task usage report presentation

[nirit]

good day,
1. how can I make the headers tasks (those that have sub-tasks under them)
Bold in the report? i've tried ticking the "highlight" box and it was not
helpful.
2. how can I reduce the task column size? it is unnecessarily wide. is it
only possible if I self custom the report?
3. how can I limit the time span in the report? I tried using the
File>printsetup>... but with no success.

4. if I want to customize a task usage report, how do i do that?
from what i read in othere posting, i need to make a table on which the
report is based and then creat the report. on which table is this report
(task usage) is based upon? will i also be able to display working hours
according to weeks/months and so on, the same as the original report?

i'd appreciate your help,
Nirit.

 

[Rob Schneider]

See embedded.


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

good day,
1. how can I make the headers tasks (those that have sub-tasks under them)
Bold in the report? i've tried ticking the "highlight" box and it was not
helpful.

See Menu: Format/Text Styles and define the style for summary tasks there.

2. how can I reduce the task column size? it is unnecessarily wide. is it
only possible if I self custom the report?

If you are talking about the Gantt chart view (or other Table view) to
change it manually, just drag it to the desired width (and height). You
can also define the column with in the Table associated with the View
you are using. If you are talking about the reports, far as I know
there is no way to change the formats. Reports are relatively crudely
formatted.

3. how can I limit the time span in the report? I tried using the
File>printsetup>... but with no success.

In a report defintion, you will notice there is a filter that you an
attach to the report. Define a filter which either is set with the time
scale, or set the filter to prompt you for the time scale.

4. if I want to customize a task usage report, how do i do that?
from what i read in othere posting, i need to make a table on which the
report is based and then creat the report. on which table is this report
(task usage) is based upon? will i also be able to display working hours
according to weeks/months and so on, the same as the original report?

You can edit the Task Usage report by pressing the Edit button. You can
change what is shown to you on that dialog box. There is a help button
on that dialog box to provide further guidance.

 

[nirit]

Hi Rob,
thanks for the quick reply.

1. i've tried the Format/text styles options and it does work but at the
gant chart and not at the report (Workload>task usage).
as I understand it, there is no way to influence the text style in the
generated reports. is that true?
I get the feeling that most users create a table and print it out and do not
use the generated reports, am i correct? how do they sum work hours according
months or weeks as can be done in the generated Workload>task usage?

interestingly, when using the filter for dates with the generated report
Workload>task usage, aside from the information i wanted displayed from Jan
to May, for instance, i also get the columns of june till sept but blank.
is there any way to eliminate these blank columns from the report?

thanks again,
Nirit.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Nirit,

Pardon me for bumping in. To change the Task Usage report text: Click
the Edit button in the Workload reports dialog. On the Definition page
of the Crosstab Report dialog, click the Text button. In the Items to
change list, select Summary tasks and apply the Font style you'd like.

To print only a date range, set the range in the Print dialog box.

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

 

[Rob Schneider]

See Julie's reply. I didn't realize at the time you were referring to
only reports.


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[nirit]

Hi Julies,
the text style problem- solved. thanks!
the data range problem- same problem as before. there is no change when i
set the range at the print dialog box. print preview does not change. i still
have the additional blank months...

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi, ninit, not in the print preview. As Julie said, File/Print and in the Print dialog you can choose the range.

Mike Glen
Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials


Hi Julies,
the text style problem- solved. thanks!
the data range problem- same problem as before. there is no change when i
set the range at the print dialog box. print preview does not change. i still
have the additional blank months...

 

[JulieS]

Hi Nirit,

You're welcome for the information. I am a bit baffled as to why the
setting the date range in the Print dialog box is not working. You are
selecting File > Print in the menu?

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

 

[nirit]

Hi guys,
these are my actions according to order:
Report>workload>task usage> Edit, filter -according data range (dialog box
closes). then select task usage, filling "show tasks that start or finish
after":01/01/10 , then "and before" : 31/04/10 .
the preview of the report opens up (i specified according months), January
till may columns is filled up. June till september is blank.
now, at the same report preview window the only options i have are: page
setup, print, close, help.
when i push print and specifiy the timescale - 01/01/10 - 31/04/10, and
print there is no change and it is printed with blanks.

you suggested first going to file>print (while being in gant chart view),
specify timescale and only than go and create the report. however, there is
no option to save the timescale specification. the only available options
are: preview, ok (which actually prints after pushing it) and cancel.

what am i doing wrong?

 

[Rob Schneider]

First, the basis of our conversation is:
: Project 2007, latest update (SP2 ... the latest)
: Project Reports (not printing the Gantt Chart or a Table)

You asked for the Date Range filter which by default is
[Finish]=>*the first date you enter*
and
[Start]<=*the second date you enter*

(you can see the defintion of this filter in Menu: Project/Filtered for
.... then pick More Filters, select Date Range, and then Edit)

So you have
[Finish]=>1-Jan-2010 and [Start]<=31-Apr-2010

Note that there is no 31st of April; perhaps you have a typo?

Note that tasks that start before end April May not finish until May or
after, so the filter above will display what you report. So is there
still a problem? Inspect your plan.

When you run the report, it should go into Preview mode? It does for me.
Pressing the Print button, will for me show Timescale which you can
use if you want but I think this will filter on top of the filter.
Experiment to see.

Even for using the Gantt Chart and table to show and print, I would use
the filter method.

If you want adjust how the filting is done for something other than
default then you can do it. But take note that the computer will do
exactly as it's told.


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[nirit]

Hi Rob,
i tried using the "major" filter (project>filter...) and still with the
same affect.
(it is a typo about the date).

i understand that tasks that started in the date range i specified and
continued on after the End date, show after filtrering and that's ok, that's
why i still get data on may. if tasks start after End date, they are filtered.
from experimenting with a demo plan, it turns out, that if i have a task
which has an end date after the date range specified (for instance, next
year, and the date range is from Jan till the end of April), then the report
generated will show blanks for the additional time (till next year) as well
as data resulting from the filter but only at the date range specified.

when i run the report, it does go into Preview mode.
i tried the additional filtering in the print dialog box. and still with the
same prob.

by the way (not that it matters, cause i also tried without), i have a
summery task which runs till august...

any thoughts?

 

[Rob Schneider]

Sorry, out of ideas at the moment. Perhaps send me the file to look?


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[nirit]

sure, which mail?

Sorry, out of ideas at the moment. Perhaps send me the file to look?


--rms

www.rmschneider.com





.

 

[Rob Schneider]

see above and deduce it.


--rms

www.rmschneider.com

 

[nirit]

Hi Rob,
I sent the mail to (e-mail address removed).
thanks,
Nirit

 

[Rob Schneider]

Darn. Now the email is going to get captured off this newsgroup by the
spammers. Can you please delete this posting??


--rms

www.rmschneider.com