constraint added automatically

[crook]

Hello All!

One of my PMs reports that, occasionally after accepting updates
through PWA, constraints appear in his projects. In one recent
instance, I was able to see that the constraint was there (though I
don't know how long the constraint had been in place). I also noted
that there was a successor task (three times removed) that was
completed during the operation where the PM said project set the
constraint.

I have not noticed this behavior in my own projects. I have not been
able to find anything about it in these groups. I did find the help
files notes about Project setting a constraint in response to dragging
a gantt chart bar. From my fellow PM's perspective, Project is
automatically adding data to his project and it's making him crazy.

Has anyone seen this behavior and determined its cause?

Thank you for your help!
Crook

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Crook:

When you process updates from Project Web Access, and your copy of Project
is setup correctly, the update process does two things:

1) Applies the completion data you collect: work or percent complete
2) Reschedules remaining work for the updated tasks

It's the second step that adds the constraint. This happens because Project
moves the remaining portion of the task that is scheduled before the status
date, to the status date. (status date in this case equals the date you
apply the updates) It accomplishes this by adding an SNET constraint setting
the constraint date to the status date. These are non-intrusive and quite
desirable in this case. Essentially this is invoking the same process that
using Tools > Tracking invokes.

So your PM isn't imagining things. For tasks that get updated as
on-schedule, or for tasks that get completed within a reporting cycle,
you'll never see the system add a constraint. You should also note that any
task that was scheduled to start, or started before the status date, but
received no updates from the users during the reporting cycle, will continue
to remain scheduled in the past until you use the tracking feature to
reschedule the remaining portions of the task. This is a step that your team
is probably skipping if the SNET constraints you see are surprising.
Otherwise, you'd be quite familiar with this behavior. After processing all
of the updates coming from PWA, all of your PMs should complete their update
cycle by going to Tools > Tracking to reschedule any incomplete work
remaining scheduled in the past. After this step, you'll have an accurate
and up-to-date schedule.

In the future, please post your Project Server questions to
microsoft.public.project.server. Thanks.

 

[crook]

Gary,

Thank you for the info. I appreciate it.

Crook

 

[crook]

Hi!

My fellow PM just pulled me over to his desk to show me an example in
the wild.

He received an error message which says:

Task "63 Kick-off Meeting for the Implementation Phase" in "<the
project's name is here>.Published" cannot be completed in teh time
allocated becaue thre is a scheduling conflict between this task and
another one to which it is linked.

Try the following:

Change the typ fo constraint on the successor tasks to As Soon As
Possible or some other constraint that doesn't fix it to a specific
date.

Remove the link between the conflicting tasks.

Shorten the duration of one of the tasks.

Change the start and finish dates of one of the tasks.

If the task to which "63 Kick-off Meeting for the Implementation Phase"
is linked is not constrained and it is a summary task, check the
constraints on the subtasks.

<end of error message>

So far, so good. We examined the project and discovered the following:

1) Task 64 was completed on 10/31. This one hour task was completed by
the PM who entered one hour against the task, thus completing the task.

2) Task 64 contains a FNLT constraint set for 11/01 at 12:00 AM.
3) Task 63 is scheduled for 11/01, 8 - 5 (all day).
4) Task 63 appears to be scheduled for 11/01 because that is when it
happened. My fellow PM put time against that task for 11/01.

So, the warning makes sense. Task 63 cannot finish in time. Here's
the problem:

My fellow PM did not insert the FNLT constraint in task 64. How did
the constraint get there?

I am grateful in advance for your assistance!
Crook

 

[crook]

I need to add that task 64 is task 63's only successor.

Crook

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Crook:

These don't materialize out of thin air, so some order of steps had to
happen to create an inflexible constraint. What are the chances of us
knowing what they are?