Duration is not adding up

[NK]

I am trying to setup a task with multiple subtasks, but when I set the
duration of the subtasks, the total time does not add up to the correct
amount. Is there something that you must do to make the numbers add up.

Any help is appreciated.Thanks.

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi NK,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

The Duration of a Summary task is not the sum of the Durations of its tasks
unless they are in a simple chain. Its Duration is the amount of working
time between the Start of the first task and the Finish of the last task.

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

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

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[NK]

Mike,

The problem that I am having is that the numbers don't add up. If you add
up the time for the subtasks. it is not equal to the total time of the
entire summary task, even when you look at the times and dates for the task.
Is there anyway of breaking tasks into hourly segments or will that not work?

Nick

 

[Mike Glen]

I won't necessarily add up as I have just said!


Mike Glen
Project MVP

 

[Sarah]

Nick,

It sounds like you may be confusing Duration with Work. As Mike stated,
Duration at the Summary task level will NOT be the total of the
subtasks' Duration values. However, Work at the Summary task level WILL
total the subtasks' Work values.

SarahK

 

[John]

Mike,

The problem that I am having is that the numbers don't add up. If you add
up the time for the subtasks. it is not equal to the total time of the
entire summary task, even when you look at the times and dates for the task.
Is there anyway of breaking tasks into hourly segments or will that not work?

Nick

Nick,
Mike explained how Duration of a Summary Line is calculated by Project.
However, I note in your second post that you are talking about "time".
Perhaps you are looking at the Work field and the Work field of a
Summary Line WILL equal the sum of Work for all subtasks - unless
Calculation (Tools/Options/Calculation tab) is set to manual.

Duration time and Work time are two different entities in Project.
Duration is the time (normally in days) during which a task will/needs
to be accomplished. Conversely, Work time is the effort by one or more
resources to actually perform the task. Depending on how resources are
assigned, the two values (minutes, hours, days, etc.) may or may not be
equal.

If we still are not "getting it", please elaborate so we can give you
the answer you need (although it may not be the answer you want or
expect). For example, what "numbers" don't add up?

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP