and a list of my best shot at resources
for now and force the dates to be what I want. I have tasks as work effort
driven, resources at 1000%, and all dependencies removed. Why won't project
let me put in the dates I want when I don't want to use all the
autoscheduling stuff?

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

You can put the dates in (who would stop you) but if you want to be sure
they aren't moved best is to double-click the task, Task Information
appears, Advance Pad, set the contraint to Must Start On with your start
date.

Then DO NOT enter finish date. Project will calculate that from duration.
HTH
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[Rob Schneider]

Although normally it's not at all the right thing to enter dates into
Project ... better to let Project compute them for you, in this case you
*want& to enter dates and constraints. Project doesn't normally prevent
someone from entering dates into the [start] and [finish] fields. How
is it you are being prevented? What are you doing and how is Project
complaining to you?


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[Jim Aksel]

Karen - I feel you may be working against your own best interests. For what
you wish, an Excel spreadsheet might suffice.

Once you have things were you want them (in Excel) then you can key that to
project using the method Jan suggests
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

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

 

[Steve House]

All that "autoscheduling stuff" is the reason Project exists, the reason it
was created. It's not designed to document the schedule you want: it's
designed to tell you the best (ie, shortest) schedule you can get given what
needs to be done and the assets you have to do it with. How do you know the
"dates you have in mind" are realisitic? At the very least Project will
give you a reality check as to whether the schedule you have in mind is
actually possible. If it insists on changing dates away from those you
want, you would be wise to heed its calculations because its very likely
that when you go out and actually try to do the project, you'll find it just
won't work with the dates you desire.