Start & Finish dates

Resolved · Medium Priority · Version 2003

Tue 28 Apr 2009, 14:53 Delegate Mark said...

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Start & Finish dates

When starting a Project plan from scratch I have found that some of my tasks with a 1 day duration will start and finish on the same date. However, further in the Project plan tasks again with a 1 day duration will start on one date and finish on the next date and I am not sure what would cause this and how I rectify the problem.

Please can you help?

Thu 30 Apr 2009, 09:15 Trainer Andrew said...

RE: Start & Finish dates

Hi Mark

thank you for your question.

First thing to check is your underlying calendar. To make this easier to trouble-shoot choose a date format that includes hours (Tools > options > view > then pick a format such as 28/01/02 12:33)

Now check your calendar settings. From the Tools menu choose Change working time. Click on a working day and check the from and to hours. Keep them in mind then click on the options button. Do the start and finish hours align with the Default start and end times? Also do the total hours per day and hours per week fit with the start and end times?

Lastly if all seems OK double check the project start date. Project > Project information. With the full date and time displayed you will see the time your project is scheduled to start. Once again does this line up with the Default start time above.

Let me know if you find any discrepancies or if you still run into problems.

Kind regards,

Andrew

Kind regards,
Andrew

Mon 1 Jun 2009, 17:09 Delegate Mark said...

RE: Start & Finish dates

Hi Andrew,

This does not seem to solve my issue. I have tried adjusting my default time from 8 until 5 (1 hour lunch) to 9 until 5 which is the actual hours I want. In the Options tab within Change Working Time it shows as 9 and 5 and I set as default. But when I OK and come to the Change Working Time the default is still 8-5 and if I change manually here for 9-5 then I have to do it individually for each day/week.

To begin some tasks will start and finish on the same day but as soon as I add a constraint to a task then the following tasks for a 1 day duration then start and finish on subsequent days.

I have tried both starting from new and old project plans but nothing seems to work.

Can you help any further please? (Cut and paste the below into a project plan may evidence my problem)

Benefits Online Migration Project Plan 3 days Mon 10/08/09 Wed 12/08/09
Go Live date for Net Installer 1 day Mon 10/08/09 Mon 10/08/09
Contract Start 1 day Mon 10/08/09 Mon 10/08/09
Signed order received 1 day Mon 10/08/09 Tue 11/08/09 3
Create Draft Project Plan 1 day Tue 11/08/09 Wed 12/08/09 4
Fact Find meeting 1 day Mon 10/08/09 Mon 10/08/09

Mon 1 Jun 2009, 17:23 Trainer Andrew said...

RE: Start & Finish dates

Hi Mark

Thank you for coming back to us.

In addition to changing options you will need to modify your existing calendar by going to Tools > Change working times then (MS Project 2003) selecting the days when work takes place and setting their hours to match the settings in the options dialog box.

Rather than select each day to edit the hours in the calendar (Tools > Change working time) click on the letter at the top of the column that represents the day of the week (MS Project 2003). This will highlight every day in the calendar making multiple edits much easier. You can select all Mondays to Fridays using this method.

Usually both the values in the calendar and the options dialog box are set to match.

The Set as default button means that the next project you create will automatically match the values in options and the calendar rather than you having to manually edit them.

Be aware that changing the calendar hours for projects that already contain tasks may have unexpected results, usually leading to the durations of the tasks having to be corrected.

Work with a backup of your live plan so you can go back if necessary.

Kind regards,
Andrew

Wed 6 May 2009: Automatically marked as resolved.

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MS Project tip:

Entering Days

To type in a day of the week, or its three letter abbreviation, in a Date field type "Monday" or "Mon", and Project will show the date for the next Monday after the current date.

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