PRJ98: Scheduling Conflict Opening Project Saved as Database (180835)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Project 98 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q180835

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Project 98, when you open a project that has been saved in a database format, you may receive the following error message
Task "<Task ID> <Task name> in <Project name>" cannot be completed in the time allocated because there is a scheduling conflict between this task and another one to which it is linked.
where <Task ID> is the number of the task, <Task name> is the name of the task, and <Project name> is the name of the project.

When you click OK, the Actual Start date is set to NA and % Complete is set to zero.

CAUSE

This error message occurs when all of the following conditions are true:

  • You turn on the Updating task status updates resource status option after you have entered values in the % Complete field.

    -and-

  • Actual Start does not equal NA for the task listed in the error message.

    -and-

  • % Work Complete does not equal % Complete for the task listed in the error message.

    -and-

  • You have reopened the project after saving it in a database format.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, create a custom AutoFilter to locate tasks where % Work Complete is not equal to % Complete. Recalculate % Work Complete, and then save as a database. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Insert the %Complete and %Work Complete Fields.
    1. In a Sheet view, select the column to the right of where you want to insert the new column.
    2. On the Insert menu, click Column.
    3. In the Column Definition dialog box, click % Complete in the Field Name list. Click OK.
    4. On the Insert menu, click Column.
    5. In the Column Definition dialog box, click % Work Complete in the Field Name list. Click OK.
  2. Create a Custom AutoFilter.
    1. On the Project menu, point to Filtered For, and then click AutoFilter.
    2. Click the arrow in the % Work Complete column title, and then click (Custom...) to display the Custom AutoFilter dialog box.
    3. In the Custom AutoFilter dialog box, in the list of operators (on the left side of the dialog box), click Does Not Equal. In the values list (on the right side of the dialog box), type or select [% Complete].
    4. Click OK.

      The arrow and column title for that column will turn blue.

      If you have a normal filter applied, AutoFilters will further filter the list of tasks or resources.
    5. Click in the % Complete field of tasks viewed and re-enter the % Complete value. The % Work Complete field is recalculated.
    6. To remove the filtering, click the arrow in the % Work Complete column title, and then click (All).
    7. To turn off AutoFilter, point to Filtered For on the Project menu, and then click AutoFilter.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Project listed above.

MORE INFORMATION

When you turn off the Updating task status updates resource status option and enter a value into the % Complete field, a % Work Complete value will not be recalculated. When you turn on this option, the only way to force a recalculation the % Work Complete field is to re-enter the % Complete value for the task.

NOTE: To locate the Updating task status updates resource status option, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the Calculation tab.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/17/2002
Keywords:kbbug KB180835
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.