The Task Auditor is produced by Corporate Project Solutions. Product Summary: This free app evaluates tasks in the schedule against a set of pre-defined best practice checks and assessments. Available for download. Capabilities: Users can preview the tests and descriptions that the Test Auditor uses to check projects Helps users check the quality of their project planning…

We frequently see dates being given or set before the project is planned out fully or before execution starts. Some dates are contractual in nature, or given to us by the sponsor or client. They may even be government regulatory dates. Either way, these types of dates should always be considered as ‘commitment’ dates for…

Do you capture the dates that you promised to your client using the Constraint Date feature (Finish-No-Later-Than, Must-Finish-On etc.) in Microsoft Project? We recommend you use the Deadline date feature instead because it keeps the forecasts in your schedule valid:  

Oh, there is a problem all right. And it starts with the fact that you have a boss, peer, or project team member who is in complete denial about the chaos all around them. If they do see any issues, well, those issues start with you. This is not meant to be spiteful. This is…

The following is an excerpt from Eric Uyttewaal’s new book, Forecast Scheduling with Microsoft Project 2010. The “Schedule” Most people understand the schedule as a list of deliverables and their due dates. To a professional scheduler that list of deliverables and their due dates is not the schedule, but the baseline schedule. The baseline schedule…

This article illustrates the value of using deadlines instead of constraints to make forecasting easier. Constraints make forecasting more difficult because they take flexibility away from a schedule. Deadlines don’t take flexibility away from a schedule. Whenever possible, I recommend that you use deadlines in Microsoft Project instead of constraints. The use of a Deadline…

Gail of Hoffman Estates, IL asks: I have dates that I just cant miss. What is the best way to plan for those dates and make sure that I’m on schedule to make my targets? Answer: I recommend that when you’re facing dates you cant miss, plan a project schedule from the ending date and…

A reader writes: My boss has said the project must be finished by 8 July. I’ve tried scheduling from the end date, but is there a better way? Answer: Probably! Scheduling from the end date can be set via Project | Project Information | Schedule from: | Project Finish Date. Note the words underneath: All…