Fixed Duration Task Type on Summary Lines

[Brian Lukanic]

I teach Project to our enterprise using a template that has the Type column
included. We do this so people understand why Project behaves the way it does
during recalculations, and allows them to better understand the Smart Tags
that are thrown.

The question I always get (and am unable to answer definitively) is: "Why
does my summary task say "Fixed Duration" when all child tasks are something
else (I.E., Fixed Units)?"

My eventual answer to them is that it doesn't matter what the summary task
shows, because there's nothing you could do with that information at a
summary level anyway. In other words, just ignore it and make sure the child
tasks are fixed as you want them."

Is there an official reason why all summary tasks default to Fixed Duration
for the task type? Is there any way I can make that cell "hidden" so that at
least I am not always asked the question? It sticks out like a sore thumb
otherwise.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Brian,

When you assign a resource to the summary task (which you shouldn't, I know)
then change Work or Units for taht assignment, the summary task DOES behave
Fixed duration. This si a must because its duration is calculated from the
start/finish of the outline children, but technically speaking, it
effectively reacts like a fixed duration task.

Hope this helps,

 

[Brian Lukanic]

OK that makes sense. So basically the comprehensive duration of the summary
tasks, no matter what task types they are, combine to form a summary task of
a fixed duration. That's a response that will be much better of an answer the
next time my class asks me. Thank you!