Greg from Omaha asks: In Microsoft Project 2007 the current activity reports all sound similar. What's the difference between these reports?

Answer: When I look through the names of the report titles, I can understand your confusion. These reports are actually the same report with a different filter applied to each one. The reports are also the same reports that have been in the system for years, so this information is applicable to Project 2007, 2003, and some of the older versions as well.

To get to the reports in Project 2007, click on: Report | Reports. In earlier versions, click on: View | Reports.

The resulting screen is shown in Figure 1. This is the Project 2007 version. Earlier versions will have the same content, but will be in black and white. Double-click on the Current Activities option and the result will be below.

Figure 1. The Reports screen in Project 2007.

Figure 2. The Current Activity reports.

Each of the reports in Figure 2 uses a specific table that may be changed or customized if necessary.

Report Name	Task Table Used	When To Use the Report
Unstarted tasks	Entry	List of all tasks that haven't started.
Tasks starting soon	Entry	List of tasks within a specific date range.
Tasks in progress	Entry	Tasks that have started but haven't been completed.
Completed tasks	Summary	List of tasks that have been completed.
Should have started tasks	Variance	As of an entered cutoff date, list of tasks that haven't started but were scheduled to start.
Slipping tasks	Variance	Project schedule should include a baseline when this report is used. Based on the baseline finish field, all tasks where the "finish" or planned finish is greater than the baseline finish.

The following filters are applied to the reports.

Report Name	Filter Applied	What It Means
Unstarted tasks	Unstarted tasks	Task with no value in the "Actual Start" field.
Tasks starting soon	Date rnge	You will be requested to enter start and end dates to establish the date range for the report.
Tasks in progress	In-progress tasks	Only tasks where there is a value in the "Actual Start" field and no value in the "Actual Finish" field will be printed.
Completed tasks	Completed tasks	Tasks must have 100% values in the "% complete" or "% Work Complete" fields. The row must also be a valid assignment row.
Should have started tasks	Should have started by	When this report is run, you'll be requested to enter a cut-off date. Using that date, any task where the "Start" date field is greater than the value and "Actual Start" has no value.
Slipping tasks	Slipping tasks	"Actual Finish" doesn't have a value, "Baseline Finish" doesn't have a value, and "Finish" is greater than "Baseline Finish."

To make changes to the reports, click on the report type | Edit. Any changes to these reports will be saved with the project. You can change the tables and the filter, add totals, add scheduling information, sort on any column in the task tables, print notes, and apply formatting.

To alter the columns in the tables, go to View | tables | more tables. Select the table you wish to change and click Edit. After the changes are completed, click OK.

Custom reports may be created by selecting the Custom option on Figure 1. Then select the report, copy it, and change the name. These reports may be copied through the Organizer and kept for future use with Tools | Organizer.

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With over 20 years of corporate training experience, Ellen Lehnert, PMP, MCT, MCITP, is a specialist in Microsoft Project and Microsoft Project Server. She contributes to many reference books and holds multiple Microsoft Project certifications. Ellen brings a unique combination of licensed teacher and programming background to the classes she teaches as well as process development, installations, and consulting. Contact her at ellen@lehnertcs.com or at LehnertCS.