Task indicates it starts (leader dots) before start date

[CGull]

I have a simple schedule of about 30 tasks where I have a task (A) that is
linked to a previous task (B) via a FS predecessor link. The start date on
the task sheet is correct for task (A) but when the gantt chart is displayed
it preceeds task (A) with a series of dots. There are no contraints
associated with task (A) and it previously had been linked to task (B) via a
FF predecessor link. I have other similar situations in the schedule which I
can't seem to clear up. What am I doing wrong?

Any help would be apprciated

 

[CGull]

I should have written that the dots begin at the start date but the actual
task bar doesn't start until a few days later. There is nothing I've been to
find that will get the task bar to start correspondingly with the start date,
just the series of dots.

Help!

 

[JulieS]

Hi CGull,

Does the task have resources assigned and does it have any Actual data (for
example Actual Start and Actual Work.)?

You may see the dots if the task has an actual start date that does not
match with actual work booked against the task.
For example: If I have a task with resources assigned and set an Actual
Start date of Monday but don't enter any Actual Work until Tuesday, the dots
appear.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[CGull]

JulieS,

Unfortunately, that's not my situation. I have one resource assigned to each
task. There are tasks at the beginning of the project which have actual work
recorded against them but not this task and as far as I can tell there
shouldn't be a reason why this task is directly affected.

If I try to drag the start of my tasks (A) bar, to the end of task (B) the
dots are considered as part of the task. All of my tasks are linked to their
previous task with an (FS) link except a few which are linked with an (FF)
link. I believe that the particular task I'm having problems with was
initially linked to its previous task with a (FF) link but I changed it when
I started having problems with the dots. Hope this gives you a bit more
information.

I look forward to your response.

 

[JulieS]

Hi CGull,

Changing the link from FF to FS alone shouldn't have created the dots
assuming no constraints etc. If you look at the Task Usage view for task A
does it start out with zeros for the work assigned to the resource?

Julie

 

[Sarah]

I've seen this problem several times, and chalked it up to a corrupted
task. Try inserting a new task either above or below it. Enter all of
the information from the old task into the new task (best not to
copy-paste, as you may copy the corruption). Be sure to include any
predecessors and successors. When you've got an identical task (without
the leader dots), delete the bad one and presto! problem solved.

SarahK

 

[CGull]

JulieS,

Yes, this task has 0h in the task usage view for the days corresponding to
the dots.
I removed them and the task moved to the left to accommodate the removed 0h's.

Any idea how these would have appeared there so that I can avoid this
problem in the future?

Thanks for your help

 

[CGull]

SarahK,

Thanks for your help. I've tried doing what you suggested in the past and
it worked then as it does now. I just thought that there had to be a better
way - now I have two methods to use should this problem occur again.

I'd still like to know if there is anything I can do to avoid this in the
future?

 

[JulieS]

Hi CGull,

Somehow the task assignment had delay added. The problem could have been
created in a couple of ways:

If in either the Task Usage or Resource Usage view the assignment start
(task name showing in Resource Usage view or the Resource name appearing in
the Task Usage View) was altered, that certainly would cause the problem.

The delay field also appears in the Task Form (split from a Gantt chart
formatted to show resource schedule) and if a delay was entered there that
will cause the problem.

If you leveled resources and allowed Project to Adjust Individual
Assignments and delayed a single resource's work, then removed the other
resource (who's work was not delayed) that may also cause the problem.

On a side note, when you mentioned that you were dragging task bars about,
this is also danger-prone. Dragging a task in the Gantt chart imposes
constraints to the task that may cause significant problems later.

Hope this helps.

Julie