Setting unchangeable start & end project and task dates

[Dave]

For the projects information, we have both a set start date and a set finish
date. We can not allow the program to then change the overall project
timeline based on the tasks entered. We need to control both, the overall
start/end and each task's start/end.

We have been trying to use constraints in task info but it still shifts that
other task start & end dates if we make any changes. It's that the tasks
link to each other and make shifts with the slightest change. Also I think we
have set start and end date for overall projects in project info dialog box.

What is the best way to control both the start and end of the project and
each task so that they do not change and these are inflexible constraints. We
cannot seem to do it correctly. Please let me know what we may be doing wrong
or what functions could help.

Many Thanks

David

 

[Sarah]

Use MS Excel. Really. Project changes the dates based on the links and
the amount of work and durations you've entered. If you're seeing dates
that you don't like, it's the software telling you that what you're
trying to accomplish is impossible in your timeframe. If you want a
pretty picture with the dates that YOU think it should show, you can
set Calculation to Manual. This will cause the dates and everything
else to remain static. But again, you may as well use Excel because
you're trying to disable the exact reason Project exists.

SarahK

 

[Reid McTaggart]

You could remove all predecessor/successor links, set all task start dates
manually, set all tasks to Fixed Duration, and then edit the durations to
achieve the Finish Dates you want.

Voila! You have just disabled the key functionality of Project.

It might be easier just to use Excel, Visio, or PowerPoint to create such
static plans. The puspose of Project is to help you make and manage rational
project plans. If you already know that everything is going to happen
exactly according to the original plan, then you do not need a dynamic
scheduling tool such as Project.