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Record Actual Values for Tasks

In this exercise, youll record actual values in your project plan and observe the results.

1. Open Home Construction Project 5C.

This project plan reflects the tasks you completed earlier, and also shows Task 10 as
incomplete. Start by reviewing the project summary and then recording actual values for Tasks
10 and 11.

2. Choose Task 0 Home Construction 5C.

Examine the Duration, Start, and Finish columns. The project has an estimated duration of 103
days, starting on 6/16/14 and finishing on 11/7/14. As you make entries for actual values, the
duration and finish dates will often change.

3. Choose Task 10 Select interior furnishings and finishes.

4. Choose Task >Editing >Scroll to Task to display the Gantt bars for Task 10.

Note the appearance of the Gantt bars for Task 10. This task is presently marked as 75%
complete. There is a Finish-to-Start relationship between Task 10 and Task 11. Recall that in a
Finish-to-Start relationship, a delay in Task 10 will cause a delay in Task 11.

An email from homebuyer Rita Langdon and interior designer Tracy Lynn reports that Task 10 is
complete, but it took longer than anticipated.

5. Choose View >Data >Tables.

6. Click the down arrow next to Tables, and choose the Work table.

The Work table displays columns for the entry of work, baseline, variance, actual, and
remaining work values. Most of the time you will just use the Actual column to record actual
work performed on a task.

7. Take a moment to review the work table, then follow the steps below to update actual values
for these two tasks.

B A C
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A. In row 10, first

fourthcolumn,
column,change
changethe
theActual
Actualvalue
value to
to 84 hrs, then tap
hrs, then tap(Enter).
(Enter).
B. In row 10, third column(the
first column (the Work
Work column),
Column), update
update it toit reflect
to reflect actual
actual workwork
donedone
(84
hours), and the Variance is then calculated.
C. In row 10, far-right column, the task is now marked as 100% complete.

Notice that Task 10 now shows a positive variance of 14 hours. This means the task took 14
hours longer to complete than was scheduled. Examine the Gantt bar for Tasks 10 and 11. Task
11 has moved forward the calendar by two days because of the Finish-to-Start relationship.

8. Choose Task 11 Order materials.

9. Set the Actual column value for Order materials to 16 hours.

Task 11 is marked as complete and an eight hour variance is calculated. Because Task 11 took
longer than scheduled, its Gantt bar is extended to 7/21/14.

Examine the Gantt bars for Tasks 13 to 15. There is a Finish-to-Start relationship between Task
11 and Tasks 13 to 15, but this relationship does not appear to be in effect. Why didnt Tasks
13 to 15 move when Task 11 moved?

Recall that the completion percentage method was used earlier to indicate that Tasks 13 to 15
were already complete. The completion percentage method assumes that the scheduled start
date for a task was the actual start date, therefore any changes to the scheduling of Task 11 do
not impact Tasks 13 to 15.

10. Choose Task 17 Perform site survey.

Earlier, you used the completion percentage method to set this task to 90% complete. Now,
record this task as being fully completed.

11. Set the Actual column value for Perform site survey to 16 hours.

Because the actual work value is equal to the baseline work value, no variance is calculated. As
you make entries for actual work on Task 17, notice that work values are being rolled up to
Summary Task 16 which now indicates it is 67% complete. When Task 16s subordinate Task
18 is completed, then Summary Task 16 will show 100% completion. Now return to the Entry
table view.

12. Choose View >Data >Tables.

13. Click the down arrow next to Tables, and choose the Entry table.

The Entry table is part of the default Gantt Chart view. Next, use a new method for recording
actual values for Task 18.
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14. Choose Task 18 Level the site.

15. Choose Task >Editing >Scroll to Task to display the Gantt bars for Task 18.

Examine Task 18 and its Gantt bar. This task was scheduled to start on 7/23/14, and to
complete on 7/24/14. However, it has been delayed by one day because of equipment
problems, and it took two days to complete because of unexpected large rocks at the building
site. You need to delay the actual start of this task by one day, and record its actual duration as
two days.

16. Choose Task >Schedule >Mark on Track.

17. Click the down arrow next to Mark on Track, and choose Update Tasks.

18. Follow the steps below to update actual values for Task 18.

A
C

A. In the Name: box, verify the task name as Level the site.
B. In the Actual Start: box, edit the actual start date to 7/24/14.
C. In the Actual Dur: box, edit the actual duration to 2d (two days).
D. Click OK in the box near bottom-right.

Take a look at the Gantt bar for Task 18. Because its duration was twice what was scheduled, it
added variance to the project and increased its cost.

The landscape contractor informs you that because of the difficulties with rocks at the home
site, excavating the foundation will take longer than expected.

19. Choose Task 20 Excavate foundation.

20. Choose Task >Editing >Scroll to Task to display the Gantt bars for Task 20.

Task 20 is presently scheduled to take two days; however because of problems at the building
site, it took five days to complete.
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21. Choose Task >Schedule >Mark on Track.

22. Click the down arrow next to Mark on Track, and choose Update Tasks.

23. Update the actual duration of task 20 to 5d, then click OK.

Notice the changes to the Gantt bars on the right. Because of the change to actual duration, all
of the successor tasks have been pushed back on the calendar. If you examine the Project
Summary task you will see that the finish date of the project has been pushed forward from
11/7/14 to 11/11/14.

Next, examine the impact of recording actual values to project statistics.

24. Choose Project >Properties >Project Information > .

Review the project statistics as shown below. Several changes are evident as a result of
recording actual values in this exercise. The current finish date is estimated to be 11/11/14,
compared to a baseline finish date of 11/7/14. The estimated duration of the project has
increased from 103 days to 105 days. The estimated work hours have increased from 1,136
hours to 1,190 hours.

Finally, your estimated project costs have increased from $178,300 to 180,540. By recording
progress against several tasks, the actual values for duration, work, and cost have all
increased. Actual duration is 38.84 days, actual work is 296.9
396 hours and actual cost is
$29,844.

25. Close the Project Statistics dialog box.

26. Save and close the file.