No modeling tool is perfect. For example, BPM easily shows gateways that depend on a condition, but most project management software does not have that built-in capability. Programmers can create macros or custom scripts to handle such situations, but that can be expensive and time-consuming. Some project managers have discovered that they can create an alternative task series by making certain tasks active or inactive, depending on a specific condition. In Microsoft Project Professional help, search for information about active tasks, and write a summary of your research. Then create a PERT segment that shows the business process model you created in Task 1.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, the active / inactive feature is only available in the Professional version of Project, not the Standard version. Here is the information:

“With the Active field, you can inactivate tasks to remove them from the Project plan. Inactive tasks remain available for use in a later phase, a later project, or for reporting or historical purposes. Inactive tasks no longer affect other tasks or the overall Project plan. Unlike deleted tasks, inactive tasks are recoverable and can be returned to active status if needed. Reactivated tasks retain any dependencies, constraints, or resource assignments associated with them. You can create reports of inactivated tasks. Microsoft Project retains baseline information for inactivated tasks.

The Active field is useful when various proposals are being presented for a Project plan and ultimately one course of action will be selected. The Active field is also useful when a task or set of tasks is being cut because of a scaling back of project scope. With the Active field, you can experiment with inactivating and reactivating tasks to see the resulting schedule effects.

Only the active tasks are considered part of the Project plan, but a record of the inactive tasks and their properties still exist for historical purposes, or for reactivation into the Project plan at a later time.

Example Your team is planning the development of a new product that has a long list of features represented in the Project plan. After estimating feature costs, examining priorities, and reviewing the desired date to market, you know you need to make feature cuts. You add the Active field to a task sheet, and select No for the features being proposed for cuts. When you remove those features, the schedule and costs are adjusted in the Project plan. At the next status meeting, you present a report listing the inactivated items. If a stakeholder insists that a certain feature be returned to the project, you reactivate the tasks associated with that feature.” Source: Microsoft Project Help

The PERT chart that follows shows a Microsoft Project Standard version example of how a gateway could be shown, and active and inactive tasks implemented.