After you create a schedule and establish a baseline, you can update the schedule as frequently as you want. To update your schedule, you evaluate the status of each task and enter the appropriate information in the schedule. You can track any information included in your baseline, either broadly or in detail, all within one view. Just choose the information you want to update.
If you’re going to track progress at all, you should certainly begin by tracking the actual start and finish dates of each task. By comparing actual start and finish dates with baseline start and finish dates, you can predict whether your project will finish on time.
When you track your project in detail, you gather information to monitor the progress of tasks, control costs, and plan for project personnel. You can use this information to plan future projects more effectively. To track the schedule at a detailed level, you can track some or all of the following project variables.
| To track | Enter data in this field |
|---|---|
| Task start dates | Actual Start |
| Task finish dates | Actual Finish |
| Percentage of each task that is complete | Percent Complete |
| Task duration | Actual Duration |
| Task cost | Actual Cost |
| Work | Actual Work |