MSP Calendar

[STUBAE]

We have had some debates about changing the standard MSP Calendar from its default settings but I am nervouse this will affect the calculations within the tool.

Can anyone advise me of things I need to look out for and if this should be left as standard?

Many thanks

 

[johnherman]

I'm sure Prof Bach will chirp in, but I recommend you leave the default calendar alone and make a copy.

-------------------------
The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was - Steven Wright

 

[PDQBach]

Damn ... only 50 words in the question and it'll take a chapter to answer it.

First ... I never use Standard. As part of setting up a project I always create a project specific calendar and in that Calendar I put things like Stat Holidays, shut down periods, etc. Since a number of projects I work on involve some international aspects, I often end up creating three or four calendars. Ok, I cheat: I open my new schedule along with one that already has those calendars and then use Tools | Organizer to copy them into my new schedule and then I assign those region specific calendars to the appropriate resources.

But that wasn't your question, was it.

So ... to accomplish what you are trying to do:

1. Create the new project calendar
1a. View | Gantt
1b. Tools | Change Working time...
In the popup:
1c. Click on "New"
In the new popup:
1d. Name: set it to something appropriate - "PDQBach" is a good choice.
1e. Click on the radio button "Make of a copy of"
1f. In the dropdown select "Standard" (since that's what you've been using).
1g. Click OK a couple of times to close the popups.

You now have a calendar based on the one you previously used.

2. Verify that it is exactly what you want.
2a. view | Reports
2b. Double-click on Overview
2c. Double-click on Working days

You will get one page for each calendar in the project. Check them to make sure they match. (They should, this is just to confirm that you've done everything correctly.)

3. Switch the project from Standard to PDQBach
3a. Project | Project Information...
3b. Change the name of the calendar displayed in "Calendar" from "Standard" to "PDQBach".
3c. Click OK to close

4. Fix tasks.
Some tasks may have been given "Standard" as the default calendar instead of "none".
4a. View | Gantt
4b. Insert the column "Task Calendar". If it says "Standard" then change it to "PDQBach".

5. Fix resources.
Resources need to have the base calendar changed from "Standard" to the new project calendar.
5a. View | Resources
5b. Insert the column "Base Calendar". If it says "Standard" then change it to "PDQBach".

6. Update the project calendar (now PDQBach).
You know how to do that so make whatever changes you want to make.

Now we can deal with the question you asked.

(These comments apply to P2003.)

If you change a date from a Working day to a non-working day (assuming project is "Schedule from Start Date"):

For ASAP tasks:
If *no* Actual Work has been recorded for that date (View | Task Usage to determine) then
(a) Finish moves out 1 day.
(b) Resource loading is unchanged.

If *any* Actual Work has been recorded for that date then
(a) Finish changes for Fixed Duration tasks; task is split at end (bug?).
(c) Resource loading increases.

For MSO tasks:
If *no* Actual Work has been recorded for that date then
(a) Finish date moves out 1 day.
(b) Resource loading is unchanged.

If *any* Actual Work has been recorded for that date then
(a) Finish changes for Fixed Duration tasks; task is split at end (bug?).
(b) Resource loading increases

For MFO tasks:
If *no* Actual work has been recorded then
(a) Start date moves 1 day earlier
(b) Resource loading is unchanged

If *any* Actual work has been recorded ONLY on dates BEFORE the non-working day then
(a) Finish date moves 1 day later but Constraint date is unchanged !!!
(b) Resource loading is unchanged.

If *any* Actual work has been recorded on that date then
(a) Finish date is unchanged
(b) Resource loading increases.

For SNET and SNLT tasks
If *no* Actual Work has been recorded for that date then
(a) Finish date moves 1 day later.
(b) Resource loading is unchanged.

If *any* Actual work has been recorded on that date then
(a) Finish changes for Fixed Duration tasks; task is split at end (bug?).
(b) Resource loading increases

For FNET and FNLT tasks
If *no* Actual Work has been recorded for that date then
(a) Start date moves 1 day earlier
(b) Resource loading is unchanged

If *any* Actual work has been recorded ONLY on dates BEFORE the non-working day then
(a) Finish date moves 1 day later but Constraint date is unchanged !!!
(b) Resource loading is unchanged.

If *any* Actual work has been recorded on that date then
(a) For FNET only: Finish changes for Fixed Duration tasks; task is split at end (bug?).
(b) Resource loading increases.

Some notes:
1. The items marked "(bug?)" may be incomplete. I think I caught most of the occasions where the issue arose but I may have missed 1. Or 2. Or ...

2. The error split at the end of the Fixed Duration tasks can be corrected by decreasing the duration by 1 day.

3. Changes you make to the calendar that have an impact on tasks (as described above) but you need also to take into account other constraints such as predecessor/successor linkages and specific resource calendars. In other words, there's no easy rule to lay down in black and white -- although you change a predecessor it does not mean that the successor will change because the successor may be limited by other links, task specific calendar, etc.

4. If I were doing this then I would save Start and Finish in Startn and Finishn, make the changes to the calendar and then compare Start with Startn and Finish with Finishn to see which tasks were changed. You could put a formula in Text1 and then review only tasks where something is not OK.

IIf(Day([Start])=Day([Start1]),(IIf(Month([Start])=Month([Start1]),"OK","Months Different")),"Days Different")

 

[STUBAE]

PDQBach, thanks for the response very useful. Is it advisable to change from the default 8 hour day.

 

[PDQBach]

I never do ... and right now I'm in an environment where staff work 7.5h per day and contractors do an 8-hr day -- with, sometimes, both on the same task. I just track on days and half-days.