Hi,
I have these tasks:
dates are correct and must not be changed.
Case 1: predecessors at leaf task level
Now I want to add predecessors. Task 119 can only start when task 115 is completed.
so I add 115 but Smartsheet has automatically changed task 119 dates:
This is wrong. it should not change 119's Start Date automatically.
Smartsheet should:
- Stop assuming that FS means the next task (119) has to start the next business day! (it can be the same day or 1 month later, think of holidays)
- OR Automatically add the Lag to match my dates.
- Warn me before changing task 119 Start Date (you do warn me if I change the date and Smartsheet then remove the predecessor task number)
- OR add a predecessor Type called FS "neutral" where the date is not changed (of course task 119 could not start before task 115)
At the moment, my only choice was to set the Lag manually. But that's not a great experience neither: I have to calculate the number of working days between the 2 dates so you end up best-guessing the Lag until task 119 Start Date is back to 01.03.21. (or rely on Excel where you manually enter the 2 dates and a formula calculates the Lag in working days...).
Case 2: predecessors at parent task level
This is when I want to have a more "aggregated" approach to dependencies.
example:
Group task 118 can only be completed when group task 114 is completed.
I set task 114 as predecessor of task 118 and all dates (Start, close) of all sub tasks are ruined:
There is nothing to do to save this.
Lag is not functional, any value I put is just ignored.
Case 3: multiple dependent tasks on the same day
I wish duration could also be done in hours (or at least in fraction of days e.g. 0.25 ; 0.5). This would allow 2 tasks (one being the predecessor of the other) to be planned on the same day and not over 2 business days. At least there is a workaround that works here: force a duration of 0.
Case 4: undo changes not working after auto-save
This can be anxiety inducing:
when adjusting the Lag or the type of predecessors, many dates (could be hundreds) are changed across the plan. Many times, I just want to rollback my changes, sometimes rollback multiples changes.
Easy: I just click the undo button as many times as I need and all the dates are back to where they were. but if the "auto-save" kicks in, then the undo button is disabled and I can forget what I've done before. This auto save is so scary that I have to make screenshots of my plan before I endeavour several big changes. This allows me to have a reference point if case I have to manually rollback my plan, which could take a significant amount of time.
Would it be reasonable to ask for an improvement that smartsheet should warn + offer an option to auto-calculate the Lag if the current dates need to be changed? In project management, the dates are often set in stone and therefore should not be changed automatically. The Lag should.
Maybe even introduce the concept of "locking" the date, which would then tell Smartsheet to adjust the lag automatically. so user have 2 options:
- I lock the task dates and adding predecessors should auto-calculate the lag
- I don't lock these dates and adding predecessors can update the date (and therefore not add any lag, which is the current behaviour)
