Project's Embedded Recalc Function

[Blueglass]

Hello All,
Is there any way to turn off Project's autocalc feature? Somewhere in
the application logic is a feature that recalc's Resource, Duration, and %
Complete values if any variable changes, but I want to get around it.
In some cases I have one resource that is over allocated to complete a
one week task in 80 hours and that's what I want, I don't want Project to
tell me the resource is overallocated. And when I change a date in one task I
don't want all the successor % Completes to change just because the date
slipped.
Yes, there are many people who appreciate the favor that Project performs
for you, but I need a work around in order to eliminate proofing a thousand
successor tasks because I change one date on another task.
Thank you.

 

[Jim Aksel]

Tools/Options/Calculation (tab), select Manual.
In manual mode, pressing F9 initiates a recalculation.

Resource leveling can also be turned off: Tools/Level Resources... select
manaul.
If you don't want project to tell you the resource is overloaded, increase
their max units % in the resource sheet.

As an aside, it sounds like you should be using %Work complete instead of
%Complete.

Also, how would you get a %Complete change for a successor task? If you are
following the scheduling rules there should be no incomplete work to the left
of the status date and no %Complete to the right of the status date. A
successor with %Complete when a predecessor is not 100% complete is also a
cause for concern.

Are you following the basic 4 rules? (1) No actual starts to the right of
the status date, (2) No actual finishes to the right of the status date, (3)
No task with 0% complete to the left of the status date, (4) No task with
100% complete with a finish date to the right of the status date.

Although I don't know the specifics of your situation, I assert that you do
want Project to change the dates of your successor tasks. That's why you
purchased the program right? If Task A slips 6 days, then all the successors
to Task A had better slip 6 days otherwise there is a logic error. Telling
project not to slip the successors is putting your head in the sand. At a
minimum, you should be adjusting the durations of the successor tasks to
maintiain their same end dates.... this will point out to people down stream
that they are being asked to suck up the delay. If their tasks will perform
on those dates, regardless of the status of "Task A", then why do you have
them linked as successors?
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Blueglass]

Hello Jim,
Thanks for the prompt response.
Mostly, I want to avoid MSP recalc'ing the % Complete values when I slip
a predecessor. How is that done?
Also, what is the difference between % Complete and % Work Complete?
Thank you soooo much! I'm awful new at this and every bit of information
is valuable.

Jim Bradley

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

See embedded
HTH
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project MVP
http://users.online.be/prom-ade

Hello Jim,
Thanks for the prompt response.
Mostly, I want to avoid MSP recalc'ing the % Complete values when I slip
a predecessor. How is that done?

AFAIK, Project does not do that. No problem about avoiding since it does not
happen.

Also, what is the difference between % Complete and % Work Complete?
Thank you soooo much! I'm awful new at this and every bit of
information
is valuable.

% complete= actual diuration (the time during which there has been any work
on the task) divided by task duration
%Work complete= Hours of work performed/Total work planned now.

 

[Blueglass]

Hello Jan,
Thanks for the clarification!
What's AFAIK? I was told that if I change duration or task hours then
the % Complete changes, that I should use Physical % Complete to avoid the
problem.

 

[Jim Aksel]

AFAIK="As far as I know"
The situation you describe (changing duration or work hours) will change
%Complete only for the immediate task where you made the change.... nobody
downstream changes.

By default, tasks are "fixed units" - so I assign 1 unit at 100% (8 hr/day).
If I key duration at 5 days this is 40 hours work. Work=Assignment Units x
Duration, so changes to one drive changes to the other --- for that one
task. Project allows you to select which one to fix: Units, Work, Duration
and let the others vary.

Physical%Complete-- I have a strong opinion that this is absolutely the best
way to go. It allows you to claim a level of complete that is independent of
duration. There is a good example in help.

Ordinary %Complete just gives you a %Complete based on a linear progression
of time (duration) of the task. Going back to the equation, this is exactly
why %complete changes when you change duration or work. Changing work or
duration on a fixed unit task will force a change to duration. As duration
changes, the %Complete would change to allow the equation to hold. Example:
You have 1 resource at 100% for 10 days. You claim 40% complete---project
interprets this that you have completed 4 days of work. Changing the
duration to 15 days means you are now 4/15 days complete (27%). Adding 40
hours of work produces the same thing.


--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Blueglass]

Excellent! You folks are awesome!
It sounds like Physical % Complete is the way to go. No wonder we're having
so much trouble, we're using % Complete.

 

[Blueglass]

One more point, 'cause i want to understand the ripple effect that changing
the duration or work hours has on dependent tasks.
You said that, "% Complete will change only for the immediate tasks," but if
I've got waterfall tasks linked and I increase the duration - under an ASAP
constraint - to the first task in the chain, then all subsequent task %
Completes change.
Is that not right?
Thanks again. I greatly appreciate the information.

 

[Jim Aksel]

There is *nothing* you can do to TaskA that will change the %Complete of
TaskB or any other task.

Changing the finsh date of TaskA will change the start date of successor
TaskB if they are linked, but not the %Complete of TaskB. The effect will
cascade to Tasks C, D, and E.... if they are linked. The percent complete of
all these tasks remains untouched no matter what you do to TaskA.

However, if any subsequent Task (B, C, D, ...) has already started, its
start date (technically [Actual Start] date) will not change. In any event,
the %Complete of Task(B, C, D, ...) will not change.

Try opening a blank Project1.mpp an making a 5 tasks project. Change things
and see what happens. I do this all the time. Sometimes the graphical
presenation will show it better than any words I can type.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Blueglass]

Hmmmm...i must be doing something wrong. I developed a .mpp with a number of
linked tasks, set them all to 7 day durations, at 10% complete, when I
changed the duration in the first task in the chain to 200 days all the
subsequent tasks percentages changed. This is in a Fixed Duration
environment, without a set baseline.

There is *nothing* you can do to TaskA that will change the %Complete of
TaskB or any other task.

Changing the finsh date of TaskA will change the start date of successor
TaskB if they are linked, but not the %Complete of TaskB. The effect will
cascade to Tasks C, D, and E.... if they are linked. The percent complete of
all these tasks remains untouched no matter what you do to TaskA.

However, if any subsequent Task (B, C, D, ...) has already started, its
start date (technically [Actual Start] date) will not change. In any event,
the %Complete of Task(B, C, D, ...) will not change.

Try opening a blank Project1.mpp an making a 5 tasks project. Change things
and see what happens. I do this all the time. Sometimes the graphical
presenation will show it better than any words I can type.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

One more point, 'cause i want to understand the ripple effect that changing
the duration or work hours has on dependent tasks.
You said that, "% Complete will change only for the immediate tasks," but if
I've got waterfall tasks linked and I increase the duration - under an ASAP
constraint - to the first task in the chain, then all subsequent task %
Completes change.
Is that not right?
Thanks again. I greatly appreciate the information.

 

[Jim Aksel]

Could you send me that 7 task file? I cannot duplciate your problem here so
we're not communicating some how. I'll take a look at the file and perhaps
the rocks in my head will shake around and I'll see something we've both
missed in this discussion trail.

I am at jeaksel (at) yahoo (d0t) com.

The way I see it, if you claim 10% Complete (as %Complete) you will
automatically be setting the [Actual Start] to the forecasted [Start] dates.
Increasing the duration of Task1 leaves the others locked in place at 10%.
Generally, however, you'd never have a successor task with 10% complete when
the predecessor is less than 100%.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

Hmmmm...i must be doing something wrong. I developed a .mpp with a number of
linked tasks, set them all to 7 day durations, at 10% complete, when I
changed the duration in the first task in the chain to 200 days all the
subsequent tasks percentages changed. This is in a Fixed Duration
environment, without a set baseline.

There is *nothing* you can do to TaskA that will change the %Complete of
TaskB or any other task.

Changing the finsh date of TaskA will change the start date of successor
TaskB if they are linked, but not the %Complete of TaskB. The effect will
cascade to Tasks C, D, and E.... if they are linked. The percent complete of
all these tasks remains untouched no matter what you do to TaskA.

However, if any subsequent Task (B, C, D, ...) has already started, its
start date (technically [Actual Start] date) will not change. In any event,
the %Complete of Task(B, C, D, ...) will not change.

Try opening a blank Project1.mpp an making a 5 tasks project. Change things
and see what happens. I do this all the time. Sometimes the graphical
presenation will show it better than any words I can type.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

One more point, 'cause i want to understand the ripple effect that changing
the duration or work hours has on dependent tasks.
You said that, "% Complete will change only for the immediate tasks," but if
I've got waterfall tasks linked and I increase the duration - under an ASAP
constraint - to the first task in the chain, then all subsequent task %
Completes change.
Is that not right?
Thanks again. I greatly appreciate the information.

:

AFAIK="As far as I know"
The situation you describe (changing duration or work hours) will change
%Complete only for the immediate task where you made the change.... nobody
downstream changes.

By default, tasks are "fixed units" - so I assign 1 unit at 100% (8 hr/day).
If I key duration at 5 days this is 40 hours work. Work=Assignment Units x
Duration, so changes to one drive changes to the other --- for that one
task. Project allows you to select which one to fix: Units, Work, Duration
and let the others vary.

Physical%Complete-- I have a strong opinion that this is absolutely the best
way to go. It allows you to claim a level of complete that is independent of
duration. There is a good example in help.

Ordinary %Complete just gives you a %Complete based on a linear progression
of time (duration) of the task. Going back to the equation, this is exactly
why %complete changes when you change duration or work. Changing work or
duration on a fixed unit task will force a change to duration. As duration
changes, the %Complete would change to allow the equation to hold. Example:
You have 1 resource at 100% for 10 days. You claim 40% complete---project
interprets this that you have completed 4 days of work. Changing the
duration to 15 days means you are now 4/15 days complete (27%). Adding 40
hours of work produces the same thing.


--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project



:

Hello Jan,
Thanks for the clarification!
What's AFAIK? I was told that if I change duration or task hours then
the % Complete changes, that I should use Physical % Complete to avoid the
problem.


:

See embedded
HTH
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project MVP
http://users.online.be/prom-ade
Hello Jim,
Thanks for the prompt response.
Mostly, I want to avoid MSP recalc'ing the % Complete values when I slip
a predecessor. How is that done?

AFAIK, Project does not do that. No problem about avoiding since it does not
happen.

Also, what is the difference between % Complete and % Work Complete?
Thank you soooo much! I'm awful new at this and every bit of
information
is valuable.

% complete= actual diuration (the time during which there has been any work
on the task) divided by task duration
%Work complete= Hours of work performed/Total work planned now.


Jim Bradley

:

Tools/Options/Calculation (tab), select Manual.
In manual mode, pressing F9 initiates a recalculation.

Resource leveling can also be turned off: Tools/Level Resources...
select
manaul.
If you don't want project to tell you the resource is overloaded,
increase
their max units % in the resource sheet.

As an aside, it sounds like you should be using %Work complete instead of
%Complete.

Also, how would you get a %Complete change for a successor task? If you
are
following the scheduling rules there should be no incomplete work to the
left
of the status date and no %Complete to the right of the status date. A
successor with %Complete when a predecessor is not 100% complete is also
a
cause for concern.

Are you following the basic 4 rules? (1) No actual starts to the right of
the status date, (2) No actual finishes to the right of the status date,
(3)
No task with 0% complete to the left of the status date, (4) No task with
100% complete with a finish date to the right of the status date.

Although I don't know the specifics of your situation, I assert that you
do
want Project to change the dates of your successor tasks. That's why you
purchased the program right? If Task A slips 6 days, then all the
successors
to Task A had better slip 6 days otherwise there is a logic error.
Telling
project not to slip the successors is putting your head in the sand. At
a
minimum, you should be adjusting the durations of the successor tasks to
maintiain their same end dates.... this will point out to people down
stream
that they are being asked to suck up the delay. If their tasks will
perform
on those dates, regardless of the status of "Task A", then why do you
have
them linked as successors?
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project



:

Hello All,
Is there any way to turn off Project's autocalc feature? Somewhere
in
the application logic is a feature that recalc's Resource, Duration,
and %
Complete values if any variable changes, but I want to get around it.
In some cases I have one resource that is over allocated to complete
a
one week task in 80 hours and that's what I want, I don't want Project
to
tell me the resource is overallocated. And when I change a date in one
task I
don't want all the successor % Completes to change just because the
date
slipped.
Yes, there are many people who appreciate the favor that Project
performs
for you, but I need a work around in order to eliminate proofing a
thousand
successor tasks because I change one date on another task.
Thank you.

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Blueglass,

But be aware that Physical %Complete is generally much more difficult to
estimate and make sense of. For tasks like laying 100 bricks, if you've
laid 40 then Physical %Complete is easy to estimate at 40%, though if you
change bricklayers at that time and the new one works at half the speed...
On the other hand, if you're writing software, the last few lines of code
might take half of the estimated Duration - how can you estimate Physical
%Complete? %Work Complete is not necessarily easier to estimate, but most
people working on the task would find it easier to estimate how many hours
of work there are left to do.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials