Timw Tracking

A

AKZ

I do realize the need for time tracking but at what level
(summary,sub-summary, task or sub task) should one track time. When one has a
very large schedule with very detailed tasks it will become very tediuous and
time consuming to track time down to the lowest level of activitis.

Can some business experts advise on this issue.
 
R

Rod Gill

Firstly, you shouldn't have masses of low level details! For example, if you
have a series of small tasks to build a new server, put them all in an Excel
spreadsheet (so it is easy to re-use) and then have one task in your
schedule that represents all tasks in the list. Common standard is duration
should be >=2d and <=2W

Time needs to be captured at the Task level so schedule accuracy can be
improved by predicting, measuring and learning.

--

Rod Gill
Project MVP

Project VBA Book, for details visit:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

NEW!! Web based VBA training course delivered by me. For details visit:
http://projectservertraining.com/learning/index.aspx
 
R

rt

I do realize the need for time tracking but at what level
(summary,sub-summary, task or sub task) should one track time. When one has a
very large schedule with very detailed tasks it will become very tediuous and
time consuming to track time down to the lowest level of activitis.

Can some business experts advise on this issue.
Click to expand...

In our company, we use separate time reporting tasks, which mirror the
detailed planning on the level of your main deliverables (or phases,
if you must). We start out by building a normal project plan. This is
called "Detailed planning". Then we insert a few lines, repeat the
main deliverables and call this section the "Resource planning".

The two sections are linked by setting dependencies from the detailed
planning to the start of the corresponding time reporting task, and
from the end of the time reporting tasks to the end milestones of the
corresponding deliverable.

Resources are then added to the time reporting tasks only and progress
on the detailed planning is tracked manually through % complete. Works
like a charm, updating should cost your PM's less than an hour a week
- if the plan is properly built to begin with.

I have some training materials - let me know if you're interested.
 
R

Rob

rt,

I wasn't sure what yu meant by *Then we insert a few lines, repeat the
main deliverables and call this section the "Resource planning".*
Click to expand...

Are you saying that you have one section of the plan with resources assigned
and another section of the plan mirroring the first section with no resources
assigned?
 
R

rt

rt,

I wasn't sure what yu meant by *Then we insert a few lines, repeat the


Are you saying that you have one section of the plan with resources assigned
and another section of the plan mirroring the first section with no resources
assigned?

--
RJ









- Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht weergeven -
Click to expand...

Exactly right. The section without resources is a detailed WBS; the
time reporting section are just a few lines which span the main
deliverables or phases of the project.

Mind you, this is a practical solution for organizations that aren't
very experienced with MS Project (or project management in general).
You lose a lot of nice features with this method, such as the critical
path (is always the time reporting section).
 
Top