How to make modified Calendar default for future Projects in MS PROJECT 2013!

Hi,

here is the question from my Blog reader: “Is there a way to change the default calendar so that every new project is created with the predefined working time?”

Let me show you how can you accomplish that!

I will open a brand new Project ins MS PROJECT 2013, and I will say that Default Start Time is 08:00, and default End Time is 16:00. Click on the File Tab, and then:

and then:

OK!

Now I am going to modify the Calendar! I will say that new year is recurring holiday at 01.01. every year. My Company give as day off at 02.01 every year, and at (for example) 01.02 every year. We will use same procedure for each of these holydays, so I will show you how to do it on New Year:

I will do the same thing for other Holidays, as I mentioned:

I will change working time from 08:00 to 16:00 with no break:

Now I am going to save this Project as a Template:

and then:

The name of this Template is My Project 2013 Template! I will get:

Here I can choose which Values is not going to be saved in my template! I will choose all of them, and I will click Save button!

Now I am going to Crate a brand new Project form my Template:

and I will get:

I will add the Task with 5 days Duration:

As you can see this task will start on Tuesday, 29.1.2013, and it will be Finished at Tuesday 5.2.2013. Why?

Because I set 01.02. (Friday) as non working day, so task will be performed at Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Monday, and Tuesday!

And one important thing. When you save your Project created from Template, save it as a Project (.mpp file), not as a Template again!

Easy, isn’t it?

Regards!

About Nenad Trajkovski

Location: Zagreb, Croatia Occupation: Project Manager Interests: Project Management and MS PROJECT He was born in Zagreb, Croatia at 1963. After completing his college he started working on projects in different business areas (banking, manufacturing, automotive industry, distribution, oil companies, etc.) developing and implementing ERP systems into different companies. He has got a lot of experience working with people in different business processes and also possesses great knowledge in information technologies and financial services. Today he works as a business consultant, adn Project Manager in PERPETUUM MOBILE d.o.o. Zagreb. He is a regular lecturer for Project Management in MS Innovation Center in Varaždin, Logosoft Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina and SEAVUS GROUP in Skopje Macedonia. He was named the best lecturer of WINDAYS 2008 while his lecture was also voted as the best. In addition, he was in TOP 10 lecturers at the MS SINERGY 2009 and MS VISIA 2009, 2010. Shares first place as the best lecturer of KulenDays 2009 and 2010 and PMI Conference 2009 in Zagreb. He is also a regular lecturer in the MS Community. He is a Certified Accountant and a PMP (Project Manager Professional) and a PMI-RMP (Risk Manager Professional), MCP, MCT, and Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist - Microsoft Project 2010. From 01.01.2012 awarded with MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Proffesional - Microsoft Project)!

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8 Responses to How to make modified Calendar default for future Projects in MS PROJECT 2013!

Scott Dart says:

August 13, 2015 at 4:07 pm

Thank you for an informative blog post!

Peter Ayre says:

June 2, 2015 at 12:08 pm

The other way is to open one blank project only, modify the Standard Calendar to include local holidays etc. or whatever you want your standard calendar to contain, then go to File > Organise > Calendar tab and move the modified Standard calendar into your Global.MPT template. It replaces the Global standard with the new one you just created.

Paige says:

June 25, 2014 at 7:29 pm

This was super helpful! One question though – if you create a template, then make changes to the calendar in the future (resource vacation days, added holidays, office closings, etc.) will the projects created off of that template automatically be updated with the new working days, or will you have to adjust each individual project?

- Nenad Trajkovski says:
  
  July 1, 2014 at 10:03 am
  
  No it will not! Once you created Project from Template and save it it is not connected to template any more!
  
James says:

February 18, 2013 at 6:08 am

Thanks for the information! I will try this in some of my projects.

senthil rajan says:

January 30, 2013 at 12:10 am

is there a way to do it MS project2010

- Nenad Trajkovski says:
  
  January 30, 2013 at 7:57 am
  
  Same way as in PROJECT 2013. Save the Template and that’s it!
  
Juan Cisneros says:

January 29, 2013 at 4:52 pm

Is there a way to do it in MS Project 2010