Recurring task every hour

[Amedee Van Gasse]

Hi,

I would like to schedule a recurring task, for example 5 minutes every
hour during work hours.
In the recurring task window, it seems the minimum recurrence pattern
for a recurring task is daily.

How should I approach this?

PS: we are using MS Office Project Professional 2003

TIA,

 

[Dave]

Hi,

I would like to schedule a recurring task, for example 5 minutes every
hour during work hours.
In the recurring task window, it seems the minimum recurrence pattern
for a recurring task is daily.

How should I approach this?

PS: we are using MS Office Project Professional 2003

TIA,

Is there really the need to record that degree of accuracy on the plan?
Also do you expect the staff to refer to the plan every hour to look
at these 5 minute activities? If you really need to record that level
of detail then it would appear that to enter them manually under a
summary task is the only way (this could be made to be easier than it
first seems by cutting and pasting blocks of them and auto-linking for
example).

Would it help if you were to outline why you need this level of detail
(note that Project is not a scheduling tool).

Dave

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

I beg to disagree.
Project IS a scheduling application.
If it weren't for that, why would I use it?

 

[Dave]

Hi,

I beg to disagree.
Project IS a scheduling application.
If it weren't for that, why would I use it?

I meant for scheduling of production runs or manufacturing/repetitive
processes which I am guessing lies behind the original poster's questions.

I can't think of many sensible project related scenarios in which
somebody needs to look at, track and record actuals on a plan every hour.

 

[Amedee Van Gasse]

Hi,

I beg to disagree.
Project IS a scheduling application.
If it weren't for that, why would I use it?

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project MVPhttp://users.online.be/prom-ade








- Tekst uit oorspronkelijk bericht weergeven -

I got the question via-via, I'm not the Project user myself.
The example I got from the Project user was a 50' task that runs 13
times/day, and indeed as Jan De Messemaeker correctly guessed, it is a
schedule for an industrial production process. Please note that,
afaict, the actual real-world production process does not depend on
the MS Project schedule.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Dave,

Do you know that AXAPTA, the Microsoft production management system, refers
to Microsoft Project when it comes to scheduling? I even heard about a link
to generate a MSP file..

What lies behind this is that "Production" is less that ever "Mass
Production" - which is done in China and neighbouring countries.. - but ever
more production of low quantities, even unique ones.
Think of the production od the Air conditioning elements for the tallest
building in the worls in Dubai (I made the mS proejct file to schdule that)
or more democratic, production of kitchen furniture (which is completely on
demand since the measures of every kitchen are different...

Those can be perfectly modeled in Project and guess what? Some elements of
Project even fit better in that environment - think of leveling where you
get rid of the annoying habit of people of talking about a %assignment unit:
when a machine is at work it works 100%. And with leveling you can keep the
machine and the operator together.

Greetings,

 

[Dave]

No Jan I didn't know about AXAPTA and haven't actually heard of it until
now.

It is clear that Project can be used to produce finite numbers of
manufactured items. Those types of process clearly fit into standard
definitions of projects because those processes finish at some point in
time.

To add further clarity to what I meant by my words I meant scheduling
what are effectively infinite factory type production runs.

Coincidentally I tried to persuade my organisation to model the
machine/operator with Project in exactly the way you describe but sadly
they didn't see the light.

I'm afraid I can't help thinking that I have missed your point here.

Dave

 

[Amedee Van Gasse]

Hi Dave,

Do you know that AXAPTA, the Microsoft production management system, refers
to Microsoft Project when it comes to scheduling? I even heard about a link
to generate a MSP file..

What lies behind this is that "Production" is less that ever "Mass
Production" - which is done in China and neighbouring countries.. - but ever
more production of low quantities, even unique ones.
Think of the production od the Air conditioning elements for the tallest
building in the worls in Dubai (I made the mS proejct file to schdule that)
or more democratic, production of kitchen furniture (which is completely on
demand since the measures of every kitchen are different...

Those can be perfectly modeled in Project and guess what? Some elements of
Project even fit better in that environment - think of leveling where you
get rid of the annoying habit of people of talking about a %assignment unit:
when a machine is at work it works 100%. And with leveling you can keep the
machine and the operator together.

Hello Jan,

Are you saying that it is possible to schedule recurring production
tasks multiple times per day in Axapta?
Axapta is also known as Microsoft Dynamics, is that correct?

Until 2 days ago I knew absolutely *nothing* about MS Project, but
since then I had 5 questions from one of our users.
I could solve 4 of his questions after searching the helpfile, so now
he thinks I'm the local MS Project expert.
He only keeps me bugging with this last question, so if anyone could
help me increase my karma, it's beer++ for you. ;-)
[Not so subtle hint: Jan, you are also from Belgium... ;-) ]

Tia,

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Amedee (You have an incredibly Flemish name!)

Well, I wouldn't recommend it for RECURRING production.
Where I've seen it work satisfactorily is in one-off or single batch
production, simply because each such production quantities can be described
as a project (unique, well-defined result, time and budget bound)
I'm afraid recurring production managers may have specific requests that
don't easily fit into Project.

It all depends. If there are only say 20 occurences in a year (give or
take...) those could be defined as a project each.
But very smlall production processes, a few sprduction steps but a nearly
continuous output... I cannot recommend.

Ik hoop dat we mekaar zo verstaan.
Groeten,

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project MVP
http://users.online.be/prom-ade

Hi Dave,

Do you know that AXAPTA, the Microsoft production management system,
refers
to Microsoft Project when it comes to scheduling? I even heard about a
link
to generate a MSP file..

What lies behind this is that "Production" is less that ever "Mass
Production" - which is done in China and neighbouring countries.. - but
ever
more production of low quantities, even unique ones.
Think of the production od the Air conditioning elements for the tallest
building in the worls in Dubai (I made the mS proejct file to schdule
that)
or more democratic, production of kitchen furniture (which is completely
on
demand since the measures of every kitchen are different...

Those can be perfectly modeled in Project and guess what? Some elements
of
Project even fit better in that environment - think of leveling where you
get rid of the annoying habit of people of talking about a %assignment
unit:
when a machine is at work it works 100%. And with leveling you can keep
the
machine and the operator together.

Hello Jan,

Are you saying that it is possible to schedule recurring production
tasks multiple times per day in Axapta?
Axapta is also known as Microsoft Dynamics, is that correct?

Until 2 days ago I knew absolutely *nothing* about MS Project, but
since then I had 5 questions from one of our users.
I could solve 4 of his questions after searching the helpfile, so now
he thinks I'm the local MS Project expert.
He only keeps me bugging with this last question, so if anyone could
help me increase my karma, it's beer++ for you. ;-)
[Not so subtle hint: Jan, you are also from Belgium... ;-) ]

Tia,

 

[Amedee Van Gasse]

Hi Amedee (You have an incredibly Flemish name!)

I know.

Well, I wouldn't recommend it for RECURRING production.
Where I've seen it work satisfactorily is in one-off or single batch
production, simply because each such production quantities can be described
as a project (unique, well-defined result, time and budget bound)
I'm afraid recurring production managers may have specific requests that
don't easily fit into Project.

It all depends. If there are only say 20 occurences in a year (give or
take...) those could be defined as a project each.
But very smlall production processes, a few sprduction steps but a nearly
continuous output... I cannot recommend.

Ik hoop dat we mekaar zo verstaan.
Groeten,

Thanks for the info. I'll explain it that way to my user.
I think I can consider a MS Project MVP as an authorative source.
If you say you wouldn't recommend it, I believe you. From what I have
learned so far about Project, I cannot wrap my mind around this
particular
problem either.

In ieder geval bedankt voor de moeite.
Groeten,