Project Schedule

Background

The Project Schedule record provides a single source for Project Managers to manage project milestones. Users can use dates from the schedule in other records (e.g., deliverables, project changes) or to drive the duration of the construction contract expenditure forecast.

Access: This record is located in the Schedules module of PMWeb.

Related Pages: Deliverables (Stage Gates); Master Project Record; Project Changes; Forecasts; Program: Schedule Milestone Look Ahead Report 

Job Aids

The following job aids and reference guides are relevant to the Schedules record:

• Set-up an Initial Project Schedule

• Update a schedule

• Add tasks to a schedule

• Baseline a schedule

To request additional training or documentation, please submit a Help Request in PMWeb.

Dependencies and Lag

• Incorrect dependencies appear in the Gantt chart as red relationships between activities. Correct dependencies will show up as blue.

• Dependencies can be created in the Gantt chart by selecting the beginning or end of the first task, holding the right mouse button and dragging it to the beginning or end of the second task. All types of dependencies can be created this way.

• Lags should be minimized. It is recommended that long lead times be included in the schedule as tasks and labeled appropriately for increased visibility and understanding of impacts to the schedule.

Task Codes, Milestones, and Forecast tags

• Task Codes - Numerical identifier for tasks within a project schedule. Task codes allow users to customize the order and manage tasks in the schedule.

• Milestone - Milestone tags assigned to the appropriate milestones ensure that the dates are pulled into all of the project/schedule reports and related records that list milestone dates.

• Forecasting - Assign to the parent (summary) task of the work to be completed if multiple activities are in the schedule (Design, ROW, Utilities...). Ensure the construction task is assigned has the forecast tag "Construction".

Record Guidance

Schedule Views

The schedule views can be modified, but only for the duration of time that you are logged in. The views reset every night, so it is recommended to complete a schedule configuration, modification, or status update within a single session to reduce re-work.

1. Task columns can be added or removed with the "Column list" button.

2. The amount of information displayed within each of the 3 main columns can be modified by dragging the blue bars.

3. Toggling the filter on or off will add a task bar at the top that will provide text, number and date filter opportunities.

Adjusting Schedule Start Dates & Task Durations

With your Project Schedule open, you can adjust your Start date and the duration of any tasks listed within your schedule.  

1. Update Start Date - To update your Schedule start date, type or select a new date by clicking the calendar icon to replace the current start date.  

2. Update Duration -  In the Duration field for any task, click to replace the existing duration time with the new duration then press Enter to update this and all related Schedule dates based on your new duration. 

3. Schedule Save - Click this Save icon any time you are making changes in the Schedule area displayed here. This ensures your schedule changes are saved. 

Updating the Schedule Status Date

Adding Tasks to the Schedule

1. Click the + icon in your Schedule header to add a new Task row.  

2. Enter a Code and Task Name for your task in the newly provided columns.  

   1. • The new Code must fall between your currently existing task codes in the Schedule, depending on your preferred area of placement. 

      • Ex. set a code of 040 if you'd like the new task between code 030 and 050

3. Click the Save icon to save your new task.  

4. With your mouse, click and drag the newly created Task to the corresponding area of your Schedule, based on the Code column. 

5. As needed, use the indention icons to align your task correctly in the Schedule view.  

6. Click the blue hyperlink in your new task row to populate its information in the Details section below your Schedule. 

7.  Click Dependencies to relate this new task to a Predecessor and Successor task in the Schedule.  

8.  Click Add to add a predecessor for this new task. This connects the tasks and due dates in the Schedule. 

9. Select your Predecessor task from the drop-down list provided and click Save within the table. 

10. Repeat Steps 8 & 9 for your Successor task.

*Click Save within each table to save your updates.  

Baselining the Schedule

1. Click the check mark from the top menu bar once you are ready to baseline your schedule at FIR, have received Program Engineer approval to re-baseline, or would like to baseline (unofficial) before FIR in order to track task dates.

2. The tool will populate every tasks planned start/finish date to the baseline start/finish dates.

Distributing the Schedule

1. The Project schedule can be shared in multiple ways depending on the audience's needs. The first method can be copying and emailing the link although this method is outside of PMWeb but can be lost in the email Inbox. 

2. The more preferable distribution method is utilizing the "Notification" functionality within PMWeb. The benefit is this keeps a log of when and to whom the schedule has been sent to. The only drawback is the intended audience must have access to PMWeb.

Definitions

• Critical Path Method (CPM) Scheduling - CPM Scheduling is a logic-based planning technique using activity durations and relationships between activities to calculate a schedule determining the minimum total project duration and the interdependencies of all activities.

• Critical Path - The longest logical path through the CPM network driven by calendars, constraints, and activity logic. It consists of activities that determine the shortest time for project completion and the sequence of activities such that a delay to any of the activities on the critical path will prolong contractual project milestones, such as project completion.

• Critical Activity — An activity that must be completed on schedule for the project to finish on time. If a critical activity is delayed, the project finish date might also be delayed.

• Status Date (Data Date) – The starting point from which to schedule all remaining work. It can also be considered the cut-off date wherein all work before this date has actual starts, actual finishes, or both.

• Dependencies (Relationships) – Logical ties between scheduled tasks to create an order to activities.

• Duration – The length of time a task requires

• Constraint – The overriding of logic with a set date.

• Lag – Added duration to a relationship.

• Float ― The amount of delay activity can experience before it impacts the completion of the schedule.

• Total Float – The amount of time between the earliest date an activity can start and the latest date when an activity must start, or the earliest date an activity can finish and the latest date when an activity can finish before the activity causes a delay to the project.

• Free Float – The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the Early Start or Early Finish of its successor activity or activities.

• Slack ― Microsoft Project uses the term slack in place of float.

• Gantt Chart – A time-scaled graphical display of the project’s schedule.

• Milestone – A scheduled task without a duration.

• Parent Task (Summary Task) – A schedule task without any relationships (dependencies) that provides a summary of the child tasks.

Report Guidance

The Schedule record impacts any reports that use milestones or schedule task dates. 

Workflow Guidance

There is no workflow associated with this record.

Integration and Trigger Guidance

The Schedule record integrates with or triggers to/from the following:

• Schedule record Milestones are used in many records throughout PMWeb, any necessary changes to Milestone dates should be made within the Schedule record.

• Schedule record Milestones are sent to OnBase.

• Schedule record task can be linked to deliverables in the Stage Gates record.

• The Forecast tag in the Schedule record identifies the construction period used to drive Forecast and Estimate Capture records.