Task Management

Modified on Thu, 5 Jun at 4:02 PM

The task manager can be accessed from the WBS or the Gantt Chart. It can be opened by either right clicking on the task and selecting Full Task Details, by double clicking the task’s timeline or by selecting the task and clicking the icon on the toolbar.

Task functionality is grouped into sections.

Each section of the Full Task Details window has a Save button.

You must save the section before updating a different section, otherwise your changes will be lost.

Details

Key task attributes are set here. At the minimum, all tasks must have a name, a start date and an end date.

Task Name

All tasks must have a name. The task name can be anything you like and does not have to be unique.

Start Date Fixed

If this checkbox is ticked, the task will not be moved by the scheduling.

Start Date, Finish Date and Duration

Enter any two of these three values. For example, setting the start date to 1 January and a duration of 5, will set the end date to 5 January. The finish date must be on or after the start date.

Elapsed Duration

If this checkbox is ticked, the task will be scheduled ignoring non-working days in the calendar.

Priority

You can change the priority of a task from 1-10. The default is 5.

Phase

If phases have been configured for your Project Type, you can select the phase here.

Status

You can set the status of your task here. The default is 'Not Started'.

Setting a value between 1 and 99 will set the status to 'Started' and setting the % complete to 100% will set the status to Complete.

If you change the status of a task to 'Complete', the percentage complete will automatically update to 100%.

Note: If you have set the status to 'Complete' you cannot change the % complete to less than 100%. You must first change the status to a different status and then change the percentage complete.

Percentage Complete

You keep track of a task’s progress by updating its percentage complete.

The percentage 'rolls up' to parent tasks, the project and ultimately the programme.

When you update the percentage complete, the task bar in the Gantt is shaded accordingly.

Constraints

A constraint is a restriction set on the start or finish date of a task. Constraints can be flexible (not tied to a specific date) or inflexible (tied to a specific date).

You can specify that a task must start on, or finish no earlier or later than, a particular date.

The Gantt supports all of the common constraint types.

ASAP As Soon As Possible
ALAP As Late As Possible
FNET Finish No Earlier Than
FNLT Finish No Later Than
MFO Must Finish On
MSO Must Start On
SNET Start No Earlier Than
SNLT Start No Later Than

Note: The default is As Soon As Possible.

Common Constraint Types

As Soon As Possible (ASAP) (Flexible)

With this constraint, Project schedules the task as early as it can, given other scheduling parameters. No additional date restrictions are put on the task. This is the default constraint for newly created tasks in projects scheduled from the start date.

Step 1: Create Two Tasks

Step 2: Link the Two Tasks while both have the ASAP constraint

Step 3: The start of the second task will be pushed out till after the end of the first

Step 4: Extend the Duration of Task 1 Using the “Drag” Function

Step 5: The start date of Task 2 will be pushed out

Must Start On (MSO) (Inflexible)

This constraint indicates the exact date on which a task must be scheduled to begin. Other scheduling parameters such as task dependencies lead or lag time, resource levelling and delay, can't affect scheduling the task unless this requirement is met.

Step 1: Create Two Tasks with Different Date ranges. Have Task A with a longer duration than Task B

Step 2: On Task B define the start date by typing in a date before the end of Task A

Step 3: On Task B define the constraint as Must Start On

Step 4: Link tasks One and Two together

Step 5: There should be no change in the start date of Task B due to the fact that you have defined the Constraint as MSO

Step 6: Note that you can extend the length of the predecessor task (i.e Task A) with no impact on Task B

Must Finish On (MFO) (Inflexible)

This constraint indicates the exact date on which a task must be scheduled to be completed. Other scheduling parameters such as task dependencies lead or lag time, resource levelling, and delay can't affect scheduling the task unless this requirement is met.

Step 1: Create Two Tasks with equal durations. Task B should have a start date after the start date of Task A

Step 2: Link the Two tasks together

Step 3: On Task B define the Must Finish on Constraint

Step 4: Extend the duration of Task A

Step 5: Note that there is no change to the end date of task two after the link has taken place.

Note: If you wish to remove an unwanted constraint, select As Soon As Possible (ASAP).

Predecessors

Cora PPM allows the user to create different types of links between tasks in the Gantt chart.

Click ADD

The most common type of link is a Finish to Start (FS) link.

Cora PPM supports all the common predecessors.

FS Finish-to-Start
SS Start-to-Start
FF Finish-to-Finish
SF Start-to-Finish

Elapsed time is used when the lag duration includes non-working days.

Set the predecessor to make the start date of a task dependent on the end date of one or more tasks.

You can also do this by dragging one task onto another in the Gantt.

The predecessors of a particular task can be viewed in the predecessor column and can also be edited and changed there.

Inter Project Predecessors

Adding a New Link

In addition to being able to create links between tasks in the same project, this feature allows you to create links between projects and the tasks within different projects. Changes to the dates in one project can be set to automatically reschedule the tasks in a different project.

Select the project you wish to link to and click Select Project

Click to delete the existing predecessor.
Click Add to open the Add Predecessor window.

In the task dropdown select the task or choose LINK DIRECT TO PROJECT to link from the task to the whole project
Select the type of link
If there is to be a gap between the start/end of the task you are linking from and the start/end of the task you are linking to, enter the number of days in the lag field
If you check Elapsed, the lag will be set in actual days. If you leave it unchecked, the lag will be set in working days
Click Add

If you would like to choose a different project, click Re-Select Project.

Creating Links in the Gantt

The easiest way to create Inter-Project Predecessors is to use drag-and-drop from within the Gantt.

To create a link:

Open the Gantt for the programme that contains the projects you want to create links between
Expand the tasks for the two projects by clicking the arrow next to the project name
Click on the task or project you want to link from
Hold down the left mouse button and drag the cursor to the project or task you want to link to
Release the left mouse button

A link will be created between the projects. If rescheduling of tasks is enabled in the project you linked to, the tasks in that project will be adjusted to reflect the new predecessor.

Editing an Existing Link

You can edit an existing link by right clinking on the link between the tasks/projects.

Click SAVE to confirm your changes or DELETE to remove the link.

Types of Links

Project to Task

Project 3 Complex is linked to Project Closing in Project 2 – Simple.

If the end date of Project 3 Complex changes, the start date of Project Closing will change.

Task to Project

Project Closing in Project 2 - Simple is linked to Project 3 – Complex.

If the end date of Project Closing changes, the start date of Project 3 – Complex will change.

Project to Project

Project 2 - Simple is linked to Project 3 - Complex.

If the end date of Project 2 - Simple changes, the start date of Project 3 - Complex will change.

Task to Task

Project Closing in Project 2 – Simple is linked to Complete Project Idea in Project 3 Complex.

If the end date of Project Closing changes, the start date of Complete Project Idea will change.

In both the Gantt and the Work Breakdown Structure, the tasks are colour-coded. However, the colours indicate different things depending on whether you are viewing Colour by Slack or Colour by Status.

Documents

Right click on your desired project or task and navigate to Documents within Full Task Details.

The following pane will open. You can add documents to a task here.

Adding a Document

Click Add Document to upload a document from the file system
Drag and drop the file to be attached or click Select File
Or provide a link to the document and provide a name for it
Click Save

Once a document has been attached to a task, the icon will appear in the Info column alongside the task on the Gantt and on the task in the WBS to identify a document has been attached.

Deleting a Document

Click the icon if you wish to delete the attached document.

Exporting a Document

Click Export to export the document to your computer.

The exported document will be downloaded to your computer.

Notes

You can add text updates relating to each task in the Notes panel.

Click on the dropdown to open the notes pane, where you can edit or add changes to the existing note.

Click Update.

Once a note has been attached to a task, a icon will appear in the Info column alongside the task on the Gantt and on the task in the WBS to identify a note has been attached. The note can then be easily viewed by activating tooltips and hovering over the icon.

Skills

Adding Skills to a task is the first step in Resource Management.

Adding Skills to a task is the first step in Resource Management. Once the skills have been set up by the Administrator, you may assign them.

To add a skill:

Click Add
Pick a skill from the drop-down menu
Choose how the effort is to be measured
Set the effort required
Set the Account Code
Click Add

You can remove a skill by clicking on the icon beside it.

Once a Skill(s) has been attached to a task, a icon will appear in the Info column alongside the task on the Gantt and on the task in the WBS to identify a Skill has been allocated.

Milestone Deliverable

A milestone typically marks the end of the phase/stage of a project and is a task of particular significance in the overall project delivery.

To add a milestone:

Click the drop down, to open the following pane:

Check the box “Has a Milestone Deliverable”.
Select the “Deliverable” from the drop-down list
Check the “At Risk” checkbox to set the milestone status to at risk.
Check the “Key Milestone” checkbox, if the milestone deliverable is a key milestone.
Enter the financial details: Cost, Payment Terms, Amount Paid.
Enter the details into the “Detail” box.
Click SAVE

Once a Milestone has been attached to a task, a icon will appear in the Info column alongside the task on the Gantt and on the task in the WBS, clearly identifying the task is a Milestone task.

The milestone will then appear on the milestone widget on the project dashboard and the programme dashboard. Check out The Project Dashboard for more on this widget.

The milestone can also be viewed and reported on in the milestone Gantt at project, programme, and portfolio levels.

Planned Resources

Once you know resources are needed for a particular task, you can add them as planned resources.

Click the drop down, to open the following pane:

Filtering Users, Facilities and Materials

Using the dropdown in the top-right, you can navigate your view between users, facilities and materials.

Adding a User

Select what skill is required and/or
Select a user or multiple users from the drop-down

Click the icon to check the selected user’s capacity

Set the Effort required. Use the drop-down options to select: Day(s), Hour(s) or % effort.

Click Add

Once a Planned Resource(s) has been added, it will in the tool tip when you hover on the task on the Gantt and on the task in the WBS to identify a Planned Resource(s) has been allocated.

Adding a Facility

Select “Facilities” from the dropdown list in the Planned Resources pane:

Select the necessary facility from the dropdown
Set the duration
Click Add

Adding a Material

Select Materials from the dropdown list in the Planned Resources pane:

Enter the material description
Input the cost of the material
Input how much is being charged in the charge out cost
Costs can be grouped together by selecting an account code

Click ADD

The planned cost can be viewed under the corresponding column heading in the Gantt.

Editing a User/Facility/Material

Select either Users, Facilities or Materials from the dropdown list in the Planned Resources pane.

Click the hyperlink of the user/facility/material to open the modify pane.

In this example we are modifying the user (dguckian).

Make the necessary adjustments
Click Update

Deleting a User/Facility/Material

Select either Users, Facilities or Materials from the dropdown list in the Planned Resources pane.

In this example we are deleting the user (dguckian).

Click the bin icon to delete a user/facility/material.

The following confirmation pane will open:

Click DELETE to confirm the deletion.

Actual Resources

When users record their time against the task in their Time Sheet, that effort is automatically recorded against the task.

Click the drop down, to open the following pane:

The type, resource, date, hours and cost can be viewed here.

The actual resource, actual effort, actual charge out cost and actual cost can be viewed under the corresponding column headings in the Gantt.

Approval

If a task is marked as requiring approval, it cannot be marked as complete unless approved.

Click the drop down, to open the following pane:

Check the “Task Requires Approval” check-box

The following pane will open:

Select the approver
You can use the search function to find users
Use the chevron or double-click the approver into the selection box. You can select multiple approvers.
Click SAVE

Once an approver has been assigned to a task, a flag icon will appear in the Info column alongside the task on the Gantt and on the task in the WBS to identify an approver has been assigned.