How does one set a floating task?

[JoelF]

I would like to set up a task that can float; for example, a task that takes
only two days, can begin on June 1st, and must be finished by July 15th.
None of the task dependencies seem to handle this case very well. I can set
up a deadline, and a start date of June 1st. but then, if I have several
floating tasks, there are a misleading number of tasks starting on June 1st.

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Yes, but the "Start" is actually teh "Early Start"; you can insert a column
called "Late Start" and/or a column "Total Slack" which shows explicitluy
the float.

 

[JoelF]

Thanks. This tells me how to display the information into the table. Is
there any way to get the slack to show as a bar in the Gantt chart?

 

[texasroy]

Joel:

Try this. Capture the entire file and go to "Format", "Bar Styles". Insert
a new row and title it either Total Slack or Free Slack, whichever it is you
want to show. Choose a narrow bar for "Appearance" and give it a color
(maybe green?). Under "Show for ...Tasks", choose "Normal" and make it from
"Start" to "Late Finish". Hit "OK" and that should do it.

texasroy

 

[texasroy]

If you want to show only the slack, make the new item in the Bar Style from
"Finish" to "Late Finish".

texasroy

 

[Steve House [Project MVP]]

IMHO, there is really no such thing as a floating task. Things may have to
happen in sequence and so the finish of the predecessor tasks sets the
earliest that a given task can start. Things often have to be done by a
certain date and the deadline sets the latest it should finish. While there
may be flexibility within that range, the task will still have a definite,
single point in time where it will start and another definite single point
in time where it will end. If there's a range of possible dates you may not
initially know what they will be but none-the-less the specific dates still
exist. Since the purpose of Project is to allow you to determine when
resources should be scheduled to do the work - to give you the info so you
can go to the painter and tell him to show up on Tuesday on the 3rd floor
ready to paint the offices, tell them to be ready to roll on the earliest
possible computed dates so you have a cushion in the event something gets
dealyed.