Network diagram and diagonal lines in MS PROJECT 2010, and 2013!

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

 

I have one question from my Blog Post reader, about Network Diagram in MS PROJECT 2010:

“Hi! I´m from Argentina and I was reading your blog, It´s really interesting and was really helpful for me. Thanks very much! I have a question, in the network diagram What represent the diagonal crossing an activity? in some cases there are double diagonal crossed in the activity, what does it means?. Thanks very much!!”

Piece of cake! Firs I will make a brand new Project with 3 Tasks:

image

Now I am going to show the Network Diagram:

image

and I will get:

image

Everything looks just “fine”.

Now I am going to tell that my Task 1 is finished 100%, and Task 2 is finished 50%, and Task 3 is just as it is:

image

and I will get::

image

Now, back to the Network Diagram:

image

As you can see, Task 1 is finished and it has two diagonal lines, Task 2 is partially finished, and it has one diagonal line, and Task 3 is not started yet, so it has no diagonal line at all. Because the whole project is Started but not finished it ha only one diagonal line!

Now i will make all tree Tasks finished and I will get:

image

Back to the Network Diagram:

image

Since the Project is Finished, all Task, and The Project, has two diagonal lines.

Simple, isn’t it?

 

Regards!

Posted in MICROSOFT PROJECT, Microsoft PRoject 2010, Microsoft Project 2013, MS PROJECT 2010, PMI | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

How to get the right name for a PROJECT SUBPROJECT in MS PROJECT?

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

 

Hi,

again, one question from my Blog Reader: “Please assist. When I insert a subproject (Title: Primary Heat Exchanger) into my Master Schedule, it inserts the project but doesn’t give it the same saved name in the Master Schedule. Why does this happen?”

Where is the Problem in MS PROJECT 2010? Let us see. First I will Create a Project with one Task:

image

Now I am going to see the Project Summary Task:

image

and I will change the name to, for example: “Blog Sample Subproject”:

image

Now I am going to save My Project with:name  “My Subproject”:

image

and then:

image

 

OK!

Now I will create Master Project with one Task:

image

and I will add a Subproject:

image

and I will get:

image

Very simple!

I suggest that you always has your Project Summary Task visible. To do that you should:

image

and then:

image

Now, wheneve you open a new project you will have something like this:

image

Regards!

Posted in MICROSOFT PROJECT, Microsoft PRoject 2010, PMI, PRoject Management | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Units and Peak Units in MS PROJECT 2010! What are they?

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

Hi,

I got this comment from one of my Blog readers: “I’ve seen there is a bug on calculation of USE!
there are 2 conditions of fault:

a) fixed work,,, you change duration… nothing happens to resource % use
b) fixed Duration … you change work … nothing happens to resource % use BUT is not deeply true!!!

if you goes to “resource diagram” the % is recalculated,
I think something is missing in the code.
It’s a pity because for me the automatic calculation of use% was very useful!!!!”

Is this a Bug in MS PROJECT 2010 or MS PROJECT 2013? No, it is not. But it is confusing thing. Let me explain it to you!

First I will add one simple Task in My Project:

image

and I will add two Resources , as well:

image

Now I will assign both Resources to the Task:

image

and I will set up Detailed View:

image

and then:

image

and I will get:

image

Now suppose that my Task is Fixed Duration:

image

As you remember from my Previous Post, the Relation between Units, Duration and Task is: DURATION * UNITS = WORK

Now suppose that I change hours for John from 40 to 60, and for Mary from 40 to 20:

image

and I will get:

image

So let us look at the Magic Formula: DURATION * UNITS = WORK.

  • For John: 5 days (5 days * 8 hours per day) is 40 hours * 100% = 40 hours
  • For Mary 5 days (5 days * 8 hours per day) is 40 hours * 100% = 40 hours

Where is the Catch? It seems like a bug. It should be:

  • For John: 5 days (5 days * 8 hours per day) is 40 hours * Units% = 60 hours, so Units% = 60/40 = 1,5 e.g.. 150%
  • For Mary 5 days (5 days * 8 hours per day) is 40 hours * Units% = 20 hours, so Units% = 20/40 = 0,5 e.g.. 50%

Now I will use a Task Usage View:

image

and I will get:

image

I will add new Column: Peak!

image

and I will get:

image

So the Magic formula is: DURATION * (Peak) UNITS = WORK.

The same thing is if you use Fixed Work Task Type!

If you want some further and Detailed description please read this article:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/project/archive/2010/04/29/assignment-units-in-project-2010.aspx

Regards!

Posted in MICROSOFT PROJECT, Microsoft PRoject 2010, Microsoft Project 2013, MS PROJECT 2010, PMI | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Effort driven Task, and fixed work! How they fits together?

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

Hi,

I got a message from one of my Blog readers. Here it is

“Dear Sir,
I got confused in this topic.
according to Effort Driven definition, to have a “constant Work value”, there would be compensation between Duration and Unit when one of them changes. which means(my idea) to keep Work value fixed, when Duration(Unit) changes, Unit(Duration) will change automatically. Now the question is: when I create a task which is Effort Driven, I also select the task type as fixed Duration. Now when I change units, I will have changes in Work value(as it is fixed Duration) which has contradiction with the Effort Driven definition which says “Constant Work value”
I do appreciate if you clarify the issue.”

OK. What does Effort Driven mean? It means MORE HAND LESS WORK!

The Relation between Units, Duration and Task is: DURATION * UNITS = WORK

So, of course, if I have a fixed duration, and when I change Units, the work will be changed! If you want to have fixed hours (work), than you should mark your Task as Fixed work. Let me show you that:

image

OK! Now I will choose this:

image

and then click:

image

Now I am going to add two resources:

image

And I will assign John to the Task!

image

You can see there is work = 24 hours, and Units = 100%

I will change, for instance, units from 100% to 50%

image

and I will get:

image

and you can see, that Duration is changed, according to the formula: DURATION * UNITS = WORK, e.g. Duration * Units 50% (4 hours per day) = 24 hours Fixed work –> Duration = 24/4 = 6 days!

So, my dear Blog Reader If you want to make work as a constant choose Fixed work for the Task, or Tasks

Now the announcement for my next Post. If I change Duration from 3 days to 5 days you will get:

image

I will get:

image

Work, and Units are unchanged, and that SEEMS LIKE A BUG, BUT IT IS NOT! Read my next post for that!

Back to effort and non effort driven Tasks:

image

When you Fixe work Task, it is always Effort driven!

Now I will assign Mary to the Task:

image

As you can see, I still need 24 hours of Work for the Task, but since I have Mary on board, both John and Mary will spent less hours on this Task. And that is what effort driven means. And you can see effects of Effort Driven Task when you add or remove a resource/resources to/from Tasks.

I hope that my blog reader will find this Post useful!

For some more examples read this:

https://ntrajkovski.wordpress.com/2011/11/21/task-types-and-how-they-affect-the-schedulepart-1/

https://ntrajkovski.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/task-types-and-how-they-affect-the-schedulepart-2/

https://ntrajkovski.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/task-types-and-how-they-affect-the-schedulepart-3/

https://ntrajkovski.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/task-types-and-how-they-affect-the-schedulepart-4/

Regards!

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Finish date and the problem in MS PROJECT 2010! Or not?

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

Hi guys,

I have a question from one of my Blog readers: “Is it possible to see Finish Variance in working days instead of calendar days? e.g. If i completed my task on Monday, instead of Friday, i want to see variance of 1 working day”.

Piece of Cake in MS PROJECT 2010, and MS PROJECT 2013 as well!

First I will create a Project with one Task!

image

Resources for this Task are irrelevant, so I will skip that part.

I am going to save The Baseline for this Project:

image

and then:

image

OK!

Now, suppose that this Task was started as Scheduled, but Finished on Monday instead on Friday! I will now put those Information in MS PROJECT 2010:

image

and then:

image

That’s it. Now I will check the Variance Table:

image

and I will get:

image 

As you can see Baseline Start, and Start (Actual) are the same, but Baseline Finish, and Finish (Actual), are different.

Finish Variance is not just Finish – Baseline Finish, because in that case it will be 3 days, instead of one!

The formula is: Finish Var. = Finish – Baseline Finish – Non working days, and in my example it is (12.11.2011-09.11.2012) – 2 (Saturday and Sunday) = 3-2=1

It works!

In my next two Post I will answer to another two questions of my Blog Readers.

  1. Effort driven Tasks, because one of my Blog reader is confused about this and how Work (hours) are changed in effort driven Tasks
  2. What happens with %units when you have fixed work/fixed duration Task, and change duration/work! My blog reader thinks that there is a Bug, but there is not a bug.

Regards!

Posted in MICROSOFT PROJECT, Microsoft PRoject 2010, MS PROJECT 2010, PRoject Management | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

How to make all working hours as Overtime hours in MS PROJECT 2010?

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

Hi,

I have a question from one of my Blog Readers! Here it is:

“About overtime, I tried to apply 12 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday, it’s a 2 day work (driving car) and It allocates 24 hours on Saturday. Both days are dayoff (rest time), so it’s 24 hours overtime rate. Is there a way to allocate 12 hours a day?”

Let’s do it!

I will create two Tasks in MS PROJECT 2010:

image

Now I will put Saturday 20.10.2012 as a Start Date for the first Task:

image

I will add John as Resource with $100 as Standard Rate, and $200 as Overtime Rate:

image

and finally I will assign John to both my Tasks:

image

Now I will use Work Table, and I will put 12 hours per day, instead 8:

image

Now I am going to look at the Detailed View:

image

and I will get:

image

I will put 12 hours per day instead of 8:

image

Now I will switch to the Detail View:

image

I will click at the bottom part of the screen, and then:

image

and I will get:

image

Now I will put in Ovt. Work 12 hours:

image

and I will get:

image

John is no more overallocated!

Let see a Cost Table:

image

and I will get:

image

John will work 12 hours per day (Saturday and Sunday) and his Overtime Rate is $200! So 12 X $200 = $2400 per day!

And that’s it!

 

Regards!

 

 

 

 

Link them for now!

Now I will put Sunday 21.10.2012 as a Start Date for the Second Task:

image

So I am making Sunday as a working day!

Now I will remove Link between this two Tasks and I am going to put Saturday 20.10.2012 as a Start Date for the first Task, again:

image

and I will connect them:

image

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

How to Create and publish new Project from MS PROJECT 2010 to MS PROJECT SERVER 2010

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

 

Hi,

let me show you hot to create a brand new Project in MS PROJECT PROFESSIONAL 2010, and then hot to Publish it into MS PROJECT SERVER 2010!

First I will open MS PROJECT PROFESSIONAL 2010 and I will connect it to MS PROJECT SERVER 2010:

image

and then:

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Remember, that you DO NOT have to be Administrator for Publishing the Project, as long as you have rights to do it!

I will get:

image

I will change the Project name and I will add some Tasks:

image

and some Resources:

image

and finally I will assign Resources to Tasks:

image

Now I am going to save this Project:

image

and I will get:

image

I typed the name! for now forget all other fields! I will cover them in my next posts! When I click on Save button the Project is Saved!

Let’s see! I am logged at my PWA!

image

and I will get:

image

NOTHING! Is it a Bug? No it is not! My Project is not Published yet, so it is invisible here! how do you know that I am not an liar? I will try to exit MS PROJECT 2010 Professional and I will get:

image

and I will get:

image

So it is a warning message that I did not check in Project to Project Server. I will show you another way!

Since I am logged as an Administrator I will go here in my PWA:

image

and then:

image

and here it is:

image

But where exactly is this Project? In a Draft Database!

Now I will reopen my MS PROJECT 2010 Professional again and I will open my Project:

image

and I will get:

image

I’m going to publish this Project:

image

and I will get:

image

and then, when I look at the PWA Project Center I can see My Project:

image

The Project is now in Published database!

Regards!

Posted in MICROSOFT PROJECT, Microsoft PRoject 2010, Microsoft Project Server 2010 | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Could not retrieve server initialization data error when connecting to MS PROJECT SERVER 2010 via MS PROJECT PROFESSIONAL 2010

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

 

Hi,

I will show how to handle this error. I am working in regular domain in my company (Perpetuum). But, for testing purpose we made a testing domain called nt. I have Project Server Account created in Project Professional 2010!

Here it is:

image

and then:

image

I will try to log in with this account to MS PROJECT SERVER 2010:

image

and then I will get:

image

This is very annoying!

But there is an easy solution!

Open your IE Browser and go here:

image

and then:

image

Then scroll down until you find this:

image

after that, try to connect to MS PROJECT SERVER 2010 via MS PROJECT PROFESSIONAL 2010 again:

image

and you will get:

image

As you can see, with Automatic logon via current user name and password option MS PROJECT 2010 tried to use my default domain address, but when I checked Prompt for user name and password I can change my user name and password like this:

image

and then:

image

and finally I will get:

image

I am connected to Project Server!

And how to store, and publish sample Project From Project pro to Project Server?

Read my next Post.

Until then

 

Bye!

Posted in MICROSOFT PROJECT, Microsoft PRoject 2010, Microsoft Project Server 2010 | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

How to avoid duplicated Resources in Project with Subprojects in MS PROJECT 2013?

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

Hi,

one of my Blog readers had a problem! He made a Project with Resource, and Subprojects with same resources, and then those Resources were duplicated. I will use MS PROJECT 2013, but it works in MS PROJECT 2010 in the same way. Let me show an example.

Firs I will open Main Project:

image

and I will add two resources in it:

image

Now I will open new Subproject and I will do the same:

image

and:

image

I will save my Subproject:

image

Now I will add Subproject in my main Project:

image

and I will get:

image

Now, I will show you a Resource Sheet:

image

John and Mary are duplicated, and that is not a Bug. Main Project and Subproject(s) are not sharing the same Resources if you will work with them as on example above.

But, if you want to share Resource among Main Project, and Subprojects you should create the Resource pool!

Here it is:

image

In this “Project” I will have no tasks, just resources, and I will save it like a ResPool file:

image

Now I will leave this Respool open, and I will crate main Project again:

image

and I will use a ResPool for resources:

image

and I will get:

image

and after that:

image

Now I will do the same thing with Subproject! Steps are identical so I will not copy pictures again. I will save a Subproject and after that I will insert it to a Main Project:

image

but when I open the Resource Sheet, I will get:

image

Why is it so important? Because if John and Mary in Main Project are the same Persons from the Subproject(s), and you will not use the Resource Pool, you will miss the over allocation feature in MS PROJECT! With Resource Pool there is only one John, and only one Mary, and if you assign them to multiple tasks which are going to run at the same time you will see the over allocation!

 

Regards,

Posted in MICROSOFT PROJECT, Microsoft PRoject 2010, Microsoft Project 2013 | Tagged , | 13 Comments

Tracking in MS PROJECT SERVER 2010–Defining Time Reporting Periods

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Nenad Trajkovski

 

Hi,

if you decide to track the Task progress via MS PROJECT SERVER 2010 timesheet than you have to define Time Reporting Periods. To do that go to Server Settings and then Time Reporting Periods:

image

 

 

 

 

You will get:

image

I want to create one period per week in 2012. So I will put:

  • Number of periods to be created: 52
  • Date the first period Starts: 01.01.2012
  • Length of the standard period (days): 1
  • Prefix: FP2012-

and I will hit the Create Bulk button, because I don’t want to create each period manually, and I will get:

image

Now, look at the last period:

image

I want one more period from 30.12.2012 to 31.12.2012. So I will select last period and I will click on the Insert After button, and I will create this period manually:

image

Status of each period can be Open or Closed. If it is Closed nobody will be able to report Task progressing, or any other activity for that (closed) period!

Regards!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment