Hello Laz,
My comments are inline.
Julie
Laz said:
Julie .....
Thanks again. I did figure that one out (importing that is).
Changing the baseline is still not completed.
Is there a way for us to start fresh?
I still have a few questions I can not answer and am a little
confused.
1. Recap of what we are trying to do
We use our MS project plan to compare the progress of the project
relative
to the original plan, the baseline.
[Julie] Just to be clear, a baseline to Project (and me) is created
when you choose Tools > Tracking > Set Baseline. If you have a separate
"archived" project plan that file is not a baseline in the MS Project
sense, nor in the sense that I use the phrase baseline. When you choose
Tools > Tracking > Set Baseline you are copying data from one field into
other fields. That is all that happens. You are simply copying the
following:
Data in the task Start field into the task Baseline Start field
Data in the task Finish field into the task Baseline Finish field
Data in the task Cost field into the task Baseline Cost field
Data in the task Work field into the task Baseline Work field
Data in the task Duration field into task Baseline Duration field.
Data in the resource Start field into the resource Baseline Start field
Data in the resource Finish field into the resource Baseline Finish
field
Data in the resource Cost field into the resource Baseline Cost field
Data in the resource Work field into the resource Baseline Work field
Data in the assignment Start field into the assignment Baseline Start
field
Data in the assignment Finish field into the assignment Baseline Finish
field
Data in the assignment Cost field into the assignment Baseline Cost
field
Data in the assignment Work field into the assignment Baseline Work
field
The contractor has requested doing the
work out of sequence, therefore changing the sequence. We need to
modify the
original plan (the baseline) to match the contractor's requested
sequence by
changing the sequence of tasks.
[Julie] If you modify the tasks in the project, you can choose whether
to modify the baseline or not. If the contractor has said that changing
the sequence of the individual tasks will not impact the summary level
schedule, do you really need to change the baseline? There will be
variance at the detail level, but will the change impact the bigger
picture?
The individual tasks and durations for the
baseline we want to keep the same.
[Julie] Now *I'm* getting confused. Changing the predecessor/successor
information will change scheduled start and finishes, but the baselines
will be unchanged unless you change them by either saving over the
baseline data, or manually changing baseline data. So, if you want to
keep the original baseline data, you're all set, don't save nor import a
new baseline.
We have already started the project, but the tasks that we are going
to
"re-sequence" have not started yet.
[Julie] Have the tasks you are need to resequence been effected by any
tracking done so far? Assuming you do want to update the baseline data
for the tasks after you have shuffled them, and if you have not started
tracking the tasks you need to re-sequence, and there isn't any start
variance that has been caused by tracking, you can just select that
series of tasks and update the baseline just for the selected tasks.
That should update the Baseline Start and Baseline Finish reflecting the
new schedule.
If you select the tasks first and choose, Tools > Tracking > Set
Baseline, and make sure you select "For selected tasks". That will
overwrite the baseline information just for the selected tasks, leaving
other task baselines unchanged.
We need to modify the predecessors and
successors of about 12 lines out of 516 and there are another 10 tasks
with a
Constraint Type = Must Finish On that require that Constraint Dates be
changed.
We have an archived file (the very original project plan) which has no
progress tracked. How can I make the changes to that baseline and
import it
into the current up to date project plan file? What columns do I need
to
import?
[Julie] With that few tasks being changed, and my comments about
importing, I strongly suggest skipping the idea of importing data from
one project to another.
The other thing to consider is that if the contractor is asking to
re-sequence that few tasks, will everything basically wash out at the
summary level? If the sequence of the tasks was originally A > B > C >
D > Milestone and the contractor wants it to be B > A > D > C >
Milestone, does the summary duration/work/start/finish change or is it
just the individual task schedule? If the summary information remains
stable, I don't know if I'd devote large amounts of time updating the
baseline. Bear in mind, there is nothing magical or mystical about
baseline data. It's purpose is to be a comparison point for actual
data. If there is variation at a detail level but it all washes one or
two levels up, I'd put notes on the tasks that the contractor asked to
shuffle (making sure I had a change authorization as needed)
2. Question on Predecessors and Successors
I started to do the export and realized that the predecessors and
successors
are the changes I am making. Do I change a copy of my archive export
and
import those columns also?
[Julie] See my comments above about importing.
3. Question on "Set Baseline" vs. Manually Changing the Baseline
Is there a difference between "set baseline" (Tools/Tracking/Set
Baseline)
and manually changing the baseline (changing the baseline dates,
predecessors, successors etc for each task)?
[Julie] Changing predecessor/successor information on tasks will *not*
change baseline data unless you modify the baselines.
If I manually change the
baseline in order to accomplish what I want to do here, can I no
longer "set
baseline"? Or do I need to "set baseline" in order for the comparison
of
progress to baseline to be accurate?
[Julie] Any manner that is used to change baseline will allow
calculation of variance. Saving a baseline through the "Set Baseline"
command will overwrite all baseline data unless you save into other
baseline fields (Baseline2, Baseline3, etc.)
4. Question on plan calculation
How or when does the revised baseline re-calculate the dates for the
tasks
that have revised predecessors and successors?
[Julie] Baselines do not calculate anything. The baselines are merely
a copy of data from when the baseline was saved. The only part
baselines play in calculation is the calculation of variances. If you
are changing predecessor/successor information, you should see the dates
in the project change immediately. If not, check the following:
make sure your calculation (Tools > Options, Calculation tab) is set to
automatic. Make sure you haven't constrained tasks unnecessarily by
typing dates
Make sure you don't have actual start dates against the tasks.
I really do appreciate your help,
Laz
[Julie] You're wecome Laz. Glad to help and I hope I am shedding some
light for you and not confusing you
Julie
