How do I link tasks so that when i level there is no gap in tim?

[Craig Kalugin]

When i link (2) tasks that are dependent on each other, I want the 2nd task
to start immediately after the 1st task finishes. I want Project to do this
automatically as I have about 28 pages of scheduled items. Any suggestions?

 

[Catfish Hunter]

If you are resource levelin you project, MS Projects looks at what has the
least amount of float and will start it before one that has a lot of float.
This sounds like what's happening. You can put 1000 on the Priority of a task
so Projects will not level it. Other than that it may be best to let your
logic dictate when task need to start.

 

[Craig Kalugin]

Thanks for your quick response. I supposed I should tell you what I am trying
to do. We are a machine shop and have many orders out on the floor. We also
have different jobs with different due dates. Some jobs can have many orders
associated with them. Anyway, what I am doing is backward scheduling and
giving each project a finish no later than date. This way when i level, I let
Project do the scheduling and as lonmg as i start the tasks before Project
says to I am on schedule. My problem is I have a task to setup a machine
(TASK A). The next task is 1st Piece Inspection (TASK B) which need to take
place As soon as TASK A is complete. Right now Project is scheduling some
times a month in between the 2 tasks. Any ideas?

 

[Catfish Hunter]

This is an extra step but you can use the Priority to help with some of this.
This is 1 through 1000. 999 being the highest priority. You may also need to
review your resource max limits to make sure they are not set to low.
If projects puts a month between two task, does it have that much float?
Perhaps you need to add inter-project ties. That is tie the inspections from
project to project.... This would tighten up the float and help when resource
leveling.
Good Luck

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Craig,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

I would advise against scheduelling from the finish, as every task will
finish as late as possible and thus everything becomes critical and you lose
any flexibility that Project could give you. Schedule from the start and
create a deadline task based on the latest date the job can finish. When
you level, you will then see the amount of time you have to play with. If
it's going to be late on the deadline, at least you will be aware of it and
do something (like overtime) to bring forward the finish to within the
deadline. Let Project do the scheduelling to see what's possible with your
inputs. You can then adjust to meet your target.

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