Task Timestamps
TASK: Start and End Times
Every Task has a suite of four potential Start and End Time Timestamps during its lifecycle: Baseline, Planned, Forecast and Actual for both Start and End Times. The ability to edit those Timestamps depends on the state of the Runbook and the Phase in which the Task resides. Those Timestamps (and the ability to edit them) are outlined below:
1. BASELINE Start Time and End Time: The Baseline Start and End Times can be edited for a pre-approved Runbooks.
2. PLANNED Start Time and End Time: The Planned Start and End Times can be edited for Runbooks which have been approved but have not yet been Committed.
3. FORECAST Start Time and End Time: The Forecast Start and End Times can be edited for Tasks which have not yet been Activated. Note that the FORECAST End Time may change for an ACTIVE task by EITHER altering the Task's 'forecast' Duration (see below) OR suspending the Task and inserting an estimated RESOLUTION TIME which is different to the FORECAST End Time.
4. ACTUAL Start Time and End Time: The Actual Start and End Times can not be edited. The timestamps reflect what ACTUALLY happened and cannot be overwritten.
TASK: Duration(s)
Task Durations are more directly related to the Task itself than to the Task's Start and End times which are primarily driven by the Runbook Schedule, the Task Predecessors and/or explicit Start Time(s). Every Task has a suite of four potential Duration Timestamps during its lifecyle: Baseline, Planned, Forecast and Actual (Duration(s)). The ability to edit those Timestamps depends on the state of the Runbook. Those Timestamps (and the ability to edit them) are outlined below:
1. BASELINE Duration: The Baseline Duration can be edited for a pre-approved Task.
2. PLANNED Duration: The Planned Duration can be edited for a Task which has not yet been Committed.
3. FORECAST Duration: The Forecast Duration can be edited for Committed and Active Tasks.
4. ACTUAL Duration: The Actual Duration can not be edited because it reflects what ACTUALLY happened and cannot be overwritten.
List Tasks - Select Columns
The suite of Timestamps can be observed by selecting to view them as columns in the List Tasks screen and progressing the STP through different States. To view Timestamp data as columns in the List Tasks screen, use ICEFLO's Interactive Reports Function.
"Select Colums" in the Actions drop-down list on the List Tasks screen.
Or you can select to view the 'All Times' report from the dropdown menu.
List Tasks - Select Columns
Toggle all relevant column values to the Display in Report field. In this case, that would include all Timestamp combinations, being: Baseline, Planned, Forecast and Actual: (Start Times, End Times and Durations)
List Tasks - Timestamp Values for a Pre-approved Runbook
At the start of a Runbook (and Task's) lifecycle, you will note in the example above, that the Task's Start and End times as well the Durations are blank beyond the Baseline timestamps.
List Tasks - Timestamp Values for an Approved Runbook
The above Runbook has been Approved and Scheduled. You will notice that there are now Baseline: Start Times, End Times and Durations as well as Planned: Start Times, End Times and Durations. The Baseline Timestamps can no longer be amended as the Runbook has been approved. We can however, amend the Planned Task Timestamp times because the Runbook has not been Committed.
List Tasks - Timestamp Values for a Committed Runbook
The above Runbook is in a state of Committed and Forecast Timestamps (Forecast: Start and End Times and Durations) are now displayed. As the Runbook has now been Committed, Baseline and Planned Timestamp times can no longer be amended. If we were to edit a Task's Predecessor, explicit Start Time and/or Duration, only the Forecast Timestamp Times would change.
List Tasks - Timestamp Values for an Active Runbook
Focusing on the Forecast and Actual times only, the above example highlights the relevance and changes to those Timestamps when a Task is in a state of Active, Pending and Complete.
Task 2.1 is in a state of Active. The Actual Start Time has been recorded but the Task Duration and End time remain, for now, as a Forecasts Duration and Forecast End Time because those Timestamps are subject to change, depending on how the Runbook progresses.
Task 2.2 is in a state of Complete. As the Task is Complete, the Forecast Timestamp times are no longer relevant and have not been captured. Only the Actual Timestamp times are relevant and have been captured.
Task 2.4 is in a state of Pending. As the Task is not yet Active, only the Forecast Timestamp times are relevant and have been captured.