Sorting Subtasks by Date

[ncecil]

Hello, I'm new to projects and am trying to first filter my tasks and then
sort by date. I currently have my main project with tasks under it like
Construction, Engineering...etc. I want to be able to sort by task date and
not the main project start date. I am having no luck. Please help.

 

[JulieS]

Hello ncecil,

Try Project > Sort > Sort by.... to display the Sort dialog box.
Uncheck the option "Keep outline structure" and sort by start date.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[ncecil]

Hi JulieS,

Thank you for the superfast response. My dilema is, I would like to keep
the outline structure, just be able to sort by date for those tasks I have
filtered for. Can you sort by the task date keeping the outline? I'm new to
Projects so I hope I'm making sense.

Thank you,
Norma

 

[JulieS]

Hi Norma,

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.

I'm a bit confused -- but that doesn't take much . When you said
initially you wanted to sort by "task date and not main project start
date" I assumed you wanted to sort the Construction and Engineering
tasks together, breaking the outline structure. But by your most recent
post, it appears that is not what you are wanting to do. We may be
having terminology issues, so below is a simple example of the
differences between sorting with outline structure preserved and with it
disabled:

A simple example:

ID 1 - Construction phase - Summary Task - Start date 4/12
ID2 - C1 - subtask start date 4/17/07
ID3 - C2 - subtask start date 4/13
ID4 - C3 - subtask start date 4/12
ID5 - C4 - subtask start date 4/30
ID6 - Enginerring Phase - Summary Task Start date 4/13
ID7 - E1 - subtask start 4/17
ID8 - E2 - subtask - start 4/13
ID9 - E3 - subtask - start 4/18
ID10 - E4 - subtask - start 5/7

Sort by Start Date with Keep Outline Structure enabled ====>

ID1 - Construction Phase Start 4/12
ID4 - C3 - start 4/12
ID3 - C2 - start 4/13
ID2 - C1 - start 4/17
ID5 - C4 - start 4/30
ID6 - Engineering Phase Start 4/13
ID8 - E2 - start 4/13
ID7 - E1 - start 4/17
ID9 - E3 - start 4/18
ID10 - E4 - start 5/7

Sorted by Start date with Keep Outline Structure Disabled ==>

ID1 - Construction Phase - start date 4/12
ID4 - C3 - start 4/12
ID3 - C2 - start 4/13
ID6 - Engineering Phase Start 4/13
ID8 - E2 - start 4/13
ID2 - C1 - start 4/17
ID7 - E1 - start 4/17
ID9 - E3 - start 4/18
ID5 - C4 - start 4/30
ID10 - E4 - start 5/7

Which one were you hoping for?

Another though just occured to me, are you using master projects? Is
that what you meant by "main project" in your initial post? Tell us a
bit more about your task structure, and what filter are you trying to
use.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[ncecil]

Hi Julie,

I believe I am using master projects. My tasks are as follow:

ID 1 - Pipeline Project A - Start Date 4/2/07
Planning - Start Date 4/2/07
Construction - Start date 10/1/07

ID 2 - Pipeline Project B - Start Date 4/9/07
Planning - Start Date 4/9/07
Construction - Start Date 8/16/07

ID 3 - Pipeline Project C - Start Date 4/9/07
Planning - Start Date 4/9/07
Contruction - Start Date 8/15/07

I want to be able to only see the Construction so I have used the filters so
the project / task look like this:
ID 1 - Pipeline Project A - Start Date 4/2/07
Construction - Start date 10/1/07

ID 2 - Pipeline Project B - Start Date 4/9/07
Construction - Start Date 8/16/07

ID 3 - Pipeline Project C - Start Date 4/9/07
Contruction - Start Date 8/15/07

However, I want to be able to sort by the Construction Start Date so that it
looks like this:
ID 3 - Pipeline Project C - Start Date 4/9/07
Contruction - Start Date 8/15/07

ID 2 - Pipeline Project B - Start Date 4/9/07
Construction - Start Date 8/16/07

ID 1 - Pipeline Project A - Start Date 4/2/07
Construction - Start date 10/1/07

It will only sort by the main Project A, B and C start date. Please let me
know if I need to restructure the outline / task. All your help is greatly
appreciated.

Thank You,
Norma

 

[JulieS]

Hi Norma,

You're most welcome and sorry for the delay getting back to you. I
understand what you are trying to do much better now and I thank you for
the additional information. It appears from your description that you
are using a master project with inserted projects A, B, and C.

Unfortunately, as you have found there is no way to sort by the
Construction start dates, ignoring the Project summary task (Pipeline
Project A, Pipeline Project B). A somewhat convoluted workaround that
may work.

1) Apply the filter you have created to show only the Construction
tasks. That should show the data as you have described it in your first
list below.

2) Temporarily turn off the display of the Summary Tasks
(PipelineProject A, Pipeline Project B, etc.) by going to Tools >
Options, View tab and unchecking the "Show summary tasks" check box.
That should only show:
Construction - Start date 10/1/07
Construction - Start Date 8/16/07
Contruction - Start Date 8/15/07

3) Sort the listed tasks by Start Date giving you:
Contruction - Start Date 8/15/07
Construction - Start Date 8/16/07
Construction - Start date 10/1/07

4) Add a Text Field (Insert Column, select Text1) and in the text column
number the Construction tasks 1,2,3 in order of appearance.
Contruction - Start Date 8/15/07 - Text1 = 1
Construction - Start Date 8/16/07 - Text1 = 2
Construction - Start date 10/1/07 - Text1 = 3

5) Turn back on the display of the Summary tasks in Tools > Options.
This is going to add back the Project Summary tasks and will show the
tasks in their original order, but the Text1 field still shows the
numbers we added.

ID 1 - Pipeline Project A - Start Date 4/2/07
Construction - Start date 10/1/07 - Text1 = 3

ID 2 - Pipeline Project B - Start Date 4/9/07
Construction - Start Date 8/16/07 - Text1 = 2

ID 3 - Pipeline Project C - Start Date 4/9/07
Contruction - Start Date 8/15/07 - Text1 = 1

6) Copy the Text1 values to their summary tasks.

ID 1 - Pipeline Project A - Start Date 4/2/07 - Text1 = 3
Construction - Start date 10/1/07 - Text1 = 3

ID 2 - Pipeline Project B - Start Date 4/9/07 - Text1 = 2
Construction - Start Date 8/16/07 - Text1 = 2

ID 3 - Pipeline Project C - Start Date 4/9/07- Text1 = 1
Contruction - Start Date 8/15/07 - Text1 = 1

7) Sort by Text1 field. You can then hide the Text1 field.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional information
about Microsoft Project

 

[ncecil]

JulieS,

Thanks a million!!!! I tried the convoluted workaround you offered and it
worked like a charm. Again, thanks for taking the time and offering a
workaround solution to my dilema.

Norma

 

[JulieS]

You're more than welcome Norma. Glad to have helped and thanks for the
feedback.

Julie
Project MVP