Start and Finish time for Task in different Project Calendar using Microsoft Project for the Web!

Hi,

today I will explain something that can seems as a bug, but it is not in Microsoft Project for the Web! It is a bit tricky, and I got an explanation directly from Microsoft.

Let me show you!

Firs I will setup a calendar template from 09 AM to 01 PM:

and:

I will use this Generic Resource to create the Calendar Template:

Now I will setup Resource calendar for Ellen which will be from 09:00 AM to 05:00 PM:

Let me create a simple Project, using previous Calendar template:

Finally I will create a single Task with 1 day Duration:

As you can see Start date is 1/4/2021 (at 09:00 AM which cannot be seen because I couldn’t grab it, but if you hoover mouse on start date you will se this), and End date is 1/5/2021 at 01:00 PM. WHY?

Project defines one day of duration as 8 hours of work (I.e. the scheduling engine ensures there is time in the project calendar for 8 hours of work). Given my calendar, each working day can only support 4 hours of work (according to the project calendar). Therefore, the scheduling engine is scheduling 8 hours of working time, which takes place over 2 days on my project calendar (as there are only 4 hours of work each day).

Now I will assign Ellen to the Task and I will get:

As you can see, Effort is 12 hours. WHY?

The scheduling engine is scheduling 1 day of duration according to the project calendar. Therefore, as above, the task is scheduled from 1/4/2021 9am – 1/05/2021 1pm as that is 8 hours of work according to the project calendar

After the task is scheduling according to the project calendar, the effort is calculated based on the resource calendar. Effort is determined by scheduling work for the resource any time between the task start and task finish when the resource can work. Therefore, Ellen is scheduled to work 1/4/2021 9am-5pm (even though 1pm-5pm is outside the project calendar) AND 1/5/2021 9am-1pm. This results in 12 hours of work for Ellen.

It seems a little bit confusing, and it is confusing. But, you must remember this logic when you are building a schedule like mine.

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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