Summary Task Calculation for hours

[Deborah]

Hello,

I am trying to build my project plan based on total hours. I have set my
task type to fixed duration so that I can enter the time span over more days
than my hours entered. For example, my task may take 12 hours, but it will be
12 hours over a week's time.

My problem is, the summary task isn't adding my fixed hours. Rather it is
adding my days based on general working times set. How can I set it up so the
summary task line adds up the hours correctly?

 

[Renke Holert [MVP]]

Hi,

add the column "Work" and you will see the correct sum of all work in the
summary task.

HTH
Renke

--
Allocatus - Linking MS Project with Outlook and Notes
http://www.allocatus.com

Das neue Buch zu MS Project und MS Project Server
http://www.holert.com/project/profibuch

 

[Deborah]

Thank you for the suggestion. However, the "work" column is using the summary
task total to calculate the total work time. The summary task total is
incorrect. For example, my tasks total 80 hours, but the summary task is only
showing 20. Also, my dates span from 6/27 through 7/22, but the summary task
cuts the date span to 7/8/05. My guess is that I have something set up
incorrectly.

Hi,

add the column "Work" and you will see the correct sum of all work in the
summary task.

HTH
Renke

--
Allocatus - Linking MS Project with Outlook and Notes
http://www.allocatus.com

Das neue Buch zu MS Project und MS Project Server
http://www.holert.com/project/profibuch

 

[John]

Thank you for the suggestion. However, the "work" column is using the summary
task total to calculate the total work time. The summary task total is
incorrect. For example, my tasks total 80 hours, but the summary task is only
showing 20. Also, my dates span from 6/27 through 7/22, but the summary task
cuts the date span to 7/8/05. My guess is that I have something set up
incorrectly.

Deborah,
I suspect there may be confusion of Duration hours versus Work hours. It
sounds like what you are viewing is Duration. In Project, Duration at a
Summary Line is the time difference (minutes, hours, days, etc.) between
the earliest Start date of the subtasks under the summary and the latest
Finish date of the subtasks. On the other hand, the Work field is the
time allocated to actually accomplishing each task by one or more
assigned resources. At the Summary Line, Work of all subtasks IS added
numerically.

If a misunderstanding of the above is NOT the case and the Duration span
of the Summary Line is not consistent with the subtasks, one of several
things can be at play. First, is Calculation set for automatic
(Tools/Options/Calculation tab)? Second, are you absolutely sure the
tasks you are viewing are all subtasks of the Summary Line you are
viewing? Third, are you in fact looking at "Actual fields" (Actual
Duration, Actual Work, etc.) instead of the basic fields (Duration,
Work, etc.)?

Hope this helps.
John
Project MVP

 

[Steve House [Project MVP]]

Adding a side note to Renke's answer, "fixed duration" does not what you
seem to think it means. It does NOT mean the duration can never change or
the work and duration aren't related to each other. Task types like that
only affect what heppens after resources are assigned and then you
subsequently edit the details on work, duration, or units about those work
assignments. But what you're seeing and what you're trying to do has
nothing to do with whether the tasks are marked fixed work, fixed units, or
fixed duration.