PWA My Tasks Start date does not update in the project plan - PS20

[jleifb]

I am running I have tested this with various plans and get the same results.
I have tasks in a project plan, I assign a resource to the task. The
resource updates the task Start Date via PWA. This in turns updates the
Finish date. Saves the changes, submits the changes. PM approves the date
change and publishes the project via PWA (Edit Project Properties). Open the
Project Plan via Project Pro 2007, the start date shows the original start
date, but the finish date shows the new finish date. In PWA, the resource
shows the correct dates via My Tasks. But this does not match what is on the
Project Plan.

I am running Project Server 2007 and Project Pro 2007.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Josh

 

[Gary Chefetz]

Josh:

Two off-the-top-of-my-head reasons why this would be:

1) There is more than one resource assigned to the task and this action only
updated one assignment (See task usage view)
2) The task already has an actual start state, which means the planned start
for the task remains as is, whether or not you update an assignment.

 

[jleifb]

Gary,

Thanks for the reply.
1) There is only one resource assigned
2) There is not an actual start date set (Actual start date shows NA)

I checked under the "Task Usage" view and it shows the resource under the
task and the correct Start and Finish date for the resource, but the Task
itself Start date is not correct and continues to show the original start
date.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,
Josh

 

[Gary Chefetz]

Josh:

I think the system is working as designed. The system updates the
assignment, but not the task. The PM can update the planned start to match
the assignment date, or wait until the resource posts actual work, at which
time the planned start will update at the task level. Makes for some weird
looking Gant Charts, doesn't it?

 

[JennPenn07]

In order to avoid this kind of mess, we've modified the mytasks webpart to
disable editing of the start and finish dates by using javascript. Not sure
if you're interested but here's the link on how to do this.

http://www.projectserverhelp.com/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=11

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

This is an issue (or a feature) in MPP and is easily reproducible in standalone
MS Project.

For tasks with a single resource assignment, when the resource updates their
Start in My Tasks, the Task duration will extend so that Task Finish = Assignment
Finish. Task Start does not change.

Eventually, when the resources enters an Actual Start date, that will roll
up to the Task level and the Task Duration will equal Assignment Duration,
so everything will be correct. We train them to communicate when the Start
date changes anyway as a resource may not be able to make that accurate of
a prediction.

As I see it, as long as the Finish date is accurate, your schedule is 80%
of the way there, and most of the FS logic will still apply. If they do
change Start on My Tasks it should only be for near term tasks, at which
point the estimated Start date may/may not be so relevant.

- Andrew Lavinsky
Blog: http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/epm