Dan has attended:
Project Intro Intermediate course
Task scheduling
I have a task that only runs on a specific day. How do I schedule that?
For example A chemical reaction takes 4 days, no longer.
I start the reaction on a Monday, Tuesday or Friday (A Wednesday start would mean a Saturday finish and a Thursday start would mean a Sunday finish, I don't work on the weekend).
If I link them normally and run 30 reactions back to back then I'll start on a Monday (which would finish Thursday) and the next would start on Thursday which I can't do so I need it to re-schedule for the Friday.
If there is a delay in one of the tasks and a reaction slips by a day I need it to reschedule to the next available day (Monday, Tuesday or Friday).
I found a way to do it running a Macro but it is annoying tha I have to run the macro after every change.
Is there a way to do this?
RE: Task scheduling
Hi Dan
Thank you for your question.
I think a macro is probably the best answer as the rule that controls when a task falls must change depending on where the task lands in the week.
If I understand the patterns correctly if the test is scheduled to start on Monday, Tuesday or Friday the test can proceed. If it's scheduled to start on Wednesday or Thursday then move the test forward to Friday. If it is scheduled to start on a Saturday or Sunday move it forward to Monday.
Standard Project features won't help as they remain the same regardless of the day on which they fall. So a calendar that marks Wednesday as non-working (don't start on this day) will interrupt tasks that start on Monday or Tuesday.
Let me know if I've missed anything. I'll have a further think about the example you gave and see if I can come up with anything else.
Kind regards,
Andrew
Kind regards,
Andrew
RE: Task scheduling
Hi Dan
If you can send through a short sample I will be happy to take a look however I think VBA will be the answer to this. You can forward it to andrew@stl-training.co.uk and mark it for the attention of Andrew
Kind regards,
Andrew
RE: Task scheduling
Hi Dan
I wanted to check to see if you found a work around for your question on scheduling chemical reactions or was VBA the answer in the end?
Let me know if you have any further questions
Kind regards,
Andrew
RE: Task scheduling
Hi Andrew,
Sorry I didn't reply earlier.
I used a mixture of VBA and some new Calendar Working Times.
Basically I have another task ("sterilisation") which can only happen on a Wednesday. If I miss the window I have to wait another week. If I make the window I have the product gets sterilised and is returned to me the following Wednesday.
I create a Sterilistation calendar where the only working time is Wednesday 9-5. I set the duration to a day apply the calendar to this 1 task. If something slips then it'll push the task onto the following Wednesday.
What is the best way to do this? The VBA way I have to remember to run the macro everytime, the Calendar way doesn't report the correct duration, i.e. it's set to a day when its actually a week!?
Dan
RE: Task scheduling
Hi Dan
An alternative may be to get your macro to run automatically when the file opens. I found an article that may point you in the right direction. Let me know if it helps.
http://www.eggheadcafe.com/forumarchives/projectdeveloper/Jul2005/post23368309.asp
Kind regards,
Andrew
