Is there a tool to find "widows" and "orphans"?

[Victor Schwartz]

I recently started using Project 2003 after having been a Project 2000 user
previously.

I think I remember a TOOL in Project that searches your Project task network
for activities which have no predecessors and/or no successors (i.e., orphans
and widows).

However, I am unable to find such a tool.

I realize that I can SORT all activities by successor or by predecessor and
quickly find the activities that have NULL successors and/or predecessors.
But I recall a tool that was easier for this task.

Does anyone remember such a tool? And if it still exists, in WHAT MENU is
it hiding?

Thank you,

Victor Schwartz

 

[Gerard Ducouret]

Hello Victor,

You don't need any tool. It's so easy to create a filter : Project / Filter
for... / More filters / New
with the tests:
Fiel name : Predecessors Test : Equals ... (nothing)
Or
Successors Equals ...(Nothing)

Gérard Ducouret [Project MVP]

 

[Victor Schwartz]

Gérard,

Thank you very much for your prompt and helpful response.

Your proposed solution works FINE for me.

Sincerely,

Victor Schwartz

__________________________________________-

Hello Victor,

You don't need any tool. It's so easy to create a filter : Project / Filter
for... / More filters / New
with the tests:
Fiel name : Predecessors Test : Equals ... (nothing)
Or
Successors Equals ...(Nothing)

Gérard Ducouret [Project MVP]

I recently started using Project 2003 after having been a Project 2000 user
previously.

I think I remember a TOOL in Project that searches your Project task network
for activities which have no predecessors and/or no successors (i.e., orphans
and widows).

However, I am unable to find such a tool.

I realize that I can SORT all activities by successor or by predecessor and
quickly find the activities that have NULL successors and/or predecessors.
But I recall a tool that was easier for this task.

Does anyone remember such a tool? And if it still exists, in WHAT MENU is
it hiding?

Thank you,

Victor Schwartz

 

[John]

Victor,
Gerards's advice is right on but let me add a couple of comments. All
tasks MUST have a successor but not all tasks will necessarily have a
predecessor. The former is driven by the philosophy that if a task
doesn't "feed" something (i.e. another task or end milestone), then why
spend effort on the task. The latter applies to tasks that may start
independently of any previous tasks (e.g. a particular resource doesn't
become available to work on the project until sometime after the project
is started).

Something else you might want to do after you have addressed widows and
orphans is to apply the "Summary" filter and ensure no Summary lines
have predecessors or successors. If they do, I recommend you change them
so they apply to performance tasks or milestones. Links to Summary lines
are allowed by Project but they generally cause problems.

Hope this helps.
John

 

[Victor Schwartz]

John,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Re: "All tasks MUST have a successor but not all tasks will necessarily have
a
predecessor. The former is driven by the philosophy that if a task
doesn't "feed" something (i.e. another task or end milestone), then why
spend effort on the task. The latter applies to tasks that may start
independently of any previous tasks (e.g. a particular resource doesn't
become available to work on the project until sometime after the project
is started)."

I agree with this assessment, although most of the time when a task has no
predecessor it was an logical OVERSIGHT, hence my desire for the "tool"
Gerard has described.

Re: "Something else you might want to do after you have addressed widows and
orphans is to apply the "Summary" filter and ensure no Summary lines
have predecessors or successors. If they do, I recommend you change them
so they apply to performance tasks or milestones. Links to Summary lines
are allowed by Project but they generally cause problems."

I generally agree with this guideline, although in this same discussion
group I have seen arguments that go both ways. I think that for the most
accurate computation of critical path you want to link tasks as the lowest
level possible rather than at the summary level.

Sincerely,

Victor Schwartz