reports

[Missy]

Hello,
I am new to project and am trying to create a report that shows total # of
task due by current end of month. We are using version 2003.

 

[John]

Hello,
I am new to project and am trying to create a report that shows total # of
task due by current end of month. We are using version 2003.

Missy,
Welcome to the wonderful wacky world of Project

The description of exactly what you want is a bit brief. It sounds like
you simply want a count, but I suspect you want to see which tasks are
due at month's end. Also there is the definition of the word "due". What
is your definition of "due"? Is it simply a set of tasks that are
supposed to be 100% complete on or before month's end?

Since you are new to Project you may not be aware of some scheduling
concepts. For example, in Project the Start and Finish fields you see in
the Gantt Chart view are the "scheduled" dates. There can also be a
separate set of "baseline" dates which represent the original plan.
Baseline dates allow the project manager to compare the current schedule
against the original plan. Then there are actual dates. You might want
to go to our MVP website at: http://www.mvps.org/project/links.htm
and take a look at fellow MVP, Mike Glen's series on Project lessons and
techniques.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[Missy]

What my boss has requested are total number of tasks that are due (completed)
by current end of the month. I would like to run this report each month.
The summary report shows task status, but she would also like to see a report
that shows the total number of tasks that are due each month.

Missy

 

[John]

What my boss has requested are total number of tasks that are due (completed)
by current end of the month. I would like to run this report each month.
The summary report shows task status, but she would also like to see a report
that shows the total number of tasks that are due each month.

Missy

Missy,
Well in my humble opinion, a single number representing the total number
of tasks that are due is pretty meaningless. It is kind of like boiling
down the essence of a plan into a single metric - it can be so
misleading and subject to interpretation that it is useless. The only
time it might be of some use is if all the tasks are essentially
identical (e.g. each "task" is completion of a widget) and you simply
want to count the completions. In a normal project plan, the number of
tasks that are complete is irrelevant. What is more important is how the
plan progressing in comparison to where it should be at a given time
(i.e. is it ahead or behind schedule and how are the costs). The best
metrics for this type of tracking are earned value metrics, critical
path analysis, or some similar classical schedule analysis approach.

Nevertheless, you asked for help, not a lecture. I assume you mean, "the
total number of tasks that are due [to be completed] by the current end
of the month". The best way to get that value is with a VBA macro, but
short of that you can still do the following: Go to Project/Filtered
For/More Filters and hit "new". In the Filter Definition window, set up
the following filter:
And/Or Field Name Test Value
% Complete is less than 100
And Finish is less than or equal to "Enter end of month
date"?

This will set up an interactive filter so you can enter the current
month end date. Then simply count the number tasks after the filter is
applied.

John
Project MVP

 

[Missy]

thanks that worked.
--
Missy

What my boss has requested are total number of tasks that are due (completed)
by current end of the month. I would like to run this report each month.
The summary report shows task status, but she would also like to see a report
that shows the total number of tasks that are due each month.

Missy

Missy,
Well in my humble opinion, a single number representing the total number
of tasks that are due is pretty meaningless. It is kind of like boiling
down the essence of a plan into a single metric - it can be so
misleading and subject to interpretation that it is useless. The only
time it might be of some use is if all the tasks are essentially
identical (e.g. each "task" is completion of a widget) and you simply
want to count the completions. In a normal project plan, the number of
tasks that are complete is irrelevant. What is more important is how the
plan progressing in comparison to where it should be at a given time
(i.e. is it ahead or behind schedule and how are the costs). The best
metrics for this type of tracking are earned value metrics, critical
path analysis, or some similar classical schedule analysis approach.

Nevertheless, you asked for help, not a lecture. I assume you mean, "the
total number of tasks that are due [to be completed] by the current end
of the month". The best way to get that value is with a VBA macro, but
short of that you can still do the following: Go to Project/Filtered
For/More Filters and hit "new". In the Filter Definition window, set up
the following filter:
And/Or Field Name Test Value
% Complete is less than 100
And Finish is less than or equal to "Enter end of month
date"?

This will set up an interactive filter so you can enter the current
month end date. Then simply count the number tasks after the filter is
applied.

John
Project MVP

 

[John]

thanks that worked.

Missy,
You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.

John

What my boss has requested are total number of tasks that are due
(completed)
by current end of the month. I would like to run this report each month.

The summary report shows task status, but she would also like to see a
report
that shows the total number of tasks that are due each month.

Missy

Missy,
Well in my humble opinion, a single number representing the total number
of tasks that are due is pretty meaningless. It is kind of like boiling
down the essence of a plan into a single metric - it can be so
misleading and subject to interpretation that it is useless. The only
time it might be of some use is if all the tasks are essentially
identical (e.g. each "task" is completion of a widget) and you simply
want to count the completions. In a normal project plan, the number of
tasks that are complete is irrelevant. What is more important is how the
plan progressing in comparison to where it should be at a given time
(i.e. is it ahead or behind schedule and how are the costs). The best
metrics for this type of tracking are earned value metrics, critical
path analysis, or some similar classical schedule analysis approach.

Nevertheless, you asked for help, not a lecture. I assume you mean, "the
total number of tasks that are due [to be completed] by the current end
of the month". The best way to get that value is with a VBA macro, but
short of that you can still do the following: Go to Project/Filtered
For/More Filters and hit "new". In the Filter Definition window, set up
the following filter:
And/Or Field Name Test Value
% Complete is less than 100
And Finish is less than or equal to "Enter end of month
date"?

This will set up an interactive filter so you can enter the current
month end date. Then simply count the number tasks after the filter is
applied.

John
Project MVP

:

Hello,
I am new to project and am trying to create a report that shows total
#
of
task due by current end of month. We are using version 2003.

Missy,
Welcome to the wonderful wacky world of Project

The description of exactly what you want is a bit brief. It sounds like
you simply want a count, but I suspect you want to see which tasks are
due at month's end. Also there is the definition of the word "due".
What
is your definition of "due"? Is it simply a set of tasks that are
supposed to be 100% complete on or before month's end?

Since you are new to Project you may not be aware of some scheduling
concepts. For example, in Project the Start and Finish fields you see
in
the Gantt Chart view are the "scheduled" dates. There can also be a
separate set of "baseline" dates which represent the original plan.
Baseline dates allow the project manager to compare the current
schedule
against the original plan. Then there are actual dates. You might want
to go to our MVP website at: http://www.mvps.org/project/links.htm
and take a look at fellow MVP, Mike Glen's series on Project lessons
and
techniques.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP