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JBLT-77's avatar
JBLT-77
Iron Contributor
May 24, 2022

How Do I set Up an autoscheduled Task so it starts when project starts and ends when project ends?

I want to set up a an autoschedule task called Direct & Manage project work, that is autoscheduled and will start when the project starts, and have a finish date based on the project finish date.  I can't figure out what the right predecessor dependency types to use linking the start date of the first project task and the finish date of the last task in the project to this direct and manage project task.  Any suggestions?

  • JBLT83
    You are correct in that I wrote the Wiki article back in 2015 under Project 2010 so it is a bit dated but the information is valid. Look VERY carefully in the lower right corner of the Start and Finish fields of the hammock task. You will see a small triangle. If you do not see those little triangles, then that is a change in Project 2021 because all previous versions of Project show the little triangles.

    It sounds like you did the steps correctly and here's how you can test whether the links "took". Double click the Start field of the hammock task. Project will select the task field to which it is linked. Likewise for the Finish field of the hammock task. If that test fails, then for some reason the links didn't "take". If the test works, then you will be able to move the task that drives the start and/or finish dates of the hammock and the dates for the hammock task will recalculate, as will its duration.

    You did not click on the Edit Links icon, you clicked on the Edit Link icon. The former brings up the paste link window as shown in the Wiki article, the latter brings up the Edit Hyperlink window that you show in your screenshot.

    As far as the predecessor types you set up on your Manger Project Task working, I guess your definition of "working" is different from mine or Dale's. The whole point of a hammock task is to create a dynamic task that automatically responds to changes in the tasks that drive it, start and finish. The method you use will not do that.

    John
  • JBLT-77's avatar
    JBLT-77
    Iron Contributor
    Ironically, right after I posted this I just had an epiphany. I set a Start-to-start dependency with the first project task and then a finish-finish dependency on the last project task as predecessors to the Direct & Manage Project Work task, and that seemed to work. The task starts when the project starts and ends when the project ends.

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