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Predecessor & Successor GOTO Button

15 replies [Last post]
Thu, 2010-07-08 08:00
Dean Pearcy
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Hi All,

I am moving from P6 to MSP and am trying to get to grips with the changes in user interface.

One ommission I have noticed in MSP is the predecessor and successor GOTO button.

In P6, when the bottom layout is visible and on any of the relationships tabs, if you select an activity, the list of predecessors or successors appears, together with any relevant details like duration, float, driving etc. In this view, you have the option of clicking the GOTO button and P6 will jump to the relevant highlighted activity in this list.

In MSP, there is a similar view, in the split window, where you can view the same predecessor or successor information, within a similar list. The only thing missing is the GOTO button.

Is there any means in which you can highlight an activity in this list of predecessors or successors and make the programme jump to it.

This was the way I used to follow the logic paths through my programmes, and I can’t find this facility anywhere in MSP.

Thanks in advance,
Dean.
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Replies

Wed, 2010-08-25 08:43
#1
Nicolas Igersheim
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Hi, all!

I am very much surprised that no one here
and especially you Alexandre,
mentioned the {F5} key.

All you have to do then is type the task number and hit {Enter}
and zou you are there!

Btw, in the French version of MSP 2k3,
{Ctrl}G modifies the grease of the text.
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Mon, 2010-07-12 13:22
#2
Stephen Devaux
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Hi, Alexandre!

Sorry to hear that the pre-requisites are a problem for you. I assume you determined this from the trouble-shooting guide at:

http://www.sumatra.com/projectoptimizer/troubleshoot.htm

It installed effortlessly on my machine, and no one else has mentioned having problems with it. But then I run primarily Microsoft software. Since all the pre-requisites are Microsoft, I guess most people (like myself) who use MS Project already have the pre-requisites set up.

I do think it’s extremely useful software, especially when your project slips and you are looking to compress schedule. Two suggestions I can make:

(1) Try Vladimir Liberzon’s Spider Project, which also computes DRAG.

(2) Compute it manually. This is quite difficult on large projects with lags and complex (SS, FF, SF) dependencies. But it’s not too hard on smaller projects (under 200 tasks) with only FS relationships. If it helps, the general rules for computing DRAG in such networks is:

1. DRAG is ONLY on critical path tasks.
2. If a CP task has NOTHING in parallel, its DRAG is its duration.
3. If a task DOES have other tasks in parallel, its DRAG = whichever is less: its duration OR the total slack of the parallel task with the LEAST total slack.

(For all the above, the definition of a parallel task is any task which is neither an ancestor nor a descendant of the specific CP task.)

Obviously, figuring out the DRAG becomes a bit tricky as the network gets larger and more complex. On the other hand, figuring it out "in your head" also can be lots of fun -- sorta like a Sudoku puzzle!

Fraternally in project management,

Steve the Bajan
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Fri, 2010-07-09 10:44
#3
Stephen Devaux
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Hi, Dean.

Although Primavera is certainly a more robust system, there are some saving graces with MS Project. This is largely due to the fact that other companies write useful add-ons for MSP, but not for Primavera.

One functionality that seems related to your question is that of the Project Optimizer add-on from Sumatra.com. Your quest for to GOTO button suggests that you are attempting to optimize your schedule to a specific task. The Sumatra product will allow you to designate a specific mid-project task (one that may have lots of slack) and designate it as your sink activity. Then it will create a CSV file of a subset of the project consisting just of the targeted task and all of its ancestors (predecessors, but also predecessors of predecessors, and predecessors of... all the way back to the start, both driving and non-driving).

If you then import that CSV file back into MSP, you can use all the Project Optimizer functionality to determine any tasks performed out-of-sequence, and to compute the drags of all the tasks delaying the new critical path to your targeted activity. This is something that’s very useful for schedule optimization, and that no version of Primavera does (although Spider Project computes drag, also).

The Sumatra product only works with MSP 2007. You can download a free trial copy at:

http://sumatra.com/projectoptimizer/projectoptimizer.htm

(And no, I don’t have any financial arrangement with either Microsoft, Sumatra, or Spider Project!)

Fraternally in project management,

Steve the Bajan
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Thu, 2010-07-08 11:52
#4
Dean Pearcy
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Blood pressure is now back under control, thanks Darren

:-)
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Thu, 2010-07-08 11:50
#5
Darren Kosa
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Dean,

Anything up to and including 2k3 is a bit limited in that respect.

As Alexandre again correctly points out 2k7 has a Task Driver functionality that identifies the task or tasks that affecting the start date of whichever task is of interest.

There’s also multiple undos and the ability to track changes in 2k7, so best you migrate over tout suite. It might lower your blood pressure a little until you find your way back to Primavera ;o)

Regards,

Darren
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Thu, 2010-07-08 11:33
#6
Dean Pearcy
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We are on 2003 at the mo, but very soon going to 2007 (New contract / client etc.)

I will look out for this task inspector as soon as we get access.

Thanks,
Dean.
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Thu, 2010-07-08 11:14
#7
Dean Pearcy
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Hi Darren,

Yes I knew of the CTRL-G "Goto" function, but it gets worse than I thought. Not only can you not just goto the predecessor or successor of interest, but MSP does NOT give you any indication of which of these items is the driver or being driven by the current activity.

So not only do you NOT have the means of getting there, but it doesn’t tell you WHERE you should be going in the first place.

Thanks for the reply,
Dean.
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Thu, 2010-07-08 10:30
#8
Darren Kosa
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Hi Dean,

Alexandre is correct, MS Project has a ’Go To’ function it’s just not very well publicised and a bit more mandronic than simply clicking a predecessor or successor button or hyperlink.

It takes a bit more time, but it’s not too onerous. The Form View (Split) always shows the IDs for predecessors and successors, so Ctrl+G and a bit of typing and you’re there.

Regards,

Darren
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Thu, 2010-07-08 09:23
#9
Dean Pearcy
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You are preaching to the converted Alexandre!

I already know this and I am not changing to MSP through choice.

Regards,
Dean.
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Thu, 2010-07-08 09:09
#10
Dean Pearcy
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Thanks Alexandre,

This is the answer I expected (and feared). I suspected that this facility was missing, but put it out there in the hope that I was wrong!

Regards,
Dean.
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