Month by Date

[Captain Insano]

I a project that takes about 1 year. One of the tasks in this project takes
exactly 3 months, not 60 working days, not 12 weeks.

The task has predecessors, so the start date may move freely.

So, how do I force Project to correctly calcuate 3 months: Start 1/20, end
4/20?

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

I'd start by not worrying about it.
What is a day or two over three months? a couple of percent?
If you can estimate the rest of the task durations to this level of accuracy
you are a rare individual.

I actually can think of a possible way to do this using custom field
formulas and paste links, but it is so kludgy I don't want my name
associated with it.

BTW if it starts on 1/20 and was three months it should end on 3/19.

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[Captain Insano]

Well, when I just use 3 months, the task is scheduled about 1.5 weeks earlier
than possible. That's about 10%, which is enough to make me try to find a
solution.

The task I'm talking about needs to have the same start and finish date,
just +3 months, 1/20 - 4/20.

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

So you mean a month and a day?
Just warning you that Project thinks differently than many people do
In Project Start dates are usually at the start of the day and end dates are
at the end of the day.
This means a one day task has the same start and finish date. A two day task
starts one day and ends the next. A one month task would start on the first
and end on the 28th, 29th, 30th, or 31st (depending on the year).

You can adjust the amount of time that Project uses when you enter "1
month".
Go to tools menu / options / calendar tab and set the days per month to
something which you like better.
22 days would probably be just about right for you and is closest to the
average number of working days per month.

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[Captain Insano]

I can't adjust the calendar of the project, because that will mess up all my
other "normal" tasks. I understand what MS project is doing, and for all my
other tasks, it is behaving like I need.

But I have this one task that is a 3 month excercise, always. So, if the
exercise starts on 1/20, it will always end on 4/20. If it starts on 5/13,
it will end on 8/13. Once the exercise is over, a series of other tasks must
then start.

If the tasks leading up to exercise get delayed or finish earlier, the
exercise will start later or earlier. Therefore, I can't just put in "65
days", because while that might work for a span where the months have 31 and
30 days, it will not work if February is in there, or whatever.

I have created a custom date field as "Date1" that calculates the date I
need.

dateadd("m",3,[Start])

Is there a way for the finish date to align with the custom "date1"? If
not, is there another way?

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

Adjusting that option will not affect existing tasks.
You are just adjusting the calculation makes when you enter in a value other
than hours.
Existing values have already been converted into hours so they will stay the
same.
The values on that option tab are just there to tell project how to
interpret what you type. They do not define working hours or the calendar.

You CAN copy the value from the custom field and paste special / link to the
finish date, but the behavior would be not quite what you expect (it is a
bit humorous though).

I still think you need to think about what 3 months is in project if your
task starts on Jan 1 and finishes on April 1 then the next task will start
on April 2. That is a month and a day. Three months would be start morning
Jan 1, finish evening March 31. Then the next task will begin April 1

-Jack

I can't adjust the calendar of the project, because that will mess up all
my
other "normal" tasks. I understand what MS project is doing, and for all
my
other tasks, it is behaving like I need.

But I have this one task that is a 3 month excercise, always. So, if the
exercise starts on 1/20, it will always end on 4/20. If it starts on
5/13,
it will end on 8/13. Once the exercise is over, a series of other tasks
must
then start.

If the tasks leading up to exercise get delayed or finish earlier, the
exercise will start later or earlier. Therefore, I can't just put in "65
days", because while that might work for a span where the months have 31
and
30 days, it will not work if February is in there, or whatever.

I have created a custom date field as "Date1" that calculates the date I
need.

dateadd("m",3,[Start])

Is there a way for the finish date to align with the custom "date1"? If
not, is there another way?

So you mean a month and a day?
Just warning you that Project thinks differently than many people do
In Project Start dates are usually at the start of the day and end dates
are
at the end of the day.
This means a one day task has the same start and finish date. A two day
task
starts one day and ends the next. A one month task would start on the
first
and end on the 28th, 29th, 30th, or 31st (depending on the year).

You can adjust the amount of time that Project uses when you enter "1
month".
Go to tools menu / options / calendar tab and set the days per month to
something which you like better.
22 days would probably be just about right for you and is closest to the
average number of working days per month.

-Jack Dahlgren




message

 

[Captain Insano]

Exactly when my task starts and ends is not of your concern; it doesn't
change the fact that I have this problem, and I need a solution.

I want a solution to my problem, which is that I cannot figure out how to
get project to schedule a finish date of +3 months, same date. I'm not here
to argue if that's the best way to schedule the task. Since I know my
project, I know the best way. Now I just need Project to comply.

If you don't have a solution, that's fine, just say so; I'll look elsewhere.

Adjusting that option will not affect existing tasks.
You are just adjusting the calculation makes when you enter in a value other
than hours.
Existing values have already been converted into hours so they will stay the
same.
The values on that option tab are just there to tell project how to
interpret what you type. They do not define working hours or the calendar.

You CAN copy the value from the custom field and paste special / link to the
finish date, but the behavior would be not quite what you expect (it is a
bit humorous though).

I still think you need to think about what 3 months is in project if your
task starts on Jan 1 and finishes on April 1 then the next task will start
on April 2. That is a month and a day. Three months would be start morning
Jan 1, finish evening March 31. Then the next task will begin April 1

-Jack

I can't adjust the calendar of the project, because that will mess up all
my
other "normal" tasks. I understand what MS project is doing, and for all
my
other tasks, it is behaving like I need.

But I have this one task that is a 3 month excercise, always. So, if the
exercise starts on 1/20, it will always end on 4/20. If it starts on
5/13,
it will end on 8/13. Once the exercise is over, a series of other tasks
must
then start.

If the tasks leading up to exercise get delayed or finish earlier, the
exercise will start later or earlier. Therefore, I can't just put in "65
days", because while that might work for a span where the months have 31
and
30 days, it will not work if February is in there, or whatever.

I have created a custom date field as "Date1" that calculates the date I
need.

dateadd("m",3,[Start])

Is there a way for the finish date to align with the custom "date1"? If
not, is there another way?

So you mean a month and a day?
Just warning you that Project thinks differently than many people do
In Project Start dates are usually at the start of the day and end dates
are
at the end of the day.
This means a one day task has the same start and finish date. A two day
task
starts one day and ends the next. A one month task would start on the
first
and end on the 28th, 29th, 30th, or 31st (depending on the year).

You can adjust the amount of time that Project uses when you enter "1
month".
Go to tools menu / options / calendar tab and set the days per month to
something which you like better.
22 days would probably be just about right for you and is closest to the
average number of working days per month.

-Jack Dahlgren




message
Well, when I just use 3 months, the task is scheduled about 1.5 weeks
earlier
than possible. That's about 10%, which is enough to make me try to
find a
solution.

The task I'm talking about needs to have the same start and finish
date,
just +3 months, 1/20 - 4/20.

:

I'd start by not worrying about it.
What is a day or two over three months? a couple of percent?
If you can estimate the rest of the task durations to this level of
accuracy
you are a rare individual.

I actually can think of a possible way to do this using custom field
formulas and paste links, but it is so kludgy I don't want my name
associated with it.

BTW if it starts on 1/20 and was three months it should end on 3/19.

-Jack Dahlgren

message
I a project that takes about 1 year. One of the tasks in this
project
takes
exactly 3 months, not 60 working days, not 12 weeks.

The task has predecessors, so the start date may move freely.

So, how do I force Project to correctly calcuate 3 months: Start
1/20,
end
4/20?

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

Captain,

I gave you a way to get within a day or so of your requirement.
There is not much else you can do.
If having it with a couple of days is acceptable then use the solution.

If that doesn't work, you could write a macro which would run on task change
which would recalculate the duration so that it always spans 3 months + 1
day. I don't think that is worthwhile, but if you want to go that way look
at the programming archives at my site. You will need to look at application
events and write some code to automate the duration.

http://zo-d.com/blog/archives/programming.html

I'd not bother with the second alternative, but you are always free to do
what you think is right.

-Jack

Exactly when my task starts and ends is not of your concern; it doesn't
change the fact that I have this problem, and I need a solution.

I want a solution to my problem, which is that I cannot figure out how to
get project to schedule a finish date of +3 months, same date. I'm not
here
to argue if that's the best way to schedule the task. Since I know my
project, I know the best way. Now I just need Project to comply.

If you don't have a solution, that's fine, just say so; I'll look
elsewhere.

Adjusting that option will not affect existing tasks.
You are just adjusting the calculation makes when you enter in a value
other
than hours.
Existing values have already been converted into hours so they will stay
the
same.
The values on that option tab are just there to tell project how to
interpret what you type. They do not define working hours or the
calendar.

You CAN copy the value from the custom field and paste special / link to
the
finish date, but the behavior would be not quite what you expect (it is a
bit humorous though).

I still think you need to think about what 3 months is in project if your
task starts on Jan 1 and finishes on April 1 then the next task will
start
on April 2. That is a month and a day. Three months would be start
morning
Jan 1, finish evening March 31. Then the next task will begin April 1

-Jack


message

I can't adjust the calendar of the project, because that will mess up
all
my
other "normal" tasks. I understand what MS project is doing, and for
all
my
other tasks, it is behaving like I need.

But I have this one task that is a 3 month excercise, always. So, if
the
exercise starts on 1/20, it will always end on 4/20. If it starts on
5/13,
it will end on 8/13. Once the exercise is over, a series of other
tasks
must
then start.

If the tasks leading up to exercise get delayed or finish earlier, the
exercise will start later or earlier. Therefore, I can't just put in
"65
days", because while that might work for a span where the months have
31
and
30 days, it will not work if February is in there, or whatever.

I have created a custom date field as "Date1" that calculates the date
I
need.

dateadd("m",3,[Start])

Is there a way for the finish date to align with the custom "date1"?
If
not, is there another way?






:

So you mean a month and a day?
Just warning you that Project thinks differently than many people do

In Project Start dates are usually at the start of the day and end
dates
are
at the end of the day.
This means a one day task has the same start and finish date. A two
day
task
starts one day and ends the next. A one month task would start on the
first
and end on the 28th, 29th, 30th, or 31st (depending on the year).

You can adjust the amount of time that Project uses when you enter "1
month".
Go to tools menu / options / calendar tab and set the days per month
to
something which you like better.
22 days would probably be just about right for you and is closest to
the
average number of working days per month.

-Jack Dahlgren




message
Well, when I just use 3 months, the task is scheduled about 1.5
weeks
earlier
than possible. That's about 10%, which is enough to make me try to
find a
solution.

The task I'm talking about needs to have the same start and finish
date,
just +3 months, 1/20 - 4/20.

:

I'd start by not worrying about it.
What is a day or two over three months? a couple of percent?
If you can estimate the rest of the task durations to this level of
accuracy
you are a rare individual.

I actually can think of a possible way to do this using custom
field
formulas and paste links, but it is so kludgy I don't want my name
associated with it.

BTW if it starts on 1/20 and was three months it should end on
3/19.

-Jack Dahlgren

in
message
I a project that takes about 1 year. One of the tasks in this
project
takes
exactly 3 months, not 60 working days, not 12 weeks.

The task has predecessors, so the start date may move freely.

So, how do I force Project to correctly calcuate 3 months: Start
1/20,
end
4/20?