Jacob,

For detail explanation of duration type, % complete type and correct updating of your program please follow this thread. I have a very detail explanation on each type including their synchronisation.
http://www.planningplanet.com/forum/forum_post.asp?fid=1&Cat=8&Top=31801

Also as I mentioned on my earlier post, always tick started or finished before changing the date. This technique will override any logic behind because it considers actuals or fixed.

You can used suspend only to those activities tick started or in progress. This normally used when activities was stop for a reason and resume after so many days. This will split your activity durations and decrease the amount of actual durations.

For example:
Some activities stop due to rain for 1 week. You don’t want to show an actual duration accumulate for 1 week with no work therefore you can suspend the work and resume after 1 week. All your resources assigned to this activities will be stop and resume and not spread through out the non working week.

Exp Finish is almost the same as constraining your activities forward or backward and it can be override if not attainable but unlike constrain it does not remove the float on your activities.

Progress override means all remaining duration of in progress activities will schedule from the data date or sit on data date ignoring the relationship.
Ex: An in progress activity having a not started or in progress predecessor with FS relationship, the remaining duration will sit on the data date ignoring the FS relationship.

Retain Logic means all remaining duration of in progress activities will schedule based on the relationship. Meaning if the predecessor is not started or in progress and the successor are also in progress having a FS relationship, the successors remaining duration will schedule after the finish date of the predecessor date.

Hope this answer your queries.

Regards,
Rodel

Jacob,

As I explained previously you won’t get correct WBS summary because your setup is different from what you’re trying to show. As you mention you have a mixture of duration and physical duration type. But because you are using Fixed Duration and Unit as % complete type therefore you can use units % complete as your basis of actual % complete and Schedule % Complete for comparison. Fixed Duration and Unit % complete type setup will synchronise your duration and units together. Your budget units are also the basis of your weightings and that gives you the clearer picture of the project status and % complete.

Regards,
Rodel

Jacob,

For item 1)
The reason why it’s giving you wrong total is because you’re using Performance % complete which is taken only those activities which set to Physical as % complete type. I highly recommend displaying the unit % complete column instead of Performance % complete and rename the column as Actual % complete. If you progress the actual hrs/ unit every update you should have a reasonable result and it is weighted based on your budget labor units.

Please let me know how you go so I can assist you further.

Regards,
Rodel

Jacob,

Can you explain more your query?
Item 1:
1)     Is the word “error” shown on your WBS sum/ total or the column width is not enough to show all the numbers?
2)     On your Activity setting what Duration type and % Complete type are you using?
Note: If you set your % complete type as Unit you can use unit % complete instead of Performance % complete and If set to duration then use duration % complete or if Physical, use Performance % complete.

Item 2:
The behaviour of start and finish date is base on your logic and setting of duration type so I need to know the setting you used in order to determine the cause of your problem. If you progress the activity you must tick the started box first before changing the actual date then adjust the finish date on the remaining duration box. If the activity is 100% complete you must tick the finished box first before changing the date to actual finish date. Some cause of your problem are as follows.
1)     Moving the finish date, lower or below than the predecessor date.
2)     If Finish date and actual date is the same, you need to display the time (Edit-> User Preferences-> Dates tab-> Time) Usually time are set to 12:00AM so when you set the early finish date the early start date maybe 08:00AM therefore Early finish date is earlier than early start date.
3)     You Data Date is greater than finish date.

Item 3:
If your project is resources loaded with budget cost and updated with actual cost you should be able to show your cash flow, forecast and S-Curve.
For S-Curve:
1) Select Tracking Icon or Enterprise-> Tracking.
2) Select Edit-> User preferences-> Resources Analysis tab
3) Tick Open project Only then close
4) Select View-> Hide Top Window
5) On the right side Display – Resources Analysis: Total Allocation Profile right click and select Profile Settings
6) On the data tab Tick Cost and tick Cumulative Budgeted and Actual
7) Remove tick on all by date
8) On the bottom left Display: Current Project’s Resources panel right click and select Filter by-> Current Project Resources
9) Right Click again and select Group and Sorted by-> Customise
10) Change the Group by: to Resources Type and Tick Show Summary Only and Tick Show Grand Totals then click OK
11) Select Total on bottom right current project resources panel
It should show your S-Curve Budget Cost and Actual Cost

If you are not happy on the result and having problem with filtering resources and organise resources using group and sort by: use the spreadsheet option below

For Spreadsheet cost allocation:
You can use resource Assignment module by showing Resource Usage Spreadsheet.
1)     Organise the grouping and sorting by pointing your mouse on the layout panel (left side of the monitor) and right click. Ex: Project and tick the show summary only
2)     Change the spreadsheet fields by pointing your mouse on right side of your monitor (spreadsheet panel) and right click and select Spreadsheet Fields-> customised.
3)     Select Time Interval-> Cost-> Budget Cost and Actual Cost. Then Select Cumulative-> Cost-> Cum Budget Cost and Cum Actual Cost. (Remove other field that you don’t require).
4)     Click Right Panel display and press “Ctrl A” to select all.
5)     Open Excel Program and press “Ctrl V” to paste you data into excel spreadsheet.
6)     Use this data and create S-Curve from this (I assumed that you are familiar in creating S-Curve in excel)

Hope this help. Please let me know how you go so I can assist you further.

Regards,
Rodel

For Item 2) the activity start may be constraint by the logic such as SS 10 days etc. To overcome his, use Progress Overide option during Project scheduling. In the schedule command choose options "Progres Overide" radio button.

For Item 1) Note that Scheduled % is picked from Baseline Plan Start Plan finish dates. So set Project Baseline First by assigning the appropriate baseline.

Regards,

rama