Sub-tasks not rolling up to total of main task

[cshort]

I enter a main task "Misc Tasks" , I wish to have all the sub tasks under it
roll-up and show that the main task takes 10 days for example. If I add 10
sub tasks each for 1 day, total main task duration should be 10. If I add
an 11th, naturally I wish to have it increment by 1 day. This is a default
option I believe.

However, in this project this is not the case, I have the main task and then
the subtasks are NOT rolling upwards to that the main tasks get updated.

Is there a setting that I am missing or an action that I must do ? I have
inherited this project and am not sure if someone previous to me has made a
change that I am un aware of.

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi cshort,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

This is only true if all the tasks are carried out in sequence, as the
Duration of a summary task is simple the working time between the start of
the earliest task to the finish of the last task. There is no setting for
this. What duration do you get?

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials

 

[Jim Aksel]

If this behavior happens for all your tasks, perhaps your calculations are
set to manual? Tools/Options/Calculations tab set to automatic.

If you are set to Automatic, then read Mike's post carefully.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com

 

[John]

I enter a main task "Misc Tasks" , I wish to have all the sub tasks under it
roll-up and show that the main task takes 10 days for example. If I add 10
sub tasks each for 1 day, total main task duration should be 10. If I add
an 11th, naturally I wish to have it increment by 1 day. This is a default
option I believe.

However, in this project this is not the case, I have the main task and then
the subtasks are NOT rolling upwards to that the main tasks get updated.

Is there a setting that I am missing or an action that I must do ? I have
inherited this project and am not sure if someone previous to me has made a
change that I am un aware of.

cshort,
Let me expand a bit on Mike's response. Many new Project users confuse
duration and work. As Mike noted, duration is simply the span of working
time between a task's start and finish. It has nothing to do with
whether the task is actually performed or not. Work on the other hand is
the amount of effort expended by one or more resources to actually
accomplish the task.

It sounds like you are looking at the Duration field when you really
want to look at the Work field. Summary line duration generally will NOT
be the sum of subtask durations, unless all subtasks are sequential as
Mike noted. Summary line work on the other hand will always be the sum
of subtask work.

Hope this helps to clarify.

John
Project MVP

 

[SK]

Jim, This helped, Thanks!

If this behavior happens for all your tasks, perhaps your calculations are
set to manual? Tools/Options/Calculations tab set to automatic.

If you are set to Automatic, then read Mike's post carefully.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim Aksel, MVP

Check out my blog for more information:
http://www.msprojectblog.com