Update Tasks dialog box

Use the Update Tasks dialog box to update progress on the selected task. After you enter progress information, Microsoft Office Project performs any necessary calculations and changes the values for the affected fields. You can:

• Set the percentage of completion for selected tasks.

• Enter actual and remaining durations for selected tasks.

• Enter actual start and finish dates for selected tasks.

• Update information for one selected task or for many selected tasks. Some boxes in this dialog box might be blank if you select more than one task. Project updates all of the selected tasks with the information you specify.

Dialog box location

Display any task view. On the Tools menu, point to Tracking, and then click Update Tasks.

Details

Task information fields

Name     Specifies the name of the task you selected. If you selected more than one task, this field is blank. This field is provided for information only and can not be edited in this dialog box.

Duration     Specifies the duration of the task you selected. If you selected more than one task, this field is blank. This field is provided for information only and can not be edited in this dialog box.

% Complete and Duration fields

% Complete     Specifies the percentage of the task that is complete. If you type a percentage and there is no date in the Actual Start Date field, Project sets the actual start date for the task to match the scheduled start date. If you type 100, Project also adjusts the actual finish date for the task to the scheduled finish date.

Actual dur     Specifies the actual amount of time it took to complete the task. If the task is complete, type the number of days or hours the task took to complete. If the task is not yet complete, type the number of days or hours worked on the task in the Actual dur box, and if necessary, type the remaining duration in the Remaining dur box. Project updates the scheduled duration and remaining duration to match the actual duration that you enter.

Remaining dur     Specifies the remaining duration of the task. This number is the amount of time needed to complete the task in progress. If you type an actual duration and a remaining duration, Project changes the scheduled duration to the sum of the actual and remaining duration.

Actual section

Start     Specifies the actual start date for the task. If you enter actual dates, they take precedence over any other information you might have entered. For example, if you enter 60% complete and an actual finish date, Project sets the percent complete to 100, because you entered the date on which you finished the task.

Finish     Specifies the actual finish date for the task. If you enter actual dates, they take precedence over any other information you might have entered. For example, if you enter 60% complete and an actual finish date, Project sets the percent complete to 100, because you entered the date on which you finished the task.

Current section

Start     Displays the start date scheduled for the tasks. If you have selected more than one task, the current Start field is blank.

Finish     Displays the finish date scheduled for the tasks. If you have selected more than one task, the current Finish field is blank.

Notes button

Click to see or change notes attached to the task.

If the task has been completed, use one of these methods to update the task information:

• Enter the actual start date and finish date.

• Enter 100% in the % Complete field if the task was completed as scheduled.

• Enter the actual duration of the task.

If the task has been started as scheduled, but not completed, use one of the following methods to update the task information:

• Enter the actual start date and the expected actual duration.

• Enter the actual start date and the percentage completed so far.

• Enter the actual start date, the actual duration so far, and the remaining duration needed to complete the task.

Use the Update Tasks dialog box for detailed tracking of tasks. For quicker, broader tracking when detailed tracking isn't necessary, use the UpdateProject dialog box.

You can use the Tracking toolbar to quickly update actuals. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Tracking. Select tasks and then click the button corresponding to the tasks' percentage of completion.