Separation of schedules

Mark
are you asking the question about MSP or P3?
both softwares will let you split a planning into 2 sub-plannings and then link tasks across
pros is that 2 people will be able to access their files at the same time (MSP, becuse this is faisable in one P3 project),
cons is additionnal complexity
Alexandre

Thanks for the reply.

I am asking this question about MS project.

What do you mean by "faisable"?

Do you mean feasible?

Is the separation of the two schedules current standard industrial practice?

Is this a good practice and is this the best practice?

Thanks.

Mark,
yes "feasible", I used the french spelling instead
"industrial practice"? MSProject does not allow more than one read/write access to one project at a time, whatever MSProject distribution (Std or Pro) you are using; therefore, if you need to give access to the same "program" to more than one person at a given time, you will split the "program" into several "projects";
you will have to learn that a few things cannot be done in the program (or consolidated) file, for exemple saving the baseline
the best practice is that each project planner does use his own file, and the central planner will use the consolidated file
Alexandre

Thanks again for your reply!

So to summarize,

1. Splitting the programme into two separate electronic files is just to aid in the simultaneous access to the programme.

2. The baseline cannot be saved in the consolidated file.

I have a few questions:

1. By "consolidated" file do you mean the master schedule that has links to the sub-contractor’s schedule of works?

2. If the saving of the baseline cannot be done in the "consolidated" file, how is it done? Does each individual planner save his own baseline on his programme?

3. If each planner now has his own programme what is the use or effectiveness in having a master schedule?

Thanks.

Mark,
1. yes, not "to aid" but "to allow"
2. correct

1. correct, consolidated = master
2. correct, each individual planner ...
3. if you need to link tasks across the individual files, the only way is to create a master project; if you want to print several individual schedules in the same format, same scale, ... the best way is to create a master project
Alexandre

Allowing the separation of the schedules grants greater autonomy and level of detail to the sub-contractor, however, what would be some of the disadvantages to this method?

I always believed that the manner in which programme updates and rescheduling was to be done, was that there would be one database(on a server) and the each planner would have access (if not simultaneously) to update the programme (with an appended modification/update log of course).

Is this an antiquated/obsolete method of updates and programme developement?

Thanks again.