Unwanted duration changes after leveling

[Steve House]

Jumping in, it seems that part of the problem is that you are trying to tell
project when the tasks will end rather than letting it tell you when the
tasks are predicted to end. Supplying a finish date always sets an FNET
constraint, by design. The solution is simple - do not supply scheduled
finish dates, Project is not designed to document your independently
arrived-at date projections. Baselines preserve the original intention but
the plan itself should be a dynamic thing, constantly updating the projected
start and ending dates for future tasks by taking into account what has come
before. When a predecessor finishes early, Project tells you the new
projected start and finish dates for future tasks so that you can tell the
resources to adjust their planned schedules. You don't tell Project the
schedule, it tells you.

 

[eugene76]

any further assistance would be v.much appreciated, thanks for the help thus
far

greetings,

EM

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Again, I'll just concentrate on one items that looks like a
misunderstanding.
Leveling doesn't put any constraint.
FNET constraints are set by Project when YOU enter a finish date.

One thing I tell all my customers:

"I'll help you over the phone or through internet, as soon as I can, EXCEPT
WHEN YOU ADMIT HAVING ENTERED A FINISH DATE"
I don't care if you enter a start date. Project react reasonably logically
to that.
But please, don't enter a finsh date in teh finish column. Don't. EVER.

If you do want to force Project into showing an other finish date than the
one calculated, use the MUST FINISH ON constraint. At least you will know
that it's you who set it.

Hope this helps,

 

[eugene76]

Jan?

Haha!!!
Fixed duration, FNET...
What does Project have to do when the work is done before the FNET date?
Yes, it will stretch the task to meet the Finish date
And it will keep the durartion as set
Perfect, you asked for it, so now you got it.

Is there really, really, a task that in real life that could have a FNET
constraint? FNET?
Hope this helps,

 

[eugene76]

Hi Jan,

Here is the same task with additional information regarding predecessors,
etc... & another similar task from the same project, with a similar problem,
that I hope may be helpful.

Example 1

Task #28 (Duration: 61.13d, Baseline Duration: 15d)
Constraint type: FNET
Constraint date: 19/5/07
Start: 6/7/07
Finish: 1/10/07
Resources: a (1%), b ( 1 ), c (74%)
Predecessors: 27,5

#27
Constraint type: SNET
Constraint date: 15/6/07
Start: 15/6/07
Finish: 6/7/07
Resources: a (1%), b ( 1 ), e ( 1 ), d (71%)
Predecessors: 5

#5
Constraint type: ASAP
Constraint date: na
Start: 5/6/07
Finish: 5/6/07
Resources: f (100%)
Predecessor: 4

#4
Constraint type: FNET
Constraint date: 5/6/07
Start: 5/6/07
Finish: 5/6/07
Resources: f (100%)

Example 2

Task #26 (Duration: 63d, Baseline Duration: 15d)
Constraint type: FNET
Constraint date: 19/5/07
Start: 5/7/07
Finish: 2/10/07
Resources: a (1%), b ( 1 ), c (86%)
Predecessors: 25,5

Task #25
Constraint type: SNET
Constraint date: 15/6/07
Start: 15/6/07
Finish: 5/7/07
Resources: a (1%), b ( 1 ), e ( 1 ), d (78%)
Predecessors: 5

#5
Constraint type: ASAP
Constraint date: na
Start: 5/6/07
Finish: 5/6/07
Resources: f (100%)
Predecessor: 4

#4
Constraint type: FNET
Constraint date: 5/6/07
Start: 5/6/07
Finish: 5/6/07
Resources: f (100%)

**Resource Information:
A - overloaded
C - overloaded
D - overloaded
B - materials
E - not overloaded

hope this helps Jan,

Regards,
EM

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

I explained the FNET behaviour, no need to come back to that.
Are the others Fixed duration?

 

[eugene76]

Hi Jan,

yes all tasks are set to fixed duration

thanks

 

[eugene76]

Hi Jan,

thanks for all your help & patience, I can now distill my question into
something a little clearer i hope.

When resource leveling is applied to entire project (multiple project MPD)
the durations change on some of the tasks, (refer to previous posts for
examples). On most (90%) the duration change is 1-2 days, others up to 50
days.

The same applies when i unlevel a single affected task & level. BUT not with
all of them! Some of them stay the same.

I am unsure why this is happening, (task splits -is disabled)

regards,

EM

 

[eugene76]

Hi Jan,

Is there a number I can call you on regarding this problem?

cheers,

EM