Project start dates

[Ben]

I am trying to create a Master schedule list for a
supervisor in which I am just inserting projects but the
start dates of the projects keep jumping around in the
Master schedule. The only way that I have found to fix it
is to expand the project and then collapse and that fixes
it until I open the file again. Am I doing something
wrong or is this just a bug in the software? I have had
this happen with both 2000 and 2002 versions.

Thanks for the help!
Ben

 

[John]

Ben,
My guess is that each of the inserted projects is set to start on its
own project start date. However, when those projects are inserted into a
master project they take on the start date of the master which is
different, hence the inserted project start dates "jump around". One way
to "fix" the problem is to constrain the start dates of the subprojects.
Instead of simply having them "float" to their project start date,
constrain them to be "start no earlier than" [their project start date].
Then when they are inserted into the master project, they will stay put
(as long as the master start date is earlier than the start date of the
inserted projects).

I think another method that might work (and is easy to try) is to turn
automatic calculation off. Of course, you won't see updates, but the
start dates of the inserted projects should hold at least long enough to
get a "snapshot" for the master.

John

 

[Robert]

Hmmm... Thats not the experience that I've had with
consolidated projects. Just as long as the master project
has a start date before inserted projects, it wont
complain.

As far as the start dates jumping around.... Are your
inserted projects calculated on a fixed finish date??? If
so, this will cause your start dates to change when
updated.

But to be totally honest, it sounds very much like you
saved your master at the beginning, and have not saved
recently. This means that if you saved two weeks ago,
master will open with that data (which is outdated) until
you update by expanding all subprojects.

Try expanding your subprojects and then save. You can
collapse them before saving, but personally I like save my
masters in the expanded view, so everytime I open, its
with the new updated data.

Let me know if this helps
Regards
R