How do I change task duration

[Scott]

in the Project 2003 template "Commercial Construction-1"?

I have saved the file to a different name, so I can edit it for my own use.
Most of the tasks are not relevant for my work, but I can use them to base my
own project on.
How do I unlock these fields so I can put in my own dates?
When I try to change the dates or duration they are always grayed out.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Scott,

Aren't you trying to change duration of summary tasks?
They are greyed out because Project calculated them from the detail tasks.
The detail tasks should be editable.
HTH

 

[Steve House [Project MVP]]

Addng to Jan - durations of activities are freely editable but although it
sallows you to change task start and end dates, you should not do so except
in certain specific circumstances. You don't tell Project when you're going
to do the tasks, you tell it what you need to do and how long it will take
to do each one of them and it tells you whan you CAN do your tasks. You
don't figure out the schedule, it does. Over-riding its calculations by
supplying the dates of tasks almost always leads to serious problems.
Remember, it is a schedule CREATION tool, not merely a schedule
DOCUMENTATION tool. It's a calculator, not a just pretty but expensive
Gantt-chart drawing tool.