Task update approvals on a PWA Timesheet automatically changes MS Project duration on task and overall finish date for Project

Question

A resource is assigned to an automatically scheduled task with start date: 2/12 and finish date:2/22.

The baselined, saved and published project is scheduled to finish 2/23.

The resource does not start work on the task until 2/15 and submits a timesheet on 2/16 reflecting the hours worked only on 2/15. (for example 0h was not entered for 2/12-2/14, if that matters)

The task update is approved by the Project Manager in PWA (project web app), and publishes the timesheet. But later notices in MS project professional that the scheduled finish date of the project has automatically changed to 2/28, because the duration of the task automatically increased; causing re-work to readjust the schedule, tasks, predecessors, etc.

Please, How can this be prevented?

Answer 1

You can prevent the task duration from changing by setting the task type to "Fixed Duration". Project will then stack up the remaining work in the available days, and the resource assignment units will increase.

But there's another problem in this scenario, and it's the task start date. The first time a task update is approved, the date the resource started to work becomes the "actual start date" and the new start date of the task. Even if the duration does not change, the task will start later, and therefore end later.

There is a work around to prevent this from happening, and it's to set the "actual start date" of the task manually to the scheduled start date. This must be done before the first update is approved.

However, be aware that Project will then stack all the remaining work in whatever time remains. If your resource needs to work 50 hours in a day to complete the work, it won't work in reality even if the plan looks good.