Calendar Reporting Question

[TimVa]

I need some help with a Calendar reporting function. I am trying to create a calendar that reflect the days we have scheduled our photographers to shoot. We have "photo shoot" tasks. The idea is to pull the scheduled days into a calendar, using the separate calendar colors to differentiate between photographers. I got this to work fairly well and then I began noticing the dates shifting. When the task is changed to the "complete" status all the dates move to the date it was marked as "complete". We need this calendar to reflect just the dates scheduled for the task and we need it to be "historical", so we can refer back to see who shot what, what days, etc. How can I keep the dates on the calendar to reflect the scheduled "start on" and "due on" dates and ignore when the status gets moved to "complete"? thanks for any help Tim Vasilovic Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

[PatriciaMo1]

I know, there is no option to ignore actual dates :( But, I think if you create a custom status as a work around, and mark that task as such when completed, it will cheat the system. Just an idea Patricia Moreno McCann Health

[NRYNR]

If you configure the calendar to rely on Actual Dates only, and you manually set the actual start and actual completion dates, then you control the bars on the calendar. You can configure the calendar to show all of your "photo shoot" tasks, regardless of status. I wouldn't assign these tasks to users if you want them stable.

[justjill853]

this is silly, but maybe check each calendar and make sure this is selected. I was having a similar issue in our PTO calendar because it would move to Projected Dates. When Actual dates aren't available, show Projected dates Planned dates Jill Blum Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.

[pco88]

Yeah we had issues in Calendars moving to actual start date once the status has change to complete and it made the calendar seem all wrong - we use this with our OOO stuff. As Narayan said, you can try making this unassigned (so the user can't complete the task) and maybe have another field where you can enter the user. We've gone around this by automating the setting of the actual start/complete dates via API and setting the status complete upon hitting the completion date. Polly Co

[TimVa]

I am just amazed that something this simple seems so complicated in Workfront. I tried the custom status field but it doesn't appear to keep the system from changing the scheduled day to the day the status changes. I believe I have the calendar set to Actual days. We create the task with the task constraint "Fixed Days". We manually enter the dates of the photo shoot in the "start on" and Due on" fields. Now if we do not assign this task, the photographers do not have the benefit of tracking their assigned jobs in My Work or Home, or getting notifications. We would have to create a special queue based on a custom form field that we entered their name in. Which seems like a greater loss for this minor gain. As for task status, that would have to be marked complete by someone in order to allow the Project to close at which time the specific issue returns- the dates would all change to the date the status was marked complete. There should be a way for the calendar to just use the start on/due on dates and be status agnostic. Sounds like our Producers will just continue with their Production calendar outside of Workfront. Tim Vasilovic Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

[DavidCo3]

Tim - I share your amazement. The Workfront Calendar report feature is actually really great, except for this fatal flaw. This means that we can't use it for all the same reasons. Yes, you can choose to use Planned Dates if Actual Dates don't exist, but once they do, all the tasks move around. We don't want to see Actual Dates on the calendar at all. To me this seems like it should be a minor development change that would make the calendars useful to many customers. Another workaround to add to the equation....using integration, you could sync all the photo shoot tasks to a Google Calendar or another product like Airtable. You really shouldn't have to go to those lengths to achieve something so basic though. David Cornwell

[pco88]

The only way it could work in Workfront right now is to train your users to diligently click work on it and I'm done on the planned start and completion dates. Here's an idea exchange regarding making the calendar follow planned dates instead of actual dates. "https://support.workfront.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115004007093-Calendars-Ability-to-show-planned-duration-even-after-actual-is-entered?page=1#community_comment_115000302094">https://support.workfront.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115004007093-Calendars-Ability-to-show-planne... Polly Co

[BenettaPe]

EVERYONE - if you have not already - PLEASE GO UP VOTE THIS - Benetta Perry APS

[AdinaPi1]

I did a webinar on this topic, and in summary you have to use the Actual Dates. On our projects we have separate tasks just for displaying on the calendar. Here is more info: