Replacing a Schedule

Understanding when and how to update your project schedule within SmartPM is vital for accurate tracking and reporting. SmartPM offers two primary methods for updating your schedules: Rebaselining and Replacing. Each serves distinct purposes and is suitable for different scenarios. This article focuses on when and why you would replace a schedule, and what that process looks like in SmartPM.

Replacing a Schedule

Replacing a schedule in SmartPM involves uploading a new schedule file to replace an existing schedule file with the same data/status date. This is typically done when the project schedule has been entirely revised or updated with a new version.

Important: SmartPM can only accept one schedule per data date within a project.

When to Replace a Schedule:

• Complete Schedule Overhaul: When the entire project schedule has been revised with significantly different information
• New Schedule Versions: When an existing schedule is updated  more accurate information.

Replacing an outdated schedule ensures the project is using the most current schedule data and allows for the integration of significant and more accurate changes. This does not facilitate a schedule update. 

To replace a schedule in SmartPM:

1. Navigate to the Manage Schedules window for the new schedule’s project.
   1. Either on the Company Dashboard or in the Project Workspace
2. Upload the new schedule file (e.g., XER or MPP).
3. SmartPM will provide an Error message informing you that there are two schedules with the same data date in the project
4. Delete the old version of the schedule
5. Click Save.
6. SmartPM will process the new schedule, and you'll receive an email notification upon completion.

Use Replacing: When the entire project schedule has been revised or replaced with a new version.