This chapter provides project management workflows that enable Microtasks micro tasks to automatically update when new schedule is loaded.
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Learn why schedules updates are so important to Fuzor workflow.
In the realm of large scale construction it is standard to maintain a full project lifecycle schedule usually spanning several years. Relatively speaking, optimal output from Fuzor requires | |||||||
micro scheduling, a more detailed and specific scheduling of tasks. To make a realistic schedule with Fuzor, tasks must be broken down into individual operations. When this is done properly it allows for a holistic and approach to project planning. IDD Teams can perform a detailed and visual audit of the construction simulation before the project begins. This is an opportunity to avoid scheduling issues, safety hazards and modeling errors. A holistic approach to schedule integrations allows for faster and more accurate turn around time for |
an ensuing construction simulation audit. After loading new schedule data, each detailed step in a procedure can be reviewed with the revision to the schedule. Because schedule updates are so integral to Fuzor |
project management it is important for a Fuzor user to know the best practices to ensure schedule updates run smoothly. |
Fuzor enables users to control this by clearly defining the difference between tasks that are imported from other software and should be updated directly by a schedule update and tasks created in Fuzor. A Macro Task is a task imported into Fuzor from another software. |
A Microtask is any task that was originally created in Fuzor.
Task Linking Methods
Learn about various ways to link a Microtask to the Macroschedule
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Generally speaking there are two main and separate methods to link a given Microtask to the Macroshedule. In concept a given Microtask needs to be linked to a macrotask that effected by the same scheduling constraints.
The WBS Relationship Method involves setting a Microtask or a group of Microtasks as children of a given Macrotask.
The Logic Relationship Method requires that the user assign the Microtask as a successor to the Macrotask, and ensure that the Microtask has an ASAP constraint.
For simple schedule updates both task linking methods are effective.
WBS Relationship Method
Learn how to create a WBS Relationship
Creating a WBS relationship is easy. Microtasks should be added as children of the Macrotask. In the example below 'Microtask 1', 'Microtask 2', and 'Microtask 3' are children of ‘Macrotask'. If multiple tasks need to be updated it is best to link them together with Predecessor relationships.
For more information about predecessors and successor see LINKLINKLINK. for more information about editing WBS structure see LINKLINLLINK.
A macro task can also be created in Fuzor but is not recommended if expecting the task to update sensibly when changes are made to the macro schedule. A Micro Task can only be created in Fuzor. macro tasks have special scheduling logic that responds to the macro task they are linked to. |
Creating the Micro Schedule
Learn how to start creating a detailed micro schedule in Fuzor
By default, micro tasks are created instead of macro tasks when using the create construction task button. A macro task needs to be selected in order to add a micro task to the schedule. | |||||||
 | Adds a construction micro task to the currently selected macro task. Other Task Types also create micro tasks, by default. | ||||||
When a micro task is created it is created as the child of the currently selected macro task. This allows users to easily understand the relationship between the micro schedule and the macro schedule. If a micro task is selected when the new task is created it will becreated as a sibiling of that task and a child of the macro task parent. Micro tasks update start and end dates based on the offset that is introduced to an associated macro task. If the 4D Setting, Scale Micro Task Duration is enabled micro tasks will also scale their durations when the duration of the macro task is changed. By default, the user cannot edit the macro schedule. Task names and dates of macro tasks appear grey instead of black. The default background color of construction micro tasks is also different. This enables the user to easily distinguish between the micro tasks and macro tasks. The default background color of construction micro | |||||||
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When a change is made to ‘Macro Task’ that changes the start of the ‘Micro task’ Chain all start dates are adjusted by the same amount. | |||||||
There are two | |||||||
ways to create |
multiple micro tasks linked together | |||||||
 | Creates multiple linked together in a chain as children of the currently selected task. | ||||||
Indents a task. This will set the selected task as a child of task that is directly above it in the gantt chant
Logic Relationship Method
Learn How to create a Logic Relationship.
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A Logic Relationship utilizes scheduling logic that is present in other software as well as Fuzor and will be familiar for those acquainted with scheduling. Both Constraints and Logic Links (Predecessor -Successor Relationships) are used in a Logic Relationship. In the Example Below ‘Microtask’ one and ‘Microtask 3' are both successors to ‘Macrotask’. However, They have different kinds of relationships. Additionally all Microtasks associated with this Macrotask are in a Predecessor Chain.
‘Microtask 1’ is a Start - Start Successor to ‘Macrotask’
‘Microtask 2’ Is a Start - Finish Successor to ‘Microtask 1’
‘Microtask 3’ Is a Start -Finish Successor to ‘Microtask 2’ and it is a Finish - Finish Successor to ‘Macrotask’.
Additionally Each Microtask in the Example has an ASAP Constraint set as its constraint type.
For more infromationabout predecessors and successor see LINKLINKLINK. for more information about Changing Constraint Types see LINKLINLLINK.
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When a schedule update is made to ‘Macrotask’ that changes the start date ‘Microtask 1’, ‘Microtask 2’ and ‘Microtask 3’ will all have their start dates adjusted by the same amount.
Handling Specific Update Cases
Learn how to use different Linking Methods and Schedule Update Methods to Properly manage a project in different schedule update situations.
Schedule Updates come in many forms. Depending on the difference in data a specific Task Link Method and Update workflow may be required to have the expected result. In order to manage a project which requires schedule updates you should be familiar with the two Linking Methods discussed earlier in this chapter, and the Two Update Methods:
The Column Mapping Update Workflow. For more information see.
XML update workflow. For more information see.
Base Update Case : To understand the other cases of schedule updates. We first need to understand what the most simple update case is:
Microtasks and Macrotasks exist in the Fuzor Project.
Tasks In both the original and the Update XML have the same ID, Unique ID if using Microsoft Project.
Manually schedule tasks is unchecked in the Fuzor Construction Settings.
Autofill duration is checked in the Fuzor Construction Settings.
Changes to durations Macrotasks are not expected to reflected in Linked Microtasks.
New Calendars, Baselines, and Activity Codes are not needed or unchanged in the update.
The data date is not changed.
We are expecting dates and durations of the Microtasks to be offset by the change in dates and durations of macrotask it is linked too.
If the schedule update meets the above parameters any Update workflow and Linking method is appropriate and Microtasks will update as expected with their associated relationship.
Can be used when creating Micro or Macro Tasks. | |||||||
Micro tasks can also be created separately and manually linked together using predecessor and successor relationships. | |||||||
Relinking Micro Tasks
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Leran how to relink a micro task to a new macro task.
In some situations a user may need to relink a micro task to a new macro task. This may happen due to changes in the construction methodology or because of a mistake. Additionally during schedules updates some tasks may become orphaned. Orphaned tasksneed to be relinked to a new macro task before continuing. | |||||||
 | Selected to relink a micro task. All micro tasks contain the icon in the relinking column allowing you to relink them at any time. | ||||||
 | Selected to relink an orphaned micro task. | ||||||
After the relinking column in the micro task is selected a macro task is needed to relink the micro task too. The same column is used to select the macro task. A different Icon is used to denote a macro task. | |||||||
 | Selected to denote the macro task that the micro task is being relinked too. | ||||||
Chains of micro tasks are always linked together. only a sequential chain can be relinked at a time. a micro task with multiple predecessors or successors cannot be relinked. Predecessors and successors may need to be temporarily removed before relinking a specific chain of tasks. | |||||||
Editing the Macro Schedule
Learn how to edit or create a macro schedule in Fuzor
In some situations the user may need to edit task data in the macro schedule. The user also may be creating a schedule entirely in Fuzor and does not need to use the Macro-Micro relationship. The Micro and Macro radio button toggle between macro and micro scheduling modes. When in the radio button is set to micro the user can only create and edit micro tasks. when the radio button is set to macro the user can edit any task, but can only create macro tasks. | |||||||
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| A Construction task is the only task type than can be created as a macro task. However the task type of a macro task can be changed to any Fuzor task type after it is created. | ||||||
Updating the Macro Schedule
Learn how to update the macro schedule when working with micro tasks
A macro schedule is updated by importing a XML or CSV or by Column Mapping a spreadsheet. For both methods micro tasks update thier durations based on changes to thier associated macro task. When a XML or CSV is imported the gantt chart is automatically filtered to only display tasks associated with changes to micro tasks in the schedule. During the session the update is conducted the Show Merge Changes checkbox controls whether this filter is active. | |||||||
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The Show Merge Changes checkbox toggles whether microtasks and associated macrotasks with changes are isolated in the gantt chart. Importing and Updating Schedules provides general information about updating by importing entire schedules using a new XML or CSV. Column Mapping provides general information about updating by column mapping in data from XLSX and CSV Spreadsheets. Column mapping does not enable the Show Merge Changes filter. | |||||||
Orphaned Tasks
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Learn how to handle micro tasks that are associated with a macro task that is deleted in a schedule update.
Sometimes tasks are deleted when a schedule update is made. This means that there are | |||||||
macro tasks in Fuzor that do not exist in the updated XML |
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Expectation A: All tasks not included in the new XML need to be deleted including tasks with objects assigned. This will ensure that we will be able to easily find which objects need to be reassigned to new tasks as they will be visible throughout the construction simulation.
When Using Merge By ID there is an option to delete tasks with assigned objects. |
macro tasks that have no objects assigned will always be deleted if not included in the XML update. |
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Expectation B: The Animation needs to be retained. New data needs to be imported and may slightly change animations, however we do not want tasks with objects assigned to be deleted or Microtasks linked to deleted Macrotasks to drastically changed or deleted in any way. |
The best workflow to retain animations when there is a potential for deleted macrotasks with objects assigned or linked microtasks is Column Mapping. Column Mapping never deletes tasks in your project. Either Task Linking Method will retain the start and end date of the microtask when its macrotask is deleted
Replaced Macrotasks and Identifier changes : When using an XML Fuzor uses a specific Identifier depending on source of the XML. When Column Mapping the User needs to select an Identifier using the tool. The Indentifier needs to be unique and consistent for the same task in order to conduct a schedule update properly.
It is possible but unlikely that a schedule update will have new Identifiers for all tasks in schedule. Normally the reason behind an ID change is because a task was deleted in the authoring software and then recreated, with a new ID. In order to identify changes to IDs it is important to know which software uses what ID as a unique Identifier.
Microsoft Project : Unique ID
Primavera P6 : ID
Asta Powerproject : Task ID
Using Column Mapping it is possible to select a different Identifier that may be consistent, and even use it to update the Identifier that is needed to do an XML update if this is necessary for other reasons. If tasks are mapped properly either Task Linking Method is effective to update microtasks accordingly.
For Example WBS naming conventions for Primavera P6 use the project ID for the WBS IDs which means that these may change when a new project is created. Using column mapping and the Task Name as an identifier you can update the WBS IDs so that data can be synced with an XML update.
Changes to Calendars the Data Date and Resources: Both Calendars and the Data Date can effect dates and durations of tasks in the project. If these are not imported or updated during a schedule update it is possible that the dates in your Fuzor Project are inconsistent with that of your authoring software.
Resources may effect cost calculations. If these are not imported or updated during a schedule update it is possible that the costs in your Fuzor project are inconsistent with that of your authoring software.
An XML update is needed to update or import new Calendars and Resources, Update the Data Date, or change resource and calendar task assignments and allocation. However, Column Mapping can be used to update incorrect costs directly and handle them as edited total costs.
Changes to Activity Codes : blash balsh XMLS are needed for the activty codes
Manually Schedule Tasks : If manually schedule tasks is enabled Fuzor does not respect any logic in the schedule. This means that neither Task Linking Method will update Microtasks that are linked to updated Macrotasks.
If substantial lag is introduced early in critical path the result would be an project where Microtasks are occuring far before Macrotasks that they are linked too.
There are a few common reasons why a user might enable Manually Schedule Tasks
Manually schedule tasks was enabled for a specific task in the authoring software and the setting is needed in the Fuzor Project to ensure that the date matches for the task. This can be resolved by ensuring that the authoring software has proper logic. with respect to DCMA guidelines? CHECK THAT ONE
Schedule data was exported from the authoring software before conducting a proper schedule update and there is invalid data in the schedule. This can be resolved by running a schedule update before exporting the XML.
When a macro task is deleted the user is prompted to decide whether they would like micro tasks with deleted macro task to automatically relink to another macro task with the closest date or if they would like to manually relink micro tasks back to the macro schedule. |  | ||||||
If manually relinking is desired any micro tasks that are children of deleted macro tasks will become orphaned. Orphaned micro tasks always appear at the top of the gantt chart. In order to continue working the micro tasks need to be remapped to new macro tasks. The relinking column is used for to remap the micro task to a new macro task. | |||||||
| Selected to relink an orphaned micro task. for more information see Relinking Micro Tasks. | ||||||