Scheduling within a day

[Penelope]

Hi all

I'm using project 98 (tho it seems to be so hopelessly bug-ridden that I'm
looking at upgrading), and have some projects that - although complex - all
happen within a day. Can Project 98 handle this (it doesn't seem to), or
Project 2003?

I've changed the timescale to be hours and quarter-hours, but there doesn't
seem to be anyway of managing the tasks at anything less than day-scale. I
can't for example, say 'must start at 3.30pm'. The gant chart looks as
though it should work, but doesn't actually seem to offer any functionality
at hour/minute level.

Is that true, or am I just not seeing it?

best wishes

Pen

 

[JulieS]

Hi Penelope,

MS Project (even 98) actually does calculate everything
to the minute. To display start and finish time go to
Tools --> Options --> View tab. Change the Default View
option to show month, day, year and time.

Hope this helps.
Julie

 

[Rob Schneider]

You mentioned "bugs". Could you please elaborate? Perhaps someone can
assist and give you "hope".

The only significant "bug" that I know of is related to master project
with inserted subprojects and the propensity to Dr. Watson.

The newer versions have fixed that and have a few more features, but it
is essentially the same as your version of 98.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Penelope,

To my experience Project 98 WITH SR-1 was about the most stable and bug-free
version ever.
And wherever you can type in a date you can type in 9/9/4 16:33.
Changing the date format is a good idea as after that Project will alkso
display all dates including time of day, but it isn't even nec<essary to
enter hh:mm.

HTH

 

[Penelope]

Ah, thank you - cunningly hidden: I'd even looked at that screen...

 

[Penelope]

Hi Rob

Oh, countless little things that are bending my little head, like the gant
chart showing 2005 when I'm entering 2004 tasks; recurring daily tasks
apparently taking 36 days when I've said 2hours per day (incl weekends);
being unable to get the work and duration to be the same length; all sorts of
things.

It may be that these are things that an expert wouldn't encounter, but it's
upsetting me how easily messed-up these charts are, so I'm wary of trusting
it for complex projects if I can't even program in my shopping...

(I'm speaking as an ex-system-designer and ergonomist...)

best wishes

Pen

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Penelope,

About the dates of Gantt Chart,, you obviously asked Project to calculate in
terms of Fiscal year numbering. Not a bug, an option you asked for.
See http://mvps.org/project/faqs.htm
FAQ 1 (Yes the very first FAQ): Strange dates in Gantt? Check Fiscal year.
This is still the same in 2003!

A recurring task is a summary task and as such has a duration spanning from
the start of the first subtask to the end of the latest. That is why
durations of summary tasks do not add up. Don't confuse durations and work!

On a single resource task, Work=duration times assignment units.

When you say "These are not things an expert..." I would rather say "These
are things somebody having been on a basic course should know" - sorry of
your course did not clarify it.

And as for the other "countless" frustrations: do ask, we'll be glad to
help!

HTH