Website Upgrade Incoming - we're working on a new look (and speed!) standby while we finalise the project

Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

how can I change the Early finish project date

6 replies [Last post]
Thu, 2005-05-12 11:57
Filippo CARTA
User offline. Last seen 5 years 45 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 6 May 2005
Posts: 10
Groups: Petro-Chem / Oil & Gas
Hello Folks,

I have a project starting on the 2nd of may and finishing in march 2006

When I created it, P3 set up 2 nov 2005 as a early finish date for the project. Now all the my activities or chain of activities that passed this date show up as critical.
I have tried to set up "the project must finish on march 2006" but still the eraly finish date for the project remain 2 nov 2005 and the total float is calculated on this date.

is there any way to change it? I’ve just made a couple of test and found out that in my case P3 calculate the early finish date for the project adding 6 months to the data date(data date 02/05/2005 early finish date 02/11/2005).

If I schedule the project to a data date let say 20/05/2005, the finish eraly date becomes 20/11/2005

Any help?
Cheers
Luca






Top

Replies

Wed, 2005-05-18 22:20
#1
Anand Kulkarni
User offline. Last seen 12 years 19 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 4 Apr 2005
Posts: 41
Groups: None
Hi,

In P3 choice is there for defining critical activity:
"either longest path or zero float"
Top
Wed, 2005-05-18 22:09
#2
Sukumaran Subaram...
User offline. Last seen 9 years 18 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 2 Mar 2005
Posts: 229
Groups: GPC Malaysia
Hi,

Check whether any constraint was assigned (early finish constraint or expected finish constraint)on the very last activity. If yes, remove the constraint and run the schedule.

If the early finish date is on 2NOV05 and project must finish date is set on MAR06, now you can get more positive floats. With the current positive floats if you want to identify the critical path, as mentioned by Sonia, go to Tools>Options>Critical Activities and choose longest path.

P3 define the longest path in the work programme as the critical path with float.

Regards.
Top
Wed, 2005-05-18 05:03
#3
Sonia Thomas
User offline. Last seen 13 years 26 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 12
Groups: None
Hi Philippo,

I doubt that your present early finish is 2 Nov ’06, and not 02 Nov ’05 as u put it. If this is the case, when u give a ’project must finsih by’ date of 6 March ’06, you get negative float on activities where early finsih is later than March 06.

Now, if your Early finsih of Project is November 2005 itself, where as your ’project must finsih by’ is March 2006, as Mr. Frank said, you should only get +ve float of about 4 months. And your Early finish is November 2005, becasue the duration of individual tasks and the logic of networks allows you to finish as early as that.

one more thing - even after fixing must finish by date of march 2006, where EF is Nov 2005 if you see critical path, it will be becasue of the setting of critical path. verify in Tools > Options > Critical path whether it si set as longest path or based on a float value.
Top
Mon, 2005-05-16 00:02
#4
Anand Kulkarni
User offline. Last seen 12 years 19 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 4 Apr 2005
Posts: 41
Groups: None
Filippo,

If all the activities in the project have slipped the Early start dates.

Than by changing the early start date in project overview & sheduling will also help.
Top
Thu, 2005-05-12 15:53
#5
Frank Borcherdt
User offline. Last seen 7 years 49 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 3 May 2001
Posts: 88
Groups: None
Filippo,

P3 calculates the early finish dates using the durations on your activities and calendar/s assigned. It uses the relationships you defined to determine the early finish. If the activity durations and relationships mean that that you only reach 02NOV05 then check the durations, the logic and calendars, if these are valid then that is the earliest you can finish.
The Project must finish date will only impact the late dates and putting a MAR06 date in here will only introduce 3+ months total float to the schedule.

Try this…add an activity as the very last activity (ie is the only activity without a successor) and put an expected finish date of your MAR06. Reschedule and P3 will calculate the duration to be the number of working days between the predecessors earliest finish 02NOV05 and you date in MAR06. You will now have a critical path to MAR06 and the last activity will indicate the time available for delays/slippage/rework or contingency.

HTH
Top
Thu, 2005-05-12 12:45
#6
Mary Folsom
User offline. Last seen 7 years 4 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 13 Jun 2003
Posts: 10
Groups: Women in Planning & Scheduling (WiPS)
You said your Must Finish Date located under file Project overview is set at March 2006. Then check for a constaint added to an activity. The easiest place to look is the schedule report after calculating your schedule using tools/schedule and review the information.
Top