Actual Finish dates

[Hidden Data]

I have changed my dureation of the task to be fixed. However, every time I
enter and "actual" date of finish, the baseline finish date changes. How can
I prevent this from happening? thanks

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

The finish date changes, but the baseline finish date doesn't.
The baseline finish is what you create when you go Tools, Tracking, Save
Baseline...
The finish field represents the latest version of the plan and hennce, for
finished tasks, the actual finish.
HTH

 

[Hidden Data]

Is it possible to speak with you directly. I have saved the baseline as
mentioned. It is the "actual finish" column that I am trying to change with
the "Finish" column changing. Maybe I'm not using the appropriate column
names?

??

 

[davegb]

Is it possible to speak with you directly. I have saved the baseline as
mentioned. It is the "actual finish" column that I am trying to change with
the "Finish" column changing. Maybe I'm not using the appropriate column
names?

The "Start" and "Finish" columns are not the baseline columns. They
will automatically change when you enter Actuals. The "Baseline Start"
and "Baseline Finish" columns, and a bunch of others, like Cost and
Duration, are not changed when you enter Actuals. They are set by doing
a "Tools, Baseline, Save Baseline" and selecting what part of the
project you want baselined. The won't change unless you manually alter
them or rebaseline.

These dates are visible in the Baseline table, and in other views, like
the Tracking Gantt (they are the gray bars under the colored bars).

Hope this helps in your world.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

To speak? yes but it's a call to Europe (don't know where you are) and right
now it's 20:45 hr here so hurry..

Just try to also insert Baseline Finish as a column.
That will illustrate my point better.

By all means, changing Actual Finish will always change Finish.
HTH

 

[Hidden Data]

ok - that does make more sense. Now, sorry to sound dumb but, when I want to
make the change to reflect an actual finish should I change the "finish"
column or the "baseline" column?

Here is an example:
In the project plan, we originally had a task to complete on 6/30. The task
did not complete until 7/5. We want to reflect the 7/5 date as the "actual".

Thanks
Angela
404-773-9143

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

The baseline is the baseline is the baseline - it is just and only a
comparison point "where did we start from". It is not supposed to be
updated.

Once a task HAS an actual finish entry it is absolutely irrelevant whether
you change Actual Finish or Finish, since Project will keep them same
anyway.

Hope this helps,

 

[Steve House]

If I could jump in - there are three fields involved in finish (also in
start but for simplicity lets stick to just finish ... there's the Finish
field, the Baseline Finish field, and the Actual Finish field. The Finish
field shows the scheduled or forecast finish of the task. When we've built
the plan we have, using your example,
Finish: 6/30
Baseline Finish: NA
Actual Finish: NA

When you use the Tools, Tracking, SaveBaseline as Jan has suggested, the
currently scheduled finish date is copied into the Baseline Finish field to
provide a reference of your original intentions before you began to work.
At this point, again using your example, we have:
Finish: 6/30
Baseline Finish: 6/30
Actual Finish: NA

The tasks predecessor was supposed to end on 6/24 to this task could start
6/25 but the predecessor ran a day late, delaying this task's start 1 day
(and making it expected to finish a day later as well). Now...
Finish: 7/1 (a day later)
Baseline Finish: 6/30 (the orignal estimate)
Actual Finish: NA

Now work proceeds and we eventually finish the task on 7/5. You DO NOT
enter 7/5 in the Finish field. Instead, display the Tracking table (View
menu, Tables, Tracking) This allows you to enter the finish date into the
Actual Finish field. When you do, Project will also automatically update
the plain Finish field to reflect the same number ... BUT IMPORTANT ... it
is a one way street! Entering a date in Actual Finish causes an update of
the Finish field but entering a date in the Finish field DOES NOT cause an
update to the Actual Finish field. So after posting the date directly into
the Actual Finish field, we have...
Finish: 7/5
Baseline Finish: 6/30
Actual Finish: 7/5

HTH

 

[Hidden Data]

THANKS to all of you! I've got it now. It's much better for me when I use
all three columns. Because I print my plans from time to time, I try to
eliminate as many columsn as possible.

If I could jump in - there are three fields involved in finish (also in
start but for simplicity lets stick to just finish ... there's the Finish
field, the Baseline Finish field, and the Actual Finish field. The Finish
field shows the scheduled or forecast finish of the task. When we've built
the plan we have, using your example,
Finish: 6/30
Baseline Finish: NA
Actual Finish: NA

When you use the Tools, Tracking, SaveBaseline as Jan has suggested, the
currently scheduled finish date is copied into the Baseline Finish field to
provide a reference of your original intentions before you began to work.
At this point, again using your example, we have:
Finish: 6/30
Baseline Finish: 6/30
Actual Finish: NA

The tasks predecessor was supposed to end on 6/24 to this task could start
6/25 but the predecessor ran a day late, delaying this task's start 1 day
(and making it expected to finish a day later as well). Now...
Finish: 7/1 (a day later)
Baseline Finish: 6/30 (the orignal estimate)
Actual Finish: NA

Now work proceeds and we eventually finish the task on 7/5. You DO NOT
enter 7/5 in the Finish field. Instead, display the Tracking table (View
menu, Tables, Tracking) This allows you to enter the finish date into the
Actual Finish field. When you do, Project will also automatically update
the plain Finish field to reflect the same number ... BUT IMPORTANT ... it
is a one way street! Entering a date in Actual Finish causes an update of
the Finish field but entering a date in the Finish field DOES NOT cause an
update to the Actual Finish field. So after posting the date directly into
the Actual Finish field, we have...
Finish: 7/5
Baseline Finish: 6/30
Actual Finish: 7/5

HTH


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

ok - that does make more sense. Now, sorry to sound dumb but, when I want
to
make the change to reflect an actual finish should I change the "finish"
column or the "baseline" column?

Here is an example:
In the project plan, we originally had a task to complete on 6/30. The
task
did not complete until 7/5. We want to reflect the 7/5 date as the
"actual".

Thanks
Angela
404-773-9143

 

[SR]

Just an additional info - when u finalize your plan, as suggested earlier -
do save your baseline dates. these dates will not change and not reflected
unless you add the columns "baseline Start" and Baseline Finish" col. The
start and finish column shows predicted dates based on current updates in %
complete or may be Actual start and finish. display all three date cols to
understand their values.
--
sr

THANKS to all of you! I've got it now. It's much better for me when I use
all three columns. Because I print my plans from time to time, I try to
eliminate as many columsn as possible.

If I could jump in - there are three fields involved in finish (also in
start but for simplicity lets stick to just finish ... there's the Finish
field, the Baseline Finish field, and the Actual Finish field. The Finish
field shows the scheduled or forecast finish of the task. When we've built
the plan we have, using your example,
Finish: 6/30
Baseline Finish: NA
Actual Finish: NA

When you use the Tools, Tracking, SaveBaseline as Jan has suggested, the
currently scheduled finish date is copied into the Baseline Finish field to
provide a reference of your original intentions before you began to work.
At this point, again using your example, we have:
Finish: 6/30
Baseline Finish: 6/30
Actual Finish: NA

The tasks predecessor was supposed to end on 6/24 to this task could start
6/25 but the predecessor ran a day late, delaying this task's start 1 day
(and making it expected to finish a day later as well). Now...
Finish: 7/1 (a day later)
Baseline Finish: 6/30 (the orignal estimate)
Actual Finish: NA

Now work proceeds and we eventually finish the task on 7/5. You DO NOT
enter 7/5 in the Finish field. Instead, display the Tracking table (View
menu, Tables, Tracking) This allows you to enter the finish date into the
Actual Finish field. When you do, Project will also automatically update
the plain Finish field to reflect the same number ... BUT IMPORTANT ... it
is a one way street! Entering a date in Actual Finish causes an update of
the Finish field but entering a date in the Finish field DOES NOT cause an
update to the Actual Finish field. So after posting the date directly into
the Actual Finish field, we have...
Finish: 7/5
Baseline Finish: 6/30
Actual Finish: 7/5

HTH


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

ok - that does make more sense. Now, sorry to sound dumb but, when I want
to
make the change to reflect an actual finish should I change the "finish"
column or the "baseline" column?

Here is an example:
In the project plan, we originally had a task to complete on 6/30. The
task
did not complete until 7/5. We want to reflect the 7/5 date as the
"actual".

Thanks
Angela
404-773-9143


:

Hi,

To speak? yes but it's a call to Europe (don't know where you are) and
right
now it's 20:45 hr here so hurry..

Just try to also insert Baseline Finish as a column.
That will illustrate my point better.

By all means, changing Actual Finish will always change Finish.
HTH



--
Jan De Messemaeker, Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
For FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm
"Hidden Data" <[email protected]> schreef in bericht
Is it possible to speak with you directly. I have saved the baseline
as
mentioned. It is the "actual finish" column that I am trying to change
with
the "Finish" column changing. Maybe I'm not using the appropriate
column
names?

??

:

Hi,

The finish date changes, but the baseline finish date doesn't.
The baseline finish is what you create when you go Tools, Tracking,
Save
Baseline...
The finish field represents the latest version of the plan and
hennce,
for
finished tasks, the actual finish.
HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker, Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
For FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm
"Hidden Data" <[email protected]> schreef in
bericht
I have changed my dureation of the task to be fixed. However,
every
time
I
enter and "actual" date of finish, the baseline finish date
changes.
How
can
I prevent this from happening? thanks

 

[Hidden Data]

ok - thanks!

Just an additional info - when u finalize your plan, as suggested earlier -
do save your baseline dates. these dates will not change and not reflected
unless you add the columns "baseline Start" and Baseline Finish" col. The
start and finish column shows predicted dates based on current updates in %
complete or may be Actual start and finish. display all three date cols to
understand their values.
--
sr

THANKS to all of you! I've got it now. It's much better for me when I use
all three columns. Because I print my plans from time to time, I try to
eliminate as many columsn as possible.

If I could jump in - there are three fields involved in finish (also in
start but for simplicity lets stick to just finish ... there's the Finish
field, the Baseline Finish field, and the Actual Finish field. The Finish
field shows the scheduled or forecast finish of the task. When we've built
the plan we have, using your example,
Finish: 6/30
Baseline Finish: NA
Actual Finish: NA

When you use the Tools, Tracking, SaveBaseline as Jan has suggested, the
currently scheduled finish date is copied into the Baseline Finish field to
provide a reference of your original intentions before you began to work.
At this point, again using your example, we have:
Finish: 6/30
Baseline Finish: 6/30
Actual Finish: NA

The tasks predecessor was supposed to end on 6/24 to this task could start
6/25 but the predecessor ran a day late, delaying this task's start 1 day
(and making it expected to finish a day later as well). Now...
Finish: 7/1 (a day later)
Baseline Finish: 6/30 (the orignal estimate)
Actual Finish: NA

Now work proceeds and we eventually finish the task on 7/5. You DO NOT
enter 7/5 in the Finish field. Instead, display the Tracking table (View
menu, Tables, Tracking) This allows you to enter the finish date into the
Actual Finish field. When you do, Project will also automatically update
the plain Finish field to reflect the same number ... BUT IMPORTANT ... it
is a one way street! Entering a date in Actual Finish causes an update of
the Finish field but entering a date in the Finish field DOES NOT cause an
update to the Actual Finish field. So after posting the date directly into
the Actual Finish field, we have...
Finish: 7/5
Baseline Finish: 6/30
Actual Finish: 7/5

HTH


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



ok - that does make more sense. Now, sorry to sound dumb but, when I want
to
make the change to reflect an actual finish should I change the "finish"
column or the "baseline" column?

Here is an example:
In the project plan, we originally had a task to complete on 6/30. The
task
did not complete until 7/5. We want to reflect the 7/5 date as the
"actual".

Thanks
Angela
404-773-9143


:

Hi,

To speak? yes but it's a call to Europe (don't know where you are) and
right
now it's 20:45 hr here so hurry..

Just try to also insert Baseline Finish as a column.
That will illustrate my point better.

By all means, changing Actual Finish will always change Finish.
HTH



--
Jan De Messemaeker, Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
For FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm
"Hidden Data" <[email protected]> schreef in bericht
Is it possible to speak with you directly. I have saved the baseline
as
mentioned. It is the "actual finish" column that I am trying to change
with
the "Finish" column changing. Maybe I'm not using the appropriate
column
names?

??

:

Hi,

The finish date changes, but the baseline finish date doesn't.
The baseline finish is what you create when you go Tools, Tracking,
Save
Baseline...
The finish field represents the latest version of the plan and
hennce,
for
finished tasks, the actual finish.
HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker, Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/
For FAQs: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm
"Hidden Data" <[email protected]> schreef in
bericht
I have changed my dureation of the task to be fixed. However,
every
time
I
enter and "actual" date of finish, the baseline finish date
changes.
How
can
I prevent this from happening? thanks

 

[jillca]

Sooo - why do you need the Finish column at all if the Actual Finish column
changes it? What purpose does it serve other than as a place marker until
the task is complete?

BTW - thanks on adding the column - that answered why I wasn't seeing the
baseline date.