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I'm sure this is a standard 'RTM' question; I'm new to OP.

I created a task group (1.3.1.2.13) and three tasks within it. They're not connected to anything. I initially assigned a resource to them (me), but removed that and it makes no difference with the issue (see next). They don't show any dependencies in the Gantt chart.

1) Why is their start date set to the project's start date, Sep. 6 (which is in the past), and how can I have new tasks not have a past start date set?

Help: "By default, new tasks are scheduled as early as constraints allow. This means the task is placed at the very earliest time possible, taking into consideration start and end constraints, and dependencies on other tasks. Resource availability is not taken into consideration, so resources may end up overutilized."

2) Why is the reset button not available for use on these tasks?

Thanks

Bob
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Quote:
Originally Posted by omnibob View Post
I'm sure this is a standard 'RTM' question; I'm new to OP.

I created a task group (1.3.1.2.13) and three tasks within it. They're not connected to anything. I initially assigned a resource to them (me), but removed that and it makes no difference with the issue (see next). They don't show any dependencies in the Gantt chart.

Help: "By default, new tasks are scheduled as early as constraints allow. This means the task is placed at the very earliest time possible, taking into consideration start and end constraints, and dependencies on other tasks. Resource availability is not taken into consideration, so resources may end up overutilized."
This paragraph is the key to everything here. Those new tasks you added which don't have any resource assignments or dependencies could have started immediately at T=0, so that's when OmniPlan schedules them. The only reason they would be scheduled at some other time is if they had prerequisite dependencies from some other task, or one or more of the assigned resources couldn't be allocated to the task at T=0. When you start constructing a plan, just typing in task after task, the Gantt chart shows all of the bars mashed up against the left edge of the chart, because you haven't entered any data to tell it that all those tasks couldn't be accomplished simultaneously. Once you assign resources, dependencies, constraints and possibly explicit start dates, the Gantt chart starts looking a little more like you might expect.

Quote:
1) Why is their start date set to the project's start date, Sep. 6 (which is in the past), and how can I have new tasks not have a past start date set?
I think I've seen requests in the past that there be an option to tell OP not to schedule newly entered tasks prior to the present time; as always, use Help->Send Feedback to get your vote in. But remember, those tasks it is scheduling in the past are tasks for which you haven't yet specified the relationship to the plan, or it wouldn't be possible to schedule them in the past.

If you use the Reschedule button, it should move your new tasks out to future start dates of your choosing, though it will assign them an explicit start date, which may not be what you want. If you make those tasks have dependencies on previous tasks (for example, a finish->start dependency will keep the new task from starting until the prerequisite has finished), you won't have to do anything special. Or, assign them to a new resource not previously available.

Quote:
2) Why is the reset button not available for use on these tasks?
The reset button you are looking at is for resetting the scheduling policy for those tasks back to the default of "As early as possible", which is where it is now, so the button is grayed out. If you had set the task to have a specific start date/time by dragging the bar on the Gantt chart, for example, the policy would change to "On specific date" and OP would schedule the task to start at that point regardless of whether or not the resource(s) were available. With "As early as possible", OP schedules it for the earliest time at which all the requested resources are available, constraints are met, prerequisites completed, etc.

It took me a while to wrap my head around parts of OmniPlan; don't get discouraged if something doesn't make sense the first time around. Be sure to watch the video tutorials on the product page if you haven't done so.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by whpalmer4 View Post
Those new tasks you added which don't have any resource assignments or dependencies could have started immediately at T=0, so that's when OmniPlan schedules them.
OK, but I initially assigned them a resource (me) and they still were set to T=0. However your subsequent text I think sheds more light on the situation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by whpalmer4 View Post
I think I've seen requests in the past that there be an option to tell OP not to schedule newly entered tasks prior to the present time; as always, use Help->Send Feedback to get your vote in.
Will do. I would ideally like to enter tasks without fixed dates, and have them set to start in the present, and then auto move forward in the Gantt chart as each day passes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by whpalmer4 View Post
But remember, those tasks it is scheduling in the past are tasks for which you haven't yet specified the relationship to the plan [Bob's emphasis], or it wouldn't be possible to schedule them in the past.
I think that is key to understanding how it works. I'm probably thinking more in a GTD/OmniFocus way, where any task/action I enter should be available to me now, assuming I don't place any restrictions on it directly, or indirectly.

Quote:
Originally Posted by whpalmer4 View Post
Or, assign them to a new resource not previously available.
Sorry, I don't understand. When I enter a new task, it automatically gets the project's start date, even if I assign a resource. Do you mean I should create some dummy resource? (I don't think that's what you mean, I just don't understand.)

Here's my real world scenario (apologies for changing gears here a bit):

I have a bunch of things I can do on the project right now. I just learned I need to get a part at the hardware store, and this is something I should do today, before anything else. I enter the task. I set it's finish to be a pre-req to the start of another task. I manually change the start date to today. I set it's priority to highest, yet another task (with a "0" priority) shows up as first in the critical path.

Quote:
Originally Posted by whpalmer4 View Post
Be sure to watch the video tutorials on the product page if you haven't done so.
I'll do that; sounds like "a plan" ;). I did do the self (computer) tutorial from the help system.

Thank you so much for helping me out today, very good info.

Bob

Last edited by omnibob; 2009-09-27 at 12:24 PM..
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by omnibob View Post
OK, but I initially assigned them a resource (me) and they still were set to T=0. However your subsequent text I think sheds more light on the situation.
If you didn't do a Level command, they would still show up like that. The Level command schedules tasks to optimize the project, including making sure you don't try to schedule a resource (you, in this case) for more than 100% utilization. If it can't find a solution, it will throw up a violation notice and suggest ways that you can alter the plan to address the conflict.

Quote:
Will do. I would ideally like to enter tasks without fixed dates, and have them set to start in the present, and then auto move forward in the Gantt chart as each day passes.
That's a bit more in the OF style than the OP style, as you suggest. Some might argue it isn't really planning or management :-) It does appear that running the Reschedule command every day might give a passable facsimile of what you want.

Quote:
Sorry, I don't understand. When I enter a new task, it automatically gets the project's start date, even if I assign a resource. Do you mean I should create some dummy resource? (I don't think that's what you mean, I just don't understand.)
Well, no, I'm not necessarily suggesting you should create a dummy resource. What I meant is you might have some new resource (we'll call it "new guy" for illustration) assigned to your project that became available part way through, and whose availability (or lack thereof) you sketched out in the resource availability view (the little calendar), using the Work Schedule for <resource> selector in the lower left. Any tasks assigned to "new guy" would not be scheduled to start before the start of "new guy"'s availability. Or maybe it is a material resource, like "slate tile", in which case the "Install new kitchen flooring" group won't get scheduled before the tile shipment is expected (as reflected on the resource availability view).
Quote:
Here's my real world scenario (apologies for changing gears here a bit):

I have a bunch of things I can do on the project right now. I just learned I need to get a part at the hardware store, and this is something I should do today, before anything else. I enter the task. I set it's finish to be a pre-req to the start of another task. I manually change the start date to today. I set it's priority to highest, yet another task (with a "0" priority) shows up as first in the critical path.
Okay, the first observation is that you probably didn't level the project, which is when the priority values are taken into account by OmniPlan. When you do the leveling, OP will look at all of the tasks, resources, constraints, etc. and try to order the tasks to get the project completion date to be as soon as possible. There's sometimes some guesswork involved as to what will accomplish that.

The critical path can be shown in a couple of different styles to illustrate the reason why Task A has to precede Task B. For a dependency-based ordering, where you've set up a dependency between the two, you'll get a solid line. For a resource-based ordering, which includes your case of setting a higher priority because you've assigned all the tasks to the same resource, you'll get a dashed line.

The rule of thumb is that you should level after making any resource allocation changes, or dependency changes, or marking a task as complete. Or if it just doesn't seem to be showing the graph you expect :-) The rough GTD analog would be looking at your lists and saying "okay, finished that, what should I do next?"

Next question, keep 'em coming, or I'll have to get back to cleaning!
 
 


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