Start date incorrect when using work instead of duration

[Sherry]

Hi,

I'm using Project 2002 with XP Pro. I'm using the Work column to ented the
required effort for each task. I have the work day defined as 8 hours. I
entered a task that must start on a Monday and entered 8 hours Work time.
The next task cannot start until the first one is finished so I established
the predecessor. Project is showing the second task as starting on Monday
instead of Tuesday as it should. This works fine when I use duration to
schedule tasks. Is there something I'm missing when using Work?

Thanks!

Sherry

 

[Steve House [MVP]]

First of all, "work" is meaningless unless or until the resources are
assigned. So the first question that comes to mind is what do your resource
assignments look like? Also, what do the calendars show as working time for
the project and for the resources? Secondly, the second task will begin on
the first available work minute after the first task ends. When does that
occur according to your Project calendar and the resource calendars?

A common error, ("error" IMHO) is the use the 24-hour calendar as the
Project Calendar because in our company we have shifts that work around the
clock. So task 1 begins Mon 8am with 8 hours of work to be done. We have 1
resource on it 100% so it finishes at 5pm. But 5:00pm is a valid working
time according to the 24 hour calendar. So task 2 starts then, not the next
day.

Another possibility for your scenario, this time with the standard calendar
as the Project Calendar. You say you have 8 hours of work to do. Task 1
starts Monday at 8am. You put *2* resources on it 100%. If you have
assigned them both in one operation or if the task is effort-driven, that
means the work will be split between them and each resource will do 4
man-hours of work out of the 8 required, both working together. Duration is
from the time work is first done until it is finished. Bill starts 8am and
finishes his 4 hours at 12 noon. Bob ALSO starts 8am and finishes at 12
noon. Thus task 1 completes with 8 man-hours of work at 12 noon after 4
hours of duration and task 2 starts after lunch Monday at 1 pm.

Third possibility - has automatic recalculation been turned off for some
reason? (Tools, Options, Calculation tab)