Is it possible to reset only a part of the baseline date during the project ?

Gabrielle Lachance

Regarding the start date /end date baseline function, I'm wondering if it is possible to reset the baseline date just for a part of my planning. For example, if I plan my baseline at the start of my project for every task and I activated the baseline function, and in the realization phase, the baseline of only one task change, I can't just change the baseline of this specific line, I have to change the entire baseline... But if I do that in the middle of my project, I will lose the original baseline for every task that I plan in the beginning.

So, is there a solution to reset the baseline for only one task (line)?

Thank you!

Genevieve P.

Hi @Gabrielle Lachance

No, as you've found, currently the Baseline function is set at the beginning of the Project as a full group of tasks. You can re-set the Baseline, but then it will update to take on the current dates set for your past tasks (so if you had changed the dates, it will show the variance as 0 since now the dates match). See: Set Baselines on a Project Sheet

You would want to adjust the dates in your Actual date columns to be the original dates of your Baseline (and update this one task), re-set the Baseline, then adjust the Actual dates back to how you had them before to show the variance. If you've forgotten what the new Actual dates are, you can use the Cell History for each cell to see how the project had adjusted over time.

Let me know if that makes sense or if you'd like to see screen captures to help explain!

Cheers,

Genevieve

Genevieve P.

Hi @Gabrielle Lachance

I don't know if this is something that will be updated or changed in the future, however Baselines is a new feature, so I'm sure our Product team is looking to hear feedback and to learn how you're using it! Please submit your Enhancement Request through this form, here, and they'll review your suggestion.

Thanks,

Genevieve

Genevieve P.

Hi @Gabrielle Lachance

No, as you've found, currently the Baseline function is set at the beginning of the Project as a full group of tasks. You can re-set the Baseline, but then it will update to take on the current dates set for your past tasks (so if you had changed the dates, it will show the variance as 0 since now the dates match). See: Set Baselines on a Project Sheet

You would want to adjust the dates in your Actual date columns to be the original dates of your Baseline (and update this one task), re-set the Baseline, then adjust the Actual dates back to how you had them before to show the variance. If you've forgotten what the new Actual dates are, you can use the Cell History for each cell to see how the project had adjusted over time.

Let me know if that makes sense or if you'd like to see screen captures to help explain!

Cheers,

Genevieve

Gabrielle Lachance

Hi Genevieve,

That's what I thought, thanks for the quick answer! Is there a chance that this option will be developed soon?

Gabrielle

Genevieve P.

Hi @Gabrielle Lachance

I don't know if this is something that will be updated or changed in the future, however Baselines is a new feature, so I'm sure our Product team is looking to hear feedback and to learn how you're using it! Please submit your Enhancement Request through this form, here, and they'll review your suggestion.

Thanks,

Genevieve

Danielo

Indeed being able to select for which rows to reset the baseline would be very helpful. Thanks

Sachin O

Baselining of selective tasks is very crucial feature which is basic in most of the Project Management tools.

Do we know when will this be available here ?

DeannaK

Related to this: Tasks get added and need to be baselined. For timeline management adding tasks and showing their impact to the baseline is very important.

Salva Roca

Another one here interested in this feature, I recently submitted this Enhancement Request. In my case, I have to manually modify dates to show a realistic track on Project and task progress, in some cases it takes several hours to update everyting and check that everything is correct!

peña

Agree that this is must have. Or, give the power to the user to add a target date so that there is not reset concerns.

Target date will = baseline

End date will update as user completes task

AmyB

Another vote for baselining at row level. I often have the need to rebaseline only part of a project, or I've added rows to a project and want to add a baseline to those without resetting the baseline for the entire project.

eahills

Also very interested in having capability to modify baselines on a selective basis. Similar use case to others with adding line items or changing priorities for only a subset of items within a task list.

Gary Rainford

Another vote for baselining at the row level. I am responsible for 70 projects that might need this functionality at any time.

tlharp101

Another vote for baselining at row level. I have multiple tranches of widgets that are moving through the project at different times. Tranche 1 might be set, but tranche 2 is still being planned. I don't want to change the baseline for tranche 1 when we're ready to baseline tranche 2. Ideally, I could baseline a section (a parent and its children) separately from the overall baseline. I also consider this a fundamental feature of PM software. Without it, the baseline isn't of much use to us.

Veronica Velez

Another vote for this! Modifying the actuals to the original and then reseting the baseline and then updating the actuals again is just too much. Timelines are constantly changing, new actitivies being added and hierarchies updated, then we miss baselines or have very wrong ones.

dvearncombe

+1 vote on ability to re-baseline specific Tasks/Rows please.
We need this flexibility to ensure Smartsheets can be used to effectively manage complex programmes and the reporting/dashboards used Exec engagement.
This was available in MSP decades ago!