Dynamic date filter in Resource Usage View.

Question

Greetings!

I am trying to define a custom filter with following condition in 'Resource' Usage view:

1. Display Not Completed tasks (i.e. %Work Complete < 100%)

AND

2. Start < [Today + 15 days] OR Basline Start < [Today + 15 days]

I first defined custom date fields to capture (Today + 15 days). Then added a Custom filter with above formula in the Resource view..

Results: unfortunately, this showed me tasks with Start and Baseline start date 3 months out..

Can anyone suggest a better way of getting this so that correct data is displayed. Option to avoid customization would also help, if possible to define.

Thank you in advance,

Answer 1

stct80,

A few questions. Which version of Project are you using? What fields exactly did you customize and what is the exact formula you used ("Today" is not recognized in formulas, Current Date and Now are both okay but not Today)?

A technical nit but there are no tasks in the Resource Usage view, only resources and assignments.

I set up a sample file in Project 2010. I used the following formula in extra field Start1. (Note: in Project 2010 formulas in extra date fields (e.g. Date1) are inconsistent)

Start1=Now()+15

Then I created the custom filter below:

And/Or      Field Name                           Test                                     Value

                 % Work Complete              is less than                            100

And

                Start                                    is less than                             [Start1]

Or            Baseline Start                     is less than                             [Start1}

When applied to my sample file, the filter selected two uncompleted assignments, one whose start date was within 15 days of today and the other whose baseline start date was within 15 days of today - exactly what you want, I think

John

Answer 2

stct80,

Go ahead and send your file to the address below. I assume is is smaller than 10M zipped. If not, my mail server won't accept it. Also be sure to include a detail explanation of what you are trying to do (i.e. your end goal). I will ask some questions.

John

jensenljatatfastmaildotdotfm

(remove obvious redundancies)

Answer 3

John,

First, thanks for pointining to the mvps site. Information was useful. I tried combining this with your latest formula. Unfortunately, somehow the date filter is not working in Resource Usage view.. I can send you a 2007 version msp file, if u can share your email id. Dont think, I can attach the project file in this forum reply.

Pls advise..

Answer 4

stct80,

Don't quite understand your first sentence, "I did not use custom field, instead used extra date field...". The extra fields are the ONLY fields that can be customized, so I'm curious as to which field you were using originally.

Project 2007 and earlier works a little different from Project 2010 with regard to custom field formulas in the Resource Usage view. With Project 2007 a formula will only populate data on the resource rows, not on assignment rows. Project 2010 expands the capability by providing an option to also populate assignment rows. My guess is that's why it's not quite doing what you want.

As an aside. I should have given you a slightly different formula to customize the field. The Now function gives the date and time which is probably not what you want. If you instead use the following, I think it will be closer to what you want, if you ignore the fact that Project 2007 doesn't populate the assignment rows.

Start1=[current date]+15

You might want to go to the MVP website at, http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm, and take a look at FAQ 51 - Data types, task resource and assignment. (Note: I'm quoting the FAQ number and title by memory since the website is currently unavailable as I write this).

John

Answer 5

Thank you John!

I am on Project 2007.

I corrected the formula with Now()+15 and then configured a custom filter per your note. (I did not use Custom field, instead used extra date field 'Start1', per your advise.)

Unfortunately, Start1 field shows 'NA' (no date) with this formula and  filter did not show the required data. I think, I might have made some mistake in configuration, or is it due to 2007 project version..

Pls advise,

Thanks in advance..