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Can i make my Project plan on days only and not actual dates?

2 replies [Last post]
Timothy Reducha
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Joined: 3 Nov 2015
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Good day everyone!

 

I have, what i hope, is a simple problem. I constantl create plans for construction projects, that might not start on the predicted day i would like it to start on.

I assume, that if i plan in automatic mode, i should only have to change the start dated, and automatic mode will automatically change all the dates. 

 

But..sometimes i would just like to make my construction plans on numbered days only and not actual calender days. If my project is planned for 120 days, i would like to have the option to view it in days 1,2,3....118, 119, 120

 

Are these things possible?? 

 

Thank you!!

Replies

Tom Boyle
User offline. Last seen 3 days 15 hours ago. Offline
Joined: 28 Nov 2006
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You could easily get ordinal days into a table view using custom number fields - no vba required.

On the Timescale, just adjust the bottom tier to show Days (From Start).

Keep in mind that, even if you are showing ordinal dates, all schedule calculations use real dates/times and real calendars - i.e. workdays, working weeks/weekends, and holidays included.

Good luck, tom

Philip Day
User offline. Last seen 1 year 33 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 25 Jul 2016
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Hi Timothy,

 

1. If I change the start date of my first task, in Automatic Mode, will it change all others that follow?

1. A - In Short, Yes. So long as all of the tasks are Linked, then everything will move based on their predecessor. However, if you have any other tasks, also due to start at the start of the project, which are not linked as a Start-to-Start for example, then you will have to manually edit these entries too.

A quite way around this would be to create a Project start Milestone, to which all initial tasks will be linked Finish-to-Start. This Milestone will drive the rest of the project.

You may not actually need to keep moving the date. You could set the start date of the project to some time in the future, and then bring it back towards Today as and when the project is actually going to get going.

 

2. Can I renumber my project Gantt chart and Start / Finish columns to show day numbers, as opposed to dates?

2. A - As far as I'm aware, the short answer to this is "No". 

Long Answer - Are you familiar with VBA? I'm pretty entry level on this area, however I'm certain that you 'could' write a macro which:

Creates two custom columns, "Start Day Num" and "Finish Day Num"

For all tasks in ActiveProject

Count difference between ActiveProject.ProjectStart and Task.Start date.

"Start Day Num" = Result

Count Difference between ActiveProject.ProjectStart and Task.Finish date.

"Finish Day Num" = Result

Next t

Hide Column "Start"

Hide Column "Finish"

End

 

Something like the psudo code above would fudge the effect in the table, but not in the Gantt Chart.

 

Any help?

 

Phil