Move past incomplete task to future w/o putting task type constrai

[Lilly]

Hi,

I have about 11 tasks in my schedule that are slipping.

I have two types of slipping tasks:
1) Tasks were supposed to start last week but have not even started
2) Tasks were started last week but are not completed (were due to finish
10/16/Fri).

I am trying to bring these tasks current or future date.

What I have done:
1) From the menu: Tools >> Tracking >> Update Project
2) Click on the "Reschedule uncompleted work to start after: 10/18/09
3) Which brought those slipping tasks current however, now all these tasks
have Start No Earlier Than (SNET) task type constraint.
4) Leveled the schedule.
5) This (obviously) pushes the phase end date out about 1.5 weeks and there
is no buffer room in the schedule for such delay (need to finish the phase by
12/15/09 - we are down to the cruch time here), so you can his concern about
filling in every possible gap in the schedule as possible.

My Question:
My Proj. Mgr thinks that the SNET task type constraint will put a some sort
of grid lock on the those tasks and this will not allow the leveling engine
to work effectively. He wants me to figure out a way to move past/incomplete
tasks to current date & retain ASAP task type constraint.

I proposed to create a dummy buffer task called "Milestone for slipped task"
& set it to 10/19/09 then put this task as predecessor to all these 11
slipped tasks & he thinks that this is putting artificial logic and doesn't
like that idea either.

Does anyone have any suggestion for me on how to move past incomplete tasks
to current date without altering the original task type (ASAP) constraint?

Appreciate your input and time!!!

Best,
Lilly

 

[JulieS]

Hi Lilly,

My comments are in-line below.

Hi,

I have about 11 tasks in my schedule that are slipping.

I have two types of slipping tasks:
1) Tasks were supposed to start last week but have not even started
2) Tasks were started last week but are not completed (were due to finish
10/16/Fri).

I am trying to bring these tasks current or future date.

What I have done:
1) From the menu: Tools >> Tracking >> Update Project
2) Click on the "Reschedule uncompleted work to start after: 10/18/09
3) Which brought those slipping tasks current however, now all these tasks
have Start No Earlier Than (SNET) task type constraint.
4) Leveled the schedule.
5) This (obviously) pushes the phase end date out about 1.5 weeks and there
is no buffer room in the schedule for such delay (need to finish the phase by
12/15/09 - we are down to the cruch time here), so you can his concern about
filling in every possible gap in the schedule as possible.

My Question:
My Proj. Mgr thinks that the SNET task type constraint will put a some sort
of grid lock on the those tasks and this will not allow the leveling engine
to work effectively. He wants me to figure out a way to move past/incomplete
tasks to current date & retain ASAP task type constraint.

[Julie] Sorry, you cannot move tasks without setting the SNET constraint.
You are doing precisely what should be done. Perhaps the problem is in the
understanding of what resource leveling can do -- it will not, ever, fill in
gaps. If that is your PMs reason for thinking that the leveling engin is not
working correctly, that is not the case.

I proposed to create a dummy buffer task called "Milestone for slipped task"
& set it to 10/19/09 then put this task as predecessor to all these 11
slipped tasks & he thinks that this is putting artificial logic and doesn't
like that idea either.

[Julie] I am less favored to this idea mostly because it is a great deal
more work than is necessary. You are spot on -- you should:
- Update the task status.
- Reschedule any incomplete work
- Level as needed to resolve overallocations

If leveling does not produce entirely the results, then review your task
links (can you add lead to fast track the project), review your resource
usage (can you add more resources to effort driven tasks in an attempt to
shorten duration), review assignments, can you re-assign resources.
Then level again to remove any delay that is no longer needed.

Does anyone have any suggestion for me on how to move past incomplete tasks
to current date without altering the original task type (ASAP) constraint?

Appreciate your input and time!!!

Best,
Lilly

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[Lilly]

Thank you for your reply Julie.

Unfortunately all our resources are maxed out as it is.
We can not add any more resources and extending the project time is not a
viable option due to contract obligation. We are seeking for temp C++
developer but no one has been hired yet & imagine this position would not
fill fast enough.

Best,
Lilly

 

[Lilly]

Julie,

Would SNET task type constraint would not allow the leveling engine to level
those tasks out to the right side (into the future)?

Thanks

 

[JulieS]

Hi Lilly,

No. A Start No Earlier Than constraint prevents the task from
moving earlier -- but has no effect on moving tasks into the future.

Julie

 

[JulieS]

I understand Lilly. As Trevor notes, a project file with all tasks
on the critical path and all resources overallocated, is simply not
going to work well

Julie

 

[Steve House]

Then you are in an impossible situation. The conditions you cite are like
saying "I have 10 minutes to get to a meeting that is 50 miles away. My car
can go no faster than 50 miles per hour." You have to face the reality you
won't make it. In your case, where tasks that shouid have been done in the
past have been missed or delayed, your ONLY options are 1) add more
resources; 2) get more work out of your existing resources; or 3) miss your
required delivery date. There are no others. Since it looks like numbers 1
and 2 are impossible, your just going to have to live with number 3 and
prepare accordingly.

 

[Ammar Al-Saket]

Lilly,

Just for you to be sure that SNET constraint does not affect the leveling, I
suggest you do the following exercise: instead of rescheduling the late
tasks, go to View>Table:_ _ _ >Tracking, then under Act. Start column type
the new date that you would like to reschedule the Task to start after, that
will automatically reschedule the set of tasks linked to gather and will keep
the constraint type ASAP, then run the leveling and see the difference if any.
Hope that will help...

A. Al-Saket

 

[Lilly]

Hi,

I have a follow up questions with comments from Julie below in respect to
"Update the task status" Is this referring to entering the "% complete" data
those tasks that I have update from the resources. Just want to make sure I
am not missing anything here.

Thanks,
Lilly

 

[JulieS]

Hi Lilly,

I think most "regulars" here would encourage you to go beyond a
simple % complete when updating progress in a project file. I
personally use the Tracking table and enter:
Actual Start date
Actual Finish date -- if the task is complete

If the task is in progress but not complete -- I use:
Actual Start date
Actual duration
Remaining Duration
or
Actual Start date
Actual Work
Remaining Work

Actual and remaining duration will calculate % complete as well as %
work complete. Actual and remaining work will calculate % work
complete as well as % complete.

Julie