tasks types/duration/work/units

[Jackie]

Please I need something clarified.
Say you have for instance:

‘Task A’,
duration 1 day,
start Fri 29/12/06 & finish Fri 29/12/06, set to fixed duration,
1 resource assigned to this task for 2 hours at 100%.
Please confirm whether the 100% here is correct or not.
Some of us think it is correct (you assign 100% for two hours as you want
that resource to work 100% for 2 hours on that tasks.)
Some of us think it should read 2 hours at 25% as this is relative to the
fixed duration of 1 day.
What is the best way to represent in MS Project that a resource would work
100% solely for a specific task for 2 hours conscutely. What tasks type would
best represent this and what MS Project element would you use to best
represent this situation?

Another ‘Task B’,
duration 0.63d,
set to fixed units,
with one resource at 100% for 2 hours,
one resource at 100% for 2 hours and
another resource at 100% for 5 hours.
If you changed the task type to fixed duration, and you reset the duration
to 1 day, work and units stay static, it seems stuck and doesn’t get
automatically recalculated to reflect the ‘new’ fixed duration situation. As
a way around it, for each resource in the window split, I have to change the
work to another value (this will get an accurate % in the units column) and
then re-set it back to what I had before. Is there a more efficient way of
doing this?

Many thanks for all your help in advance.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Jackie,

My comments/answers are inline.

Please I need something clarified.
Say you have for instance:

'Task A',
duration 1 day,
start Fri 29/12/06 & finish Fri 29/12/06, set to fixed duration,
1 resource assigned to this task for 2 hours at 100%.
Please confirm whether the 100% here is correct or not.
Some of us think it is correct (you assign 100% for two hours as you
want
that resource to work 100% for 2 hours on that tasks.)
Some of us think it should read 2 hours at 25% as this is relative to
the
fixed duration of 1 day.

[Julie] If a task has one resource assigned at 100% and that sole
resource works a total of 2 hours, the duration of the task is 2 hours,
not 1 day. Bear in mind when working with Project, the relationship
between work, task duration, and assignment units is:

Task Duration * Units Assigned = Work

The scenario you describe cannot work as it would be

8 hours * 100% = 2 hours

and that just cannot happen mathematically speaking

What is the best way to represent in MS Project that a resource would
work
100% solely for a specific task for 2 hours conscutely.

[Julie] A task with a 2 hour duration, one resoure assigned at 100%.

What tasks type would best represent this and what MS Project element would you use to best
represent this situation?

[Julie] It is not an issue of task type. If you want to have a 1 day
(8 hour) duration task and a resource working 2 hours spread accross the
1 day duration, the assignment unit is 25%. What the 25% means to
Project is that for each 1 hour that passes in the task duration, the
resource is only producing 15 minutes of effort.

Another 'Task B',
duration 0.63d,
set to fixed units,
with one resource at 100% for 2 hours,
one resource at 100% for 2 hours and
another resource at 100% for 5 hours.

[Julie] The task is .63d duration because of the 5 hours of work for one
resource at 100% assignment units. That resource's work is driving the
finish time of the task and the duration of .63d.

If you changed the task type to fixed duration, and you reset the
duration
to 1 day, work and units stay static, it seems stuck and doesn't get
automatically recalculated to reflect the 'new' fixed duration
situation. As
a way around it, for each resource in the window split, I have to
change the
work to another value (this will get an accurate % in the units
column) and
then re-set it back to what I had before. Is there a more efficient
way of
doing this?

[Julie] I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. Do you want
Project to calculate the assignment units for the resources doing their
original amount of work (2, 2, and 5) but now in 8 hours duration? In
that case, set the task type to fixed *work*, change the duration to 1
day and Project will calculate

Resource 1: Assignment units = 100%, Work = 2 hours
Resource 2: Assignment units = 100%, Work = 2 hours
Resource 3: Assignment units = 63%, Work = 5 hours

Only the assignment units for Resource 3 is recalculate as it was the
work for that Resource that was driving the .63 day duration in the
first place.

You mention that you are using the split screen (Task Form at the
bottom.) To see which resource is driving the finish date/time of a
task, click in the bottom pane to activate it and choose:
Format > Details > Resource Schedule.

Assuming an 8:00 am to 5:00 pm working day, you'll see the following
finish times for each resource:

Resource 1: 10:00 am
Resource 2: 10:00 am
Resource 3: 5:00 pm

Many thanks for all your help in advance.

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

Julie
Project MVP

 

[Jackie]

Hi Julie

thanks for your advice.

sorry I did not explain myself properly. Say with task A you have again
duration 1 day, start Fri 29/12/06 & finish Fri 29/12/06, set to fixed
duration, and not just 1 resource assigned to this task for 2 hours but also
another resource working for 5 hours for example. What percentage should you
have for these resources in the units' column?

To best represent a resource working 100% solely on a task for 2 hours
consecutively, you suggest using a task with a 2 hour duration, one resource
assigned at 100%. Just to clarify, this means that I would have to use a
fixed work task, right?

Moreover...sorry about so many questions...

In the second scenario, for task B, i wanted to know, if I change from
duration 0.63d, set to fixed units, with (one resource at 100% for 2 hours,
one resource at 100% for 2 hours and another resource at 100% for 5 hours),
to fixed duration 1 day, what should I expect to see in the units colum? From
our little test only the first value changed (is this cos it is driving the
rest?).

Julie, many many thanks again. It is difficult to explain this
electronically. I am planning a course but in the meantime, thanks for all
your help.

Hi Jackie,

My comments/answers are inline.

Please I need something clarified.
Say you have for instance:

'Task A',
duration 1 day,
start Fri 29/12/06 & finish Fri 29/12/06, set to fixed duration,
1 resource assigned to this task for 2 hours at 100%.
Please confirm whether the 100% here is correct or not.
Some of us think it is correct (you assign 100% for two hours as you
want
that resource to work 100% for 2 hours on that tasks.)
Some of us think it should read 2 hours at 25% as this is relative to
the
fixed duration of 1 day.

[Julie] If a task has one resource assigned at 100% and that sole
resource works a total of 2 hours, the duration of the task is 2 hours,
not 1 day. Bear in mind when working with Project, the relationship
between work, task duration, and assignment units is:

Task Duration * Units Assigned = Work

The scenario you describe cannot work as it would be

8 hours * 100% = 2 hours

and that just cannot happen mathematically speaking

What is the best way to represent in MS Project that a resource would
work
100% solely for a specific task for 2 hours conscutely.

[Julie] A task with a 2 hour duration, one resoure assigned at 100%.

What tasks type would best represent this and what MS Project element would you use to best
represent this situation?

[Julie] It is not an issue of task type. If you want to have a 1 day
(8 hour) duration task and a resource working 2 hours spread accross the
1 day duration, the assignment unit is 25%. What the 25% means to
Project is that for each 1 hour that passes in the task duration, the
resource is only producing 15 minutes of effort.

Another 'Task B',
duration 0.63d,
set to fixed units,
with one resource at 100% for 2 hours,
one resource at 100% for 2 hours and
another resource at 100% for 5 hours.

[Julie] The task is .63d duration because of the 5 hours of work for one
resource at 100% assignment units. That resource's work is driving the
finish time of the task and the duration of .63d.

If you changed the task type to fixed duration, and you reset the
duration
to 1 day, work and units stay static, it seems stuck and doesn't get
automatically recalculated to reflect the 'new' fixed duration
situation. As
a way around it, for each resource in the window split, I have to
change the
work to another value (this will get an accurate % in the units
column) and
then re-set it back to what I had before. Is there a more efficient
way of
doing this?

[Julie] I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. Do you want
Project to calculate the assignment units for the resources doing their
original amount of work (2, 2, and 5) but now in 8 hours duration? In
that case, set the task type to fixed *work*, change the duration to 1
day and Project will calculate

Resource 1: Assignment units = 100%, Work = 2 hours
Resource 2: Assignment units = 100%, Work = 2 hours
Resource 3: Assignment units = 63%, Work = 5 hours

Only the assignment units for Resource 3 is recalculate as it was the
work for that Resource that was driving the .63 day duration in the
first place.

You mention that you are using the split screen (Task Form at the
bottom.) To see which resource is driving the finish date/time of a
task, click in the bottom pane to activate it and choose:
Format > Details > Resource Schedule.

Assuming an 8:00 am to 5:00 pm working day, you'll see the following
finish times for each resource:

Resource 1: 10:00 am
Resource 2: 10:00 am
Resource 3: 5:00 pm

Many thanks for all your help in advance.

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

Julie
Project MVP

 

[JulieS]

Hi Jackie,

My comments are inline.

Julie
Project MVP

Hi Julie

thanks for your advice.

[Julie] You're welcome

sorry I did not explain myself properly. Say with task A you have
again
duration 1 day, start Fri 29/12/06 & finish Fri 29/12/06, set to fixed
duration, and not just 1 resource assigned to this task for 2 hours
but also
another resource working for 5 hours for example. What percentage
should you
have for these resources in the units' column?

[Julie] For a task with 1 day duration the Assignment Units for the two
resources could be:

Resource 1: Asssignment Units 25% Work 2 hours
Resource 2: Assignment Units 63% Work 5 hours

To have Project calculate assignment units for each resource based upon
the amount of work I specified:
1) Create the 1 day duration task.
2) Split the screen (Window > Split) to show the task form at the
bottom.
3) Set the task to Fixed Duration and click OK.
4) Go to the Task Form at the bottom select Resource 1 from the Resource
Name drop-down list and enter 2 hours of work.
5) Go to the Task Form at the bottom, select Resource 2 from the
Resource Name drop-down list and enter 5 hours of work.
6) Click OK in the Task form to have Project calculate the Assignment
units for both resources to spread the work (2 hours and 5 hours) evenly
across the 1 day duration.

To best represent a resource working 100% solely on a task for 2 hours
consecutively, you suggest using a task with a 2 hour duration, one
resource
assigned at 100%. Just to clarify, this means that I would have to use
a
fixed work task, right?

[Julie] No, it is not necessary to change the task to fixed work. As I
noted before, duration, units and work are all mathematically related.
If you give Project any two values, Project must calculate the third
value to keep the math in balance.

In the example above, I told Project the duration (1 day) and fixed the
duration to prevent Project from changing it. I then told Project how
much work each resource needed to do over the one day duration. So,
duration couldn't change, I specified work, so Project could only
calculate the 3rd value -- unit assignment.

So, if I create a task with the default of fixed units task type, assign
a single resource at 100% assignment units, specify 2 hours of work,
Project will calculate a task duration of 2 hours. Because I entered
units and work, Project must calculate duration.

Moreover...sorry about so many questions...

[Julie] Don't apologize Jackie ~ that's what we are here for

In the second scenario, for task B, i wanted to know, if I change from
duration 0.63d, set to fixed units, with (one resource at 100% for 2
hours,
one resource at 100% for 2 hours and another resource at 100% for 5
hours),
to fixed duration 1 day, what should I expect to see in the units
colum? From
our little test only the first value changed (is this cos it is
driving the
rest?).

[Julie] Okay, I think your scenario is:

Task Duration .63 days Fixed Unit
Resource 1, Units 100%, Work 2 hours
Resource 2, Units 100%, Work 2 hours
Resource 3, Units 100%, Work 5 hours.

You set the task to Fixed Duration and then changed the Duration to 1
day. New values:

Task Duration : 1 Day
Resource 1, Units 100%, Work 2 hours
Resource 2, Units 100%, Work 2 hours
Resource 3, Units 100%, Work 8 hours.

When you change the duration in a Fixed Duration task, Project
recalculated the Work for the "driver" resource -- Resource 3, leaving
the assignment units alone for all resources. When you manually change
the fixed Duration component Project will *usually* leave assignment
units alone and recalculate Work.

Project Help has a good table showing the result of changing each
component (Duration, Units, Work) in each task type. Search in Help for
a topic titled "About Task Types" and see if that helps.

Julie, many many thanks again. It is difficult to explain this
electronically. I am planning a course but in the meantime, thanks for
all
your help.

[Julie] You're welcome Jackie and thanks for the feedback.

Hi Jackie,

My comments/answers are inline.

Please I need something clarified.
Say you have for instance:

'Task A',
duration 1 day,
start Fri 29/12/06 & finish Fri 29/12/06, set to fixed duration,
1 resource assigned to this task for 2 hours at 100%.
Please confirm whether the 100% here is correct or not.
Some of us think it is correct (you assign 100% for two hours as
you
want
that resource to work 100% for 2 hours on that tasks.)
Some of us think it should read 2 hours at 25% as this is relative
to
the
fixed duration of 1 day.

[Julie] If a task has one resource assigned at 100% and that sole
resource works a total of 2 hours, the duration of the task is 2
hours,
not 1 day. Bear in mind when working with Project, the relationship
between work, task duration, and assignment units is:

Task Duration * Units Assigned = Work

The scenario you describe cannot work as it would be

8 hours * 100% = 2 hours

and that just cannot happen mathematically speaking

What is the best way to represent in MS Project that a resource
would
work
100% solely for a specific task for 2 hours conscutely.

[Julie] A task with a 2 hour duration, one resoure assigned at 100%.

What tasks type would best represent this and what MS Project

element
would you use to best

represent this situation?

[Julie] It is not an issue of task type. If you want to have a 1
day
(8 hour) duration task and a resource working 2 hours spread accross
the
1 day duration, the assignment unit is 25%. What the 25% means to
Project is that for each 1 hour that passes in the task duration, the
resource is only producing 15 minutes of effort.

Another 'Task B',
duration 0.63d,
set to fixed units,
with one resource at 100% for 2 hours,
one resource at 100% for 2 hours and
another resource at 100% for 5 hours.

[Julie] The task is .63d duration because of the 5 hours of work for
one
resource at 100% assignment units. That resource's work is driving
the
finish time of the task and the duration of .63d.

If you changed the task type to fixed duration, and you reset the
duration
to 1 day, work and units stay static, it seems stuck and doesn't
get
automatically recalculated to reflect the 'new' fixed duration
situation. As
a way around it, for each resource in the window split, I have to
change the
work to another value (this will get an accurate % in the units
column) and
then re-set it back to what I had before. Is there a more efficient
way of
doing this?

[Julie] I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. Do you want
Project to calculate the assignment units for the resources doing
their
original amount of work (2, 2, and 5) but now in 8 hours duration?
In
that case, set the task type to fixed *work*, change the duration to
1
day and Project will calculate

Resource 1: Assignment units = 100%, Work = 2 hours
Resource 2: Assignment units = 100%, Work = 2 hours
Resource 3: Assignment units = 63%, Work = 5 hours

Only the assignment units for Resource 3 is recalculate as it was the
work for that Resource that was driving the .63 day duration in the
first place.

You mention that you are using the split screen (Task Form at the
bottom.) To see which resource is driving the finish date/time of a
task, click in the bottom pane to activate it and choose:
Format > Details > Resource Schedule.

Assuming an 8:00 am to 5:00 pm working day, you'll see the following
finish times for each resource:

Resource 1: 10:00 am
Resource 2: 10:00 am
Resource 3: 5:00 pm

Many thanks for all your help in advance.

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

Julie
Project MVP

 

[Steve House]

You pose an interesting dilemma of meanings. Work is the output, a measure
of the required amount of production. Assignment units is a measure of the
rate of production. Duration is the time over which that output is
produced. To make it simple, let's view it in terms of physical
productivity, lets say producing widgets (it works the same for intangible
deliverables but is a little harder to visualize). A person who is working
at capacity can produce 10 widgets per hour. That will be a given, an
attirbute of the system and not subject to short-term variability (ie, to
change it you need to re-train the worker or get new equipment or some
such). 100% = 10 widgets per hour. Tasks are defined as the work required
for the production of a specific quantity of a deliverable, so Task X
requires the resource produce exactly 20 widgets, no more and no less. Now
if he works at capacity, it will take him 2 hours. But if he's distracted
by having something else to do at the same time it will take longer, perhaps
4 hours. If that's the case, he's working at 50% capacity as far as widget
production is concerned, or in PM terms, he's assigned to the task at 50%
Units. Now you have to make a choice - do you want your project plan to
reflect that producing 20 widgets will require 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, or
some other number? The most efficient plan would be to assigned him at
whatever level you feel he can devote to the task given the trade-offs you
need to allow for his other duties. And so, if he doesn't have other
distractions, assign him at 100% with the task duration at 2 hours and
git'er done. Why allow 8 hours of time to get 2 hours worth of output
(those 20 widgets) achieved unless you're dragged kicking and screaming into
that situation with no alternative? And that's why I'm not a big fan of
routinely using fixed duration tasks - while they have their uses, most of
the time they seem to me to be putting the cart before the horse, being used
in a plan to try to get the task durations and dates to fall where someone
thinks they ought to be rather than taking what to me is the more sensible
approach, focus on getting the deliverables done as efficiently as possible
and let the durations and dates reflected in the work schedule fall where
they may. Certainly some tasks truly are fixed duration - a technician who
must be present to monitor a test that must run exactly 4 hours or an
engineer switching in the control booth of a live TV production must do
their work over an exactly defined duration but those sorts of things are
actually pretty rare in most projects.

HTH

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

Hi Julie

thanks for your advice.

sorry I did not explain myself properly. Say with task A you have again
duration 1 day, start Fri 29/12/06 & finish Fri 29/12/06, set to fixed
duration, and not just 1 resource assigned to this task for 2 hours but
also
another resource working for 5 hours for example. What percentage should
you
have for these resources in the units' column?

To best represent a resource working 100% solely on a task for 2 hours
consecutively, you suggest using a task with a 2 hour duration, one
resource
assigned at 100%. Just to clarify, this means that I would have to use a
fixed work task, right?

Moreover...sorry about so many questions...

In the second scenario, for task B, i wanted to know, if I change from
duration 0.63d, set to fixed units, with (one resource at 100% for 2
hours,
one resource at 100% for 2 hours and another resource at 100% for 5
hours),
to fixed duration 1 day, what should I expect to see in the units colum?
From
our little test only the first value changed (is this cos it is driving
the
rest?).

Julie, many many thanks again. It is difficult to explain this
electronically. I am planning a course but in the meantime, thanks for all
your help.

Hi Jackie,

My comments/answers are inline.

Please I need something clarified.
Say you have for instance:

'Task A',
duration 1 day,
start Fri 29/12/06 & finish Fri 29/12/06, set to fixed duration,
1 resource assigned to this task for 2 hours at 100%.
Please confirm whether the 100% here is correct or not.
Some of us think it is correct (you assign 100% for two hours as you
want
that resource to work 100% for 2 hours on that tasks.)
Some of us think it should read 2 hours at 25% as this is relative to
the
fixed duration of 1 day.

[Julie] If a task has one resource assigned at 100% and that sole
resource works a total of 2 hours, the duration of the task is 2 hours,
not 1 day. Bear in mind when working with Project, the relationship
between work, task duration, and assignment units is:

Task Duration * Units Assigned = Work

The scenario you describe cannot work as it would be

8 hours * 100% = 2 hours

and that just cannot happen mathematically speaking

What is the best way to represent in MS Project that a resource would
work
100% solely for a specific task for 2 hours conscutely.

[Julie] A task with a 2 hour duration, one resoure assigned at 100%.

What tasks type would best represent this and what MS Project element would you use to best
represent this situation?

[Julie] It is not an issue of task type. If you want to have a 1 day
(8 hour) duration task and a resource working 2 hours spread accross the
1 day duration, the assignment unit is 25%. What the 25% means to
Project is that for each 1 hour that passes in the task duration, the
resource is only producing 15 minutes of effort.

Another 'Task B',
duration 0.63d,
set to fixed units,
with one resource at 100% for 2 hours,
one resource at 100% for 2 hours and
another resource at 100% for 5 hours.

[Julie] The task is .63d duration because of the 5 hours of work for one
resource at 100% assignment units. That resource's work is driving the
finish time of the task and the duration of .63d.

If you changed the task type to fixed duration, and you reset the
duration
to 1 day, work and units stay static, it seems stuck and doesn't get
automatically recalculated to reflect the 'new' fixed duration
situation. As
a way around it, for each resource in the window split, I have to
change the
work to another value (this will get an accurate % in the units
column) and
then re-set it back to what I had before. Is there a more efficient
way of
doing this?

[Julie] I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish. Do you want
Project to calculate the assignment units for the resources doing their
original amount of work (2, 2, and 5) but now in 8 hours duration? In
that case, set the task type to fixed *work*, change the duration to 1
day and Project will calculate

Resource 1: Assignment units = 100%, Work = 2 hours
Resource 2: Assignment units = 100%, Work = 2 hours
Resource 3: Assignment units = 63%, Work = 5 hours

Only the assignment units for Resource 3 is recalculate as it was the
work for that Resource that was driving the .63 day duration in the
first place.

You mention that you are using the split screen (Task Form at the
bottom.) To see which resource is driving the finish date/time of a
task, click in the bottom pane to activate it and choose:
Format > Details > Resource Schedule.

Assuming an 8:00 am to 5:00 pm working day, you'll see the following
finish times for each resource:

Resource 1: 10:00 am
Resource 2: 10:00 am
Resource 3: 5:00 pm

Many thanks for all your help in advance.

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

Julie
Project MVP