Adding dates

[JRT]

Hello,
New to Project, but am trying desparately to learn it on my own.. ha ha..
I have a question, I am putting together a huge schedule that requires
information to be done at least 120 days prior to the main task.
Questions:
Can I use that main task and work backwards and if so, how do I put in for
something to start 120 prior to that?
Thanks
Janet

 

[davegb]

Hello,
New to Project, but am trying desparately to learn it on my own.. ha ha..
I have a question, I am putting together a huge schedule that requires
information to be done at least 120 days prior to the main task.
Questions:
Can I use that main task and work backwards and if so, how do I put in for
something to start 120 prior to that?
Thanks
Janet

It's a tough package to learn on your own. The underlying theory behind
what Project does, when used to it's fullest, called Critical Path
Scheduling, is not obvious. It helps to do some reading, at the very
least, to understand the driver behind the software.
Your question can be interpreted 2 ways. If the gathering information
task takes 120 days, just create it, give it a duration of 120 d, then
link it to the successor task. If gathering information takes 10 days,
enter it and it's duration. Create the other task. Link the gathering
information task to the other task. If you have linking displayed on
the Gantt, double click on the link. At the bottom of the linking
dialog box is a field for "Lag" time. Enter 110 (120-10) days. There ya
go.
Hope this helps in your world.

 

[JRT]

Hi Dave,
Got some books, got data in there, but I just need to start linking them...
You rock though, cause your answer really helped me out!!
Thanks

 

[John]

Hello,
New to Project, but am trying desparately to learn it on my own.. ha ha..
I have a question, I am putting together a huge schedule that requires
information to be done at least 120 days prior to the main task.
Questions:
Can I use that main task and work backwards and if so, how do I put in for
something to start 120 prior to that?
Thanks
Janet

Janet,
First of all congratulations for having the gumption to learn Project on
your own. However, you are probably finding that a self-taught approach
is very frustrating because Project has a steep learning curve. May I
suggest that you take a look at a couple of things that might help with
the learning curve, both on our MVP website. First go to:
http://www.mvps.org/project/links.htm
and find the link for fellow MVP, Mike Glen's series on "basic Project
lessons and techniques". You can also find a bunch of helpful
information at: http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm

With regard to your specific question. There are several ways to handle
early tasks - it depends on a lot of factors. One viewpoint says that if
there are early tasks, then that's when the project really starts, so
they are not really early. You might want to try that approach. For
example, let's say that there is a specification review that spans a
duration of 30 days and needs to be completed 120 days prior to contract
award. You might simply set the Project Start Date (found under
Project/Project Information) to the start date of the spec review. Then
use a simple start-to-start link with a delay of 120 days for the
contract milestone, which is the starting point for all other tasks in
the project.

Other approaches include using a finish-to-start with a 120 day lead
link between the contract milestone and the "early task", fixing the
contract milestone with no link to the "early task", not including the
early task at all (maybe it is company funded and not part of the
contractually funded project), etc.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[JRT]

Wow John, thanks for the information... I think I can tackle this, but it is
going to take some time.. I am looking into a class...

 

[davegb]

Wow John, thanks for the information... I think I can tackle this, but it is
going to take some time.. I am looking into a class...

I think that's a great idea! However, be careful in selecting the
class/instructor. Many, if now most, of the Project instructor's I've
met teach "push button" classes. Push this button, this happens. Very
few understand how Project really functions, much less how to really
apply it. I suggest you talk with any prospective instructor and find
out if they've ever SCHEDULED A PROJECT with it. If they haven't, keep
looking. Ask a few questions about Critical Path Scheduling. If they
don't know that, they're probably not qualified.
Hope this helps in your world.

 

[John]

Wow John, thanks for the information... I think I can tackle this, but it is
going to take some time.. I am looking into a class...

Janet,
You're welcome, and good luck with learning experience.

John

 

[DavidC]

Hi,

Have read your question and the replies. There is one other scenario that
may be what you need. It is a situation I come across regularly. The
situation is that a notification is required x days before a particular task
starts. The task starting though is not driven by the notification but
rather by other factors. ASn example might be in construction that before
the floor is poured the local authority is notified 1 week before the pour.
The pour date is predicated on many other tasks happening and where those
tasks are delayed so the floor pour is delayed. Using the normal FS link
with a 1 week delay makes the start of the floor pour starting seven days
after notification rather than notifying seven days before the pour. A
subtle difference but important.

In this situation I 'drive' the notification task back from the floor pour
in this case by the 1 week, using the notification task as a predecessor of
the floor pour BUT using a SF link and a -1week delay.

Using this approach if there is a change at all to the tasks that affect the
floor pour, then the notification date is changed. If the other tasks are
delayed then the notification can be delayed, if the floor pour can start
early then the notification period must show an earlier date.

In this case the notification does not drive the other task but is important
nonetheless.

Hope this helps .