Trying to mirror a task for a summary

[Martin H]

I am trying to find a way to mirror some key tasks into a subgroup of a
project. In other words, I want to have a task called 'Training for martin'
reflect a specific task above called 'Training level 1' This way I can create
task sections which are sub groups of a much bigger project.. I can then just
allow people to look at their summary section and note any changes which role
down from the very detailed project above..
If life was simple.. it would be like excel makeing one cell (ss) = to ss in
the new task.. etc..

Any ideas ?

 

[John]

I am trying to find a way to mirror some key tasks into a subgroup of a
project. In other words, I want to have a task called 'Training for martin'
reflect a specific task above called 'Training level 1' This way I can create
task sections which are sub groups of a much bigger project.. I can then just
allow people to look at their summary section and note any changes which role
down from the very detailed project above..
If life was simple.. it would be like excel makeing one cell (ss) = to ss in
the new task.. etc..

Any ideas ?

Nartin,
I'm not real clear on what you mean by "mirror" or "reflect" a task.
There are many elements to tasks in Project. For example two tasks can
have the same Start date, Duration and/or Finish date. They can also
have the same resources assigned or the same amount of Work.

If you simply want a task to Start at the same time as another task, use
the Predecessor field with a start-to-start relationship. For example,
if you want Task "B" to start at the same time as Task "A", put the
following in the Predecessor field of Task "B":
[ID of Task "A"]SS

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[Martin H]

This does not really solve the problem as the other attributes can be changed
such as the number of days and resourses. By mirroring I was trying to
describe keeping everything the same if changed in the main task. I want to
change one line not two.. I recognise that I could maintain a duplicate
line.. but I would have hoped that there would be a simple way to have one
line equal another like you could in excel.. Any ideas ?

I am trying to find a way to mirror some key tasks into a subgroup of a
project. In other words, I want to have a task called 'Training for martin'
reflect a specific task above called 'Training level 1' This way I can create
task sections which are sub groups of a much bigger project.. I can then just
allow people to look at their summary section and note any changes which role
down from the very detailed project above..
If life was simple.. it would be like excel makeing one cell (ss) = to ss in
the new task.. etc..

Any ideas ?

Nartin,
I'm not real clear on what you mean by "mirror" or "reflect" a task.
There are many elements to tasks in Project. For example two tasks can
have the same Start date, Duration and/or Finish date. They can also
have the same resources assigned or the same amount of Work.

If you simply want a task to Start at the same time as another task, use
the Predecessor field with a start-to-start relationship. For example,
if you want Task "B" to start at the same time as Task "A", put the
following in the Predecessor field of Task "B":
[ID of Task "A"]SS

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[John]

This does not really solve the problem as the other attributes can be changed
such as the number of days and resourses. By mirroring I was trying to
describe keeping everything the same if changed in the main task. I want to
change one line not two.. I recognise that I could maintain a duplicate
line.. but I would have hoped that there would be a simple way to have one
line equal another like you could in excel.. Any ideas ?

Martin,
Project is a scheduling application while Excel is a spreadsheet
application. Project works primarily with time phased activities while
Excel works primarily with numbers and equations. So with Excel, it
makes a lot of sense that the contents of one spreadsheet cell can be
made equal to the contents of another. Basically everything is either
data or an equation. With Project there is little reason to have to
tasks with identical parameters - it just isn't necessary and depending
on the end goal there are much better ways to get there.

Given that, you can have multiple identical tracking tasks in Project
and there is a method to do that, although I don't necessarily recommend
it. However, if you are hell bent on a duplicate task here is what you
can do.
1. Establish the secondary task with a "SS" relationship to the primary
task.
2. Copy the contents of the primary task Duration field.
3. Select the Duration field of the secondary task.
4. Go to Edit/Paste Special, select Paste Link and hit "OK".
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 for the Resource Names and Work fields.

The secondary task will now track the primary task but fair warning,
Paste Links are prone to corruption.

Now, if we have a more complete picture of your end goal, we likely can
suggest better ways to achieve it (e.g. appropriate filtering, master
file with subprojects, etc.)

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP