Q. When is a default, not a default? A. When it's a default!

[Captain Paralytic]

A riddle worthy of a Hobbit I'm sure.

But seriously, I think I've worked out how something works and I want
to test if my understanding is correct.

First of all a statement: "The default working time in Project is 08:00
to 17:00." That's it, you can't change it. That is always what Project
believes the absolute default working time to be.

If you go into Tools->Change Working Time... and alter the settings for
the "Standard (Project Calendar)" (e.g to 09:00 to 17:00) by drag or
shift marking M, T, W, Th, F, then this is now an edited, non-default
working time. The default working time is still 08:00 to 17:00.

If you now add a resource whose Working time is set to "Use default",
it will not use the Project default of 08:00 to 17:00 but will instead
inherit the working time from its base calendar (in this case the
Standard (Project calendar). All the week days on its calendar picture
will show as edited working hours.

So "Use default" working time for a resource means use the working
times in the associated base calendar. Whereas, "Use default" working
time in a base calendar means use Project's non-changeable default of
08:00 to 17:00.

Then of course we have Tools->Options...->Calendar where we have a
"Default start time" and "Default end time" and a "Set as Default"
button. These defaults have no connection whatsoever with either
Project's default working time of 08:00 to 17:00, on which the "Use
default" for a base calendar is based, or the "Use default" for a
resource calendar.

Well that's all clear then!

But have I got this correct?

 

[John]

A riddle worthy of a Hobbit I'm sure.

But seriously, I think I've worked out how something works and I want
to test if my understanding is correct.

First of all a statement: "The default working time in Project is 08:00
to 17:00." That's it, you can't change it. That is always what Project
believes the absolute default working time to be.

If you go into Tools->Change Working Time... and alter the settings for
the "Standard (Project Calendar)" (e.g to 09:00 to 17:00) by drag or
shift marking M, T, W, Th, F, then this is now an edited, non-default
working time. The default working time is still 08:00 to 17:00.

If you now add a resource whose Working time is set to "Use default",
it will not use the Project default of 08:00 to 17:00 but will instead
inherit the working time from its base calendar (in this case the
Standard (Project calendar). All the week days on its calendar picture
will show as edited working hours.

So "Use default" working time for a resource means use the working
times in the associated base calendar. Whereas, "Use default" working
time in a base calendar means use Project's non-changeable default of
08:00 to 17:00.

Then of course we have Tools->Options...->Calendar where we have a
"Default start time" and "Default end time" and a "Set as Default"
button. These defaults have no connection whatsoever with either
Project's default working time of 08:00 to 17:00, on which the "Use
default" for a base calendar is based, or the "Use default" for a
resource calendar.

Well that's all clear then!

But have I got this correct?

Captain Paralytic,
Years ago the developers of Project made a bet amongst themselves. One
group bet another on how long it would be before some user came along
and uncovered their twisted attempt at humor with regard to the meaning
of default. After all, they figured if no one has yet truly discovered
the meaning of life, then they just might also have a shot at
everlasting fame.

Darn you! You figured it out!

OK, enough fun, let's see if we can put some sense into all of this.
I assume default working time is 8 to 5 because Project was developed in
the USA where that is the most widely used business work schedule. I
guess there hasn't been a pressing need to change it, but I do agree it
might be nice to have the ability to shed the word "default" once a user
has re-defined their "standard" working times. (This very issue was the
subject of a post last week in this newsgroup).

From a resource calendar standpoint, default does indeed mean the
setting of the current standard task working time calendar. If the
standard task working time calendar has been modified, even though it
may be non-default from a task standpoint, it is "default" for resource
purposes.

Because of all the user confusion about default working time under
Tools/Change working time and default start and end time under
Tools/Options/Calendar tab, the Project developers added a note of
explanation to the Options start and end times. You are right in that
the setting under Options has nothing to do with working time other than
to sync up task start and stop times from a duration standpoint with
shift from and to times. Off hand I can't think of an instance where the
settings for start and end times under the Options would be any
different from the working time calendar from and to limits. I guess it
might come into play if you were setting up a schedule that used various
calendars for each task (e.g. some tasks are 1 shift only while others
are 2 or 3 shift tasks). If someone else knows of a good reason for
having separate start and stop times under Options and working time,
feel free to enlighten us all.

So basically you understand, even if that understand does require some
"skewed" thinking.

John
Project MVP

 

[Steve House]

I can't think of a "good" reason either but there may be times where you'd
want the default start and/or end times to be other than the start or end of
the workday as a whole. If I go into the Start column and enter a start
date by selecting from the little pull-down calendar, Project sets a SNET
constraint of that date with the time set to the start of work for that day
as shown in the Project calendar. But if I manually type a date into the
same column without explicitly including a time, it uses instead the time
specified in Calendar, Options, Default Start field. I can imagine
scenarios might exist where although the regular workday starts at 0800 you
might want SNET constraints and similar manually input date/time fields to
have, say, 1300 as the time component. Perhaps the SNET is caused by tasks
not being able to start until after FedEx has made their delivery and
although WE'RE on the property and working at 0800, the FedEx truck doesn't
come until noon. Though it does seem bizarre to me too.
--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://www.mvps.org/project/faqs.htm for the FAQs


......

 

[Pascal]

Hello Captain,

I have the solution! Install a French version.
You will have 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00 as default (yes 7 hours ).
Actually I am trying to get back to the American standard, and I am as stuck
as you. Fun, isn't it?
The good news is that it should be possible to change the default somehow.

Pascal.

 

[John]

Hello Captain,

I have the solution! Install a French version.
You will have 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00 as default (yes 7 hours ).
Actually I am trying to get back to the American standard, and I am as stuck
as you. Fun, isn't it?
The good news is that it should be possible to change the default somehow.

Pascal,
See my response to the post of DragonHiss earlier today.

John
Project MVP