problem setting task days & subtask hours

[aamadure]

In my current project, I have entered all my Tasks, subtasks, and resourses.
Here is my problem

Some tasks are completed in 1 day (or 8h). These involve multiple subtasks
that use different resources. The total time for all subtasks totals 8h.
(ex. task--plant tours = 1d, subtasks--freezer, warehouse, processor,
packing =2h each)
PROBLEM: when i enter hours for subtasks the main task does not total
correctly, I get ### or other odd items.

Some tasks run 3-4 days, each subtask is equals 1 day. (ex. task--work with
drivers 3d, subtask--tom, dick, harry =1d each)
PROBLEM: when i enter days for each subtask the main task does not toal
correctly

1. How do I correctly enter hours for the subtasks so the main task totals
1d?
2. How do I enter days for subtasks so main tasks total the correct # of
days?

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

1) ### is displayed when the column is not wide enough to show the value.
Make the column wider to see the information.

2) Duration of a summary task is based on the difference between the finish
date of the last subtask and the first subtask. If you have tasks which are
not serial then the duration may not equal the sum of the subtask durations.
If you want to see total work, insert the "Work" column. It should sum
correctly.

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[aamadure]

I added the WORK column, and that totals hours correctly. Unfortunately the
Duration column is still showing an incorrect number of days. Do i have to
enter the days for the subtasks for this colmun as well?

I have all tasks/subtasks linked Finish to Start, does that make a difference?

 

[Jack Dahlgren]

Duration is correct. It is NOT supposed to show the sum of task durations.

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[B Sai Prasad [PMP]]

Dear Microsoft Office Project User,

I wanted to share some insight about what Jack Dahlgren meant about "...
Duration of a summary task is based on the difference between the finish date
of the last subtask and the first subtask.".

As per your last reply, the sub tasks of the summary task are sequential in
nature, and hence, the start date of the summary task is start date of the
first sub task with the finish date of the summary task is finish date of the
last sub task.

In case, the subtasks are not sequenced then the start date of the summary
task would be the minimum (start date of all its subtasks) and finish date of
the summary task would be the maximum (finish date of all its subtasks).

Duration of a summary task is the number of working days between its start
date and finish date.

Please let us know if this helps.

Regards
Sai [PMP]

 

[aamadure]

Dear B Sai,

i believe i understand. it's just confusing to look at.
The hours column is totaling correctly, but the duration column simply looks
funny.

I have 1 task with 6 subtasks that are to be completed in 1 day.
In the DURATION column all subtasks are marked with "1 day?".
The main task says "6 days?"
The WORK column has hours allotted to the 6 subs and totals correctly.

1. Is it supposed to look like this.
2. If so it is confusing.
3. Might I not have all the tasks/subtasks sequenced properly?

Dear Microsoft Office Project User,

I wanted to share some insight about what Jack Dahlgren meant about "...
Duration of a summary task is based on the difference between the finish date
of the last subtask and the first subtask.".

As per your last reply, the sub tasks of the summary task are sequential in
nature, and hence, the start date of the summary task is start date of the
first sub task with the finish date of the summary task is finish date of the
last sub task.

In case, the subtasks are not sequenced then the start date of the summary
task would be the minimum (start date of all its subtasks) and finish date of
the summary task would be the maximum (finish date of all its subtasks).

Duration of a summary task is the number of working days between its start
date and finish date.

Please let us know if this helps.

Regards
Sai [PMP]

Duration is correct. It is NOT supposed to show the sum of task durations.

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi aamadure,

The ? indicates that the Duration is an estimate, and 1 Day is the default.
If you firm up the Durations by entering the figures that you want, it
should clarify your confusion. For example, enter 2h in the Duration column
for a 2-hour task and it will show 2h without the ?. Do this for them all
and the summary will change to reflect your data. If the summary task has a
? it means that at least one task has not been firmed up.

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

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

Dear B Sai,

i believe i understand. it's just confusing to look at.
The hours column is totaling correctly, but the duration column simply
looks
funny.

I have 1 task with 6 subtasks that are to be completed in 1 day.
In the DURATION column all subtasks are marked with "1 day?".
The main task says "6 days?"
The WORK column has hours allotted to the 6 subs and totals correctly.

1. Is it supposed to look like this.
2. If so it is confusing.
3. Might I not have all the tasks/subtasks sequenced properly?

Dear Microsoft Office Project User,

I wanted to share some insight about what Jack Dahlgren meant about "...
Duration of a summary task is based on the difference between the finish
date
of the last subtask and the first subtask.".

As per your last reply, the sub tasks of the summary task are sequential
in
nature, and hence, the start date of the summary task is start date of
the
first sub task with the finish date of the summary task is finish date of
the
last sub task.

In case, the subtasks are not sequenced then the start date of the
summary
task would be the minimum (start date of all its subtasks) and finish
date of
the summary task would be the maximum (finish date of all its subtasks).

Duration of a summary task is the number of working days between its
start
date and finish date.

Please let us know if this helps.

Regards
Sai [PMP]

Duration is correct. It is NOT supposed to show the sum of task
durations.

-Jack Dahlgren

I added the WORK column, and that totals hours correctly.
Unfortunately
the
Duration column is still showing an incorrect number of days. Do i
have
to
enter the days for the subtasks for this colmun as well?

I have all tasks/subtasks linked Finish to Start, does that make a
difference?

:

1) ### is displayed when the column is not wide enough to show the
value.
Make the column wider to see the information.

2) Duration of a summary task is based on the difference between the
finish
date of the last subtask and the first subtask. If you have tasks
which
are
not serial then the duration may not equal the sum of the subtask
durations.
If you want to see total work, insert the "Work" column. It should
sum
correctly.

-Jack Dahlgren


In my current project, I have entered all my Tasks, subtasks, and
resourses.
Here is my problem

Some tasks are completed in 1 day (or 8h). These involve multiple
subtasks
that use different resources. The total time for all subtasks
totals
8h.
(ex. task--plant tours = 1d, subtasks--freezer, warehouse,
processor,
packing =2h each)
PROBLEM: when i enter hours for subtasks the main task does not
total
correctly, I get ### or other odd items.

Some tasks run 3-4 days, each subtask is equals 1 day. (ex.
task--work
with
drivers 3d, subtask--tom, dick, harry =1d each)
PROBLEM: when i enter days for each subtask the main task does
not
toal
correctly

1. How do I correctly enter hours for the subtasks so the main
task
totals
1d?
2. How do I enter days for subtasks so main tasks total the
correct #
of
days?

 

[Steve House]

Work is additive but duration is not. The duration of a summary task (your
"main task") is the time between when the earliest starting subtask begins
and the latest finishing subtask ends. Consider these examples ...

Summary task consists of 3 subtasks, each of which lasts 1 day. Each
subtask is to paint a picture of something. We can work on them in any
order. If I have 3 artists we can do them all on 1 day, the three artists
working in parallel. The total work is 3 days but the duration of the
summary task is 1 day. Or if we only have 1 artist, now only one picture at
a time can be worked on. Total summary work is still 3 days but its
duration has now also become three days.

We're not painting pictures but are painting a room. It takes 1 day to put
on the primer coat which then has to dry for 3 days before we can put on the
colour coat. The colour coat also take a day to apply. Task 1 lasts 1 day,
then there's a 3 day lag time, then Task 2 takes 1 day. No one has to sit
and watch the primer dry so there's no work being performed over the lag
time. The total summary work is 2 days but the summary duration is now 5
days, the total time between when work began on the primer coat and when
work finished on the colour coat.

HTH

--
Steve House [Project MVP]
MS Project Trainer & Consultant
Visit http://project.mvps.org/faqs.htm for the FAQs

Dear B Sai,

i believe i understand. it's just confusing to look at.
The hours column is totaling correctly, but the duration column simply
looks
funny.

I have 1 task with 6 subtasks that are to be completed in 1 day.
In the DURATION column all subtasks are marked with "1 day?".
The main task says "6 days?"
The WORK column has hours allotted to the 6 subs and totals correctly.

1. Is it supposed to look like this.
2. If so it is confusing.
3. Might I not have all the tasks/subtasks sequenced properly?

Dear Microsoft Office Project User,

I wanted to share some insight about what Jack Dahlgren meant about "...
Duration of a summary task is based on the difference between the finish
date
of the last subtask and the first subtask.".

As per your last reply, the sub tasks of the summary task are sequential
in
nature, and hence, the start date of the summary task is start date of
the
first sub task with the finish date of the summary task is finish date of
the
last sub task.

In case, the subtasks are not sequenced then the start date of the
summary
task would be the minimum (start date of all its subtasks) and finish
date of
the summary task would be the maximum (finish date of all its subtasks).

Duration of a summary task is the number of working days between its
start
date and finish date.

Please let us know if this helps.

Regards
Sai [PMP]

Duration is correct. It is NOT supposed to show the sum of task
durations.

-Jack Dahlgren

I added the WORK column, and that totals hours correctly.
Unfortunately
the
Duration column is still showing an incorrect number of days. Do i
have
to
enter the days for the subtasks for this colmun as well?

I have all tasks/subtasks linked Finish to Start, does that make a
difference?

:

1) ### is displayed when the column is not wide enough to show the
value.
Make the column wider to see the information.

2) Duration of a summary task is based on the difference between the
finish
date of the last subtask and the first subtask. If you have tasks
which
are
not serial then the duration may not equal the sum of the subtask
durations.
If you want to see total work, insert the "Work" column. It should
sum
correctly.

-Jack Dahlgren


In my current project, I have entered all my Tasks, subtasks, and
resourses.
Here is my problem

Some tasks are completed in 1 day (or 8h). These involve multiple
subtasks
that use different resources. The total time for all subtasks
totals
8h.
(ex. task--plant tours = 1d, subtasks--freezer, warehouse,
processor,
packing =2h each)
PROBLEM: when i enter hours for subtasks the main task does not
total
correctly, I get ### or other odd items.

Some tasks run 3-4 days, each subtask is equals 1 day. (ex.
task--work
with
drivers 3d, subtask--tom, dick, harry =1d each)
PROBLEM: when i enter days for each subtask the main task does
not
toal
correctly

1. How do I correctly enter hours for the subtasks so the main
task
totals
1d?
2. How do I enter days for subtasks so main tasks total the
correct #
of
days?