Task Duration different from Project Duration (single task project) - Project 2000

A

Arnie

Scenario:

Task: Build Shed
Duration: 80hours
Task Type: Fixed Duration, Not effort Driven
Task Calendar: Shed

Resource: Gus
Resource Calendar: Shed
Std. Rate: $10.00/hour
Ovt. Rate: $15.00/hour

Project Start Date: 11/07/2005

Project Calendar: Shed

Shed Calendar:
11/07/2005 - 11/11/2005 8:00am - 12:00pm -1:00pm - 5:00pm
11/14/2005 - 11/18/2005 7:00am - 12:00pm -1:00pm - 6:00pm

Options:
Default Start: 8:00am
Default end : 5:00pm
Hours per day: 8
Hours per week: 40
Days per month: 20

Problem:
The Gantt chart correctly shows that the task starts on 11/7/2005 and
ends on 11/17/2005 (9 days), with a duration of 80 hours. The summary
task and calendar indicate that the task takes 10 days. Is this
discrepancy normal or am I missing something?
 
J

John

Arnie said:
Scenario:

Task: Build Shed
Duration: 80hours
Task Type: Fixed Duration, Not effort Driven
Task Calendar: Shed

Resource: Gus
Resource Calendar: Shed
Std. Rate: $10.00/hour
Ovt. Rate: $15.00/hour

Project Start Date: 11/07/2005

Project Calendar: Shed

Shed Calendar:
11/07/2005 - 11/11/2005 8:00am - 12:00pm -1:00pm - 5:00pm
11/14/2005 - 11/18/2005 7:00am - 12:00pm -1:00pm - 6:00pm

Options:
Default Start: 8:00am
Default end : 5:00pm
Hours per day: 8
Hours per week: 40
Days per month: 20

Problem:
The Gantt chart correctly shows that the task starts on 11/7/2005 and
ends on 11/17/2005 (9 days), with a duration of 80 hours. The summary
task and calendar indicate that the task takes 10 days. Is this
discrepancy normal or am I missing something?

Arnie,
It isn't a discrepancy. In Tools/Options/Calendar you have defined a day
as being 8 hours (default). Project uses this value to set the duration.
Your first work week is a "normal" week of 8 hour days but the calendar
for the second work week has 10 hour days. So if the duration is
expressed in hours, the correct total of 80 hours is shown. However,
when Project converts this to days, it uses the definition of a day
which is 8 hours. Therefore, 80 hours translates to 10 days.

Yeah, it isn't a perfect system, but if you check the help file for the
options calendar tab you will be able to read how Project uses the
information to calculate duration values. This definition "skew" is more
prevalent when duration is expressed as months. Not all months have the
same number of days (either calendar or working) but Project needs
something to use for a translation. It therefore uses the default value
of 20 working days per month. It's a pretty good compromise but
obviously it isn't exact.

I find the best way to express durations in Project is either in hours
or days, however, if a variable work day is used (as in your case), you
are better off sticking with hours.

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP
 

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