Project Server 2007 - Enter overtime without changing end date

[PeteK]

Does anyone know how I can setup a project so that a resource could enter
more than 8 hours in a day (basically overtime) and not have Project Server
push the task end date out? I believe I can do this if I increase the
working hours for the resource but then when I look at the resource
availability their capacity level is increased to the amount I set. I want
the resource to have the standard 8 hours a day but allow them to work
additional hours on a task if need be without pushing the task due date. Any
suggestions appreciated.

PeteK

 

[Marc Soester [MVP]]

Pete, when you say it pushes the task date out, do you mean that it reduces
the date? I would assume that to be correct.

Lets say you have a task called "Task 1" which has 24 hours of work assigned
to the resource. Project would plan this task for 3 days ( given that it is
an 8 hour day). When your resource works 16 hours actual work on one day on
the task, that would mean that the reamining time is 8 hours. The resource
will only need one more day, not 2 days, meaning that the Project schedule
reduces the finish date by a day.

That is the how it should calculate the time. If however your resource
requires more time ( e.g. 32 hours), then he/she has to maintain the
remaining work. Actual work + remaining work will calcualted your finish
date.

I hope that helps

 

[PeteK]

Marc,

In my case the task end date moved farther to the right (moved from Tuesday
to Wednesday). The example I'm working with is a task where the duration is
1 day and the work is 8 hours. I'm enterring 10 hours for the day because it
took longer than expected but was still completed on that day. Project
Server will not allow me to record the 10 hours for that task unless I move
the finish date to the next day (Wednesday) which will then push succesor
tasks to the right as well.

If I change the resources work calendar to be 12 hours a day, then I can
submit the 10 hours for that day but then the resource capacity is 12 hours a
day every day for that resource.

I feel like I'm missing something obvious here. It occurs often that tasks
take more time then planned but resources put in the extra work to get it
done on time and I would like to capture the actuals vs planned so estimating
could be done better in the future.

Your suggestions are greatly appreciated,
Pete

 

[Marc Soester [MVP]]

Hi PeteK,

I am a little surprised that you can only enter 8 hours a day actual work,
your resource should be able to enter more actual work time than that. From
my understanding you are using taskupdate in PWA. You have the ability to set
the maximum hours per day which a resource is allowed to enter in the admin
section of PWA. If yo ugo to"Customise Project Web Access" you will find a
section called "time Period Setting". Make sure that 0 is set to "Maximum
number of hours tat can be entered per day...."

This may resolve your issue. Let me know if this did the job
Thanks
--
Marc Soester [MVP]
State Manager: EPM
http://marcsoester.blogspot.com

 

[PeteK]

Marc,

I'm surprised by this as well which makes me believe I'm missing something.

Yes, I'm using Task Update in PWA (Project Server 2007). Your wrote
"Customize Project Web Access", do you mean "Server Settings" in PWA? You
also wrote "Time Period Settings", do you mean "Timesheet Setting and
Defaults"? In "Timesheet Setting and Defaults" the "Maximum Hours per Day"
is set to 999. I thought this ment it was unlimited. I also thought this
only applies to Timesheets not task updates.

PeteK

 

[Marc Soester [MVP]]

Hi PeteK,

sorry my fault, I thought you where on 2003 not 2007. Please disregard my
last post.

2007 only allows you to maintain your timesheet max. time, which you can
find under the server settings under "timesheet settings and defaults". That
has nothing to do with your task update I believe.

You are saying that you use task update. Do your resource have the ability
to enter actual work by day? ( when they drill down into the task details?)

thanks
--
Marc Soester [MVP]
State Manager: EPM
http://marcsoester.blogspot.com

 

[PeteK]

Marc,

I have the system configured with "Actual work done and work remaining". Do
you think "Hours of work done per period" would allow resources to enter more
hours per day without affecting the task finish date?

Thanks for all your help in trying to resolve this issue?

PeteK

 

[Marc Soester [MVP]]

Yes Peter, I believe that this is the problem. Your projects should be
configured so that you can enter "Hours of work done per period". That will
allow your resources to enter how many hours they have done on a day and that
will also mean that your plan doesnt have any date change.

Please note, when you change the settings that will not effect exisitng
project tasks, only on new projects.

Let me know if this resolved your Date problem
--
Marc Soester [MVP]
State Manager: EPM
http://marcsoester.blogspot.com

 

[Marc Soester [MVP]]

Peter, can you please tell me when you update a task, do you click on the
task and then do you get promted with the task detail view? If so, do you
have the ability to enter actual work on a day by day basis? ( not total
hours worked per task, but actual work per day).

We have to find out exactly how you enter your actual work.
thanks
--
Marc Soester [MVP]
State Manager: EPM
http://marcsoester.blogspot.com

 

[PeteK]

Hi Marc,

Sorry to report that it is even worse when I use "Hours of work done per
period". The task is setup for 8h on 1 day. With this configuration, I
enterred 10 hours of actual work. When I recalculate it moves the end date
to the next day. If I select the Finish Date to be the same as the Start
Date then I get the following error "New finish date must occur after start
date and between 1/1/1984 and 12/31/2049." in red. It won't allow me to save
the change unless I change the Start Date to the day before or the Finish
Date to the day after. In either case, I need to put 2 hours in the changed
date. It's as if the Overtime component is not working correctly. I don't
see any setting where I can disable or enable overtime.

There is another post that appears to be the same situation from Perl on
"7/5/2007 12:40 PM PST".

I don't understand why you would not be able to enter overtime without
moving the finish date.

Thanks again,
PeteK

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Pete:

In order to get the system to behave the way you want, you must set your
tracking settings to hours of work per day, so that your ressources can
enter daily time. They should use the view options to display the overtime
work field to enter the overtime work. When you use anything larger than a
daily bucket to collect work, the system seems to behave strangely because
it is working with inadequate paramerters.

--

Gary L. Chefetz, MVP
MSProjectExperts
For Project Server Consulting: http://www.msprojectexperts.com
For Project Server FAQS: http://www.projectserverexperts.com