Project Scheduling

1. Soe Naing Win
Email: snw1975@gmail.com

2. 1. Adjust task links to have more control over how tasks are related.
2. Apply a constraint to a task.
3. Split a task to record an interruption in work.
4. Create a task calendar and apply it to a task.
5. Change a task type to control how Project schedules tasks.
6. Record deadlines for tasks.
7. Enter a fixed cost for a task.
8. Set up a recurring task in the project schedule.
9. View the project’s critical path.
10. Enter a specific duration value for a summary task.

3. Recall the four types of task dependencies
1. Finish-to-start (FS): The finish date of the predecessor task
determines the start date of the successor task.
2. Start-to-start (SS): The start date of the predecessor task
determines the start date of the successor task.
3. Finish-to-finish (FF): The finish date of the predecessor task
determines the finish date of the successor task.
4. Start-to-finish (SF): The start date of the predecessor task
determines the finish date of the successor task.

4. Lead time (overlap) and lag time (delay)
Assuming that two tasks have a finish-to-start relationship:
• Lead time causes the successor task to begin before its
predecessor task concludes.
◦ The next task overlaps with its predecessor – it starts before its
predecessor is complete.
• Lag time causes the successor task to begin some time after its
predecessor task concludes
◦ The successor task starts some time after predecessor
concludes. Why would you use it? Allow paint to dry, for
example.
• Lead and lag time can be units of time, like 2 days, -2d, or a
percentage, like 50%, -50% - that’s a percentage of the duration of
the predecessor task.

5. Exercise : Enter lead and lag time and change task relationships
between predecessor and successor tasks Lead time(overlap) and lag
time(delay)
Lag Time
• Task tab > Tasks group > Inspect.

6. Lead time(overlap) and lag time(delay)
• Select the name of task 10.
• Task tab > Editing group > Scroll to Task.
• Task tab > Properties group > Information.

7. • Task > Properties > Information > selected task, 11.
• Predecessors > Lag > 3d
Predecessor details such as lag
time appear in the Task
Inspector.

8. Lead Time
• Task 17 > -25%
• Entering lag time as a negative value produces lead time

9. There are three categories of constraints :
◦ Flexible constraints
 As soon as possible (ASAP)
◦ Inflexible constraints (a hard constraint)
 Has to be on this day, days
◦ Semi-flexible constraint (a soft constraints)
 Has to finish by a certain date, could finish before it.

10. There are three categories of constraints :
◦ Flexible constraints
 As soon as possible (ASAP)
◦ Inflexible constraints (a hard constraint)
 Has to be on this day, days
◦ Semi-flexible constraint (a soft constraints)
 Has to finish by a certain date, could finish before it.

11. 8 types of task constraints
–As soon as possible (ASAP)
–As late as possible (ALAP)
–Start no earlier than (SNET)
–Start no later than (SNLT)
–Finish no earlier than (FNET)
–Finish no later than (FNLT)
–Must start on (MSO)
Must finish on (MFO)
Semi-flexible
Flexible
Inflexible

12. Flexible constraints
◦ Project can change the start and finish dates of a task.
The default constraint type in Project is that tasks start
as soon as possible.
◦ This type of flexible constraint is called As Soon As
Possible, or ASAP for short.
◦ No constraint date is associated with flexible
constraints.
◦ Project does not display any special indicator in the
Indicators column for flexible constraints.

13. Inflexible constraints
◦ A task must begin or end on a certain date. For
example, you can specify that a task must end on
November 9, 2013.
◦ Inflexible constraints are sometimes called hard
constraints.
◦ When an inflexible constraint has been applied to a
task, Project displays a special indicator in the
Indicators column.
◦ You can point to a constraint indicator, and the
constraint details will appear in a ScreenTip.

14. Semi-flexible constraints
◦ A task has a start or finish date boundary. However,
within that boundary, Project has the scheduling
flexibility to change the start and finish dates of a task.
◦ For example, let’s say a task must finish no later than
June 15, 2012. However, the task could finish before
this date.
◦ Semi-flexible constraints are sometimes called soft or
moderate constraints.
◦ When a semi-flexible constraint has been applied to a
task, Project displays a special indicator in the
Indicators column

15. Exercise : Apply a constraint to a task
• Task tab > properties group > Information > Advanced tab.
• Constraint Type > Start No Earlier Than > Constraint Date> Today

16. The constraint affects the scheduling of the task, the Task Inspector
pane now includes the constraint details
Position your mouse pointer
over a constraint indicator (or
any icon in the Indicators
column) to see a ScreenTip

17. The following are some reasons why you might want to split a
task,
• You except an interruption in a task.
◦ For example, a resource might be assigned to a weeklong
task, but she needs to attend an event on Wednesday that
is unrelated to the task.
• A task is unexpectedly interrupted.
◦ After a task is under way, a resource might have to stop
work on the task because another task has taken priority.
After the second task is completed, the resource can
resume work on the first task.

18. Exercise : Split a task to account for a planned interruption of work on
that task.
You have been informed that work on this task will be interrupted for
three days starting Monday, April 9.
• Select any task, Task tab > Editing group > Scroll to Task.
• Task tab > Schedule group> click Split Task.

19. Exercise : create a new base calendar and apply it to account for the
limited working time for a task
• Project tab > Properties group > Change Working Time >
Create New Calendar
• Name > type Monday-Wednesday> OK
 Make a copy of > Standard.

20. Next, you’ll enter the working time details for this new calendar.
• Change Working Time > Work Weeks > select Thursday and
Friday > Set days to nonworking time.

21. Exercise : Apply new calendar to task
• Select any Task
• Task > Properties > Information > Advanced tab > Calendar >
select Monday-Wednesday.

22. A ScreenTip appears, showing the calendar details.
◦ Right now, this task is rescheduled
◦ But as you further adjust the project plan, this is likely to change.
Due to the custom calendar that has been applied to this task.

23. MS Project Scheduling formula :
 where assignment units are normally expressed as a percentage.
• Duration is the total of active working time required to complete a
task.
• Work is the total amount of work to be performed on a task, in the
specified duration, by all assigned resources
Work = Duration × Assignment Units

24. For fixed-units task.
• It is the default task type.
• If you change a task’s duration, Project will recalculate
work. Likewise, if you change a task’s work, Project will
recalculate the duration. In either case, the units value
is not affected.
• The two other task types are fixed duration and fixed work.
◦ For these task types, Project uses a timephased field called
peak units when responding to schedule changes.

25. Changes to a Fixed Unit task create these results:
• If you revise the duration, work also changes, and units
are fixed.
• If you revise work, duration also changes, and units are
fixed.
• If you revise units, duration also changes, and work is
fixed

26. For a fixed-work task:
• If you can change the assignment units value and
Project will recalculate the duration.
• You can change the duration value and Project will
recalculate peak units per time period. The assignment
units value is not affected.
• Note You cannot turn off effort-driven scheduling
for a fixed-work task.

27. Changes to a Fixed Work task create these results:
• If you revise the duration, units also change, and work
is fixed.
• If you revise units, duration also changes, and work is
fixed.
• If you revise work, duration also changes, and units are
fixed.

28. For a fixed-duration task:
• You can change the assignment units value and Project
will recalculate work.
• You can change the work value and Project will
recalculate peak units per time period. The assignment
units value is not affected.
Project also keeps track of the highest peak units value per
assignment. This value is stored in the Peak field, which you’ll
work with in the sidebar.

29. Changes to a Fixed Duration task create these results:
• If you revise units, work also changes, and duration is
fixed.
• If you revise work, units also change, and duration is
fixed.
• If you revise the duration, work also changes, and units
are fixed

30. • If Units = 50% & Work = 1 day Duration = 2 days
• If Units = 100% & Work = 5 days Duration = 5 days
• If Duration = 3 days & Units = 50% Work = 1.5 days
• If Duration = 4 days & Work = 1 day Units = 25%
This proportion is always kept consistent by MS Project

31. Exercise 1 : Change a task type and some scheduling formula
values.
• View tab > Task Views group > Task Usage.

32. • Task Name column > select any task name > Scroll to Task.

33. Add two columns Assignment Units & Peak to Task views.
• Start column heading > Format > Columns > Insert Column >
Assignment Units.
• Repeat for Peak.

34. After a discussion between the two copyeditors about who will
perform the copyedit, you all agree that the task’s duration should
increase and the resource’s daily work on the task should decrease
correspondingly.
Duration
change
15days to
20days

35. • Increased the duration and but we wanted the total work to remain
the same.
• But don’t !!! Increased the work to 320 hours.

36. Because task 8’s task type is fixed units (the default task type), the
Action’s default selection is to increase work as the duration
increases. However, you’d like to keep the work value the same and
decrease assignment units for the task’s new duration.
Use the Action button to adjust the results of the new task duration.
• Actions list > Resources will work fewer hours per day so that the task will
take longer.

37. Next : change a task type and then adjust the work on the task.
• Task tab @ 24 > Properties > Information > Advanced

38. • Task Type > Fixed Duration

39. • Task Type > Fixed Duration.
Work change
120h to 150h

40. • Project adjusted the peak value to 125%; this represents an
intentional overallocation.
• Resources assigned to task 24 now have 10 hours of work
scheduled per day.
• Their original assignment units values of 100% each remain
unaffected.

41. Because this is a fixed-duration task and added work,

42. • Project displays a deadline indicator in the chart portion of
the Gantt Chart view.
• A better approach to scheduling this task is to use the default
As Soon As Possible constraint and enter a deadline

43. The following are common examples of fixed costs in
projects:
• A setup fee, charged in addition to a per-day rental fee,
for a piece of equipment
• A building permit

44. You can specify when fixed costs should accrue as follows:
• Start : The entire fixed cost is scheduled for the start of the
task. When you track progress, the entire fixed cost of the
task is incurred as soon as the task starts.
• End : The entire fixed cost is scheduled for the end of the
task. When you track progress, the entire fixed cost of the
task is incurred only after the task is completed.
• Prorated : The fixed cost is distributed evenly over the
duration of the task. When you track progress, the project
incurs the cost of the task at the rate at which the task is
completed.
 For example, if a task has a $100 fixed cost and is 75 percent
complete, the project has incurred $75 against that task.

45. Exercise B : Assign a fixed cost to a task and specify its
accrual method.
• View tab > Task Views group > Other Views > Task
Sheet.

46. • View tab > Data group > Tables > Cost.

47. • Fixed Cost > task 30, Generate proofs > 500
• Fixed Cost Accrual > End

48. To create a recurring task
◦ Task tab > Insert group> Task > Recurring task

49. • Task Name > Editorial staff meeting. Duration > type 1h.
• Recurrence pattern > Weekly is selected > Monday

50. The critical path:
◦ A series of tasks that will push out the project’s end
date if they’re delayed.
◦ It’s not the tasks that are most important.
◦ Not necessarily the tasks that have to get done well for
the project to be successful.
◦ It doesn’t have to do with who your best people are,
who you’ve got to have.
◦ It’s just a scheduling thing.
◦ Shortening the duration of the tasks on the critical path
is called “crashing.”

51. • The critical path will most likely change as your project
progresses, and as you make scheduling changes.
• After a task is complete, it’s no longer critical. It’s done
-- it can’t possibly delay the project any more (whew).
• All about slack
◦ Free slack, total slack
◦ Tasks that have no slack are critical

52. • Free slack – the amount of time a task can be delayed
before it delays another task
• Total slack - the amount of time a task can be delayed
before it delays the project
• Non-critical tasks have some slack
• One way to see the critical path is to switch to the Detail
Gantt view

53. • If all goes well, we should see a whole lot of critical
tasks, in red:

54. If all goes well, we should see a whole lot of critical tasks,
in red.
- View> Task > view > More views> Detail Gantt.

55.  Setting a manual duration for a summary task is a good
way to apply a top-down focus to a project plan.
 You can, for example, introduce some slack or buffer to
a phase of work by entering a manual duration for the
summary task that is longer than its calculated duration.

56. Exercise : Enter manual durations for some summary tasks.
 View > Data group > Outline > Outline Level 1.
• Project hides all subtasks and nested summary tasks, leaving only the top-level
tasks visible

57. • View tab, in the Zoom group, click Entire Project.
• the minus signs next to the summary task names changed to plus
signs

58. • Duration field > Editorial Task > 30d.
from automatic schedule to
manually scheduled

59. We’d like to allow a bit more time for the color prep and
printing.
Duration field > Color Prep Task > 50d.

60. To conclude this exercise, you’ll adjust the display settings
to see all subtasks.
• View tab > Data group > Outline > All Subtasks.

61. Exercise : inactivate a summary task and its subtasks.
 Task Design book’s companion website
 Task tab > Schedule group > Inactivate.

62. Thank you.
Questions?