How do I set up a Hammock Task in MS Project 2007

[Cavedwella]

I have tried to create a Hammock task in Project 2007 and I am getting
strange results...

I copy the Start and Finish dates of the entire project and paste them as a
link into the start and finish dates of a task called "Project Management"

I need to have the project management task stretch the entire length of the
project and any changes made to the plan update the Project management task
automatically...

When I do it this way, sometimes it adds an apparent random duration to the
task... all of a sudden the project starts in 1995 instead of 2008... snag
is... it only happens about 50% of the time...

Can someone help me understand what I am doing wrong...


Thanks

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Cavedwella,

Did you follow the FAQ #19:
http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm#Hammock Tasks

Nb : This feature doesn't work on Fixed duration type tasks.
... and press the F9 key

Gérard Ducouret

 

[Dave]

Are you doing the correct type of paste?

You need to copy the date and then apply Edit/Paste Special/Paste link
for both the start and end dates.

 

[Cavedwella]

Hi Gérard,

Thanks for your response...

Unfortunatley Yes I did follow FAQ 19... I didn't know it wouldn't work
with "Fixed Duration" but I have it set as "Fixed Work" and it still throws
up eroneous information...

I guess I'll have to set it manually...

Thanks
CaveDwella

 

[Steve House]

Fixed work means that the total amount of effort (man-hours) the task
requires remains constant regardless of changes of duration. Fixed duration
means the duration remains the same regardless of changes in the amount of
work required or how hard the resource works. Fixed units means the
percentage of the resource's time the task requires remains constant and
work/duration both change in proportion to each other. That latter makes
the most sense for the Project Managment task - it'll require an average of
X hours per day of the manager's time for as long as it takes to do the
project. If it's 1 hour per day, 12%, it'll take a total 5 man-hours of
work for a 1 week project but 10 man-hours for a 2 week project. Make your
task Fixed Units and insure there are no links coming out of or going into
it.