Generating start/finish dates for several tasks based on one task?

[Shyler]

I am fairly new to MS Project and have been asked to set up a simple project
plan using MS Project 2003. We charge our customers based on the level of
effort it takes to complete the project; we have more than 75 projects with 3
subtasks for each project to track. With that said, it is important we track
completion of the tasks and the cost associated with each task so we provide
the correct budget/fee to our customers. I am struggling with 1) how to
automatically generate dates for two tasks based on a specific start/stop
date of the third task, and (2) which task type to use for resources.

Here are the details of how we operate: each project has 3 subtasks
(planning, execution, and reporting). All the tasks revolve around the start
and stop date of the execution task. Our customers tell us the date for
starting and stopping the Execution task. The Planning task occurs 60
calendar days prior to Execution start and the Reporting task must be
completed 30 calendar days after Execution stop. I attempted to set “must
finish on†and “start no earlier than†constraints but it just isn’t working
out as I planned. Any recommendations for how to automatically generate a
Planning and Reporting task 60 days prior to execution start and 30 days
after execution stop, respectively, for the two tasks? We really don't want
to compute and manually enter dates for all three tasks.

Additionally, resources (people) are assigned as follows for each task:
planning – each person assigned works 35% of their day on this task for the
60 days; execution – each person assigned works 100% of their 8-hour day on
this task; reporting – each person assigned works 35% of their day on this
task for 30 days. No matter what the %, we must calculate 60 days for
Planning, 30 days for Reporting, and x days for Execution (x is provided by
our customer). So here is what I am looking for: I have a 16-hour task and
2 people working @ 100% each, that would be 16 man-hours each for a total of
32 man-hours of work for this one task. So, should this be a task type of
Fixed Duration marked as non-effort driven??

Appreciate any advice.
Thanks,

 

[Jim Aksel]

You've got a lot going on here. It is not clear what the duration is of the
Planning and Reporting activities. For example, it may take only 5 days to
write a report which is to be submitted no later than 30 days after execution
is completed.

To keep it simple, let's assume 60 days for planning, 30 days for reporting.
That is, planning occurs up until the moment execution starts. Reporting
commences immediately after the conclusion of execution.

If this case, make the tasks Fixed Duration, non-Effort Driven. Key the
DURATION of the tasks, not the dates. Link the tasks with Finish to Start
relationships (that is the default, just highlight all three and then click
the link icon -- it looks like a chain link.)

In this case, you probably have a "contractual" date for the start of
execution. In this case, it might be acceptable to use a MUST START ON
constaint for those execution tasks. Set the planning task to be "As Late As
Possible" and the Reporting task as default, 'As soon as possible'. However,
the MSO constraint is considered sinful in the planning world.... but since
it is your driver that might be ok. An alternative would be to key that date
which will make it a "Start No Earlier Than" type.

If your Planning and Reporting tasks are significantly shorter, then try
this... Let's say both planning and reporting are both 5 days. In my world,
we would write the report immediately (ASAP) following the execution and then
hold it until the contractually required submission date. The alternative
would be to use a normal Finish to Start link between execution and reporting
and add a 25 day lag on the link. However, if your report takes 6 days to
write instead of 5 you will be late and will kick yourself for waiting so
long to start.

The Planning activity would be 5 days duration but would start 30 days prior
to execution. In this case, use As Late As Possible for planning, but now
the Execution task has a predecessor of "Planning" - 30 days. (yes, a
negative lag).

Think about this, though... negative lag essentially means you can predict
the future... once the planning starts, then 30 days later execution WILL
begin, that is what the logic says. But what happens if planning runs long
or your customer pushes the execution date out? Then the rules of the
constraint are violated. So, negative lag is also considered sinful --- in
most people's opions.

So, there's a couple of choices for you. What I would do is tell your
customer you want authorization to start planning, not a contract on
execution. Then, just link everything normally... make the planning task 30
days. Negotiate with your customer that unless your receive Authority to
start planning 30 days prior to execution, then execution suffers a day for
day slip.


--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Shyler,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

This does not seem appropriate for Project as Project's designed job is to
provide you with dates. If you already have the dates, you can do the
calculations much simpler in Excel.

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

Adding a brief note to the other replies you've got, Project's purpose is
not merely to document a set of task dates you have already destermined
through some other method, nor to document your required deadlines. Rather,
it's purpose is to tell you how to organize your workflow and assign your
resources so you will be able to MEET those deadlines. You can't waive a
magic wand and have task dates hit their required dates - you have to do
something proactive to make it happen the way it's supposed to. Project is
a "what-if" tool so that you can plug in a detailed workplan and have it
calculate the dates that plan will achieve, telling you whether a particular
strategy you're considering is going to successfully meet your goals or not.

 

[Shyler]

Thanks to all for the feedback. I will try the ideas and take all comments
into consideration. I realize that what I explained may not be the optimum
for how MS Project is set up but my customer said I must use Project.
Additionally, we are going to try to level resources since they have no idea
who is assigned to any tasks at a given time.

I will provide feedback on how I progress. Thanks again,
--
Shyler

Adding a brief note to the other replies you've got, Project's purpose is
not merely to document a set of task dates you have already destermined
through some other method, nor to document your required deadlines. Rather,
it's purpose is to tell you how to organize your workflow and assign your
resources so you will be able to MEET those deadlines. You can't waive a
magic wand and have task dates hit their required dates - you have to do
something proactive to make it happen the way it's supposed to. Project is
a "what-if" tool so that you can plug in a detailed workplan and have it
calculate the dates that plan will achieve, telling you whether a particular
strategy you're considering is going to successfully meet your goals or not.
--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm for the FAQs

I am fairly new to MS Project and have been asked to set up a simple
project
plan using MS Project 2003. We charge our customers based on the level of
effort it takes to complete the project; we have more than 75 projects
with 3
subtasks for each project to track. With that said, it is important we
track
completion of the tasks and the cost associated with each task so we
provide
the correct budget/fee to our customers. I am struggling with 1) how to
automatically generate dates for two tasks based on a specific start/stop
date of the third task, and (2) which task type to use for resources.

Here are the details of how we operate: each project has 3 subtasks
(planning, execution, and reporting). All the tasks revolve around the
start
and stop date of the execution task. Our customers tell us the date for
starting and stopping the Execution task. The Planning task occurs 60
calendar days prior to Execution start and the Reporting task must be
completed 30 calendar days after Execution stop. I attempted to set
â?omust
finish onâ? and â?ostart no earlier thanâ? constraints but it just
isnâ?Tt working
out as I planned. Any recommendations for how to automatically generate a
Planning and Reporting task 60 days prior to execution start and 30 days
after execution stop, respectively, for the two tasks? We really don't
want
to compute and manually enter dates for all three tasks.

Additionally, resources (people) are assigned as follows for each task:
planning â?" each person assigned works 35% of their day on this task for
the
60 days; execution â?" each person assigned works 100% of their 8-hour day
on
this task; reporting â?" each person assigned works 35% of their day on
this
task for 30 days. No matter what the %, we must calculate 60 days for
Planning, 30 days for Reporting, and x days for Execution (x is provided
by
our customer). So here is what I am looking for: I have a 16-hour task
and
2 people working @ 100% each, that would be 16 man-hours each for a total
of
32 man-hours of work for this one task. So, should this be a task type of
Fixed Duration marked as non-effort driven??

Appreciate any advice.
Thanks,

 

[Mike Glen]

You're welcome, Shyler, and I'm sure I speak for us all. I hope it works
out for you, and keep in touch

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials

Thanks to all for the feedback. I will try the ideas and take all
comments into consideration. I realize that what I explained may not
be the optimum for how MS Project is set up but my customer said I
must use Project. Additionally, we are going to try to level
resources since they have no idea who is assigned to any tasks at a
given time.

I will provide feedback on how I progress. Thanks again,

Adding a brief note to the other replies you've got, Project's
purpose is not merely to document a set of task dates you have
already destermined through some other method, nor to document your
required deadlines. Rather, it's purpose is to tell you how to
organize your workflow and assign your resources so you will be able
to MEET those deadlines. You can't waive a magic wand and have task
dates hit their required dates - you have to do something proactive
to make it happen the way it's supposed to. Project is a "what-if"
tool so that you can plug in a detailed workplan and have it
calculate the dates that plan will achieve, telling you whether a
particular strategy you're considering is going to successfully meet
your goals or not. --
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm for the FAQs

I am fairly new to MS Project and have been asked to set up a simple
project
plan using MS Project 2003. We charge our customers based on the
level of effort it takes to complete the project; we have more than
75 projects with 3
subtasks for each project to track. With that said, it is
important we track
completion of the tasks and the cost associated with each task so we
provide
the correct budget/fee to our customers. I am struggling with 1)
how to automatically generate dates for two tasks based on a
specific start/stop date of the third task, and (2) which task type
to use for resources.

Here are the details of how we operate: each project has 3 subtasks
(planning, execution, and reporting). All the tasks revolve around
the start
and stop date of the execution task. Our customers tell us the
date for starting and stopping the Execution task. The Planning
task occurs 60 calendar days prior to Execution start and the
Reporting task must be completed 30 calendar days after Execution
stop. I attempted to set â?omust
finish onâ? and â?ostart no earlier thanâ? constraints but
it just isnâ?Tt working
out as I planned. Any recommendations for how to automatically
generate a Planning and Reporting task 60 days prior to execution
start and 30 days after execution stop, respectively, for the two
tasks? We really don't want
to compute and manually enter dates for all three tasks.

Additionally, resources (people) are assigned as follows for each
task: planning â?" each person assigned works 35% of their day on
this task for the
60 days; execution â?" each person assigned works 100% of their
8-hour day on
this task; reporting â?" each person assigned works 35% of their
day on this
task for 30 days. No matter what the %, we must calculate 60 days
for Planning, 30 days for Reporting, and x days for Execution (x is
provided by
our customer). So here is what I am looking for: I have a 16-hour
task and
2 people working @ 100% each, that would be 16 man-hours each for a
total of
32 man-hours of work for this one task. So, should this be a task
type of Fixed Duration marked as non-effort driven??

Appreciate any advice.
Thanks,