Greetings - I am kind of curious to understand this:
1. By default there are set of columns displayed when MS Project is
launched. Like the start date, end date, etc.
2. Additionally, provision is available to insert new columns
3. i insert actual start date, and actual end date columns
4. when i key in value in actual start date and end date, it is
updated automatically in the default start date and end date.
5. any idea on why this happens?
My objective is:
1. to capture the plan dates and hours
2. also to key in actual date and hours
is this possible
thank you
-Dev
Dev,
If your objective is to capture the original plan dates and hours and
also actual plan dates and hours (to compare how you did against the
original plan, for example), you will have to 'baseline' your project
after you put in the planned dates and hours. There will then be 3
columns of dates...Baselined, Currently Planned, and Actual.
Here's a scenario:
It's August 18 today. My project plan 'Finish' column says August 19
for 'Write Document'.
I baseline the plan (not sure which version of MS Project you have so
won't send instructions; but it's just a few clicks)
The result of setting the baseline is that August 19 is captured in
the 'Baseline Finish' column for 'Write Document'.
Now it's Friday, August 20. I just finished the task today.
I put August 20 in the 'Actual Finish'.
MS Project copies August 20 into the 'Finish' column, because 'Finish'
means 'currently expected finish' - and that's August 20.
(When you enter Actual Start, it copies that value into the Start
column as well).
I want to know how I did compared to how I originally planned it.
I could insert the column 'Baseline Finish' and see August 19 - the
baseline columns don't change, as you work the plan.
I insert the column 'Finish Variance', which automatically calculates
difference between 'Finish' and 'Baseline Finish', and see there's a
variance of 1 day.
Lots of words. Hope you followed. In summary, there are 3 dates for
start and finish. The words 'Start' only or 'Finish' only, means 'My
currently expected Start or Finish, based on changing variables, as I
work the project'. Baseline Start and Baseline Finish are 'what I
originally planned', Actual Start and Actual Finish are 'what actually
happened.'
As far as 'Work', same thing. And 'Duration'. Setting a baseline
copies the planned work and duration (and cost) at the moment in time
that you set it, into the columns Baseline Work, Baseline Duration and
Baseline Cost, enabling comparisons of actual against baseline for
these columns as well.
- Aviva
