Project Scheduling

Follow these steps

This diagram shows the activities in this process.

1. Entering Schedule Version

   A project can have several schedules and resource plans. Each one is saved as a separate version. Different versions are necessary when the project changes in scope, as when activities or a sub-project are added. Rescheduling can also be necessary when delays occur or activities are brought forward.

   A schedule version has start or finish times for the project. Activities and sub-projects which are set for relative scheduling and flagged as scheduling elements are scheduled relative to these dates.

   Note: Entering schedule version may undergo several activities such as entering schedule, generating date, scheduling milestones or directly proceed to locking schedule version depending on the requirement.

2. Entering Schedule

   Scheduling is done using project elements flagged as scheduling elements. Project elements are flagged for this during scheduling, in the project template, or in a subtemplate. For the latter, the project element in the project template must also be flagged.

   These scheduling methods and functions are available:

   • Relative scheduling
   • Entering start and finish dates
   • Scheduling connections between project elements
   • Moving the scheduling down one level

   Relative scheduling

   Relative scheduling is when the start and finish times for project elements are set in relation to the project start and finish times. This relation is set in number of workdays. When the schedule is entered, the start and finish dates for the project elements are calculated from the relation specified.

   The valid entry alternatives are:

   • Start and finish date
   • Start date and manufacturing lead time in number of workdays
   • Finish date and manufacturing lead time in number of workdays
   • Finish date and relative start day
   • Relative start date and manufacturing lead time in number of workdays
   • Relative finish date and manufacturing lead time in number of workdays
   • Relative start and finish days

   If the relative start day is 1 for an activity, then the start date for the activity is the project’s start date plus one workday. If the relative start day is 10, then the start date for the activity is the project’s start date plus ten workdays.

   Project elements can be excluded from relative scheduling, or they can have fixed start and finish dates set. Scheduling for these elements is then not affected if the start or finish date for the project is changed.

   To further simplify scheduling, project elements can be prescheduled as follows:

   • Manufacturing lead time can be specified per project element.
   • Relative start and finish dates and manufacturing lead time can be specified per project element in the project template or sub-template.

   When the schedule version is generated, the start and finish dates are automatically calculated when the project element is set for relative scheduling and it does not have any such date already set. This also applies when using relative start and finish days and manufacturing lead time.

   Entering Start and Finish Dates

   Start and finish dates are entered for project elements that are flagged as scheduling elements. When these dates are entered, the number of workdays between the start and finish dates as well as the relative start and finish days are calculated.

   Scheduling Connections between Project Elements

   Sometimes activities and sub-projects must be done in a specific order, and with set slack time or overlapping. These project elements can be connected to each other using these connection types:

   • Start to start
   • Start to stop
   • Stop to start
   • Stop to stop.

   Activities or sub-projects in such a chain cannot be connected to another chain. When two project elements overlap, the start date for subsequent project elements can be regulated using an element status in the controlling project element.

   When rescheduling project elements in such a chain, the others are automatically rescheduled. Which project elements are rescheduled depends on the connection type and where in the chain the first rescheduled element is.

   Moving Scheduling Down one Level

   Any part of a project to be done much later can be scheduled on the next lower level, such as the sub-project level. When the sub-project start approaches, scheduling on that level can be moved down another level, to the activity. In practice this means flagging elements for scheduling and setting start and finish dates are moved to the project element on the next lower level.

3. Generating Date

   When generating the dates, all the start and finish dates are aggregated upward in the project structure. The calculated start and finish dates for all activities in the project are then available on the main project level.

   Note: You can proceed to locking schedule version directly if scheduling milestones is not required.

4. Scheduling Milestones

   Scheduling elements can also be set as milestones in the project. Project tracking then shows whether each milestone is reached. See Supporting Project Management.

5. Locking Schedule Version

When the schedule version is locked, a background job is started that loads the resources connected to the project. You can reopen a locked schedule can by regenerating the date, as explained above.

A schedule version is locked automatically in a project order when scheduling is copied from a quotation. See Quotation Status Management.