Change Start Dates from a Template

Brian J.

If I have a 30 Day project Template saved and it's start date is 1/1/17, is there a way to easily change the start date on new sheets I create?

 

Essentially, I would like to create a new sheet that would start on, for example, 3/3/17.  Everything from the template would be moved over exactly, except the first item would now be 3/3 instead of 1/1.  And each item would have an adjusted date as well.

 

How do you guys handle new dates when creating from templates?

 

I know there is no way for me to go through and adjust each date down the list manually.  That can't be.

 

Thanks in advance,

Brian

JamesR

Brian,

 

The best way is to use predecessors correctly.

 

If all your tasks are set up with predecessors using Lags and Leads eminating from the Start date then when you create the new sheet just change the Start date and all other dates will re-calculate.

 

In a true project all tasks should be connected, this allows you to have a dynamic freeflowing project Model?Plan that changes to reflect the stat of the project at any time and to forcast any issues well in advance.

 

Alternativly create a predecessor for eact task back to the Startdate so that when you enter he new start date it will auto adjust all tsk start dates.  This however does not achieve the dynamic model/plan I mention above.

Brian J.

Thank you for the Help James.  We normally don't use Predecessors too often, but it looks like I'll start using them again, just to control this one aspect.

 

After enabling Predecessors and then assigning them, it does work as described.

cbressler

A little confused by this answer. Predecessors will change the dates of the sheet. The issue is, the "start date" is when the project technically starts so changing the predecessor only pushes out the project making it appear that the project is being worked on for a longer period of time than it really is.

 

Really, the answer is, there is no way to change the actual start date. The only way to "push out" a schedule is by using predecessors. If there is an actual way to change the start date of a project, please provide the specific steps. As of right now, I cannot find how to do this and based on your response to the previous person, doesn't seem like this capability exists as it does in MS Project, correct?

Thank you.

J. Craig Williams

cbressler,

I am confused by your confusion.

If all tasks are linked in the schedule (using Predecessors), then somewhere there are one or more tasks that are defined as "first". It could be one task or several that start at the same time. 

Changing the date for this one task (or several) will shift the whole schedule as intended.

And then you can start the project.

Alternatively, you could have a single task that is "Management Approval to Start" with a start date. All "first" tasks have this task as their Predecessors.

Why do you think the project will appear to take longer than it that? Changing the Start Date of a task will shift the End Date based on its Duration. All Successors will shift as well.

Craig