This Task No Longer Matters – What to Do? (2000)

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I have a large baselined schedule. I am discovering that after the schedule was created, a few tasks were deemed not needed. I would like to keep these tasks in the schedule for history purposes, but how do I note that this task is not needed? I thought about filling in the actual start and actual finish dates, but this gives the impression that work was done. I thought about deleting them, but this loses my history. Is there a setting to change, or what should I do about this problem? Thanks!!!

wallygator

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eIf you enter an Actual Start and Actual Finish it does look like a completed task, but if there are not any assigned resources there would not be any Actual Work for the tasks. You could flag these tasks and change their color, you could add task notes, you could use the drawing tools to make notes on any of the chart views, or you could select those tasks and from Format Bar put some text on them indicating they were not necessary. You would have to look at your dependency relationships. If any of these tasks were on the critical path you might want to remove them from dependency relationships.
Carla

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eIf you enter an Actual Start and Actual Finish it does look like a completed task, but if there are not any assigned resources there would not be any Actual Work for the tasks. You could flag these tasks and change their color, you could add task notes, you could use the drawing tools to make notes on any of the chart views, or you could select those tasks and from Format Bar put some text on them indicating they were not necessary. You would have to look at your dependency relationships. If any of these tasks were on the critical path you might want to remove them from dependency relationships.
Carla

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Simply, remove any predecessor and/or successor links so the task does not effect the critical path of the schedule. You can then add text to the description stating task not used. Make sure this does not effect any other links in the schedule. In addition, if resources are assigned to the task, you should remove them so your resource utilization is not over stated.

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In addition to what Gary has suggested, I usually change the font color just so there is an obvious indicator. One note, if you remove resources and reduce the work to zero it will show up as a milestone. If you are using milestone charts you will need to change it back by deselecting the Show as Milestone checkmark on the Task Description/Advanced tab.

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I believe if you remove resources and set the work to zero it will not be a milestone. If you set the duration to zero it will be a milestone. Work and Duration are stored as separate fields in Project.
Carla

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Simply, remove any predecessor and/or successor links so the task does not effect the critical path of the schedule. You can then add text to the description stating task not used. Make sure this does not effect any other links in the schedule. In addition, if resources are assigned to the task, you should remove them so your resource utilization is not over stated.

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