Date Slippage view question

N

Naomi Nissen

I followed the FAQ "Create Stoplight Indicators" (Date Slippage) which
I was able to make work with no problem, but brings up a troubling
question. As I comprehend it, this compares the baseline finish to
the finish. (not the ACTUAL finish). If the finish column is created
only once, at the beginning of planning the project, from which the
baseline is created, and never updated, how can this help me? Only
the actual finish seems to be keeping track of what's--actually--
happening, thus, actual slippage.

thanks
Naomi
 
D

Dale Howard [MVP]

Naomi --

When you update a task with actuals, the system replaces the PLANNED task
values with the ACTUAL task values. This means that the system replaces
Work with Actual Work, Start with Actual Start, Finish with Actual Finish,
Duration with Actual Duration, and Cost with Actual Cost. For example, I
baseline a task as 40 hours of Work and $1,000 of Cost and a Duration of 5
days, starting on Monday, March 5 and finishing on Friday, March 9. The
resource actually starts on Monday, March 5, enters 48 hours of Actual Work,
and finishes the task on Monday, March 12. Therefore, at the completion of
this task, the system records the following values:

Work = 48 hours (the 40h of planned Work was replaced with 48 hours of
Actual Work)
Cost = $1,200 (the $1,000 of planned Cost was replaced with $1,200 of Actual
Cost)
Duration = 6 days (the original 5-day Duration was replaced with 6 days of
Actual Duration)
Start = March 5 (Actual Start of March 5 equals the planned Start date, so
no change)
Finish = March 12 (planned Finish date of March 9 was replaced with the
March 12 Actual Finish date)

Rememember, in Microsoft Project and Project Server, ACTALS always replace
ESTIMATES. Your Baseline values record the original planned values, against
which you compare for variance. Therefore, the stoplight indicators show
exactly what you need to see. Hope this helps.
 
N

Naomi Nissen

Naomi --

When you update a task with actuals, the system replaces the PLANNED task
values with the ACTUAL task values. This means that the system replaces
Work with Actual Work, Start with Actual Start, Finish with Actual Finish,
Duration with Actual Duration, and Cost with Actual Cost. For example, I
baseline a task as 40 hours of Work and $1,000 of Cost and a Duration of 5
days, starting on Monday, March 5 and finishing on Friday, March 9. The
resource actually starts on Monday, March 5, enters 48 hours of Actual Work,
and finishes the task on Monday, March 12. Therefore, at the completion of
this task, the system records the following values:

Work = 48 hours (the 40h of planned Work was replaced with 48 hours of
Actual Work)
Cost = $1,200 (the $1,000 of planned Cost was replaced with $1,200 of Actual
Cost)
Duration = 6 days (the original 5-day Duration was replaced with 6 days of
Actual Duration)
Start = March 5 (Actual Start of March 5 equals the planned Start date, so
no change)
Finish = March 12 (planned Finish date of March 9 was replaced with the
March 12 Actual Finish date)

Rememember, in Microsoft Project and Project Server, ACTALS always replace
ESTIMATES. Your Baseline values record the original planned values, against
which you compare for variance. Therefore, the stoplight indicators show
exactly what you need to see. Hope this helps.

--
Dale A. Howard [MVP]
Enterprise Project Trainer/Consultanthttp://www.msprojectexperts.comhttp://www.projectserverexperts.com
"We wrote the book on Project Server"







- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Yes, thank you Dale! Very helpful. I was turned around.
Naomi
 
N

Naomi Nissen

Naomi --

When you update a task with actuals, the system replaces the PLANNED task
values with the ACTUAL task values. This means that the system replaces
Work with Actual Work, Start with Actual Start, Finish with Actual Finish,
Duration with Actual Duration, and Cost with Actual Cost. For example, I
baseline a task as 40 hours of Work and $1,000 of Cost and a Duration of 5
days, starting on Monday, March 5 and finishing on Friday, March 9. The
resource actually starts on Monday, March 5, enters 48 hours of Actual Work,
and finishes the task on Monday, March 12. Therefore, at the completion of
this task, the system records the following values:

Work = 48 hours (the 40h of planned Work was replaced with 48 hours of
Actual Work)
Cost = $1,200 (the $1,000 of planned Cost was replaced with $1,200 of Actual
Cost)
Duration = 6 days (the original 5-day Duration was replaced with 6 days of
Actual Duration)
Start = March 5 (Actual Start of March 5 equals the planned Start date, so
no change)
Finish = March 12 (planned Finish date of March 9 was replaced with the
March 12 Actual Finish date)

Rememember, in Microsoft Project and Project Server, ACTALS always replace
ESTIMATES. Your Baseline values record the original planned values, against
which you compare for variance. Therefore, the stoplight indicators show
exactly what you need to see. Hope this helps.

--
Dale A. Howard [MVP]
Enterprise Project Trainer/Consultanthttp://www.msprojectexperts.comhttp://www.projectserverexperts.com
"We wrote the book on Project Server"







- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Not quite on the right path yet - I noticed a project in our dock that
has a baseline finish of 2/9/07. A series of tasks dated 2/1 to 2/9
are 0% complete. Today is 3/8. The graphical indicator is green even
though I limited green to 0 to 7 days. (greater than or equal to 0)
using the FAQ for Stoplight Indicators. Shouldn't this project be way
into the red?
thanks
Naomi
 
D

Dale Howard [MVP]

Naomi --

Nope, the stoplight indicator will show as green for the scenario you
described. The system calculates the graphical indicator by comparing the
current scheduled finish date against its original Baseline finish date,
which in this case indicates green in terms of task slippage.

The problem you describe is not caused by the formula or the graphical
indicator. Your mistake with this project is allowing uncompleted work to
remain in the PAST. As a competent PM, you simply cannot allow this
situation to happen with your projects. Refer to the following FAQ for the
steps to reschedule uncompleted work from the past into the current
reporting period:

http://www.projectserverexperts.com/Shared Documents/RescheduleUncompletedWork.htm

When you complete the steps detailed in the above FAQ, the indicator will
turn to red for all tasks because their current Finish date has slipped past
the Baseline Finish date. Hope this helps.
 
N

Naomi Nissen

Naomi --

Nope, the stoplight indicator will show as green for the scenario you
described. The system calculates the graphical indicator by comparing the
current scheduled finish date against its original Baseline finish date,
which in this case indicates green in terms of task slippage.

The problem you describe is not caused by the formula or the graphical
indicator. Your mistake with this project is allowing uncompleted work to
remain in the PAST. As a competent PM, you simply cannot allow this
situation to happen with your projects. Refer to the following FAQ for the
steps to reschedule uncompleted work from the past into the current
reporting period:

http://www.projectserverexperts.com/Shared Documents/RescheduleUnco...

When you complete the steps detailed in the above FAQ, the indicator will
turn to red for all tasks because their current Finish date has slipped past
the Baseline Finish date. Hope this helps.

--
Dale A. Howard [MVP]
Enterprise Project Trainer/Consultanthttp://www.msprojectexperts.comhttp://www.projectserverexperts.com
"We wrote the book on Project Server"







- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Works nicely! I have a whole other question about slipped tasks that
I'm posting separately. Thanks for you help on this.

Naomi
 
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