Task goes over and Duration is adjusted

[tshad]

I have a task that I set for 30 days in my Duration originally in my Gantt
chart.

But I ended up taking 45 days and put 45 into the Actual work which changed
the Duration to 45 days and adjusted the Graph to and dates based on this
(which is what I wanted it to do).

But I also wanted to show on the graph what was originally set up and what
actually happened so I can show graphically (and in the Gantt tables ) where
differences were and why the finish date had slipped.

How would I do this?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Before entering actual data you have to save (or copy) the original
situation
Tools, Tracking, Save Baseline (or in version 2007, Set Beseline)
Now when you enter the actual data Tracking Gantt View shows the difference.

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[tshad]

I have read your other posts and this one and I urge you to step back, take
a breath and have a big think about what you are doing, before you
completely confuse yourself and make a mess.

Red bars are Critical, ie they have no Float (MSP calls it Slack), blue
bars have Float and therefore are not Critical.
Please study up on the Critical Path Method, which is what MSP is based
on.

Thanks, I used to know that.

I know what CPM is, but I forgot what the colors meant. If I had looked at
the bottom of the chart (where they have the legend), I would have seen it.

I haven't used project in over a year and I am just using it at the moment
to demonstrate to a client how (and why) a project timeline has slipped and
how to get it back.

If the Task takes 45 Days, that's Duration, not Work, so do not put it in
the Actual Work field.
Duration and Work are related but they are not the same thing.
You would be better off planning and recording Duration in Days and Work
in Hours so you don't get them mixed up.

Normally, when I put my time into Actual Work, it doesn't affect Duration.
So I can see my progress. At this point Duration is the original Duration
and Work is the current. I was surprised when it changed after I put in
more days in Actual Work than Duration had.

If you want to compare what happened with what was planned to happen, you
must save a Baseline before you start changing tand updating the plan. See
Tools, Tracking, Save Baseline.
Use the Tracking Gantt View to see the Baseline and the current bars
together.
It will show the differences but it will not show why - only you know
that.

Ok, I did that, but my timelines are not showing, as I mentioned in another
post.

When I said why, I meant that I want to show graphically why the timeline
slipped from the original projection to my client. I want to show that
because task A went over by 30 days so the time slipped by 30 days and if we
add more resources to that task (or another if it is a CP), it would help to
bring the timeline back in line.

Thanks,

Tom