Project all messed up

[Scott]

Project has always worked just fine. I have not changed anything, but now,
all of a sudden, many things are not working (this is affecting others in my
organization as well):
-Pressing "Enter" will not automatically go to the next line
-Entering a predecessor with finish-to-start will NOT update the start time
for the task
-Entering subtasks will not update the finish date of the parent task (even
if the subtasks are scheduled to finish later than the parent task)

I have not changed anything and I don't know what is going on. Everyone
else I have talked to in the organization is having the same issue. Any help
is appreciated.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Scott,


What version of Project including service pack please? What operating
system? Any automatic updates installed recently?

Julie

 

[Scott]

I have Project 2003 (11.3.2007.1529.15) SP3

I am running Windows XP. I am not sure how to see what automatic updates
have run recently.

I did notice 2 other issues:
-When I go into options, many of the tabs will not let me tab over because
they say I have invalid values.
-If you type a value into the "Duration" column, the value dissapears unless
you put the letter "d" after it - that never used to happen.

 

[ja202141]

I am having the same problem with the same version. Not sure if I have
automatic updates on either.

 

[JulieS]

Well, you're now the third person to report odd behavior in Project
2003 today. As it is impacting everyone in your organization, can you
check with your local IT folks and see if any changes have been made
(updates, new software installs) lately?

Some of the symptoms you report are option settings.
Moving after enter is a setting on the Edit tab
Changing predecessors and information not changing could be modified
by turning of automatic calculations (Calculation tab) as can the date
not changing.
Can you change just the setting on the Edit tab -- no others to avoid
the "incorrect setting" error?

I am not seeing what you report although in checking my updates it
doesn't appear that anything new is installed since the end of July.
My installation of Project 2003 (same release same SP) is behaving
normally.

I'll check around and see if others report anything. In the meantime,
I assume this odd behavior is occurring with all files -- both old and
new?

Julie

 

[JulieS]

Are you in the same company as Scott?

I am having the same problem with the same version. Not sure if I
have
automatic updates on either.

 

[JulieS]

Scott,

Please go to your control panel, Add or Remove Programs. Check off
"show updates". Scroll the list do you see any updates dated
yesterday or today? I've just received notification on my computer of
a whole batch of updates -- I've not yet installed.

 

[JulieS]

Sorry to be clearer -- ensure that the option Show Updates is checked.

Julie

 

[Scott]

Well, I haven't worked in project for a few months, so it is hard to tell
exactly when this happened. The most recent updates I have were all
installed at the end of May:
KB947355
KB945185
KB948962

 

[Scott]

I don't know who that is, but I don't think she is in the same company.

 

[Scott]

I will check with the IT folks and let you know. Yes, this problem is
happening to old files that used to work as well.

I can't get to the edit tab. When I open options, I am on the "Schedule"
tab and trying to click on anything else gives me:
"This value is not valid in this situation. Check the field to see if it
requires text, a date, a number, and that you typed the information correctly"

I have not changed anything on that tab. Obviously I can try to enter
different things to make that error message go away, but something went in
and messed up all of the settings.

 

[JulieS]

Thanks Scott. No recent updates to either Windows XP or listed under
Office?

Julie

 

[JulieS]

Thanks Scott. There aren't any places on the Schedule tab for you to
enter information -- it's all drop-downs. Very odd.

The default settings are:
Show scheduling messages - enabled
Show assignment units as: Percentage
New tasks: Start on Project Start date
Duration: Day
Work: hours
Default task type: Fixed units

All checkbox options are checked by default.

Julie

 

[ja202141]

I'm at a different company. I will check with my IT dept as well. I have a
couple of meetings I have to tend to now though so I apologize for not
responding faster.

 

[JulieS]

No trouble. Let us know what you find out.

Julie

 

[ja202141]

I figured out my problem. I was trying to change the start date of a project
in which some tasks had already been 100% completed prior to the new start
date. I was getting this error:

"One or more tasks have actual dates entered. The start of these tasks
cannot be changed."

Previously I didn't believe the error because I got it confused with
constraint dates which I had not entered into this particular project. Then
I realized that actual dates are automatically entered when a task goes to
100% complete using the % complete column.

I guess now I either have to clear the % complete column or use contraints
to delay the remaining tasks.

Have a good day.

Thank you,

Jason

 

[JulieS]

Thanks for updating us Jason. It doesn't sound however that your
problems were the same as Scott's. He reported some *very* different
symptoms.

Anyway, glad to know you discovered what was going on. To move tasks
that you have not finished on time out to new dates, see Tools >
Tracking > Update Project, Reschedule uncompleted work to start after.
Update all tracking values before hand, and by using the "reschedule"
option, it will move any remaining work on all tasks to a new start
date. It will place a "Start no earlier than" constraints on tasks
but it is much better than moving every one.

Julie

 

[ja202141]

Great! I will try that.

Have a good one.

Thanks for updating us Jason. It doesn't sound however that your
problems were the same as Scott's. He reported some *very* different
symptoms.

Anyway, glad to know you discovered what was going on. To move tasks
that you have not finished on time out to new dates, see Tools >
Tracking > Update Project, Reschedule uncompleted work to start after.
Update all tracking values before hand, and by using the "reschedule"
option, it will move any remaining work on all tasks to a new start
date. It will place a "Start no earlier than" constraints on tasks
but it is much better than moving every one.

Julie

 

[JulieS]

Good luck Jason. Do post again if you have any further questions.

Julie

 

[JulieS]

Hi Scott,

Just an update. I installed several updates yesterday without
difficulties in any Project file.

My updates for Project Pro 2003 show:
KB945185
KB947355
SP3
KB948962
KB921598 (Security update for Office 2003)


Any updates from your end?

Julie