Start Time, Waiting Time...

[MPAtlanta]

I have jsut starting working with MS Project. I am trying to construct a schedule for a project that will last roughly a month.

The project itself involves a consultant doing work for a company and involves certain tasks to be done at certain times during the duration of the project.

There are also waiting times during the project during which no work will be done. The waiting times are not considered 'tasks'.

So here goes with the questions:

1) How can I schedule the exact 'start time' of a task? Not just the start date but the actual time the task will start on a certain day.
2) Waiting time: Some of the steps in the project require doing a step and then waiting for the result. As an example, the task is mixing all the ingredients for a cake and the waiting time is waiting for the cake to cook. I want to note the waiting time since it is important but do not know how to list it without it being a 'task'.

So let's say, what steps do I take for this example below:

Starting the mixing of the cake on Monday at 11:00am, task takes one hour, followed by 24 hours of waiting for it to cook, followed by cutting cake on Tuesday at 12:00 pm as another task that takes 15 minutes.

So, I know this is a bit of information, hopefully it was not too confusing. If you think I need to shut down the computer and and quit my job, let me know but I would greatly appreciate any help you can offer.

Thank you very much in advance.

P.S. I have searched high and low for answers and that paperclip guy that's supposed to be the MS Project helper has been fired.

MPAtlanta

 

[MPAtlanta]

OK, I guess I needed to post something to find one part of my answer. I have found out how to have the exact 'time' a task starts. What I still cannot find is how to have 'waiting time' without it being a task.

Thanks again!

 

[PDQBach]

For those who don't know how MPAtlanta was able to work with the exact time of a task:

Tools | Options | View-tab and set the Date Format to one of the items that includes the time.

For the second question:

Link the two tasks:
Click on the first task name
Hold the Ctrl key down and click on the second task name
On the Standard toolbar click on the icon that looks like a chain link.
You will see the link drawn on the Gantt chart

(For the record: there are other ways to do this)


Double-click on the link
This will open the "Task Dependency" popup.
Set the lag to 4h (4 hours) or whatever is appropriate.

Note: if you have entered a Start or Finish date on a task then you have imposed a constraint on that task and, depending on the constraint, the lag may or may not be honoured.

 

[MPAtlanta]

Great! Works like a charm.