Forum Discussion
Project Changing % Complete when entered
Brett_Phifer_SCI,
Somethings not quite jelling with the scenario you provide. When I set up a task with the parameters stated, the finish date is 12/8/26, not 1/20/27. Are there some non-working days thrown in (e.g. holidays)?
You mention the status date is 1/5/26 but that is irrelevant when entering percent complete directly into the % Complete field.
A few questions:
- What is the task type?
- Is the task auto-scheduled?
- Are any resources assigned and if so, what is the resource's Base Calendar?
- Are you by chance entering a value into the Actual Duration field, Remaining Duration or Actual Work fields in addition to entering a value in the % Complete field?
John
Thank you for responding. To address your questions, we do have nonworking days. We have about 6 non-working days throughout the year plus the week between Christmas and New Year's is scheduled as non-working. I'm fairly new to this schedule, but I can see the task shows a Baseline Duration of 200 working days from 9/30/25 to 10/1/26. The Actual Start is 11/12/25 although there is 0% progress.
The task type is fixed duration, auto-scheduled, it is only loaded with a Materials resource, and I'm pretty confident no one has updated the Remaining Duration or Actual Work, as the typical practice here is to update the % complete then "Update Project - Reschedule incomplete work to start on the status date."
I believe the best practice is to update Remaining Duration and let Project calculate the % complete, but for this task, even when I enter a value in Remaining Duration, the % Complete value stays at 0. I want to advise the team on the correct way to update progress to reflect their estimated FInish Date (based on Remaining Duration) and % Complete, but updating one of these fields isn't producing the expected result in the other field.
Brett_Phifer_SCI,
When it comes to statusing tasks in Project, one size doesn't fit all.
For a work resource, unless waiting for a wound to heal, actual duration accomplishes nothing. For a work resource, progress is work and actual work. Remaining work is adjusted as necessary.
For a material resource actual duration does have meaning. For example if the resource is fuel and the material label is gal/day then the number of days (duration) is the metric for consumption. A cost per use may also factor into a material resource.
A fixed duration type task for a material resource might be applicable but generally not. A material resource is consumed over whatever span of time it is needed/used, generally in conjunction with a work type resource (i.e. backhoe using fuel).
John
Brett, this is a bit baffling but I am sure it can be cleared up. I am tempted to try to replicate it from your description, but there is too much missing information (show me the file?). Which particular days/dates are nonworking days? You say that you update remaining duration. Don't you first update the actual start and the actual duration, and then adjust the remaining duration. Perhaps try something different, like instead of "Update Project - Reschedule incomplete work to start on the status date." try input/update the actual start and the actual duration, and then adjust the remaining duration, then use the move button to move incomplete parts to the status date.
