Totaling durations across project files

[Betsy]

I have 12 project files. At the task level, I want to total the clock hours
(is this Actual duration?) for each task, in each project file, and then put
the data into a chart or graph of some sort for reporting. If I use a custom
field to subtract the difference between the Finish and Start dates, it won't
take into consideration the tasks that overlap. To get this information, I
currently ask my resources when they started the task and when they finished
it and hence, I get my duration.

How do I add all the durations up across project files and then create a
graph?

 

[Sean]

Betsy:

Actual Duration is stored in Project Professional. Why
are you going outside of the program? Insert the Project
Summary Task to see this information for each project
plan. Tools, Options, View, Show Project Summary Task.
You can also consolidate all of your plans temporarily
into a Master project and then insert the Project Summary
Task to see the actual duration across all of your
projects.

For graphing and charting, use Excel.

Good Luck!

 

[Betsy]

OK, thanks. I see what you are mean. However, I wanted to get clock hours. I
believe this is the total durations for each task across projects. I want to
create a chart for each task in all projects that will show their total clock
time. If I insert the project summary task, it will give me the total
duration for the entire project and I want it for each task.

Is this possible?

 

[Sean]

Just so you know, there is a difference between Duration
and Work. I think you want to see Work, which is the
actual time spent working on a task, whereas Duration is
the span of time where the work took place. So if I
actually worked 2 hours on Monday, 2 hours on Tuesday and
2 hours on Wednesday, Project would calculate the
duration as 18 hours (8 hours Monday, 8 hours Tuesday and
2 hours to complete the task on Wednesday).

The Project Summary Task will show Duration and Work for
the entire project.

Hope this helps!

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

How can one task have durations in more than one project?