new to MS Project and ready to scream

[somegraphx]

I've been working at MS Project for a couple of weeks. I've taken
several tutorials and have discovered that Project doesn't always
practice what it preaches. While it might very well be a PEBCAK issues,
no one can answer my questions.

By accident, I leveled a project. I quickly realized the errors of my
ways and tried to clear leveling. That didn't work--my project will now
take 11,423 days. I went back to V5 (was warned to keep versions)
BEFORE I leveled the project. When I tried to change any date in the
project, it said it couldn't because of a leveling conflict. But I
hadn't ever asked project to level this file.

Someone else opened it on his computer, made changes, saved it under a
new name and gave it back. When I try to change dates--something starts
May 19--Project ignores me and makes it Oct. 11. I've checked deadline
dates, contraint dates and predecessors and no matter what I change, it
refuses to adjust my dates for certain items. For other items it will
say there is a leveling problem.

My coworker said that leveling is based on file settings and NOT on
application settings but it seems to want to level for me all the time.

Any advice is most appreciated.
somegraphx

 

[Rod Gill]

Under Tools, Resource Leveling do you have automatic leveling turned on? If
so set to Manual and clear leveling again.

 

[Jonathan Sofer - MCP]

Somegraphx,

Sounds like there might be a conflict in service pack versions between you
client application and Project Server itself. Can you verify whether your
company is on Project Server 2003 Service Pack 1. If so, I would check the
Help>About Microsoft Office Project section on your local Project
Professional 2003 client application and make sure that it is on SP1 as
well. The strange behavior you are seeing could be attributed to your
client machine being Pre-Service Pack 1.