"Update project" option caveat, help sought...

[kedar.agarkar]

Hi all,

[SUMMARY]
Query is regarding 'update project' option of MS Project wherein it
calculates the expected % completion for project [or set of tasks]
based on start-end dates and given date on which expectation is
calculated.


[IN DETAIL]


What I have observed is that when you tell MS Project to update project

to calculate expected %, and give specific date, it adds into its
'projected or calculated consideration' all those %s which you have
already updated in % completion columns for tasks that are yet to begin

on timeline [w.r.to give date to udpate project].


For example, if you have two sequencial tasks in MPP, say first is from

1 Jan to 31 Jan and second task of 1 Feb to 28 Feb, and then if you
already have tracked MPP to around say 75% completion in % completion
columns, at the date of or before 31 Jan, and then if you say given 31
Jan as date to calculate expected completion, through Update Project
option, it shall not only project 100% for first task, but would also
pick that 75% for second Feb task into its consideration, as you have
already updated MPP for that much progress, ahead of that second task's

start date. It really does not consider 0% expectation for that second
task, in spite of consideration date is 31 Jan.


Can you please guide me if there is any option to override this
behaviour? Only way I see is to use the blank non-tracked MPP for
udpate project.


Thanks for your time.


- KA

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Update Project will only turn remaining work into actual work.
If you have given in Actual Work, even for a task in the future, it will not
revert that.
After all, you said the work was done, Project will not pretend to know
better.
And anyway, WAS the work done? If not why did you tell Project it was? And
if it is done, why do you want Project to tell you it isnt?
Hope this helps,

 

[kedar.agarkar]

Hi Jan,

Thanks for your email, I have few elaborations.

I have a project in which priotization changes on our parts due to
missing inputs on some allocated & current tasks, and thus we start off
with some of future tasks. We update progress in % column on weekly
basis. And hence we quite often come across situation wherein
fugure-dated task is reported for progress %s where in currently dated
tasks may not show as much as expected.

And when we run the 'Update project' option, even though I fully
understand view taken by MS Project "not to revert onto already updated
future task %s" [as explained by you], expected completion %, as shown
as topmost parent [i.e. project parent] is much aggressive, than what
could be shown up by blank MPP. This further makes impression to my
management that we are lagging behind.

So I though that correct and only way to update project is to use blank
MPP.

Kindly advise if that is correct and only way.

Thanks much for your valuable time.

- Kedar

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

First, I would not use %complete to enter progress (rather actual work and
remaining work) but that is a personal preference.

Then, you don't have to go to a truly blank file.
Look at the work that has been marked as actual, select that task and click
0% on the tracking toolbar (Tools, Customize, Toolbars, Toolbars, check
Tracking)

But what's the point in updating taks with % complete if you don't believe
it anyway?

HTH

 

[kedar.agarkar]

Hi Jan,

Thanks.

You have provided an important clue - "Update as scheduled" button on
you-said Tracking toolbar, correctly updates the task to what should be
arithmatically projected % complete.

As you may guess, 'Update project' option however does differently [as
I said in first communication] and does not revert already updated % by
you.

I guess this ' Update as scheduled' could have been provided on the
Menus for each use, looks like its only in Toolbar.

If you could provide end commentary saying if my observation is
correct, as mentioned above, your authorative views could easily help
me in putting across scenario to my client.
_________________________________

BTW, on lighter and different note, I am not just playing around with
MS Project, but we are bound by the way our client needs reporting, per
week basis. And I saw a flaw in having updated the MPP for arrival of
Planned Value [i.e. top parent % progress] on per week basis. Hence the
mail thread. BTW, we have our own server side application instead of MS
Project SErver / Central.

_________________________________

Thanks much for your time, Jan.

- Kedar

 

[kedar.agarkar]

Sorry Jan,

I was a bit wrong in my observation.

In actual, 'Update project [either for task for for whole project]' as
well as "Update as scheduled [on trackbar]' both would revert the %
Work value only if the task is not future dates, not matter if that
progress has been marked through updates via Actual Work or direct
updates into % Work done column.

So again, looks like we need to have blank MPP to have true arithmatic
planned value as of certain date, and already tracked MPP would not do.

Thanks.

- KA

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

As I said, not blank, just 0% done for the future.
HTH

 

[kedar.agarkar]

Hi Jan,

Sorry to gatecrash your email, but one more help sought if you can help
out....

Any idea, why at times, me executing "Update Project" through Tools
menu BTW, is automatically updating the Finish date column to some
later date?

This puzzled me completely. I tried to see clue if some algo is being
used by MSP to manage and take care of overallocation or so, but did
not find any reason for this to happen as a part of "Update Project"
run!!

Finish date simply chnages.

Kindly help.
Thanks again for your time.

- Kedar

Hi,

As I said, not blank, just 0% done for the future.
HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker, Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
For FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm

Sorry Jan,

I was a bit wrong in my observation.

In actual, 'Update project [either for task for for whole project]' as
well as "Update as scheduled [on trackbar]' both would revert the %
Work value only if the task is not future dates, not matter if that
progress has been marked through updates via Actual Work or direct
updates into % Work done column.

So again, looks like we need to have blank MPP to have true arithmatic
planned value as of certain date, and already tracked MPP would not do.

Thanks.

- KA

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Kedar,

Is this "Update as Scheduled" or "Reschedule Work"?

--
Jan De Messemaeker, Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
For FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm

Hi Jan,

Sorry to gatecrash your email, but one more help sought if you can help
out....

Any idea, why at times, me executing "Update Project" through Tools
menu BTW, is automatically updating the Finish date column to some
later date?

This puzzled me completely. I tried to see clue if some algo is being
used by MSP to manage and take care of overallocation or so, but did
not find any reason for this to happen as a part of "Update Project"
run!!

Finish date simply chnages.

Kindly help.
Thanks again for your time.

- Kedar

Hi,

As I said, not blank, just 0% done for the future.
HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker, Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
For FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm

Sorry Jan,

I was a bit wrong in my observation.

In actual, 'Update project [either for task for for whole project]' as
well as "Update as scheduled [on trackbar]' both would revert the %
Work value only if the task is not future dates, not matter if that
progress has been marked through updates via Actual Work or direct
updates into % Work done column.

So again, looks like we need to have blank MPP to have true arithmatic
planned value as of certain date, and already tracked MPP would not do.

Thanks.

- KA

 

[kedar.agarkar]

Hi Jan,

Thanks for post reply again.

Its same Update Project trigger through Menu of \\Tools\Tracking\Update
Project...and in the dialog, option radio of "Update work complete as
though" chosen [with sub-radio of "set 0 to 100 % complete" chosen" and
date chosen as one across which you want projection [of planned value].

Looks like when I do this, some 'Finish' dates are updated to later
dates, using some algorithm, that looks not so easy to understand.

Thanks for your time.

- Kedar
Project Manager
www.infosys.com

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Sorry but I can't reproduce this.
Could you send me (part of) the file with the offending task and how it
comes along?
jandemes AT prom-ade DOT be
Greetings,