PWA updates and Actual Starts

[bane]

Hi,

I am working with PS2007 SP1. I have several groups that update a
schedule on a weekly basis. They currently use the My Tasks view to
update the Start, Finish and %. Each task has a single resource
assigned and each task also has a single predecessor. When a group
updates their start date, and I approve and publish the task, it keeps
the original start date and duration but pushes out the end date by
the difference between the original start and the new start. When a
group member then shows progress on the task, the Actual Start is
populated with the original start and not the Start date that the
member submitted. It seems to be splitting the task (dotted line on
the gantt) so the Start date remains the same, then there is the
split, and then the task is shown.

My question is: Is there anyway to have the Actual Start be updated
by a resource or will it always remain the same and show a split?

I need to track the duration of the actual start and actual finish,
but the actaul start isn't being populated with updates by the
resource.

Thanks in advance.

JC

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

bane --

I recommend that your Project Server administrator add the Actual Start and
Actual Finish fields to the My Tasks page. He/she should display the fields
in the following order:

Task Name
Actual Start
Progress
Actual Finish
Start
Finish
Resource Name

Tell your team members to enter progress as follows:

1. When you begin work on a task, enter the date in the Actual Start field
2. While I task is in progress, enter your estimated progress (% complete)
in the Progress field
3. When you finish work on a task, enter the date in the Actual Finish
field
4. Add a Note to document any additional information for the task

To know the planned start and finish dates for the task, examine but DO NOT
CHANGE the Start and Finish fields. This methodology will totally solve
your problems. Hope this helps.

 

[brockmek]

bane --

I recommend that your Project Server administrator add theActualStartandActualFinish fields to theMyTaskspage.  He/she should display the fields
in the following order:

Task NameActualStart
ProgressActualFinishStart
Finish
Resource Name

Tell your team members to enter progress as follows:

1.  When you begin work on a task, enter the date in theActualStartfield
2.  While I task is in progress, enter your estimated progress (% complete)
in the Progress field
3.  When you finish work on a task, enter the date in theActualFinish
field
4.  Add a Note to document any additional information for the task

To know the plannedstartand finish dates for the task, examine but DO NOT
CHANGE theStartand Finish fields.  This methodology will totally solve
your problems.  Hope this helps.













- Show quoted text -

Hello Dale,
In my implementation, I have set up the My Tasks view to be very
similar to what you suggested to JC. The view shows Task Name, Start,
Actual Start, Finish, Actual Finish, and % Work Complete. We are
training our users to progress a task by only entering in Actual Start
and Actual Finish. During testing, though, I noticed an issue. As a
Team Member, I can enter a value in the Actual Start field, save, and
submit selected. When I refresh the My Task view, the Actual Start I
entered still shows in the view. Then, as the Project Manager, when I
look in the Task Updates screen, I do see the update, am able to
preview the update and see the Actual Start that was entered by the
Team Member and its affect on the project, and then accept the
update. This all works great. The problem occurs when I open the
plan in Project Pro. The task update that I just accepted is not
reflected in the plan... the Actual Start field is not populated.

To ensure that the "update" process is working, I entered a % Work
Complete value in My Tasks, submitted to PM, had the PM accept it, and
it did show in the plan when I opened it in Project Pro.

Do you know why Actual Start is not being updated in the plan in
Project Pro? Does the "update" process only carry certain changes
made to a task into the plan (such as changes to Start or % Work
Complete)?

Your help would be greatly appreciated since this is a very important
need.

thanks,
Kristen

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Kristen --

This was an issue in pre-SP1 Project Server 2007. Have you applied SP1 to
your system? Let us know.

bane --

I recommend that your Project Server administrator add
theActualStartandActualFinish fields to theMyTaskspage. He/she should
display the fields
in the following order:

Task NameActualStart
ProgressActualFinishStart
Finish
Resource Name

Tell your team members to enter progress as follows:

1. When you begin work on a task, enter the date in theActualStartfield
2. While I task is in progress, enter your estimated progress (% complete)
in the Progress field
3. When you finish work on a task, enter the date in theActualFinish
field
4. Add a Note to document any additional information for the task

To know the plannedstartand finish dates for the task, examine but DO NOT
CHANGE theStartand Finish fields. This methodology will totally solve
your problems. Hope this helps.













- Show quoted text -

Hello Dale,
In my implementation, I have set up the My Tasks view to be very
similar to what you suggested to JC. The view shows Task Name, Start,
Actual Start, Finish, Actual Finish, and % Work Complete. We are
training our users to progress a task by only entering in Actual Start
and Actual Finish. During testing, though, I noticed an issue. As a
Team Member, I can enter a value in the Actual Start field, save, and
submit selected. When I refresh the My Task view, the Actual Start I
entered still shows in the view. Then, as the Project Manager, when I
look in the Task Updates screen, I do see the update, am able to
preview the update and see the Actual Start that was entered by the
Team Member and its affect on the project, and then accept the
update. This all works great. The problem occurs when I open the
plan in Project Pro. The task update that I just accepted is not
reflected in the plan... the Actual Start field is not populated.

To ensure that the "update" process is working, I entered a % Work
Complete value in My Tasks, submitted to PM, had the PM accept it, and
it did show in the plan when I opened it in Project Pro.

Do you know why Actual Start is not being updated in the plan in
Project Pro? Does the "update" process only carry certain changes
made to a task into the plan (such as changes to Start or % Work
Complete)?

Your help would be greatly appreciated since this is a very important
need.

thanks,
Kristen

 

[brockmek]

Kristen --

This was an issue in pre-SP1 Project Server 2007.  Have you applied SP1 to
your system?  Let us know.













Hello Dale,
Inmyimplementation, I have set up theMyTasksview to be very
similar to what you suggested to JC.  The view shows Task Name,Start,ActualStart, Finish,ActualFinish, and % Work Complete.  We are
training our users to progress a task by only entering inActualStart
andActualFinish.  During testing, though, I noticed an issue.  As a
Team Member, I can enter a value in theActualStartfield, save, and
submit selected.  When I refresh theMyTask view, theActualStartI
entered still shows in the view.  Then, as the Project Manager, when I
look in the Task Updates screen, I do see the update, am able to
preview the update and see theActualStartthat was entered by the
Team Member and its affect on the project, and then accept the
update.  This all works great.  The problem occurs when I open the
plan in Project Pro.  The task update that I just accepted is not
reflected in the plan... theActualStartfield is not populated.

To ensure that the "update" process is working, I entered a % Work
Complete value inMyTasks, submitted to PM, had the PM accept it, and
it did show in the plan when I opened it in Project Pro.

Do you know whyActualStartis not being updated in the plan in
Project Pro?  Does the "update" process only carry certain changes
made to a task into the plan (such as changes toStartor % Work
Complete)?

Your help would be greatly appreciated since this is a very important
need.

thanks,
Kristen- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Dale,
We are on SP1.

Thanks,
Kristen

 

[brockmek]

Dale,
We are on SP1.

Thanks,
Kristen- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Dale,
I heard a rumor this morning that this fix will actually be in the
first post-SP1 hotfix. Have you heard anything like that?

Thanks,
Kristen

 

[James Fraser]

Dale,
I heard a rumor this morning that this fix will actually be in the
first post-SP1 hotfix. Have you heard anything like that?

Thanks,
Kristen

The official list of fixes for the "post-Service Pack 1 hotfix
package" is released:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941426
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941657


James Fraser