Tasks without dependencies in specific order

[Kevin Slane]

This is probably a pretty goofy question, but one that perplexes me
nonetheless.

If I have a simple project with 5 tasks, and assign myself as the resource
on all of them, why does MSP shove the first task all the way out (it's a
half day task) to the end of the project, then put the remaining tasks in
order?

If I add dependencies, then all the tasks show up in order from 1 to 5, but
the reality is, these tasks aren't actually dependent on each other. So,
without setting dependencies where they probably shouldn't exist, and without
setting start-no-earlier-than constraints on my tasks, how can I tell project
to just schedule all the tasks in order based on their ID order? I just
don't understand why it wants to have me start with task 2 and push task 1
all the way to the end.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Kevin --

It sounds like you have leveling set to Automatic in your Microsoft Project
software. Click Tools - Level resources and set the Leveling Calculations
option to Manual at the top of the dialog. This should resolve your first
problem.

As to why the tool moved the half-day task all the way to the end of the
project, here's why: when you assigned yourself to all five tasks, and there
were no dependencies set on these tasks, you created and overallocation, and
then Microsoft Project leveled the overallocation immediately. To level the
resource overallocation, the software examined five factors on each of the
tasks on which you are overallocated. These factors include Start date,
Total Slack, Constraints, Priority number, and Predecessors. On each of
these five tasks, the Start dates were the same, the tasks had no
constraints, the tasks all had the same Priority number, and none of the
tasks were Predecessors. Therefore, the "tie breaker" leveling factor used
by the software was Total Slack. The half-day task had the most Total
Slack, therefore, the software delayed this task the most, which pushed it
to the end of the project.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jim Aksel]

Is resource autoleveling turned on ? (Tools/Level Resources...)
Is the project scheduled to schedule from the start date (Project/Project
Information...)

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

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com

 

[Kevin Slane]

Very interesting, Dale! Thanks so much!

Kevin --

It sounds like you have leveling set to Automatic in your Microsoft Project
software. Click Tools - Level resources and set the Leveling Calculations
option to Manual at the top of the dialog. This should resolve your first
problem.

As to why the tool moved the half-day task all the way to the end of the
project, here's why: when you assigned yourself to all five tasks, and there
were no dependencies set on these tasks, you created and overallocation, and
then Microsoft Project leveled the overallocation immediately. To level the
resource overallocation, the software examined five factors on each of the
tasks on which you are overallocated. These factors include Start date,
Total Slack, Constraints, Priority number, and Predecessors. On each of
these five tasks, the Start dates were the same, the tasks had no
constraints, the tasks all had the same Priority number, and none of the
tasks were Predecessors. Therefore, the "tie breaker" leveling factor used
by the software was Total Slack. The half-day task had the most Total
Slack, therefore, the software delayed this task the most, which pushed it
to the end of the project.

Hope this helps.

 

[C]

Hi Kevin,
First, what version of Project are you using?
Second, Are you saying that you have no dependencies and no constraints?

I haven't seen MSP behave this way. If you enter in 5 tasks without
constraints or predacessors, They should all start on the project start date
and run the duration that you have entered (provided the tasks are setup as
fixed duration non effort driven). Have you checked to see what task type
you have for task # 1?

Project will not automatically assume that you want the tasking to run from
task 1 to task 5. ie...you want task 2 to start when task 1 completes and
task 3 to start when task 2 completes and so on if you don't tell it.
Therefore, if you want the tasks run run consecutively you have to used
predecessors.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Kevin --

You are more than welcome, my friend!