ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

You can use a Gantt chart very much like a timeline, MSProject and all modern planning and scheduling software will have the capacity. Where it comes to life though is when you can schedule tasks concurrently (bidding on one job whilst completing another, for instance) and creating dependencies (can't start job B before spec and contact signed off, but only schedule gap is meaning signoff must be completed by , meaning spec must be completed by meaning spec must be started by but you can do that on your laptop at your mum's house, don't need the tender farm for that so whilst another job is rendering). I think you get the idea. If you've a team, you can also factor personal availability in, you can account for holidays, overtime rates, etc. It can even amend your schedule as you go along so you're not working 25 hour days or level things out so you have 2 x40h weeks instead of a 60h week and a 20h week. A good scheduling/project management package will go as far as you want, probably significantly further than you'll ever need!

There are free ones of varying qualities, the Microsoft one is actually pretty good in its class though.

10 years, 12 months ago - Eve Williamson

Dan, I think you have a real point. Why fix something that is not broken. I did have a dream last night that i made the schedule out of post it notes.

11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Is animation so different from any other projects? If not, you could try MS Project for scheduling with great resolution and levelling algorithms.

10 years, 12 months ago - Dan Selakovich

You kids today. Have to say that I still use the same method for post schedules that I used in the 80s: graph paper and color markers.

11 years ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

It's sold as a separate product, it's not exactly drag and drop, although you can adjust lengths etc with the mouse. Sounds like it's way too powerful for what you're after though - sounds more like you just want a custom calendar with a drag/drop interface, not scheduling or planning tools per se. Have you had a look at what outlook calendars can do if you're already using Office? It may be that it gets close

10 years, 12 months ago - Eve Williamson

I have actually discovered that if i use the cleaning rota template in fast track schedule and populate it with my specific tasks and resources, it does everything that i need it to. Figure that!

11 years ago - Eve Williamson

Thanks paddy. I will have a look in to this. Ideally i am looking that something that resembles an editing time line. If you know of anything like that i would be keen to know.

10 years, 12 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Eve, I reckon that'll be a lot faster, cheaper and more versatile than any computer based system!

11 years ago - Eve Williamson

Many thanks again. Can you drag and drop like on a time line? Do you need a specific version of MS office, we are working on 2010?