Reconnect a successor/predecessor to a split task 1

[PDub40]

How do I reconnect a successor/predecessor to the updated portion of a split task? The existing successor/predecessor links to the old portion of the split task, not the updated part of the task

 

[IRstuff]

Wouldn't you just delete the reference in the Predecessor column, and add the correct one?

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[PDub40]

It's all on the same task line though, so it'll be the same #. Are you saying delete the #, then re-type it and that should work? I'll try it again, but I think we already tried that.

 

[IRstuff]

I guess I'm not picturing it. Can you post an example?

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[IRstuff]

Nevermind, I see it. I think the answer is no. You'd have to make them two separate tasks, but you could group them into one summary task.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[PDub40]

Thank you. That was our next option if we couldn't find the correct way to reconnect--and have the link point to the "updated split portion" of the task line.

 

[ierland]

What is exactly the result you want to achieve? A successor with the normal FS connection will automatically move when you split the task.
What else do you want to achieve? You may want to use a positive or negative lag in order to synchronise with the remaining part?
Perhaps provide a small example + a clear explanation.

 

[ierland]

Did you find a viable solution? Or just lost interest? I would anyhow be curious to know how you resolved the issue.

Why an easy solution if you can make it complicated?
Greetings from the Netherlands

 

[CIRHS]

Is there a way in MS Project to Highlight a Successor only after the Predecessor is 100% Complete(FS Connection)? To give a visual on the gantt chart that it can be commenced.

Also is there a way to prevent marking successor complete before the predecessor assuming FS Connection?

Looking at using Project to manage and tack work flow in an engineering workshop. Our current oracle system does not do anything useful for an engineering workshop.

Thanks.

 

[ierland]

MS project gives you, as far as I am aware, the possibility to plan and especially schedule your tasks within a given project. Scheduling means to show the relation between Tasks and taking into account certain Constraints or Deadlines.

In addition it allows you to monitor progress and adapt your initial plan. You may have planned that a certain task can only start after a previous task has been finished [100% complete]. Also if there are more Predecessors, which is quite common, MS Project will show the earliest Start date for the task at hand, moving it if one of the (planned or Actual) Finish dates of Predecessors would be moved in such a way that the (Early) Start date of the Successor has to be amended.

However, MS Project is a TOOL to help planning, which as such is never cast into concrete. You may have two Tasks that should normally and logically follow after each other. If you decide to change your mind and assign an Actual Start to a Task while not all its Predecessors have not been completed, MS Project assumes that you know what you are doing and is prepared to accept your decision. It is anyhow advisable, by enabling warnings, that you will get a warning when you try to assign an Actual Start date that would result in a conflict. Unfortunately most people get so tired of these warnings that they switch them off.

On the other hand, in many cases Tasks can easily overlap. Suppose you are laying cables along a highway for over 20 km. Normally the cable has to be ready before you can connect lamp posts. In reality it is overdone to wait before all cables are laid before starting to connect. In your schedule [=plan] you could already take that into account with a negative lag, i.e. an overlap. Because of several reasons laying the remaining few km of cables has been delayed. This is not necessary a reason to wait with connecting. So you fill-in an Actual Start, notwithstanding that your PLAN was designed otherwise. So you can easily get the warning.

If you perform Tracking, first updating Actual Start dates and %Complete, stating each time a new Status date and subsequently Update the project by Rescheduling Unfinished Work, you may get Splits and Tasks may move further away. You will immediately see that they will have to start later.

It would be nice to see which tasks should start soon. We have rescheduled. So we have a recent Status date.
Add a Custom Flag with e.g. the following formula:
[Actual Start]>300000 And [Start]<=ProjDateAdd([Status Date],"5d","MyProject")
The first part is an undocumented way to find out that no Actual Start has been given. At least I could not find documentation. If somebody can find it, please tell me. In this case everything that has not been started [no Actual Start] and should start before 5 working days after the Status Date will set the Flag to Yes. I have used a Project Calendar MyProject. Other values would be possible, even different Flag field for different time frames.

In the Bar Styles... add another bar with a different Shape, Pattern and/or Colour. Add this AFTER the normal Tasks as all conditions would be evaluated from top to bottom. Assuming that you have used Flag8 [renaming it might be wise if you want to see it in your Table] and want it show for Normal Tasks both Normal and Flag8 would have to be added under Show ... for Tasks. It is unfortunate that here still Flag8 would have to be used rather than the nick name as can be done in Tables and Filters.

In my opinion MS Project is very handy for work flow, once you understand the underlying philosophy.

Why an easy solution if you can make it complicated?
Greetings from the Netherlands

 

[ierland]

Hi,
Was it of any use what I wrote above?

Why an easy solution if you can make it complicated?
Greetings from the Netherlands