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Elapsed Time Shown on Timescale

9 replies [Last post]
Tony McClennon
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Hi,

I am trying to get the MS Project timescale to show the time elapsed, but instead of it being from the start or finish (as per the options in the Timescale menu), I need to show it from a particular milestone/date within the project.

Some tasks have been completed or or in progress, but the end-user needs to see the time elapsed from this critical milestone point.

Can anyone advise as to how this may be achieved?

TIA.

Replies

Tony McClennon
User offline. Last seen 23 weeks 5 days ago. Offline
Joined: 19 Nov 2002
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Sukumaran,

Once again, thank you for your suggestion. I have tried this, but again, the requirements of this particular schedule appear to have defeated MSPs ability!!

The key milestone I mentioned in an earlier post has now been slipped to August 05. However, there are still tasks which are planned to start in advance of this which have not yet started e.g. Start 13 June, end 17 June.

However, by revising the start date, these tasks are also pushed to start in August 05.

It looks as if I may have to merge the two schedules as sub-projects into one file and try from there.

Many thanks to all who have taken the time to offer assistance.
Sukumaran Subaram...
User offline. Last seen 8 years 52 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 2 Mar 2005
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Groups: GPC Malaysia
Hi,

Click Adjust Dates on the analysis toolbar. Enter the new date and click OK. All the work completed 100% will be shown as a negative date on timescale.

Hope this will help you.

Regards.
Tony McClennon
User offline. Last seen 23 weeks 5 days ago. Offline
Joined: 19 Nov 2002
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Sukumaran,

Thank you for responding. Unfortunately, although your suggestion is valid and I have already done this, it does not resolve the issue I have with the timescale.

I may have been a little vague in what I am trying to achieve. Effectively, I have two schedules which require to be presented as a single schedule. The first schedule is the "positioning" work but some tasks will continue following commencement of the second. The second schedule start date is determined by a specific approval event, but this keeps slipping on a wek by week basis.

What I need to show is elapsed time from the start of the second schedule, whereby the "positioning" work tasks will be shown as -1, -2, -3 months etc. As such, work already undertaken will be shown as a correspondingly "earlier" negative date.

Hope that the above clarifies my request.

Thanks all.
Sukumaran Subaram...
User offline. Last seen 8 years 52 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 2 Mar 2005
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Groups: GPC Malaysia
Hi Tony,

First:
Go to Format > Gridlines > Status Date
Assign the status date line to show the data date.

Then:
Go to Tools > Tracking > Progress Lines. Set the requirement and assign the progress line accordingly.
Progress line represent progress of the project and it is indicating work that is behind / ahead of the schedule.

Then:
Go to Format > Bar > Bar Text
Assign actual duration and remaining duration.

Once you have set the above requirement, you can show the current progress, actual completed duration and remaining duration in your schedule.

Regards.
Joao Ribeiro
User offline. Last seen 5 years 46 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 21 Mar 2003
Posts: 64
Even if you put the timescale to ordinal days?
Tony McClennon
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Joined: 19 Nov 2002
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Joao,

Thank you for replying. However, the solution you are proposing will indeed fix the date of the task (which I had already done), but unfortunately will not resolve the issue of the ability to havethe timescale showing elapsed time from this particular date.

Thanks again,

Tony
Joao Ribeiro
User offline. Last seen 5 years 46 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 21 Mar 2003
Posts: 64
Try to fix start as a constraint (Must start on) and put today as the day of your required date. Hope it works.
Tony McClennon
User offline. Last seen 23 weeks 5 days ago. Offline
Joined: 19 Nov 2002
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Paul,

Thanks for the reply.

I have tried this solution, but the problem is that the milestone I am looking to show the timecscale from is some way into the future, and by resetting the start date, any tasks that are not shown as started will be rescheduled from the new project start date.

Thanks again,

Tony
Paul Smith
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Set the timescale to weeks from start, then alter the project start date to the milestone date that you require.