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Title: |
Frequently Asked Questions by users of Help-U-Plan, and definitions of common terms |
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Description: |
FAQ's, known problems, and definitions for creating a Gantt Chart online with the Help-U-Plan process |
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Tags: |
Gantt Chart, data definitions, Timescale, Task, Milestone, relationship, link, dependencies, dependency, FAQ's |
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Please submit your questions to programming@helpuplan.com) Or Provide 
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Q.
What is Task Duration?
A.
Duration is an industry-specific word meaning the time it takes for a Task to be completed. In scheduling packages such as Microsoft Project, this time will be expressed in minutes, days, or weeks, etc. In Help-U-Plan's approach to Gantt Charts, Task duration is the number of columns. This approach permits the use of any kind of text as column labels, instead of requiring these labels to be date-based. The result is that with Help-U-Plan's graphic, the user has more freedom in the creation of the Gantt Chart.
A second important aspect of Duration is that a Duration of 0 indicates a Milestone rather than a Task. Help-U-Plan (and most other scheduling packages) uses a separate symbol (we show a triangle) to represent Milestones. To represent Tasks, Help-U-Plan uses have been called 'Sticks and Balls'. This is simply a combination of circles to represent Task beginning and end points, connected with a narrow rectangle.
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Q.
When I create a new Task, should I use a Start, or a Predecessor, or both?
A.
Good question. Among true scheduling packages like Help-U-Plan, assigning a Start should be done sparingly. Wherever possible, Tasks and Milestones are positioned on the Chart by connecting them with a link. In forward planning, this means assigning a Predecessor Task (the Task that logically precedes this one). In backward planning, this means assigning a 'Precedes' Task (the Task that follows this one).
If you are doing forward planning and you assign a Start date to only your first Task (or Milestone), and connect all of the remaining Tasks by assigning a Predecessor, then your entire Chart will 'float' if you should change the beginning Start date. This is what we mean by a true scheduler, and what helps make this type of software so powerful and efficient to use.
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Q.
What is Lag/Lead?
A.
Being able to assign a value to Lag/Lead for any Task permits you to indicate the precise kind of relationship between Tasks without knowing the more technical terms. The practical result is that of positioning the Task where you want it to be shown. Consequently, you don't have to know whether the precise relationship is 'finish-to-start', or 'start-to-finish', or 'start-to-start', or 'finish-to-finish'. You assign a single value for lag/lead (in terms of number of columns), and the Help-U-Plan program will place the Task accordingly.
Incidentally, you can try about 100 different values for Lag/Lead using the Help-U-Plan program in the time it would take to understand the technical terms for specific relationships using more complex scheduling packages. We think the Gantt Chart graphic is the item of prime importance, rather than the technical terms.
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Q.
How can I make my Timescale Labels readable? They're too small.
A.
You have three options:
1) Make your labels shorter. We make the fonts small enough to fit the label in the space available.
2) Change the print mode from 'portrait' to 'landscape'. This widens the space for the label.
3) Change paper size from 'letter' to 'legal' (only effective in 'landscape' mode).
This also increases space for the label.
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Q.
How can I add columns to my chart?
A.
To add columns (or to delete columns), go to the  tab. Within this Tab, you can insert a column at the front of your Timescale, and then add your column label to the box provided. To add columns, simply add your labels in boxes under the existing Timescale labels (where it says  ), and then press the 'Apply' button. Your column labels must be adjacent (next to each other) to get added.
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Q.
How can I change my plan name?
A.
To change your plan name, go to the tab. Within this Tab, you can enter any Chart name you want, and then press the 'Apply' button.
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Q.
How can I save the Gantt Chart (a 'gif' file) for emailing, modifying, etc.?
A.
Either in the Workspace or on the 'Print page', right-click on the chart (Windows users). You will then be given the opportunity to save the graphic on your own computer, in the location you choose. Send the Chart with an email by 'attaching' the saved graphic to the email (in Microsoft Outlook, select 'File' from the Insert Menu).
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Q.
Can more than one person view or access a plan at the same time?
A.
No. Only one person at a time is allowed access to the plan. This prevents more than one person from updating the same information. You can allow another person to access your plan by giving out your user ID and password, but only one user at a time will be allowed to view your plan or to modify it. Also remember that if you do not actively log out, it will be 30 minutes before you get 'timed out' by the server (before that user ID can be used again).
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Q.
Sometimes, my request for a change or a different page comes back relatively quickly (2 - 5 seconds), and sometimes it takes a long time; perhaps 45 seconds or a minute. Why?
A.
We have experienced the same thing. It appears that unusual time delays are caused by our local internet service provider, rather than by the Help-U-Plan server.
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Login Questions
A registered user who has logged in can end their session in 2 ways;
1) by logging out (we encourage this), or
2) by letting the session time out (30 minutes after last use of browser).
If you log in on Help-U-Plan's site, and then close your browser without logging out, you will still be shown to be logged on in our database for another 30 minutes. After that time, you will be able to log in again.
This happens because information relative to your session (a session-level cookie) is stored within your browser (in temporary memory). When you close the browser this information is lost, and a new instance of the browser is recognized by the server as a new session. If you keep the browser open but don't use it, your session will still be recognized by the server for up to 30 minutes, even if you disconnect and reconnect from the internet.
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Cookies
Help-U-Plan uses 'Cookies' to uniquely identify your computer's browser to Help-U-Plan's Server. These cookies contain information important to your interaction with the server. It is only necessary that these cookies be stored while your session is active. When your session with Help-U-Plan ends, and your browser is closed, no cookies relative to this session will be stored on your machine.
To permit this 'session-level' cookie use, Select 'Tools' from the browser Menu Bar, and Choose 'Internet Options'. Then select the 'Security' Tab, and click on 'Custom Level'. Next, scroll down to the option "Allow per-session cookies". Set this option to "Enable".
Then, click 'OK' to change your settings, and answer 'Yes' to the warning "Are you sure you want to change the security settings for this zone?" Finally, click 'OK' to finalize the change.
With the above setting, Help-U-Plan Cookies will only be stored in your browser (in temporary memory, not on your hard drive) for the duration of your session with Help-U-Plan.
Note: The other, more permanent, cookie option "Allow cookies that are stored on your computer" can be set at any level you wish. We do not use this semi-permanent type of cookie.
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Backward Planning
With 'backward planning', Tasks are conceptually connected from the bottom right of the the Chart to the top left. This allows you to begin constructing your chart with a 'drop-dead' date (such as when a grant application is due), and work backward from that point by adding Tasks that must be accomplished to achieve that Milestone (the drop-dead date). With this mode of planning, changing the Start constraint for the final milestone in the Chart shifts all of the previous Tasks and Milestones accordingly.
The one noticeable difference in the Workspace is that the 'Predecessor' box is replaced by a 'Precedes' box. When you work from the bottom right to the top left, the 'link' that connects Tasks to each other indicates that the current Task being entered 'precedes' the Task Number entered in the 'Precedes' box.
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Definitions To Top
Items in the Graphic:
Task Number --> An identifier for the Task or Milestone. Appears as the row number in your graphic.
Name --> A description; whatever you want to enter (can include numbers, dollars, dates, etc.).
Duration --> The number of columns this task will consume.
(Note: a duration = 0 indicates a milestone).
Start --> The column in which this task is to start. Typically a Start is given for the first task;
otherwise optional.
Predecessor --> ID of Task which current Task depends on. Should be given if no Start is given.
Lead or Lag --> Number of columns the Task is offset from its default position.
Task --> Consumes time. Also known as an activity.
Milestone --> Consumes no time. An important event, or start/stop point.
General Terms:
Strategy --> An overall approach to a problem or project; a meta-plan.
Planning --> The process of identifying activities which is expected to accomplish goals.
Scheduling --> The detailing of a plan, and the tracking of its execution.
Project Management --> The process of executing a plan.
Critical Path --> The sequence of activities and milestones which are time-critical to the project.
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