Where to put tasks that cannot be scheduled yet?

[Burnley81]

I have plenty of project plans - and one I have if basically a odd jobs plan.
I have tasks in there where most are scheduled - a few though have no dates
- everything else is complete for these tasks, resource, duration etc.
Currently they sit at the start of the plan - dated 01/01/09.
Unfortunately the resource usage shows them as being over allocated in work
on this day. I cannot have this as the Master Plan must not show over
allocation.

The only way I can find at present to overcome this is reduce the duration
to "0" and put notes in the Task Allocation for the real duration - so that I
can update when it does come to scheduling this work.
Is there an easier way of not scheduling work - and not affecting resource
allocation?
Thanks

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

You don't schedule the work on tasks, MS Project does. It's job is to tell
you when you ought to be doing the work - let it do its job. Update the
tasks that have been completed with actual date where they were done. Link
your tasks into a proper dependency relationship where it applies. Assign
your resources. Run the resource leveling tool to resolve the
overallocations. Project will schedule the tasks still to be worked for
you, placing them on dates that gets the project done soonest. Go the the
resources and tell them those are the dates they need to be doing these
tasks.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

First, I would select those tasks, go to Tools, Trackiing, Update Project,
then reschedule them to a date in the future (let's say tomorrow). that is
already more realistic than to "plan" them in the past.

Zero may be very little indeed. I would rather show the Work column and set
the work to 1 min. such that overallocation becomes highly unlikely. At
least you still show planned duration on the Gantt Chart.

HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf