Prevent Work from changing Duration and Vice Versa

[Grayedout]

I am trying to use Project as more of an indicator of Resources workload across many projects rather than actual Project Management.

Therefore I have the following configuration:

- 6 tasks in each project
- Tasks are manually scheduled and all linked
- Tasks are using a 24 hour calendar
- Tasks area all Fixed Duration
- My resources are stored in a pool file and all use the Standard calendar
- I am applying resource work hours to each task but the hours of work are far shorter than the task duration. i.e. 85hrs work against a 79 day task.

The problem I am seeing is when I add or change resource hours then project is changing the task duration. I thought the Fixed Duration task type would prevent this?

Can anybody let me know what I am doing wrong or whether my configuration is correct or not?

Thanks

 

[JulieInMaine]

Something isn't quite making sense. Manually scheduled tasks cannot be Fixed Duration - they are all Fixed Units and you cannot change task type as long as the task is manually scheduled. Autoscheduled tasks that are Fixed Duration do act as you need - the duration will not alter and you may spread work over the longer duration.

 

[Grayedout]

Thanks Julie,

Just tried changing to Auto Scheduled tasks and seems to work but I get the errors giving me the options of 'Increase/Decrease Duration' or 'Increase/Decrease Works hours worked per day'

I always want the 2nd option and this is why I am using the Fixed Duration type task. Is there any way of setting this option as the default?


I think I got to the Manual Scheduled / Fixed Duration state by first having the tasks as Auto Scheduled, setting the task type a to Fixed Duration and then setting the Mode back to Manual.

 

[JulieInMaine]

I'm guessing you are getting the messages when you are changing work in a Gantt chart view? Try showing the Task Form in the lower pane (right click on the Gantt chart and select Show Split) and then assigning the resources and work there. Fixed Duration tasks will change duration if you assign a resource with non-working time in his/her schedule - but I'm guessing that is not what you are doing.

Julie

 

[Grayedout]

Yes it was using the Gantt chart view. What difference do you think it makes using the Task Form?

Is it because I am using resources based on the Standard calendar to allocate work to tasks based on a 24hr calendar?

Graham

 

[JulieInMaine]

Using the task form stops the prompts for "what do you want to do?". Project will just pay attention to the task settings - Fixed Duration, change work, Project recalculates the Resource's peak units. (You'll need to add peak to the Task Usage view to see the correct value.

 

[Grayedout]

Currently reading Microsoft project 2013 - The Missing Manual and just got to the part that explains the relationship between Duration, Work & Units and I think I have got my head around it and hopefully got Project set up how I require:

- Tasks are Auto Scheduled, Fixed Duration and Effort Driven
- Resources are applied to each task and work applied in hours

I can then change the Duration or the Work(hrs) and Project changes the Units(hrs per days) for the relevant resource which is what I need.

Hopefully got it sorted.

Thanks for your help.

Graham

 

[JulieInMaine]

Great. I think the easiest way to keep track of what project will do is to remember the following: Work, Duration, and Assignment units are related mathematically once you assign resources to tasks. When you work with task types, you are telling Project which of the three factors you do not wish it to change if you alter one of the other values. So, in a Fixed Duration task type, if you change Work, Project will recalculate assignment units.
See:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/p...s-to-calculate-task-duration-HP010092039.aspx

For a nice table showing all the possibilities.