Track milestones in projects by Completion date(due date) and labor allocation estimated
We have many concurrent flowing projects with the completion date being the only important date for each. Under each project, 5-6 major areas with 50-100 sub-tasks(concurrent mostly). Having to enter dates for each is not useful. Because moving one project, affects every other project worksheet dates. So that could entail 1000+ date adjustments based on smart sheet templates under evaluation. I cannot seem to find a function that one can use "end date" then linking each major area timeline allocation labor (ie. 5-weeks, 2 person) to project a start date for the major area. Ignoring the sub-task column dates completely as they are only uses as a running task list.
Answers
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As far as I'm aware, you can use the Predecessor column to set start dates automatically, then set the Duration column to a static value and it should calculate your end dates automatically without having to worry about making all of the subsequent edits. Setting the predecessor at the parent level should edit the dates of all related child tasks if you do it like this, which would save you all of the time of going in and making those individual edits.
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For my application we only need enter the "end date" to calculate the "start date".
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Start date + duration = End Date.
If you enter Task 1 as starting today with a duration of 5, it will have an end date 1 week from today.
If you enter Task 2 as having Task 1 as a predecessor, and give it a duration of 1 week, the task will end 2 weeks from today.
If you change the end date of task 1 by another day, its duration will increase by 1 day. If you change the duration of the task to 6d, the task will end 1 week and 1 day from now.
Whichever method you choose, the start date of task 2 will increase by 1 day and the end date will do the same.
Do you need more information? -
End Date - duration = Start Date - This is the equation I am tring to solve for.
The delivery(end date) date is fixed. When moving jobs around or active projects in the execution phase.
Project 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …
Project 1-
Phase A Start Date X (4 labor week), (A sub task list) - Complete to phase B
Phase B Start Date Y (10 labor weeks), (B sub task list) - Complete to phase C
Phase C Start Date Z (3 labor weeks), (C sub task list) - Complete to Delivery
Delivery -6/20/25(end date)
Project 2,…
Project 3,…
