Task Start and Actual Start

J

jp

I have a task "TaskQ" which was supposed to start on 8/13/09.

However, it was actually started on 7/16/09 so I updated the field

with that date. The duration of the task was 1.41d. However, somehow

the Actual Finish date goes back to 1.41d after the original start date of
(8/13/09).

Is this correct? I thought if I put in the "Actual Start date" and the
duration (1.41d)

that the MS-Project 2003 would automatically put in "Actual Finish Date" of
7/17/09.

Am I wrong on this one and if so, can you guide me in the best way of
updating this

task.

-jaime
 
J

Jan De Messemaeker

Hello JP,

You updated "The Field" with that date
Which field? Actual Start? Or Start?
That can make a difference.
When you put a date in Start all project does is generate a constraint
"Start No Earlier Than" that date.
Should there be an other reason why the task cannot start at that date (such
as a link) Start date will noit movbe even if you have written a different
date in that field.

On the other hand, if you write a date in "Actual Start" it WILL be shown in
Start regardless of any links (Actuals are more trustworthy that planned
dates). But that only tells Project the task DID start on that date but it
says nothing about its progress - maybe it just started and after a split
second work stopped - so no Actual Finish can be calmculated.

Matter of fact, Actual Finish will only show when the task is 100% complete
and vice versa.
You seem to imply that the task is done in the duration as planned. Then you
can put it to 100% complete, and Actual Finish will calculate from Actual
Start as you expect.
Hope this helps,

Jan De Messemaeker, Project MVP
 
J

jp

Jan,

I updated the task by updating the "Actual Start" field.
I closed the project yesterday and opened it up today and it
actually changed the "Start" field also.

Yesterday it wasn't updating the "Actual" fields. Is this the normal
way it should work?

-jaime
 
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