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Plan Project Based on Days not Dates

Anonymous
2019-05-22T20:31:58+00:00

I have a project that I need to map out that has an indefinite start date.  Thus, I want to say it starts on day 0 and ends on day 360.  I have changed the timeline to show days and months (month 1, month 2, with day 1, day 2 underneath it), but cannot figure out how to setup the task form based on days (i.e., task 1 starts on day 0, task 2 starts on day 30).

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-05-23T05:22:34+00:00

    If you have a start milestone, ie with zero duration, (line 1 is a good place for it) then that is the predecessor of this task you mention. If Task A cannot start earlier than 24 days after the start milestone then the predecessor is "1FS+24 days". These are working days. If you want calendar days then it is "1FS+24 edays".

    Aim to have every task having at least one FS predecessor and at least one FS successor, and no tasks pinned in place by a date constraint.

    There is no such thing as an "independent" task.

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  1. Dale Howard [MVP] 29,860 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2019-05-22T20:46:06+00:00

    JenrG --

    The best you can do is the following with Microsoft Project:

    1. Click Project > Project Information.
    2. In the Project Information dialog, you MUST enter a Start Date value and then click the OK button.  Microsoft Project cannot create a schedule without a Start date.
    3. Double-click the Timescale bar at the top of the Gantt Chart pane.
    4. On the Middle Tier page of the Timescale dialog, set the Units value to Months, and set the Label value to Month 1, Month 2, ... (from Start).
    5. On the Bottom Tier page of the dialog, set the Units value to Days, and set the Label value to Day 1, Day 2, ... (from Start).
    6. Click the OK button.
    7. Click View > Tables > More Tables.
    8. Leave the Entry table selected and then click the Edit button.
    9. Click the Data Format pick list and change the W4/4 format.
    10. Click the OK button and then click the Apply button.

    Above the best Microsoft Project can do for handling an "undated" project schedule.  Hope this helps.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-05-22T21:10:04+00:00

    I have certain tasks that cannot start until another finishes, and I have those set correctly.  However, some tasks are independent and only start x amount of days after the start date.

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  3. Dale Howard [MVP] 29,860 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2019-05-22T21:02:38+00:00

    JenrG --

    You should not be entering Start dates for tasks.  Instead, you should be setting task dependencies between each of the tasks and letting Microsoft Project calculate the Start and Finish date of each task for you.  Hope this helps.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-05-22T20:56:43+00:00

    Dale,

    Thanks.  I think I'm asking the wrong question.  Basically if I need a task to start on day 30, how do I tell it to start that day, instead of having to assume day 30 is June 22nd?

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