Question about default start and end time

[MalkiaSashko]

Hello,

I can't find a situation where it matters what default start and en
times I have chosen in the calendar options. By default these option
are identical with the default working time of the Standard Projec
calendar (8 to 5 with a one-hour lunch brake). However, if I change th
working time of the Project calendar, even if I leave the calenda
options unchanged the default start time of tasks is the one that I hav
chosen for Project calendar in the Change Working Time dialog box. S
even if my company's working time is 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM, it only make
sense to enter this in the Change Working Time dialog box by changin
the default work week settings. What could be a reason to change this i
the calendar options for the default times as well?

Thank you

 

[JulieS]

Hello MalkiaSashko,

You need to make sure the default start and end times match your
calendar. For an example, try the following:

Modify your calendar (Tools > Change working time) to 10:00 am to
7:00 pm.

Leave the default start time at 08:00.

Make sure you show time in your date format (Tools > Options, View).

Add one task. It will start at 10:00 am.
Save a baseline.
Switch to the tracking table. Apply an actual start date. You'll
notice the start time of 08:00.

On one task, two hours difference is not a big deal. Accumulated
over hundreds or thousands of tasks -- it's a problem.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

 

[MalkiaSashko]

Hallo JulieS,

Thanks for the very helpful reply. Actually I am writing a manual o
using Project 2007 with a particular type of projects, so I personall
won't encounter the problem myself. I needed to know just in case. But
think that this forum is a really great and helpful place and I am gla
that I have discovered it. Thanks again for the help

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Malkis,

You also might like to see FAQ Item: 5. Default Working Hours

Mike Glen
Project MVP

See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials

 

[Steve House]

In short, the Default Start and Default Finish settings work like this ...

All date fields in Project are actually date/time fields. Time is always a
part of the entry even when it's not visible. When you MANUALLY type a date
into a date/time field and do not also include the time with your entry,
Project must make some assumption as to what the time component ought to be.
For start dates such as Project Start, SNET constraints, things like that,
it looks to the Default Start field and uses what it finds there. Ditto for
manually entered finish dates, looking at the Default Finish field entry
instead to find the time to assume.

A couple of scenarios...

Assume the default calendar, 8 to 12 and 1 to 5

Set the default start time to 10 am, set the date format on the Options View
menu to see the date and time.

Project starts today, 10/27 @ 8am (was already set before we changed the
default start - let's leave it alone)

Enter task X ... Project sets its start to 8am. The Project Calendar
governs.

Enter Task Y .... click in the Start field and use the pull-down calendar to
set a SNET of 10/28. Task will show start at 8am, project calendar
governing.

Enter Task Z .... click in the Start field, TYPE "10/28/2009" and hit enter.
Task will show starting at 10am, the Default Start governing.

Change the Default Start to 6am.

Enter Task Z1, click the Start field, TYPE "10/28/2009" and hit enter. Task
will show starting at 8am, NOT 6am! Why? Look at the constraint that was
set. It shows "Start No Earlier Than 10/28/2009 6am" picking up the Default
Start and using it for the constraint time. But the Project Calendar says
there's no one there at 6am and the scheduled task start must wait until the
first warm body arrives at 8am to start work.

HTH

 

[JulieS]

You're very welcome and thanks for the feedback. It's great to hear
that you find the newsgroup helpful and good luck with your manual.

Julie

 

[MalkiaSashko]

Hello Steve House

This was a really helpful explanation. No I really understand i
completely. Thank you :-