Schedule Calculation - Why don't unstarted tasks move to the right of the status date?

[John Garay - DecisionEdge]

I would appreciate some help understanding the way MSP works as I transition
from Primavera:

Why are unfinished tasks not moved to the right of the project status date?
There's no way a task can happen to the left - so why doesn't MSP push an
unstarted task forward to the project status date?

Here's the scenario:
Project Current Date is today: 15 Nov 07
Project Status Date is today: 15 Nov 07
Project Start Date is 2 August 2007

When I add a new task (no constraints, no predecessors), it is set to the
Project Start Date (I know this is a Schedule Option). If I force a
schedule update, the new task just sits at the project start. I would
expect it to instead move to the project status date, the soonest it can
actually happen. (I worked at Primavera for 12+ years - that's what I am
used to seeing in Primavera)

How can I get the dates of unstarted tasks to the status date?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
John Garay
DecisionEdge, Inc.

PS - I didn't see this in the mvps FAQ

 

[JulieS]

Hello John,

Choose Tools > Tracking > Update Project. Select the option "Reschedule
uncompleted work to start after" to reschedule any task to the status
date.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

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

 

[Joe]

Use Tools/Tracking/Update Project. Select the second radio button
"Reschedule uncompleted work to start after"

That's the way MSP works.

 

[John Garay - DecisionEdge]

Julie and Joe -

Thanks for the hint - That did the trick.
I found the options dialog on my own, but now I also know about this
tracking update dialog...

Regards,
John Garay
DecisionEdge, Inc.

 

[JulieS]

Hi John,

You're most welcome for the assist and thanks for the feedback.
Julie
Project MVP

 

[Vic]

Is there a way to do it so it doesn't set a constraint on the task? Those
little icons on the left let me know I have a constraint that needs to be
looked at (I try to keep them to a minimum). This sets all unstarted tasks
that way, so I have so many on my plan. Any thoughts?

 

[Steve House]

Nope, setting a constraint is the only way to original calculated start date
can be overridden. If you have so many tasks not starting as they're
supposed to so that the rescheduling constraints are becoming intrusive, you
need to research why your resources aren't doing what they're supposed to do
and follow the plan they've been given. If they're not going to work
according to the plan, it seem's pointless to develop it in the first place.

As pilots say "plan your flight and then fly your plan."

 

[JulieS]

Hello Vic,

The "reschedule uncompleted tasks" command will place a start no
earlier than constraint on any task which was scheduled to start and
was moved by the command. I understand the desire to keep constraints
to a minimum, but in this case, the constraints are a necessary
component to keep the project close to reality. I suppose you could
leave the tasks where they were originally scheduled (no constraints)
and just wait to update the status by supply actual start dates and
task progress updates. However, I personally find that to be more
confusing -- why have a task showing scheduled in the past when I know
that it hasn't been started as scheduled. Keeping the project up to
date also gives a much clearer picture about the possible impacts of
delays. You comment that you have many unstarted tasks -- without
moving the tasks to the new status date, how can you predict the
revised finish dates of both the tasks and the entire project?

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

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