duration confusion

[Allison]

I am confused by my duration not changing. I have a task that has a 5 day
duration, and the task type of Fixed Unit, effort driven. I then assign
resource X to that task, and resource X only works part time, and I have
modified that resources' calendar to reflect their part-time status. I have
been told to keep their units on the resource sheet to 100%, and make changes
for part-time employees by using the calendar to help Project schedule
correctly.

However, when I assign that resource to the 5 day duration task, the hours
worked is 40h (as expected), the start and finish dates end up being 14 days
apart due to 2 weekends (as expected), but the duration remains at 5 days.
Why? Is it because duration = calendar work hours per day (8) * # of days?
Can I add a field that shows days lapsed vs. duration if I am correct?
Thanks...hope this makes sense.

 

[Rod Gill]

Duration is always work/units

If someone is spending half their working day on a task you should edit the
units to become 50%

If someone is away for a day, set that day to nonworking in the calendar

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Allison,

Whilst admitting it is very confusing indeed: Duration in the time when
there is ANY work on the task and not the difference between start and
finish. Same goes for split tasks for instance.
HTH

 

[Allison]

Thanks Jan

Is there a field that shows the difference between start and end dates?

 

[Allison]

Thanks Ron for your quick reply. Is it true that I should leave the units on
the resource sheet to 100%, and if a person can only work 50% of their total
time on a project handle that either thru the calendar or in the units area
at the *task level* not the overall resource resource level?

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Allison,

No but you can create one.
Customize a duration field using the ProjDateDiff formula.
HTH

 

[Allison]

Jan:

Thanks for all of your help. I feel like an idiot!

I did some research on formulas, figured out where to go, etc, but my syntax
must not be right with the ProjDateDiff function.

I am customizing a duration field, and then when I am adding a fomula I
click the function button and modify the syntax that drops into the window.
So I end up with ProjDateDiff([start], [fininish],[project calendar]), but I
don't get the number of days difference from start to finish. What am I
doing wrong? I would also like to use my custom company calendar in this
calculation, not just the project calendar. I couldn't get that to work
either. My custom project calendar's name is Computers.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Allison,

Pardon me for jumping in. You are most certainly *not* an idiot to have
gotten this far! I think you are *very* close with your formula.

The syntax is:
ProjectDateDiff([Start], [Finish], "Computers")

The name of the calendar is a string and should be enclosed in quotes.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

 

[Allison]

Julie:

Thanks for jumping in! I will try it over the weekend and that must be it.
Should have thought of it as a text string, but can't seem to figure alot of
Project out. Cheers!
--
Thanks, Allison

Hi Allison,

Pardon me for jumping in. You are most certainly *not* an idiot to have
gotten this far! I think you are *very* close with your formula.

The syntax is:
ProjectDateDiff([Start], [Finish], "Computers")

The name of the calendar is a string and should be enclosed in quotes.

Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie

Jan:

Thanks for all of your help. I feel like an idiot!

I did some research on formulas, figured out where to go, etc, but my
syntax
must not be right with the ProjDateDiff function.

I am customizing a duration field, and then when I am adding a fomula I
click the function button and modify the syntax that drops into the
window.
So I end up with ProjDateDiff([start], [fininish],[project calendar]), but
I
don't get the number of days difference from start to finish. What am I
doing wrong? I would also like to use my custom company calendar in this
calculation, not just the project calendar. I couldn't get that to work
either. My custom project calendar's name is Computers.

 

[Brian K - Project MVP]

Hi Allison,

Pardon me for jumping in. You are most certainly not an idiot to have
gotten this far! I think you are very close with your formula.

I will second that for sure. You are doing fine. The specific syntax
required for some of these functions can be a little tough, particularly
when coming in the middle also learning the ins and outs of Project itself.

Do not fear. We were ALL there once! (Hell, sometimes I have my moments
where I feel like Im still there!)

 

[JulieS]

Hi Allison,

You are welcome and thanks for the feedback. Please let us know if we can
help again.

Julie