scheduling for vendors tasks with only due dates

[Bryan]

I've a project where most of the labor is coming from outside vendors who are
only providing due dates. What's the best way to deal with all these tasks. I
really don't like putting must finish on constraints on all of them, but
don't know what is best.

Bryan

 

[davegb]

I've a project where most of the labor is coming from outside vendors who are
only providing due dates. What's the best way to deal with all these tasks. I
really don't like putting must finish on constraints on all of them, but
don't know what is best.

Bryan

I would create a milestone with a "FNET" constraint, then link it to
all dependent tasks. If, by some remote chance, they do finish earlier,
you can change the constraint date.

Hope this helps in your world.

 

[John]

I've a project where most of the labor is coming from outside vendors who are
only providing due dates. What's the best way to deal with all these tasks. I
really don't like putting must finish on constraints on all of them, but
don't know what is best.

Bryan

Bryan,
I've never liked (or used) the "must start on" or "must finish on"
constraints - they are way to hard and quite honestly there ain't nothin
in this world that is a "must" (I expect to get lots of flack on that
statement).

There are various options for incorporating vendor dates into a
schedule. If the vendor dates are the delivery of a product or service,
my preferred approach is probably a milestone with a "start-no-earlier
than" constraint that is then linked to the appropriate tasks in your
schedule. It gives a good visual indication in the Gantt display exactly
where vendor items are scheduled to occur and how they impact successors
in your schedule. It also integrates with the Total Slack metric of the
critical path. In lieu of a constraint, the Deadline field could be used
by in my opinion it doesn't have the same visual impact, nor does it
show up in the Total Slack field.

At least that's my opinion

John
Project MVP

 

[Bryan]

John and all:

If I understand correctly you both suggest milestones with SNET or SNLT
constraints for the vendor deliverables. That's what I'll do.

Thanks!

 

[John]

John and all:

If I understand correctly you both suggest milestones with SNET or SNLT
constraints for the vendor deliverables. That's what I'll do.

Thanks!

Bryan,
You're welcome.
John