Milestone/End of project date not updated if nobody works on proje

[gueb]

Sample:
2008/01/01 - Task #1 - 1 day duration
2008/01/02 - Milestone - 0 day duration

Right now it is 2008/01/02, no real time as been entered (so nobody worked
on the project so it will be late), but my milestone and end of projet
(recapitulative task) do not show the project should end tomorrow instead of
today because nobody worked on it...

 

[gueb]

ok forget it. seems i need to enter a 'real begin date' so ms project will
see i'm late..

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Not necessarily.
If absolutely no work has been doneit is absolutely unwise to enter an
Actual Start date (Project will then assume work has started and fix teh
start date even harder.
Best is to select all and use the Reschedule Work button on the Tracking
toolbar which moves all remaining work to tomorrow or later without asuming
work as started.

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[gueb]

thanks! i tested it, but what i don't like is the fractionning it create, and
i lost a part of the critical path (lot of tasks goes from red to blue)
compare to the 'real begin date' solution (easier to read)

what do you think? thanks

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Isn't the fractionning reality?
I mean, only tasks that have begun and of which the remaining part is still
to be done at a later date get fractioned by Project but these are also
split in reality. So if you don't like the fractionning that means you don't
like reality

OTOH, as for entering the "real" dates, it depends how you enter them.
If you enter them as Actual Start, and the task hasn't actually started,
that's very very bad because this task will no longer react to links (you
lock its start completely)

If you just enter a Start field to tasks that haven't started you do exactly
the same as Reschedule Work does and you may just as well lose part of the
critical path.

So to have lmy opinion I hacve to ask How do you enter the "real begin
date"? For tasks that haven't started? For tasks with already some work
performed?

Hope this helps,

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf