Microsoft and Project Assistants – Partners in Delivering Portfolio and

Project Management Solutions

Gerald Leonard Gerald Leonard PMP, MCP, CQIA, ITILPMP, MCP, CQIA, ITILProject Assistants Project Assistants Project Management ConsultantProject Management Consultant

12/14/0612/14/06

‘‘Project Schedule Updating and Project Schedule Updating and Tracking Tips’Tracking Tips’

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Project Schedule updating and Project Schedule updating and tracking tipstracking tips

Agenda.Agenda.5 Levels of project tracking5 Levels of project tracking

Culture changes that lead to successful Culture changes that lead to successful trackingtracking

Project Schedule StatusingProject Schedule Statusing

Create a “Should have Finished by” filterCreate a “Should have Finished by” filter

Create a Duration Variance GroupCreate a Duration Variance Group

Create a Custom Variance TableCreate a Custom Variance Table

Create an updating combine viewCreate an updating combine view

Analysis your findingsAnalysis your findings

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5 Level of project tracking5 Level of project tracking

Level 0: No trackingLevel 0: No tracking

Level 1: Make it up % completeLevel 1: Make it up % complete

Level 2: Collect from team % completeLevel 2: Collect from team % complete

Level 3: Make it up (Weekly Actuals)Level 3: Make it up (Weekly Actuals)

Level 4: Collect from team (Weekly Actuals)Level 4: Collect from team (Weekly Actuals)

Updating Actual Start and Finish date and using % Updating Actual Start and Finish date and using % completecomplete

Level 5: Collect from team (Daily actual hours using Level 5: Collect from team (Daily actual hours using Physical % complete updating weekly)Physical % complete updating weekly)

EVMS tracking; this method will provide true tasks EVMS tracking; this method will provide true tasks progress. (i. e. SPI, CPI, TCPI calculations)progress. (i. e. SPI, CPI, TCPI calculations)

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How to create Culture changes that How to create Culture changes that lead to successful trackinglead to successful tracking

Obtain and Keep Senior Executive support.Obtain and Keep Senior Executive support.

Train your Project Managers through lunch and learn Train your Project Managers through lunch and learn sessions.sessions.

Develop a Center of Excellence and robust Develop a Center of Excellence and robust mentoring program.mentoring program.

If using Microsoft Project Server (EPM); create a If using Microsoft Project Server (EPM); create a “Last Update View” (Creates a since of “Last Update View” (Creates a since of accountability).accountability).

Drive Program and Project Stakeholders to view Drive Program and Project Stakeholders to view project data from your EPM environment by creating project data from your EPM environment by creating on line reports that answer their business questions.on line reports that answer their business questions.

Reporting needs to speak the language of Reporting needs to speak the language of businessbusiness

Have a documented procedure that will systemize Have a documented procedure that will systemize the updating process and provide consistent and the updating process and provide consistent and predictable results. (Think McDonalds).predictable results. (Think McDonalds).

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Project Schedule StatusingProject Schedule Statusing

All schedules should have predecessors and All schedules should have predecessors and successorssuccessors

All schedules must have an approved baselineAll schedules must have an approved baseline

Always update the project schedule status dateAlways update the project schedule status date

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Create a “Should have Finished by” Create a “Should have Finished by” filterfilter

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Create a Duration Variance GroupCreate a Duration Variance Group

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Create a Custom Variance TableCreate a Custom Variance Table

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Create an updating schedule combine Create an updating schedule combine view.view.

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Analyze your findingsAnalyze your findings

Verify that all tasks have been status as of your Verify that all tasks have been status as of your reporting period using the “Should have finish by” reporting period using the “Should have finish by” filter.filter.

Use the Duration Variance group to identify which Use the Duration Variance group to identify which tasks in your project have the greatest Duration tasks in your project have the greatest Duration Variance.Variance.

Use the customize variance table to identify which Use the customize variance table to identify which critical path items have been impacted by the critical path items have been impacted by the schedule updatesschedule updates

If duration variances violate your variance threshold If duration variances violate your variance threshold have the PM provide a documented schedule have the PM provide a documented schedule variance report with a contingence plan to manage variance report with a contingence plan to manage and adjust either the Scope, Cost or Schedule.and adjust either the Scope, Cost or Schedule.

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Demo and Q&ADemo and Q&A

Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers