Actual vs. Contractural completion dates

[ccgsuper]

Scenario:
Multi-phased project that delivers finished units in groups as they are
completed. Contracturally, the units are to be delivered in groups on
specific dates (7 total). Each unit's logic is virturally the same with a
few minor exceptions. I have included several text columns to break down
Area, Type, Option, Variation, Unit No., Group, and Construction Sequence.
My schedule shows 10 groups comprised of 74 units. The early finish dates
are 6-12 months ahead of the contractural completions dates. Naturally, I
want to finish by the early finish dates and naturally, I want to show the
owner the contract completion dates. I have been including an activity
called "Administrative Closeout" linked between the next to the last
scheduled activity and the last scheduled activity of each unit, with a
duration equal to the finish slack between the early finish and the
contractural (late) finish date of that unit. The problem is when I do this,
almost every activity in each unit's logic becomes critical path.
I know this isn't an uncommon problem, so I'm looking for suggestions.

ccgsuper

 

[Rod Gill]

I would add to a milestones representing completion, a deadline with the
contractual date. Deadlines are great for this as they show a red diamond in
the Indicator column for tasks missing the deadline. See Project help for
more, Deadlines available from Project 2000 (I think!).

--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[ccgsuper]

Rod,
I follow what your saying and have done this on other schedules, but what I
really want to do is not show any float between the early finish dates of the
next to last activities on each of the units as they are now and the
contractual finish dates (last activity in each string). This is why I
inserted the "Administrative Closeout" activities with durations equal to the
float. Does that make sence?

ccgsuper

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

I'm a bit puzzled I'm afraid.
You do not want to show any float but
You do not want the tasks to be critical.
Since critical tasks by definition are those without float that is a
contradiction.
Which one is it you prefer?

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

 

[ccgsuper]

Jan,
I do want to show the critical path. My earlier reference was addressing
the fact that when I inserted the "Administrative Closeout" activity, gave it
the duration equal to the float (to show no float), a false critical path was
created which included tasks that shouldn't have been on critical path. Wow,
I sure have got this thing confusing. Let's try it another way.
Tasks T1,T2,T3, and T4 are critical path and finish logically say on 1/4/09.
If I put a constraint on task T4 to finish say on 3/4/09, I now have float
in the string. I want tasks T1, T2,T3 to finish on their original logical
dates, but T4 to finish on the 3/4/09 date (contract unit completion). I
tried changing the duration of T3 to equal the float between T3 and T4 and it
changed to "0" float, but it created a false critical path that included many
additional tasks, all with negitive float. I changed everything back to
original (T4 now finishes again on 1/4/09), but I still have the false
critical path with negitive float. Finish dates are as they were orginally.
Can't seem to find the reason for the negative float. Hope this gives a
better explanation.

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

Why do you want T4 to show finishing later in the schedule that it really
will finish physically? There should be nothing wrong with a schedule
reflecting you WILL finish ahead of the date by which you're REQUIRED to
finish. I'd suggest that you let T4 show finishing in the schedule the
network logic drives it, based on when it starts after its predecessor and
the true duration of the expected physical work. If that's 1/4/09 then
that's what the schedule should show in order for it to be an accurate model
of physical reality. If the contractual required finish is 3/4/09, do NOT
represent it with a constraint, instead set that date as a deadline entry on
either T4 or a successor milestone task "Unit Complete" that follows T4 FS.
That way you'll see your true critical path - that being the sequence of
tasks that determine when the work will be finished. A schedule that shows
you're finishing before your deadline is a good thing.