Commit Dates are killing us

[DavidCo3]

Hi, Commit Dates are really killing us and causing a lot of confusion/frustration with users. e.g. A task is originally scheduled for a certain date and an assigned user clicks 'Work On It', Workfront sets the commit date to the planned date (assuming the user doesn't propose an alternative commit date - and we ask them not to do this). If the task's planned date is later changed, the user's original commit date remains. Our users don't remember to go and update their commit dates on such tasks. This then affects tasks' and projects' projected dates, and more confusingly for the user, it leaves the original commit date on their mini-calendar on the My Work screen. We would love to just be able to switch off the Commit Date functionality completely. As this doesn't appear to be possible, how else can we try to keep the commit dates aligned with the planned dates? There doesn't seem to be a way to centrally edit commit dates (even one-by-one, let alone in bulk). The only way I know of doing this is to log on as the user and change the commit date on each task. This is impractical with thousands of tasks in progress per month. Do other customers have this issue? How do you handle it? We have a team who are in charge of scheduling people at the right time, so we really don't need the users to be setting alternative commit dates. Thanks, David.

[EricLu2]

Hi: Here is an example: Planned Completion Date: 15-DEC-2016 10:30:00 Commit Date: 15-DEC-2016 00:00:00 When you compare them, they aren’t the same, because the times are different. The CLEARTIME function is supposed to zero out the hours, so that CLEARTIME(“15-DEC-2016 10:30:00”) will yield “15-DEC-2016 00:00:00”. I tried to create a custom attribute (Commit Variance) where it is equal to DIFF(CLEARTIME(Planned Completion Date), Commit Date) (I know that isn’t the exact syntax, but you get the idea) That doesn’t work because the CLEARTIME function is not working right. Does that help? Eric

[LauraRa1]

Got it, makes sense now. I hadn’t come across the CLEARTIME function yet so I’ll not worry about it until they get it working. Thanks Eric ☺ Laura Ray Project Support Analyst Bakkavor Information Systems Bakkavor Group West Marsh Road, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 2BB, UK Direct: +44 (0)1775 763 010 www.Bakkavor.com // Laura.Ray@Bakkavor.com< [cid:image001.png@01D2304D.1D231860]

[EmilyHi]

Just a note that I have added this topic to the new idea exchange and would love to get some votes :) This is a very big pain for our creative department. I think our problem would be fixed if we had the option choose planned completion over commit dates on the My Work calendar strip and on the task page.

[DavidCo3]

Hi Emily, Which is the one that you raised? There is one in the Project section regarding commit dates: https://support.workfront.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/115001085547-Give-system-admins-an-option-to-... I've added my vote to this one, anyways! Cheers, David

[EmilyHi]

Shoot. I didn't realize that the same thread existed in another section. I added mine to the My Work section. Maybe we can vote on both and be twice as heard :) EMILY HIGINBOTHAM PROJECT MANAGER

[JosephCa]

Hi All - By using a Layout Template you can set the functionality for users to use Planned Completion Date, replacing Commit Date. Pretty easy edit under Setup -> Interface -> Layout Templates. If you don't have one already, you will need to create a new one to get this functionality. Join me on LinkedIN

[DavidCo3]

Hi Joe, Yes - that helps, but it doesn't remove the Commit date from the Task screen or mobile app. Regards, David

[JosephCa]

[image: Inline image 1] It will remove it from the "Banner, if set for "Working On" tasks, and/or "Work Requests". You may want to also remove it from any existing Task, Issue or Project View to further restrict users from accessing it - therefore using it. Not 100% on mobile - but I believe you still are set within your Access/Layout. Maybe not? On Thu, Mar 9, 2017 at 6:33 PM, David Cornwell < globalforum@communitylists.workfront.com> wrote: > Hi Joe, > > Yes - that helps, but it doesn't remove the Commit date from the Task > screen or mobile app. > > Regards, David > > -----End Original Message----- > -- Joe Catlett Consulting Services, PM jcatlett@leappoint.com 801-300-9526

[DavidCo3]

Hi Joe,

The other screen I'm talking about where it can't be removed is the Task screen (see attached screenshot). This is an example where the Task's Planned Completion Date is different to the Commit date which is shown prominently to the users and can cause them to think this is when the task is due.

Regarding the mobile app, it does show users the Task's Planned Date when it is a Work Request, but once they accept it into their Working On queue, it shows the Commit Date. Confusingly it labels this the "This will be done by" date - hence the potential for confusion for the users.

Regards, David

[JosephCa]

You could remove the whole page, replace any data that was important on that screen into a Dashboard and publish the DB on the Tab for Users - replacing the WF UI. On Thu, Mar 9, 2017 at 7:23 PM, David Cornwell < globalforum@communitylists.workfront.com> wrote: > Hi Joe, > > The other screen I'm talking about where it can't be removed is the Task > screen (see attached screenshot). This is an example where the Task's > Planned Completion Date is different to the Commit date which is shown > prominently to the users and can cause them to think this is when the task > is due. > > Regarding the mobile app, it does show users the Task's Planned Date when > it is a Work Request, but once they accept it into their Working On queue, > it shows the Commit Date. Confusingly it labels this the "This will be > done by" date - hence the potential for confusion for the users. > > Regards, David > > -----End Original Message----- > -- Joe Catlett Consulting Services, PM jcatlett@leappoint.com 801-300-9526

[tracy_fox]

Michael, but going this route does it pose any problems with projects where the project comes back to life but we can't reinstate them because Workfront thinks they are "Dead" since it equates with Dead ?

[MichaelLa1]

Hi Tracy, you are able to toggle a project's status at any point. Just because the status equates to "dead" doesn't mean you can't reinstate back to current/active when a project comes back to life (happens to us on a daily/weekly basis using the approach I mentioned above in this thread). Since it's just a project's status you're not deleting or removing it from the database. Now, I'm not sure what processes or reporting you have set up to review and manage projects. So you may need to make some updates to your filters to ensure this fits in appropriately within your instance. Hope that helps.

[DavidCo3]

Hi, Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but just a quick recap: There was an Idea (to allow sysadmins to switch off Commit Dates) on the Idea Exchange which reached 54 votes and was then rejected by Workfront Product Management. Another customer has created a good new idea on the Idea Exchange, which seems like it should be a lot more simple to implement and perhaps has a better chance of being approved. In summary, the idea is to show the task Due Date in the main Task 'Assigned to' summary info box. It would be shown alongside the existing Commit Date so that users are clear about what is the planned date, and what is the committed date. Please vote for the idea via the link below, and hopefully we can get enough votes for it to be considered again: "https://support.workfront.com/hc/en-us/search/click?data=BAh7CjoHaWRsKwgi%2BiXSUwA6CXR5cGVJIhNjb21tdW5pdHlfcG9zdAY6BkVUOgh1cmxJImAvaGMvZW4tdXMvY29tbXVuaXR5L3Bvc3RzLzM2MDAwNzk4OTc5NC1UYXNrLVBhZ2UtVUktdXBkYXRlLVB1dC1EVUUtREFURS1uZXh0LXRvLUNvbW1pdC1EYXRlBjsHVDoOc2VhcmNoX2lkSSIpMWQ5ODY0ODAtM2I1Ni00ZWVlLTliZmEtZGVmYmYxMDNlYjQyBjsHRjoJcmFua2kG--d3e4ce6e6f3bda580c7317acd16ed40344923919">Link to vote for the new idea Regards, David Cornwell