Work vs Actual Work

[GreenMonster]

I have a task with the following info:

Duration = 1day?
Work = 4hrs
Start = 10/16/06
Finish = 10/16/06

I completed the work today (10/11/06) and it took only 15 mins. I put .25
hrs in the "Actual Work" column and then change the "% Complete" in the task
info to 100%, the "Actual Work" then changes back to 4hrs instead of .25hrs.

Why doesn't "Actual Work" retain the .25hrs that it took to complete the task?

 

[JulieS]

Hi GreenMonster,

Try setting the Actual Work to .25h and then enter zero for the
remaining work. When you said the task was 100% complete, Project
assumed it took all 4 hours.

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

 

[GreenMonster]

no matter what I do the "Actual Work" field always populates with the same
value that it's the "Work" field when I change the %Complete to 100.

If I put .25h in "Actual Work" and chage "Work" to 0 hrs, then put the task
at 100% complete, the Actual Work value changes to 0. What am I missing?

 

[Joe]

What Julie is trying to say is to update the "Remaining Work" field to zero
after you put the .25 hrs. in the Actual Work field. This will mark the task
100%.

 

[JulieS]

Thanks Joe, that *is* what I am trying to say Green Monster, did
setting remaining work to zero fix the issue?

Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

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

 

[JanoV]

Hi Joe,

you're right. Update the "Remaining Work" field to zero after updating
"Actual Work" field to .25 hrs will mark task 100% (%Completed).
But the problem is this:
- field "Work" is also updated to .25 (Work=Actual Work) - not so big
problem, original planned Work should be stored in baseline
- field "Duration" (and Finish Date) is recalculated - and this is big
problem - all successors can be automatically recalculated and this totally
change project plan.

Is there any way how to complete task without recalculation of many fields?

Thanks

Jan


„Joe" napísal (napísala):

 

[John]

Hi Joe,

you're right. Update the "Remaining Work" field to zero after updating
"Actual Work" field to .25 hrs will mark task 100% (%Completed).
But the problem is this:
- field "Work" is also updated to .25 (Work=Actual Work) - not so big
problem, original planned Work should be stored in baseline
- field "Duration" (and Finish Date) is recalculated - and this is big
problem - all successors can be automatically recalculated and this totally
change project plan.

Is there any way how to complete task without recalculation of many fields?

Thanks

Jan

Jan,
I think you're missing the point of having a dynamic schedule. Tasks
rarely start or finish on the original planned dates. That's life. As
tasks are completed early or late, the dependent tasks should shift in
time accordingly.

There may be some cases where dependent tasks need a conditional link.
For example, a particular process can't start in the middle of the day
but it also cannot start until a previous task is completed. In that
case an appropriate schedule structure must be set up to support both
requirements. Or in another case, a fixed amount of time is available
during which a task can be completed but the task work effort is not
full time. In that case a fixed duration type task might be appropriate.

If for some reason you do not want your schedule to be recalculated
based on progress, then you should examine your schedule logic and/or
not use Project at all.

John
Project MVP

 

[JanoV]

Hi John,

thanks for your answer.
My question is stupid simple - how to correctly complete task
(%Completed=100%) without losing information about entered actual work, that
should be different from Work. I didn't find any usefull information in help,
nor in discussion.
But I agree with you - using MSP is big mistake ... Implemented logic of
calculation is incomprehensible for most of users. And real support doesn't
exist.

Thanks for your time.

JanoV



„John" napísal (napísala):

 

[John]

Hi John,

thanks for your answer.
My question is stupid simple - how to correctly complete task
(%Completed=100%) without losing information about entered actual work, that
should be different from Work. I didn't find any usefull information in help,
nor in discussion.
But I agree with you - using MSP is big mistake ... Implemented logic of
calculation is incomprehensible for most of users. And real support doesn't
exist.

Thanks for your time.

JanoV

JanoV,
You have to realize that the value you input to the Work field is only
an estimate. You won't know what the actual work value is until the task
is finished. The same is true of start and finish dates. That's why
Project resets the estimated values to equal the actual values when a
task is complete. It takes your current plan and aligns it with reality.
That results in more a more realistic plan for the tasks yet to be
complete. If you want to preserve the original estimates for comparison
or earned value, you set a baseline. That's basic project management.

Project is not a quick study type application. To use it effectively,
the user first needs to understand project management principals. Then
the user needs to learn how Project implements and work within those
principals. Unfortunately a fair number of new users start using Project
based on preconceived but incorrect ideas of how it should work. Then
they become very frustrated because the application doesn't work the way
they think it should.

As far as support, if you are looking for support of your ideas on how
the application should work, then no, it doesn't exist. This forum
exists to help users learn how to use Project correctly and effectively.

John
Project MVP

 

[JanoV]

Hi John,

thanks for your support, answer and time.
I'm project manager for 15 years, certified 10 years ago. I made a lot of
project (mostly for banks) and I implemented project methodology in several
companies. So - I'm sure, I understand project methodology like dynamic
calculations ...

My question again (if you can answer) is - how correctly mark task finished
in MSP?
I found only one way - 100% in field %Completed (such a task is reported in
MSP reports like Completed). But value 100% in field %Completed recalculate
actual work (it's non-acceptable). Change work to actual work recalculate
Duration (it's non-acceptable).
Example task:
- Duration 4 days
- Actual duration 4 days
- Work (planned, baselined) 8 hours
- Actual work 5 hours.
How to finish this task without losing information about Actual work?

That's all ...

Regarding support from Microsoft - I asked local Microsoft support - no
satisfied answer. That's why I'm trying discussion.

Thank you very much.

JanoV


„John" napísal (napísala):

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Jano,

Can't you just set remaining Work to zero?

Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[JanoV]

Hi Mike,

thanks a lot for your interest.
Setting Remaining work to zero was very first idea I tried.
But - setting Remaing work to zero recalculate Duration (and Actual
Duration) - in my example from 4 days to 2,5 days - and this not true -
resource worked on this task during 4 days (planned and actual duration) with
Actual Work 3 hours. Sorry ...

JanoV


„Mike Glen" napísal (napísala):

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Jano,

Use the Resource Usage view, enter the Actual hours on the actual days and
then set remaining Work to zero.

Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[JanoV]

Hi Mike,

this works! The only issue is, that Work is recalculated (Work=Actual work),
but this is not problem, because original planned work can be saved in
baseline.

Thanks for great help !

JanoV


„Mike Glen" napísal (napísala):

 

[Mike Glen]

You're welcome, Jano

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials

 

[Steve House]

Jano, there's a setting on the Calculation page of the Tools, Options menu
that says "Updating task status updates resource status" With that checkbox
turned on entering an Actual Work value will enter an Actual Duration value
and vice versa. Turning that off allows you to enter both independently.
It sounds like that's what you're trying to do so that when you enter a work
that is different from planned it does not revise the duration. Clearing
that box would allow you to enter Actual Work = 3 hours, Remaining Work = 0,
Actual Duration = 4 days, Remaining Duration = 0 thus making the task both
100% and 100% Work Complete.

 

[GOILLINI]

Copy/Paste Tasks to Summary File - this was very helpful. We were
experiencing the same problem. In order to eliminate the issue, we created a
COMPLETION FORM that included the Remaining Work, %Complete and Finish Date.
We trained everyone to complete their projects using the form (added button
to toolbar) so that they always set the remaining work to 0.

Jano, there's a setting on the Calculation page of the Tools, Options menu
that says "Updating task status updates resource status" With that checkbox
turned on entering an Actual Work value will enter an Actual Duration value
and vice versa. Turning that off allows you to enter both independently.
It sounds like that's what you're trying to do so that when you enter a work
that is different from planned it does not revise the duration. Clearing
that box would allow you to enter Actual Work = 3 hours, Remaining Work = 0,
Actual Duration = 4 days, Remaining Duration = 0 thus making the task both
100% and 100% Work Complete.

--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm for the FAQs

Hi Mike,

thanks a lot for your interest.
Setting Remaining work to zero was very first idea I tried.
But - setting Remaing work to zero recalculate Duration (and Actual
Duration) - in my example from 4 days to 2,5 days - and this not true -
resource worked on this task during 4 days (planned and actual duration)
with
Actual Work 3 hours. Sorry ...

JanoV


â?zMike Glen" napísal (napísala):