CS Project

The next stage is to move the tasks into the correct sequence of events. The example as it stands shows all activities commencing on the current date and therefore, all occurring at the same time.

In reality, the list of tasks will need to be executed in a logical sequence. You could simply click and drag the activities to the required position. However, this is not recommended, as there would be no relationship between the various activities. Updating the programme of works would also be a tiresome task, as each activity would have to be moved individually and any logic that was initially envisaged would have to be remembered and re-checked.

It would be better if you could use logic links to knit the activities together. That way, the logic would be displayed and stored with the project data. Also, any changes to an activity would automatically update any subsequent items where the inbuilt logic dictates that this should be the case.

To link two items together you can simply move the mouse pointer over the lower half of the first task so that the pointer changes tothen click and drag to the second task. Try doing this between “Site Set Up” and “Set-out Foundations”.

You will be presented with an “Add Link” window where you can choose the type of link you wish to add.

The task you are linking from and to are shown in the top section of the window.

The next section allows you to select the type of link you wish to add.

The final section allows you to add lag or lead time to a link. This allows you to e.g. overlap or add space (delay) between activities with a Finish-to-start link.

In this case select Finish-to-Start and a Lag/Lead of 0d as shown above and click the OK button.

You will now notice that the second task has moved so that it starts the next working day after the first task is completed. The two tasks are also joined by the link that you have created. Thus can be repeated to link items two and three In the same way thus:

You will notice that all of these activities have now changed from blue to red. This indicates that they lie on the critical path. Any delay to one of these activities will cause an equivalent delay to the end date of the programme. In contrast, the blue activities have float available. This means that they can be delayed or extended, within limits, without impacting on the completion date.

The process of linking activities can be completed as follows:

Your project should now look something like this: