Use custom durations 1-10 with deadline to see start dates on gant

[rexepic]

I work with a series of task on every project we do. I have a deadline stored
for each project and can derive a duration for each task. I need to chart
these task since each is a predecessor to the previous task so I can arrive
at a start date for the project. Seems like it would be easy enough to define
custom duration days 1-10 then back up from deadline to have a start date on
the first task, but I have been unable to get custom fields to work anything
like regular duration, start and finish. I need to see my custom fields
plotted out on a gant chart! HELP

 

[JulieS]

I work with a series of task on every project we do. I have a deadline
stored
for each project and can derive a duration for each task. I need to
chart
these task since each is a predecessor to the previous task so I can
arrive
at a start date for the project. Seems like it would be easy enough to
define
custom duration days 1-10 then back up from deadline to have a start
date on
the first task, but I have been unable to get custom fields to work
anything
like regular duration, start and finish. I need to see my custom
fields
plotted out on a gant chart! HELP

Hi rexepic,

I don't know what you tried but the following worked for me. I created
a series of tasks leaving duration at 1d? Add Duration1, Start1, Finish1
to the Entry table. In the *last task* I entered the deadline date in
the Finish1 field. I entered the estimated duration for the task in the
Duration1 field. In the Start1 field I added a formula:

ProjDateSub([Finish1],[Duration1],"standard")

This will calculate the Start1 date based upon the Finish1 date minus
Duration1. Once Start1 is calculated for the last task, copy and paste
the Start1 from that task to the Finish1 of the predecessor task. (This
essentially creates a Finish - To- Start schedule). You can certainly
type in the finish1 dates, I just find copying and pasting is faster.
Follow the process upwards in your project to show Start1 for the first
task.

To draw the Gantt bars, create a new bar style (Format > Bar Styles) and
draw the lines from Start1 to Finish1.

(As an aside, you can also have Project help determine the start date of
a project after you have loaded tasks, set durations, and links, by
switching the method project usually uses to calculate finish dates of
projects. Go to Project > Project Information and choose schedule from:
Project Finish Date. Enter your deadline date into the finish date,
click OK and project will calculate the start date. Go back to Project

Project Information, take note of the calculated Project Start date,

set your scheduling back to Project Start date and enter in the start
date -- I'd pad the start date a bit for good measure.)

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

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Don't the fields late start and late finish give you what you want?
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[JulieS]

Hello Jan,

The OP doesn't note what version of project is in use, but I did notice
that setting deadlines in Project 2007 does not affect late start and
late finish as it does in earlier releases.

Julie

Hi,

Don't the fields late start and late finish give you what you want?
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

<snip>

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Julie,

Right you are; it caused me to review completely the process I recommend to
customers (and use myself).
I base decisions on Total Slack, and in 2007 that indeed does not take into
account deadlines. Shame.
So it's back to Prpoejct 98 methods: instead of a deadline set a Must
constrained milesone and links your final task to that.
To me deadline has become almost useless.

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[rexepic]

Thank you both for responding. By the way I am usting MS Project 2003.

Julie, Just you showing me how to use ProjDateSub formula may help me a bunch

to make some break through, I am really weak on formulas, do you have any

sources for good samples.

I may be expecting to much from Project; I have maybe 30 projects that I need

to map, each project has 10 or 11 repetitive task most of which are dependent

on a predecessor, and then each project is dependent upon the other projects.

There is so much data that needs to entered, manipulated changed and

adjusted, that it is way to cumbersome to enter any data manual, I must be

able to manipulate data automatically.

Question and problems:

Since predcessors work off task item ID number does this mean lag type will

only work with the regular start,duration and finish fields?
Is there a succeeder to a task-opposite of predecessor?

Problem; Iam importing duration from MS Acces so it fills the entire column

of custom field and that returns multiple gantt graphs.

Thanks again, let me some more ideas!

I work with a series of task on every project we do. I have a deadline
stored
for each project and can derive a duration for each task. I need to
chart
these task since each is a predecessor to the previous task so I can
arrive
at a start date for the project. Seems like it would be easy enough to
define
custom duration days 1-10 then back up from deadline to have a start
date on
the first task, but I have been unable to get custom fields to work
anything
like regular duration, start and finish. I need to see my custom
fields
plotted out on a gant chart! HELP

Hi rexepic,

I don't know what you tried but the following worked for me. I created
a series of tasks leaving duration at 1d? Add Duration1, Start1, Finish1
to the Entry table. In the *last task* I entered the deadline date in
the Finish1 field. I entered the estimated duration for the task in the
Duration1 field. In the Start1 field I added a formula:

ProjDateSub([Finish1],[Duration1],"standard")

This will calculate the Start1 date based upon the Finish1 date minus
Duration1. Once Start1 is calculated for the last task, copy and paste
the Start1 from that task to the Finish1 of the predecessor task. (This
essentially creates a Finish - To- Start schedule). You can certainly
type in the finish1 dates, I just find copying and pasting is faster.
Follow the process upwards in your project to show Start1 for the first
task.

To draw the Gantt bars, create a new bar style (Format > Bar Styles) and
draw the lines from Start1 to Finish1.

(As an aside, you can also have Project help determine the start date of
a project after you have loaded tasks, set durations, and links, by
switching the method project usually uses to calculate finish dates of
projects. Go to Project > Project Information and choose schedule from:
Project Finish Date. Enter your deadline date into the finish date,
click OK and project will calculate the start date. Go back to Project

Project Information, take note of the calculated Project Start date,

set your scheduling back to Project Start date and enter in the start
date -- I'd pad the start date a bit for good measure.)

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

 

[JulieS]

Hello Rexepic,

My comments are inline.

Julie

Thank you both for responding. By the way I am usting MS Project
2003.

[Julie] Glad to have helped and thanks for the additional information
that you are using Project 2003.

Julie, Just you showing me how to use ProjDateSub formula may help
me a bunch

to make some break through, I am really weak on formulas, do you
have any

sources for good samples.

[Julie] Sadly the information available through help in MS Project is
weak on formulas and functions. You can get some very high level help
through the help program by searching for "Project Functions" The
help screens will list all of the functions and a brief description of
what the function does, but in my opinion, the help is lacking. Jack
Dahlgren (MVP) has some good information on his website about using
formulas and functions. See:
http://zo-d.com/blog/archives/programming/working-with-custom-field-formulas.html

Rod Gill (also an MVP) has a book on programming Project using VBA
that may also help you out as you mention wanting to automate working
with your data. See:

http://www.projectvbabook.com

Rod's book also has a chapter on working with custom fields including
formulas.

I may be expecting to much from Project; I have maybe 30 projects
that I need

to map, each project has 10 or 11 repetitive task most of which are
dependent

on a predecessor, and then each project is dependent upon the other
projects.

There is so much data that needs to entered, manipulated changed and

adjusted, that it is way to cumbersome to enter any data manual, I
must be

able to manipulate data automatically.

[Julie] See Rod's book noted above.

Question and problems:

Since predcessors work off task item ID number does this mean lag
type will

only work with the regular start,duration and finish fields?

[Julie] Lag and lead work only with predecessors and sucessors. If
you don't link the tasks by setting predecessors and successors, you
can't add lag or lead.

Is there a succeeder to a task-opposite of predecessor?

[Julie] Yes, it's called a successor. You can display sucessor IDs by
adding the Successor field to a table.

Problem; Iam importing duration from MS Acces so it fills the entire
column

of custom field and that returns multiple gantt graphs.

[Julie] I'm not sure I follow the part about filling the entire
column, but you can save a project file as an Access file. There is
fairly extensive information about manipulating project data in
Access. Find the file named PJDB.HTM on your machine. It details the
Project database structure. Rod's book also has several chapters on
working with the Project database and working with Access and Project.

Thanks again, let me some more ideas!

[Julie] You're welcome. I hope this gives you some more useful
information. Do post back if you have further questions.<snip>

 

[Christoph Muelder]

Hi Jan,
the problem with deadlines not being used for slack calculation has been
resolved in a hotfix and is included in SP1. It works again now. You can
change back to your old recommendations - as I did

Best regards
Christoph