task constrain

[ronny]

I'm traying to define a task (6h) which can start only if
it can be finished on the same day; otherwise reported to
next day.
I think that the standard constrain tasks like "Finish no
earlier than", "as late as possible",.. do not allow this
kind of constrain.
Any idea or suggestion would be great.

 

[Steve House]

Constraints won't do that but there's a somewhat kludgy workaround you might
try if you're using Project 2000 or later. Create a calendar that shows
only 0800-1000 as hours of work. Create a task that's linked between the 6
hour task and its current predecessor and make it 1 minute duration (a zero
duration milestone won't work). Assign the 2 hour a day calendar as the
task calendar of the 1 minute task. Now, if the timing of the first of the
three tasks is such that it finishes betweeen 8 am and 10 am, the 1 minute
"pseudo-task" can start immediately and that in turn lets the 6 hour task to
start 1 minute later. If the first task finishes later than 10am, the task
calendar on the 1 minute task forces it to the next work day. It's ugly,
but it works

 

[Ed Kilner]

Think of it this way: you want the project to finish as early as possible.
You need to tell the team this repeatedlly. Relax a bit about the schedule.
Let it start tasks in the middle of a day. Just status it accurately as it
really happens and let minor variances happen. Hopefully, they will net out;
if not, you need to do a better estimating job.

You don't have to schedule perfectly; you can't follow a schedule perfectly
either.

--
Ed Kilner, P.Eng., PMP

(e-mail address removed) (416) 822-4835

Project Solutions Unlimited www.psu.ca