MS Project 2000 Gantt chart: Change bars' left edges only

[Paul]

1. Is there a way to drag only the left edges of a bar without moving
the right edge?

2. If I have several bars for which I have to change the start date to
a common date without changing their end dates (which are not common),
it doesn't seem to work by just selecting the WBS tasks and pulling up
the task information window. Setting the start date this way causes
their end dates to change so as to maintain the same duration. Is
there a way to set a common start date without changing the end dates?

 

[RichardJ]

Paul,
1: No

2: No. The duration of the task will force the end date to move to the
appropriate place if you change the start date. There are a number of ways
around this and it wholly depends on the tasks and what you are trying to
achieve.

The tasks could all start on the same date if that date is the project Start
date. This is the default setting for any new task you create in the plan.
Ideally, however, you would be creating a network in your plan so that the
tasks have a dependency upon another task.

You could set a 'hard constraint' on each of the tasks to 'Must Start On' a
specific date but again, you would need to adjust the duration to maintain
the desired end date. This 'nullifies' the scheduling aspect of Microsoft
Project so is not recommended if you are wanting the tool to schedule.

 

[John]

1. Is there a way to drag only the left edges of a bar without moving
the right edge?

2. If I have several bars for which I have to change the start date to
a common date without changing their end dates (which are not common),
it doesn't seem to work by just selecting the WBS tasks and pulling up
the task information window. Setting the start date this way causes
their end dates to change so as to maintain the same duration. Is
there a way to set a common start date without changing the end dates?

Paul,
To answer your questions.
1. Unfortunately no. I suppose the supposition is that it is very common
for the duration of a task to lengthen because it is delayed. However,
moving the start date earlier should move the whole task back assuming
the original estimated duration is still valid.

2. If the plan is so different from the original, (i.e. estimated start
and duration), then manual re-planning is necessary - meaning that each
task must be manually modified.

If tasks are starting earlier, why do you believe they should still have
the original duration?

John
Project MVP

 

[Paul]

OK, thanks.

Paul,
1: No

2: No. The duration of the task will force the end date to move to the
appropriate place if you change the start date. There are a number of ways
around this and it wholly depends on the tasks and what you are trying to
achieve.

The tasks could all start on the same date if that date is the project Start
date. This is the default setting for any new task you create in the plan.
Ideally, however, you would be creating a network in your plan so that the
tasks have a dependency upon another task.

You could set a 'hard constraint' on each of the tasks to 'Must Start On' a
specific date but again, you would need to adjust the duration to maintain
the desired end date. This 'nullifies' the scheduling aspect of Microsoft
Project so is not recommended if you are wanting the tool to schedule.