ProChain Project Scheduling FAQs

1. ProChain Project Scheduling versions 9 and 10 are both available. Which should I use?
   Version 10 has a new, improved user interface and an optional new scheduling approach that improves the power and simplicity of critical chain scheduling. For most ProChain users, we recommend version 10. If you also use Pipeline or Enterprise, you should use version 9 until version 10 is released for those products. If you use version 9 of the Scheduler extensively, you may also contact us for help planning the upgrade.
   
   
2. Which versions of Microsoft Project is ProChain compatible with?
   Version 9 of ProChain supports Microsoft Project 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2007.  Version 10 of ProChain currently supports Microsoft Project 2003 and 2007. Support for Microsoft Project 2010 will be added to version 10 later this year.
   
   
3. My ProChain Software won’t install. What is the problem?
   If you are installing version 9, most likely your security settings are blocking the ProChain installation, although there could be other reasons for an installation to fail. First try setting the security to “Low” then retry the installation. To change the security setting, open MS Project. Go to “Tools | Macro | Macro Security”. Use the menu there to change the setting to “Low”. Close MS Project and retry the install.
   
   If this still fails, do a manual install. Directions are in the ProChain User’s Guide but are repeated here in a brief description. First open MS Project. Open the file “pc2000.mpp” for ProChain or “pcp2000.mpp” for ProChain Pipeline. This file will be located in whatever directory you have chosen to install ProChain. The default is C:\Program Files\ProChain Solutions\ProChain x.0. Once this file is open, run the macro “ProChain Install” from Tools | Macro | Macros… After this macro is run you should see the ProChain toolbars appear. Close the file.
   
   If neither of the above methods is successful, or if you are installing version 10, please contact ProChain Technical Support at support@prochain.com.
   
   
4. What parts of Microsoft Project does ProChain use and what parts does it replace? Are there any functions and features that it is incompatible with or does not support?
   ProChain is an add-on to Microsoft Project. Installing ProChain will add the functionality required for Critical Chain project scheduling and management—none of the MS Project functionality is disabled. ProChain comes with a project scheduler (the MS Project scheduler and resource leveler is no longer used), a task update interface, analysis tools, views, and reports. Project networks and data are modeled, entered, stored, and exported just as they are when using MS Project without ProChain. The only modeling features that currently are not supported by the ProChain scheduler are split tasks, assignment delays, resource contours, recurring tasks, embedded projects, and task links between projects.
   
   
5. I’m upgrading to a new version of ProChain. Do I need to Uninstall first?
   No. Uninstalling will clean up old files and registry entries, but if left, won’t adversely affect anything other than adding clutter. ProChain version 9 and before will overwrite the components of the previous version, so that only the most recently installed version can be run. If you are reinstalling the same version to the same directory, then uninstalling is unnecessary.
   
   ProChain version 10 can co-exist with previous versions but provides an installation option to delete the previous version.


6. Does ProChain support summary task links? What’s wrong with using them?
   Yes, ProChain supports summary task links. In other words, the predecessors of the summary task will get scheduled before any of the summary’s detailed tasks, and the successors of the summary task won’t be scheduled until after all of the detail tasks. Note that the critical chain that ProChain identifies will not include summary tasks. If the CC does go through the summary task link, ProChain will identify only the relevant detail tasks.
   
   There are some downsides with using summary task links. One is that it can hide the true relationships between the detail tasks. This can make it harder to analyze the network and can preclude finding some overlap that can shorten the schedule.
   
   Another issue is that of feeding buffer creation. In some cases, ProChain will create a whole lot of buffers to or from the detailed tasks rather then creating a buffer associated directly with the summary task.
   
   
7. I have a long vendor task in my project that has padding built into it, yet they are unlikely to deliver early. In other words, their 50/50 duration is pretty close to their low-risk or worst-case duration. How do I get ProChain to take this into account so that it doesn’t create a huge buffer to protect it?
   ProChain sizes the buffer based on the amount of variability in the tasks it is protecting against—it’s a function of the variability in the tasks not the duration of the tasks. For example, if the tasks are guaranteed to be delivered on schedule, no buffering would be needed. ProChain calculates the variability of a task as the difference between the low-risk duration (the Duration1 field is the default) and the Focus duration (the Duration field). If you do not enter a low-risk duration (or you enter an invalid one such as one that is less than the Focus duration) then ProChain will assume that the low-risk duration is twice the duration.
   
   Let's look at an example. If you have a 10w duration task and you leave the low-risk duration at 0, then ProChain will use 20w as the low-risk duration. The variability will be 20w – 10w or 10w. 50% buffers (using the percentage sizing method) will result in 5w of buffering. Now if you are pretty sure that the vendor won’t slip by more than 2w, you would set the Duration1 field to 12w. The variability is 2w and the result will be 1w of buffering—a savings of 4w.
   
   
8. How do I use ProChain to schedule a project from the finish date backward (to meet a due date)?
   To tell ProChain to schedule from a date backward, you need to put an FNLT constraint on the last task and set the Project Start Date early enough that it will not influence the schedule. Note: ProChain always schedules the project from the Project Start Date no matter which Schedule From option you have selected in Project Information.
   
   
9. Why do I have more than one project buffer?
   ProChain considers any task that does not have a successor as a deliverable that needs to be protected by a project buffer. If you go to the Network Analysis screen in version 10, there is a line that shows the number of tasks without successors.
   
   
10. Why does the ProChain Task Details window use Remaining Duration instead of % Complete?
    This is done to get more accurate estimates. Remaining duration is what is needed to calculate new projected times and buffer consumption. Trying to factor in your effort so far only complicates the estimate, and % Complete is subject to different interpretations. There is also a human tendency to say that you are 90% complete very quickly, and then spend just as long or longer finishing up the last 10%.
    
    
11. If I send a ProChain-scheduled project file to somebody that has Microsoft Project but doesn’t have ProChain, will they be able to open the file, or use the views and reports that come with ProChain?
    They will be able to open the file. They can use any views and reports that have previously been used with that file, because Microsoft Project components like ProChain views and reports are automatically copied from the GLOBAL.MPT file into the individual project file when they are referenced. ProChain-specific functions like fever charts and resource graphs will not be available.
    
    
12. How can I undo ProChain functions?
    Microsoft Project 2007 provides an “undo” capability that can be used to undo the ProChain functions, including reschedules and buffer updates.
    
    
13. Can I get training at my company location on ProChain software?
    Please contact us with your circumstances. We offer open courses at our Lake Ridge, Virginia location that may be more cost-effective. For the current schedule, please visit the training section of our website.
    
    
14. Can I get PMI credits for attending a ProChain Course?
    Yes. You must apply through the PMI Certification website for Category 4 course credits.