Can anyone give a simple explanation of Task Typesfor MSP 2003?

[J C]

As the subject says. I am new to MS Project and have got really confused
between the task types, Fixed Work and Fixed Unit.

I have tried the Project for Dummies book and the MS website but the more I
read the more confused I get. Everytime I read it the two things seem to be
the same!

Hopefully once I get this bit sorted I can start thinking about Effort On
and Effort Off.

Can anyone point me to a really simple explanation?

Thanks

John

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi John,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

The setting for Effort Driven is only relevant when you have assigned a
resource and then change it. It has no effect when assigning resources for
the first time.

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #11 on task types, at this site:
http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: <http://www.mvps.org/project/>

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[J C]

Mike

The series and the site have been bookmarked. I have printed out the article
and will try it against Project tomorrow at work. That way I can work
through it and try to fully understand it. Unfortunately work doesn't allow
Newsgroups and home doesn't have Project installed.

I have a feeling that I have missed something important along the way so I
can see me starting at Microsoft Project:1 and working my way through them
all!

Thanks for the prompt reply and I will let you know how I get on and won't
forget to rate the article.

Thanks again

JohnC

--
Remove SPAMFREE to reply

Hi John,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

The setting for Effort Driven is only relevant when you have assigned a
resource and then change it. It has no effect when assigning resources
for the first time.

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #11 on task types, at this site:
http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen
at this web address: <http://www.mvps.org/project/>

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[Mike Glen]

You're welcome, John, and I look forward to your feedback. Good luck

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for Project Tutorials

Mike

The series and the site have been bookmarked. I have printed out the
article and will try it against Project tomorrow at work. That way I can
work through it and try to fully understand it. Unfortunately work doesn't
allow Newsgroups and home doesn't have Project installed.

I have a feeling that I have missed something important along the way so I
can see me starting at Microsoft Project:1 and working my way through them
all!

Thanks for the prompt reply and I will let you know how I get on and won't
forget to rate the article.

Thanks again

JohnC

 

[J C]

Mike

I have read the article, and several of the others and they are all clear
and concise in their explanations. Now I know how the various task types
work on a technical level but I am struggling to get my head round the real
world differences.

Can you confirm if my thoughts are in the right direction?

If I am working in days and a hole takes one person 5 days to dig then Work
= 5, if a person is working half their time digging the hole then Units =
50% and the resulting Duration is 10 days.

If I Fix Units then Project will do any changes to the other two to reflect
a change I make. So if I reduce the Duration the assumption is that the hole
is smaller.(The amount of Work required is less) If I increase Work then the
hole must be bigger and the same amount of daily labour is needed for more
days.

If I Fix Work then reduce Duration then the assumption is that the hole is
the same size but the worker is spending a higher percentage of their time
on the task. If I reduce the percentage of their time each worker spends
digging (Units) then the Duration will increase because the amount of Work
hasn't changed. (The hole is the same size)

Is that the general idea or have I lost the plot again?

Thanks again for your help.

John C

 

[Mike Glen]

Yes. John, you've got it

Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[J C]

Great! Thanks for your patience and help.

John C