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Late Start & Free Float

14 replies [Last post]
Mon, 2007-07-09 21:05
Craig Pointon
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Hi

I was wondering if anyone knew if there was a way to show the late start for activity that used the free float only; not the total float.

I know you can manually alter the dates to use the float but am wondering if there is an automated method too.

Thanks

Craig

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Replies

Thu, 2007-10-04 09:44
#1
Paul Harris
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P3 does have a Zero Free Float but P3e does not.

Paul E Harris
Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia
Planning and Scheduling Training Manual & Book Publishers & Consulting
www.eh.com.au
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Tue, 2007-10-02 05:47
#2
Trevor Rabey
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Are you sure that P3 does not have zero free float constraint? I am sure it had it last time I looked.
Anyway, that is not relevant to this problem.
You could use a spare flag field to mark the Tasks you want to show at the late dates. Then make a new View (copy the Gantt Chart View). Then make a Bar Style which draws a bar from Late Start to Late Finish using "Task, Flag*" as the criteria. I would use a different colour so you can see the late flagged Tasks. This would just be a variation on the built in Detail Gantt View.
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Tue, 2007-10-02 03:45
#3
Jeremy Clarke
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Hi Trevor

P3e does not have the zero float constraint that I remember from P3, only ALAP, which uses up the free float but not the total float. I suspect from my experience and your answer plus other inputs that this simply doesn’t exist in MSP. ALAP uses up the total float on an activity - as you say not v. useful!

By the way, do you or anyone else know if there is a term for the start and finish dates at the back end of free float (in the sense of early and late dates, where late dates are at the back end of total float)?

Jerry
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Mon, 2007-10-01 17:41
#4
Trevor Rabey
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P3 has a zero total float constraint. Useful. MSP does not.
Does P3’s ALAP slide the Task to the end of FRee Float? MSP’s ALAP is very strong. If applied to a noncritical Task it sucks all of the Float out of the Successors as well. Not v useful.
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Mon, 2007-10-01 04:31
#5
Jeremy Clarke
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I have a test set up where this seems to be working only partially:

A 1 day task showing 3 days Free Slack gives a start date 2 days after Early Start using the formula ProjDateAdd([Early Start];[Free Slack];[Project Calendar]). The same formula with Early Finish gives a finish date 3 days after Early Finish. Any ideas why this could be?

Another question: Does anyone know how to make the task itself move to the end of its Free Slack? (In other words the same action as the "As late as possible" constraint in Primavera)

Jerry Clarke
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Thu, 2007-08-09 10:59
#6
Nicolas Igersheim
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Works perfectly !
(Customize in French is Personnaliser)

Thanks again!

Nicolas
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Tue, 2007-08-07 03:22
#7
Nicolas Igersheim
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Thanks a lot L.E.N.

I shall try it and let you know
maybe with some more questions

regards

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Fri, 2007-08-03 12:12
#8
L.E.N. Lewis
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Starting with P2000 ...
Certain fields (Task: Cost1-10, Date1-10, Duration1-10, Finish1-10, Flag1-20, Number1-20, Start1-10, Text1-30; Resource: same as for Task) can have formulas.

Display the column, RightMouseButton on the column title and pick Customize fields from the popup menu.

To put in a formula, click on the Formula button.

There’s a number of Help topics associated with Formulas. Try a few things, if you have problems, report back with the formula that’s giving you issues.
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Fri, 2007-08-03 02:16
#9
Nicolas Igersheim
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Hi all,

Alexandre,

I am totally new to theses formulas you guys talk about.

Could you explain a little and maybe
write a few words of "how-to"
for us newbies, pls?

thanks a lot in advance
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Wed, 2007-08-01 17:04
#10
Craig Pointon
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Hi

Thanks again for the tips. The formula required is the following:

ProjDateAdd([Early Start];[Free Slack];[Project Calendar])

Works well especially for; awarding sub contractors and site mobilsation.

Cheers

Craig
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Tue, 2007-07-10 17:06
#11
Craig Pointon
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Thanks for your help. I’ll give it a try and let you know how I got on.

Thanks
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Tue, 2007-07-10 12:16
#12
Vladimir Liberzon
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Alexandre,
if I understood it correctly the question was about showing not Late Dates defined by Total Float but Late Dates defined by Free Float. I don’t understand your solution of this task, please explain in more details.
Regards,
Vladimir
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