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From: chazparks on 29 Oct 2009 17:55
Is there away to alter the CSV file and load a MS Project Constraint Type
column with "As soon as Possible"? Is there a recommended finish date
column? I have two serial type numbers for a row but no defined predecessor
and successor type columns. Is there away to use to give a soft adjustment
to the finish date from the CSV so that errors don't happen?

"Jim Aksel" wrote:

> This opens a can of worms....
> I quoted the incorrect name of the toy.
>
> From within Microsoft Project, you want the "Adjust Dates" feature which is
> located on the Analysis Toolbar (View/Toolbars/Analysis). I am sorry for
> giving you the incorrect name.
>
> Be careful, if you are using a CSV with dates associated to the tasks
> (rather than dependencies), the import wizard is going to lock them down.
> That is, once they are in MS Project each task will have a constraint on it:
> "Start No Earlier Than"
>
> Make sure all tasks are linked with dependencies (predecessors and
> successors) not just keyed dates... keying the dates angers the Scheduling
> Gods and precludes Project from doing what it is designed to do because a
> keyed date will lock the task to that date.
>
> I am talking without information of your CSV file, if you have dates in it,
> make sure you insert the Constraint Type column once you are in Project and
> change them all to "As Soon As Possible" and then link your schedule with
> Predecessors/Successors.
>
> Let me know if I am off topic.
>
>
> --
> If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.
>
> Jim Aksel, MVP
>
> Check out my blog for more information:
> http://www.msprojectblog.com
>
>
>
> "chazparks" wrote:
>
> > I'm using a CSV file that is generated outside of the MS Office products.
> > Where can I use the Move Dates Wizard from?
> >
> > "Jim Aksel" wrote:
> >
> > > This should self populate based on the inputs you are making from Excel (with
> > > a default of Today).
> > >
> > > You can use the Move Dates wizard to shift the entire project in time once
> > > it has been imported.
> > >
> > > The start date is a project property, not a column per se.
> > > try this: activeproject.ProjectStart
> > > --
> > > If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.
> > >
> > > Jim Aksel, MVP
> > >
> > > Check out my blog for more information:
> > > http://www.msprojectblog.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "chazparks" wrote:
> > >
> > > > How do I import a Project Start Date into MS Project? I can't seem to find
> > > > the mapping column name.
From: JulieS on 31 Oct 2009 12:16
Hi Chazparks,

Pardon me for bumping in. The problem with the constraints that Jim
mentions is when you import data directly into the Start and/or
Finish field in Project. If you import task name data and duration
data, Project's job is to calculate the Start and Finish Field.
While there is a field for Constraint type, you will not be
successful attempting to set a constraint type of ASAP while
importing start or finish dates.

If you want to import date info from the CSV without setting
constraints, consider importing into one of the spare date fields
(Start1, Finish1 or Date1,Date2). You can renamed any field to
"recommended finish date" if you like, but I would let Project drive
the dates through predecessors and successors. If importing
predecessor/successors, you'll need to use TaskIDs (generated by
Project).

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

"chazparks" <chazparks(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0EE156B7-2092-44C8-B1D2-B147EE79D435(a)microsoft.com...
> Is there away to alter the CSV file and load a MS Project
> Constraint Type
> column with "As soon as Possible"? Is there a recommended finish
> date
> column? I have two serial type numbers for a row but no defined
> predecessor
> and successor type columns. Is there away to use to give a soft
> adjustment
> to the finish date from the CSV so that errors don't happen?
>
> "Jim Aksel" wrote:
>
>> This opens a can of worms....
>> I quoted the incorrect name of the toy.
>>
>> From within Microsoft Project, you want the "Adjust Dates"
>> feature which is
>> located on the Analysis Toolbar (View/Toolbars/Analysis). I am
>> sorry for
>> giving you the incorrect name.
>>
>> Be careful, if you are using a CSV with dates associated to the
>> tasks
>> (rather than dependencies), the import wizard is going to lock
>> them down.
>> That is, once they are in MS Project each task will have a
>> constraint on it:
>> "Start No Earlier Than"
>>
>> Make sure all tasks are linked with dependencies (predecessors
>> and
>> successors) not just keyed dates... keying the dates angers the
>> Scheduling
>> Gods and precludes Project from doing what it is designed to do
>> because a
>> keyed date will lock the task to that date.
>>
>> I am talking without information of your CSV file, if you have
>> dates in it,
>> make sure you insert the Constraint Type column once you are in
>> Project and
>> change them all to "As Soon As Possible" and then link your
>> schedule with
>> Predecessors/Successors.
>>
>> Let me know if I am off topic.
>>
>>
>> --
>> If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.
>>
>> Jim Aksel, MVP
>>
>> Check out my blog for more information:
>> http://www.msprojectblog.com
>>
>>
>>
>> "chazparks" wrote:
>>
>> > I'm using a CSV file that is generated outside of the MS Office
>> > products.
>> > Where can I use the Move Dates Wizard from?
>> >
>> > "Jim Aksel" wrote:
>> >
>> > > This should self populate based on the inputs you are making
>> > > from Excel (with
>> > > a default of Today).
>> > >
>> > > You can use the Move Dates wizard to shift the entire project
>> > > in time once
>> > > it has been imported.
>> > >
>> > > The start date is a project property, not a column per se.
>> > > try this: activeproject.ProjectStart
>> > > --
>> > > If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.
>> > >
>> > > Jim Aksel, MVP
>> > >
>> > > Check out my blog for more information:
>> > > http://www.msprojectblog.com
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > "chazparks" wrote:
>> > >
>> > > > How do I import a Project Start Date into MS Project? I
>> > > > can't seem to find
>> > > > the mapping column name.


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