Schedule from (date) in master project

[LeslieF]

Hello,

As many have been reading, I have a master project file with many (~30)
inserted files. Some of these sub-project files have been created with a
"schedule from Project Finish Date", although most are scheduled from project
start date. The master project file is scheduled from project start date
(which is 1/7/05).
However, greyed out in the "finish date" box of the master file is a date of
6/23/05.

My dilemna is that when I open the master project, those files that are
scheduled from project finish date show a "finish" date of 6/23 (which is
incorrect) but when I expand to show all the projects tasks, the "finish"
date reverts to the true project finish date.

Is this a bug or can someone help me to understand the behavior? At the
moment, the users of the master file have to "show all subtasks" then "show
outline level 1" to see an accurate finish date in the master project.
Another way to ensure that the master file user can see the accurate date is
to be sure the subprojects are open, though this seems to defeat the purpose
of wanting to work in a single file!

Any advice or suggestions someone can give me would be really great!

....L

 

[Rod Gill]

I recommend you never use schedule from finish as by the end of the project
it will have cost more time to maintain for no gain in value.

A project scheduled from finish has all tasks finish as late as possible, so
all tasks are critical so any one of them finishing late means your project
will finish late as well. So you need to build in slack which you don't have
to do when scheduling from start (Time waster #1)

You build your schedule and you realize you should have started 3 weeks ago
so you have to edit links...... You might as well have scheduled from a
start date.

I recommend you enter the earliest possible start date, then schedule
forward. If you finish too late you need to edit links and durations etc.

Scheduling from finish never works and creates more work which means it's
less likely to be kept up to date which means its less useful.....

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Leslie,

I cannot give a definitive answer, but I suspect the scheduelling from start
of the Master is trying to overrule the individual schedule from finish
projects. It can only truly reflect the state of the Master when all the
sub-projects are open as, until you open the subprojects, it hasn't the data
to complete any calculatons. I always recommend that all sub-projects are
opened when you're working on a Master file as this will ensure all work
will be propagated downwards.


Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[LeslieF]

Good morning,

Thanks for your recommendation. We're early enough in the process that I
believe we can re-work the "Schedule from Finish Date" projects to "Schedule
from Start Date". I've read enough lately about this issue that I should have
probably should have already recommended to folks that they change this! I
appreciate your response!

....L

 

[LeslieF]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your input. I suspect you're right, as well! I'll pass on your
recommendation to the users, as well as Rod's (to always Schedule from Start
Date!). We're still in the early stages and haven't published or finalized
things, so it's not too late for us!

....L

 

[Mike Glen]

You're welcome, Leslie

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP