Tracking Project Progress

[Arun]

I have a plan that contains tasks that are unit based and also tasks with
duration based. there are Predecessors set for these tasks. The unit based
tasks are allocated to resource and duration based are not. While tracking if
there was a delay in duration based task (Task 2W1 in the example below) the
the resource can work on the other unit based work. How can this be tracked
so that the duration is utilised (for Work 2 in the example).

example:

1. Work 1
2. Task 1W1 unit based performed by A
3. Task 2W1 Duration based, 1 Day, Predecessors 2
4. Task 3W1 unit based performed by A, Predecessors 3
5. Work 2
6. Task 1W2 unit based performed by A
7. Task 2W2 duration based 1 Day, Predecessors 6
8. Task 3W2 unit based performed by A, Predecessors 7


Thanks in Advance

 

[Jim Aksel]

I assume tasks 2 and 6 run in parallel as you have not indicated any
constraint relationship between them. From my understanding you want to
schedule tasks 4,6 or 8 to be worked if for some reason task 3 gets delayed.
Project is not going to dynamically change the constraints for you unless
you write code to do it.

If the reality turns out that task 2 extends it duration for any reason, you
can just take an early start on the tasks that Resource A actuallly starts.
So, if task 2 extends to 5 days and you want Resource A to work task 8, just
go ahead and start him (key in a value in the [Actual Start] column).

There is an exception. The schedule logic from Task3 drives the start date
of Task4 (a resource A task). If you want to start task4 becuase of a delay
in task 3 then you can go ahead and key an [Actual Start] for task 4. The
problem is this breaks the schedule logic. If there is a predecessor that 3
drives 4 then you should remove that predecessor once you actually start task
4. My question would be to challenge the real relationship between 3 and 4
if a delay in task 3 does not really drive the start of task 4. Too hard for
me to guess based on a hypothetical.

Hope that helps.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Check out my new blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com

 

[Arun]

Thanks Jim. Thanks Trevor for responding to my query. Sorry to be confusing
in my example let me clarify the confusing bit.

The resource A does the tasks 2, 4,6 & 8. each of these tasks take 1day
effort. it is of task type Fixed Unit
The tasks 3 & 7 are done by external parties (for example approval of a
design)
The reason for making 3 as predecessor for 4 is because 3 being approval 4
cannot be started without approval.
When I say duration based I mean task type is Fixed Duration.

What I need to know is that if task3 delays for say 6 days however task 7 is
completed in 1day as planned then how to utilise the time of resource A on
tasks that can be completed(Work2) while indicating delay in Work1 in this
example. Hope the question is clear now.

I assume tasks 2 and 6 run in parallel as you have not indicated any
constraint relationship between them. From my understanding you want to
schedule tasks 4,6 or 8 to be worked if for some reason task 3 gets delayed.
Project is not going to dynamically change the constraints for you unless
you write code to do it.

If the reality turns out that task 2 extends it duration for any reason, you
can just take an early start on the tasks that Resource A actuallly starts.
So, if task 2 extends to 5 days and you want Resource A to work task 8, just
go ahead and start him (key in a value in the [Actual Start] column).

There is an exception. The schedule logic from Task3 drives the start date
of Task4 (a resource A task). If you want to start task4 becuase of a delay
in task 3 then you can go ahead and key an [Actual Start] for task 4. The
problem is this breaks the schedule logic. If there is a predecessor that 3
drives 4 then you should remove that predecessor once you actually start task
4. My question would be to challenge the real relationship between 3 and 4
if a delay in task 3 does not really drive the start of task 4. Too hard for
me to guess based on a hypothetical.

Hope that helps.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim

Check out my new blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com

I have a plan that contains tasks that are unit based and also tasks with
duration based. there are Predecessors set for these tasks. The unit based
tasks are allocated to resource and duration based are not. While tracking if
there was a delay in duration based task (Task 2W1 in the example below) the
the resource can work on the other unit based work. How can this be tracked
so that the duration is utilised (for Work 2 in the example).

example:

1. Work 1
2. Task 1W1 unit based performed by A
3. Task 2W1 Duration based, 1 Day, Predecessors 2
4. Task 3W1 unit based performed by A, Predecessors 3
5. Work 2
6. Task 1W2 unit based performed by A
7. Task 2W2 duration based 1 Day, Predecessors 6
8. Task 3W2 unit based performed by A, Predecessors 7


Thanks in Advance