Why does actual work replace the planned in Microsoft Project 2007

[meganw]

Hi there;
Is this a standard feature in Microsoft Project 2007 that when you capture
time in PWA (and i am not referring to the timesheet module within Project
Server 2007 that allows you to replace actuals with planned) (we are using
the Timesheet module from Codeplex so don't have that feature in the
timesheet module) your actuals actually overwrites the planned in MSP when
the Project Manager approves the updates.

Is there any way to avoid this happening...a setting...configuration change
or something? We are trying to look at historical planned date without
looking at baseline information and this is not accurate. Is baselining the
only way forward with this?

Any input would be appreciated!
Thanks

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Megan W --

You are seeing the default behavior of Microsoft Project 2007, regardless of
whether you are using Project Server or not. In fact, in every version of
Microsoft Project, Actual Work ALWAYS replaces planned Work. The way to
capture the original planned Work value is to save a Baseline (Tools -
Tracking - Set Baseline) before you begin tracking progress from PWA for
your project. The planned Work is saved in the Baseline Work field, visible
in the task Work table (in any task View, click View - Table - Work). You
can also view the original Baseline Work information in the Task Usage view
by right-clicking in the timephased grid and selecting the Baseline Work
option. This will show you the timephased Baseline Work for your project,
and allow you to compare it with the current Work and Actual Work. Hope
this helps.

 

[Gary Chefetz]

Megan:

This is the way project works, even in the stand-alone world. Think about
it, you can't possibly be planning to complete a task in 10 hours, if it has
already burned 15 hours and is incomplete. Makes sense doesn't it? So, what
you need to do is save a baseline in your project so that you can compare
actual work to what you originally planned. In Project, planned work will
*always equal actual work* once the task exceeds the amount of planned work
or when the task is complete.

 

[Megan Warkus]

Hi Dale/Gary

Thanks very much for the reply. I never thought that I would get a response, so it was very nice to see one! We are baseling our schedules, however we only baseline within certain phases and milestones and just use 2 specific baselines, but have decided to baseline the overall schedule constantly (with another baseline) in order for our reports to have a true reflection of the 'planned' work at any point in time.

Thanks again,
Megan.





meganw wrote:

Why does actual work replace the planned in Microsoft Project 2007
09-Feb-10

Hi there
Is this a standard feature in Microsoft Project 2007 that when you captur
time in PWA (and i am not referring to the timesheet module within Projec
Server 2007 that allows you to replace actuals with planned) (we are usin
the Timesheet module from Codeplex so do not have that feature in th
timesheet module) your actuals actually overwrites the planned in MSP whe
the Project Manager approves the updates

Is there any way to avoid this happening...a setting...configuration chang
or something? We are trying to look at historical planned date withou
looking at baseline information and this is not accurate. Is baselining th
only way forward with this

Any input would be appreciated
Thank
-
Megan W

Previous Posts In This Thread:

Why does actual work replace the planned in Microsoft Project 2007
Hi there
Is this a standard feature in Microsoft Project 2007 that when you captur
time in PWA (and i am not referring to the timesheet module within Projec
Server 2007 that allows you to replace actuals with planned) (we are usin
the Timesheet module from Codeplex so do not have that feature in th
timesheet module) your actuals actually overwrites the planned in MSP whe
the Project Manager approves the updates

Is there any way to avoid this happening...a setting...configuration chang
or something? We are trying to look at historical planned date withou
looking at baseline information and this is not accurate. Is baselining th
only way forward with this

Any input would be appreciated
Thank
-
Megan W

Megan W --You are seeing the default behavior of Microsoft Project 2007,
Megan W -

You are seeing the default behavior of Microsoft Project 2007, regardless o
whether you are using Project Server or not. In fact, in every version o
Microsoft Project, Actual Work ALWAYS replaces planned Work. The way t
capture the original planned Work value is to save a Baseline (Tools
Tracking - Set Baseline) before you begin tracking progress from PWA fo
your project. The planned Work is saved in the Baseline Work field, visibl
in the task Work table (in any task View, click View - Table - Work). Yo
can also view the original Baseline Work information in the Task Usage vie
by right-clicking in the timephased grid and selecting the Baseline Wor
option. This will show you the timephased Baseline Work for your project
and allow you to compare it with the current Work and Actual Work. Hop
this helps

-
Dale A. Howard [MVP
VP of Educational Service
msProjectExpert
http://www.msprojectexperts.co
http://www.projectserverexperts.co
"We write the books on Project Server"

Megan:This is the way project works, even in the stand-alone world.
Megan

This is the way project works, even in the stand-alone world. Think abou
it, you cannot possibly be planning to complete a task in 10 hours, if it ha
already burned 15 hours and is incomplete. Makes sense does not it? So, wha
you need to do is save a baseline in your project so that you can compar
actual work to what you originally planned. In Project, planned work wil
*always equal actual work* once the task exceeds the amount of planned wor
or when the task is complete

-
Gary L Chefetz, MVP, MCT, MCIT
msProjectExperts http://www.msprojectexperts.co
FAQs and Reference http://www.projectserverexperts.co
BLOG: http://projectserverhelp.com


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[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Megan --

You are more than welcome for the help, my friend!

 

[John DiFelice]

There is a view called MSP_TimesheetActual_OlapView in the database PS_ProjectServer_Reporting, which has the numbers entered in the Timesheets. It also has a field called PlannedWork but these nubers are getting overwritten with actuals. The numbers in the Published database are correct.

Is this by design? This thread indicates this is how it is supposed to work.

Thx

Hi there;
Is this a standard feature in Microsoft Project 2007 that when you capture
time in PWA (and i am not referring to the timesheet module within Project
Server 2007 that allows you to replace actuals with planned) (we are using
the Timesheet module from Codeplex so do not have that feature in the
timesheet module) your actuals actually overwrites the planned in MSP when
the Project Manager approves the updates.

Is there any way to avoid this happening...a setting...configuration change
or something? We are trying to look at historical planned date without
looking at baseline information and this is not accurate. Is baselining the
only way forward with this?

Any input would be appreciated!
Thanks
--
Megan W

On Tuesday, February 09, 2010 9:36 AM Dale Howard [MVP] wrote:
Megan W --

You are seeing the default behavior of Microsoft Project 2007, regardless of
whether you are using Project Server or not. In fact, in every version of
Microsoft Project, Actual Work ALWAYS replaces planned Work. The way to
capture the original planned Work value is to save a Baseline (Tools -
Tracking - Set Baseline) before you begin tracking progress from PWA for
your project. The planned Work is saved in the Baseline Work field, visible
in the task Work table (in any task View, click View - Table - Work). You
can also view the original Baseline Work information in the Task Usage view
by right-clicking in the timephased grid and selecting the Baseline Work
option. This will show you the timephased Baseline Work for your project,
and allow you to compare it with the current Work and Actual Work. Hope
this helps.