Adjusting due dates in a project

I agree it is cumbersome and the #1 barrier to adoption for us. I see my teams use mostly Fix Dates to get around this, which then of course misses the functionality of dependencies and such. It would be nice if Workfront had more AI help with this- you could input a "target" due date and all dependencies, and it would automatically add and remove lag or adjust duration (as long as it's equal or more than planned hours) as appropriate, with warnings if a timeline becomes unfeasible. Michelle Mathewes Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital

Oh no, not the answer I was hoping for! I hope to get more insight into how people work around this. Workfront has such positive feedback, this basic thing seems to me to be a huge barrier that I feel like it can't possibly be right. Jill Ackerman

Hi Jill, We've addressed the need to set a Target Date (at the Project Level) and monitor it as the Task's plans then invariably slip and creep towards it using our "http://store.atappstore.com/product/ubergantt/" UberGantt solution. Here is a "http://store.atappstore.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AtAppStore_B_UberGanttt.png" screenshot to illustrate. If you'd like more information, i invite you to email me at doug.denhoed@atappstore.com Regards, Doug Doug Den Hoed - AtAppStore Got Skills? Lend a hand! https://community.workfront.com/participate/unanswered-threads

Hey there, So yes as Michelle mentioned you can set Fixed Dates to get around this but it negates all your dependencies and honestly negates any truth to your project plan. So I don't recommend Fixed Dates. Everyone has "hard" dates that can't be missed. But your project plan is an early warning system to alert you when you're in trouble. And the sooner it alerts you the more opportunity for you to adjust and course correct. You mentioned every time a task is late you have to change the subsequent durations to make the plan back on track. That's actually a good thing (that's the truth in your plan and what you want). The plan is telling you you're late, now go figure out how you can catch up. As opposed to locking the dates and not finding out how late you are until you've reached your deadline. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but that's project management �� . But at least you're making a conscience decision on which tasks to shorten (or add resources or whatever solution you decide). As opposed to randomly neglecting tasks because you're in a crunch at the last moment. Now to get to your communication item. The way I've come to understand it is; a Commit Date is set to the Planned Completion Date initially, until the Assignee changes it. This is their date to inform you of their commitment. It's ok that they can change this, it doesn't impact your schedule or Planned Completion Date. Think of it as a way for them to communicate. You'll get an email that they changed the Commit Date and this allows you to either accept that date and change your Planned Completion Date, or go have a conversation as to why their new date doesn't work and adjust accordingly. So the way we look at it is, the Commit Date is the Assignee's, the Planned Completion Date is the Project Manager's and ideally the PM should, one way or another, ensure they match. The Projected Completion Date is telling you where you're tracking based on % Complete etc. So ideally this should also be close to the Planned Completion Date. It's another early warning sign if these dates are significantly off. I don't know if that helps, but sometimes changing the angle of your viewpoint can help (at least it has for me). Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss further. I can show you ways to view your plans that might make it easy to manipulate. Vic Alejandro, PMP, CSM | IT Program Manager Denver Water | t: (303-628-7262) | c: (303-319-6473) "http://www.denverwater.org/"> http://www.denverwater.org INTEGRITY | VISION | PASSION | EXCELLENCE | RESPECT

Completely agree, Vic. That is Project Management. Our PMs number one role is to monitor the timeline. We give tasks out with the planned completion date with the expectation that if the individual needs more time, they will update the task with their reasoning and then change the commit date to a later date. Workfront will then notify the PM that the assigned committed to the task after the planned completion. Workfront will then show you if it will affect your overall project and ask if you want to change the planned completion. We use this process as an approval system. If the later date doesn't impact the project completion date, it is approved. If it does affect the project, the PM analyzes the timeline to see where adjustments can be made and notifies the Project Sponsor, and accountability steps are taken. Changing the entire timeline when a task is late is cumbersome. The nice thing is how Workfront allows us to monitor. If you are constantly readjusting the timeline, I wonder if you have a resource management problem. Marcie Long Members First Credit Union

Hi Thanks for all the feedback. You are all describing what I thought, but I have many people who have to manage deadlines for projects, but are Worker licenses. They can't change the Plan Dates. Sigh... Jill Ackerman

Ahhh, ok. I have a solution for you! There are two ways to accomplish this. In the Edit Project settings you have that Access section where you can set up anyone assigned to a Task has Manage access. Then when you assign a person they get those rights and will have access to change the Planned Completion Dates on their Tasks. But that won't allow them to change other people's tasks in the plan. So option 2, which I suspect is more what you're looking for. Set them up in a WF Team (or use a team they're already in). Perhaps you create a team of all the people that manage deadlines. Then in the projects under Sharing you can give the team Manage access to the project. This will allow them to make date edits etc. It works. I just re-tested it to make sure. Vic Alejandro, PMP, CSM | IT | Sr. IT Project Manager Denver Water | t: (303-628-7262) | c: (303-319-6473) "http://www.denverwater.org/"> http://www.denverwater.org INTEGRITY | VISION | PASSION | EXCELLENCE | RESPECT

OMG I'm trying this now. If this works you will have saved my life, my children's life and all of humanity from here to eternity. Thanks!! Jill Ackerman

LOL I'm confident that wasn't an overexaggerating. Let me know where the parade will be �� Vic Alejandro, PMP, CSM | IT | Sr. IT Project Manager Denver Water | t: (303-628-7262) | c: (303-319-6473) "http://www.denverwater.org/"> http://www.denverwater.org INTEGRITY | VISION | PASSION | EXCELLENCE | RESPECT

Good afternoon, We are experiencing a serious problem with Dates Management best practices when projects become late (past their original deadline), and our Project Managers could use some wisdom from other Workfront users. We can't figure out how to properly predict future projected completion dates of tasks without changing the project's original deadline. Managing/editing dates/making negotiations for tasks, while we are still within the original timeframe of the project is all well and good, I have no objection to that. HOWEVER, it is when we've missed the original deadline, and the project is still in-flight, this is where we completely lose control of how to manage Due Dates in Workfront for my team. Imagine this scenario: a new flyer was requested by our Oncology business unit customer, so that he/she can distribute it as marketing material at a tradeshow on January 31st. It's January 17th, we send the draft copy to our Legal team for review... their feedback was due by January 21st, but they are completely backlogged with work. The review is de-prioritized by all of our managers, in order to serve the needs of other business units. We don't get feedback from legal until February 2nd. Legal says "approved, no changes, looks great". This project is completely utterly late. It is February 2nd. The graphic designer just received approved copy to place into layout. He receives his task. The due date for his task is January 25th. The project deadline is January 31st. Graphic designer has no idea how he should update his commit date, and has no idea if there's a new priority level. Even though the project is "late", it's not so simple as saying we're not going to do it anymore, or that there isn't a new deadline. We're going to finish the Flyer and upload the file to our Sales Team portal, so we can print it/email it/use it for future events. Now it's a "nice to have" by mid-February. What do you all do to the Planned Completion Date? How do I give my graphic designer a new due date, but still let the project reflect as "late"? Meanwhile, the Projected Duration for his task is 4 days. How do I tinker with the down-field projected tasks, get an accurate read on upcoming Planned Work, and set a new projected timeline for completion, without changing the Project's original planned completion date of January 31st? Please help. Nick Scarpello Illumina - Marketing