Task Types

[MA]

what are the different task types and what do they mean ?

 

[JulieS]

Hi MA,

There are three task types in MS Project:

Fixed Units (default)
Fixed Duration
Fixed Work

The task types control what variable (Assignment Units, Work, or Duration)
gets changed when you alter one of the other two on a task where .

Try the following:
Create a 1 day duration task.(1 day = 8 hours)
Leave the task as Fixed Units (the default)
Assign 1 resource (R1) at 100%.
Project calculates 8 hours of work.

Change the duration to 2 days.

Result:
Because the task type was Fixed Units and you changed duration, Project
recalculated the work to 16 hours. Units (100%) is unchanged.

Change the Work to 20 hours.
Result:
Duration changes to 2.5 days. Because the task type was Fixed Units and you
changed work, Project recalculated the duration to 2.5 days. Units (100%)
remained unchanged.

Same scenario with a one day duration task, resource assigned at 100%, work
calculated is 8 hours. Set task type to Fixed Duration.

Change work to 16 hours.
Result:
Because the task type was fixed duration and you changed work, Project
recalculated Units to 200%. Duration (1 day) remained unchanged.

Change Units to 50%.
Result: Because the task type was fixed duration and you changed units,
Project recalculated Work to 4 hours. Duration (1day) remained unchanged.

I leave you to experiment with Fixed Work task types.

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

Julie

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

 

[Lynn at DIA]

what are the different task types and what do they mean ?

 

[John]

Lynn,
Probably the best place for this information is the Project Help file.
It will explain the differences between Fixed Duration, Fixed Work, and
Fixed Unit type tasks. If you have further questions, post again.

John
Project MVP