Comparing projects in MS Proj 2003

I am trying to compare two different versions of a project in MS
Project, using the 'Compare Versions' toolbar.

However, I can't get the individual differences in duration to add up
to the figure at the top of the project.

It seems to me that the only differences that will count towards the
total are for tasks which are on the critical path (in either of the
two versions)

Does anybody know of a guide (or are able to tell me themselves) how
to reconcile to the top figure.

It gets a bit complicated when the critical path has changed between
the two version.

For example, in a two-task project, Task 1, with a duration of 5 days,
is on the CP, while task 2, with a duration of 3, is not.

If I then cut Task 1 to 1 day, the difference tool will tell you that
it has been cut by 4 days, but that the total project has only been
cut by 2 (since task 2 takes over on the CP)

It's easy to spot in a simple example like this, but far harder with a
larger number of tasks, some of which have been deleted / moved /
altered in length.

Anyone know of any tips to help explain why a proj. duration has
changed by x days in these sorts of circumstances?

It's really bugging me, and I just can't seem to crack it.

Thanks ... Wal

Jack
Tue Nov 20 09:27:52 PST 2007

Walter,

The duration on the top bar is the total number of working days from the
start of the first task to the end of the last task. It is not the sum of
durations of all the tasks in the project. Therefore the sum of the
differences will NOT add up to changes in the top bar UNLESS you only look
at the critical path. There is no other reconciliation that is possible.

You could look at the work field to see how the work has changed from one
project to another.

-Jack


"Worthington, Walter" <wworthington@ihug.co.nz> wrote in message
news:faef8c8a-2b2d-4d77-8d18-7f4fc453563d@e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>I am trying to compare two different versions of a project in MS
> Project, using the 'Compare Versions' toolbar.
>
> However, I can't get the individual differences in duration to add up
> to the figure at the top of the project.
>
> It seems to me that the only differences that will count towards the
> total are for tasks which are on the critical path (in either of the
> two versions)
>
> Does anybody know of a guide (or are able to tell me themselves) how
> to reconcile to the top figure.
>
> It gets a bit complicated when the critical path has changed between
> the two version.
>
> For example, in a two-task project, Task 1, with a duration of 5 days,
> is on the CP, while task 2, with a duration of 3, is not.
>
> If I then cut Task 1 to 1 day, the difference tool will tell you that
> it has been cut by 4 days, but that the total project has only been
> cut by 2 (since task 2 takes over on the CP)
>
> It's easy to spot in a simple example like this, but far harder with a
> larger number of tasks, some of which have been deleted / moved /
> altered in length.
>
> Anyone know of any tips to help explain why a proj. duration has
> changed by x days in these sorts of circumstances?
>
> It's really bugging me, and I just can't seem to crack it.
>
> Thanks ... Wal