Different working times in different countries

[Geoff Cartwright]

Hi,

I would like to configure calendars for the different countries the
organization I work for operates in to represent different public holidays.
I can do this and forsee no problems (ignorance is bliss).

The different countries also have different working times. Some have 8hr
days other 7.5hr days. I can set this up in the country calendars as well.

Are there any consequnces I need to be aware of in how Project handles this
(or not) when I look at the information in the portfolio analyzer on work??

Thanks,
Geoff

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Hi Geoff,

The problem will not rise about the porfolio but earlier : in the schedule
because of the Hours/day parameter:
Tools / Options / Calendar : Hours per day: ???
I think you will have to manage differents plans : one for 8hr days
countries, one for 7,5hr days countries.

Gérard ducouret

 

[Geoff Cartwright]

Hi Gérard

Thanks, I guess this means I have an issue with any projects staffed with
people who have different working times then? If I understand you correctly
I have to set the working hours on a project basis?

Geoff

 

[Steve House]

It might be an issue but it's not a given. Internally Project always works
with durations in 1 minute increments. The "Hours per day" entry on the
calendar options page is the conversion factor Project applies to durations.
If you say a task is "3 days" duration in your Gantt chart, Project will use
the hours-per-day value to convert that to a duration of 24 hours or 1440
minutes. The problem arises because that is a per project global setting
and if you have a mix it can lead to some strange appearing numbers. For
instance, If you have some workers who work 7 hour shifts and others who
work 8 and the "hours per day" is set to 8 hours, enter a 1 day task and
assigning it to an 8 hour per day worker will result in a start of 8am and a
finish of 5pm. But switching the resource to a 7 hour a day worker will
result in the task starting at 8am and ending the following day at 9am. The
reason is that a "day" is defined as 8 working hours, whether they're all on
the same sunrise-sunset period or not.

Hope this helps

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Geoff,
<<I have to set the working hours on a project basis?>>
Yes, you have to do so.
Try the following:
If you stay in only one project with 2 tasks : same duration = 10 days
Create 2 resources :
- Res. A with a 10hr/day calendar
- Res. B with a 7hr/day calendar

Assign Ress. A on one task
Assign Ress. B on the other task

The 2 tasks keep their nominal duration : 10 days, but the task of Ress A is
shorter than the other one.

Gérard Ducouret