Project - chnaging duration unit for subtasks

hello

I am using MS Project 2003. I have already prepare the time line for my
project and in that i have kept the duration unit in "month" as default, then
even it gives some of the subtasks' duration in days and weeks.

I want to show different duration units for some of the task as it gives
duration in decimals (0.44 months).

so is it possible that project itself calculates the duration for the tasks
i want (eg. 0.44 months = how many no. of days). or do i have to do it
manually? also is it possible that some of the subtasks have duration in days
and their summary shoud have duration in months?

Thanks in advance

Hi

Unit of time for summary task is same as that taken in default, that is why
if you have taken unit month by default so you will get time of summary tasks
in months.

For sub tasks unit of time can be in different units. The conversion factor
between months and days is established in Tools > Options > Calendar.

Try it. I hope it helps.

Vanita

hi

thanks for the reply. but still i am not clear about my doubts. let me give
you an example:
1) MASTER SECTION BOOK (summary task)                                2.24 mons
MASTER SECTION BOOK (sub 1)
58.13 days
REVIEW & SIGN - OFF OF MASTER SECTION BOOK (sub 2)    0 days (mile
stone)

now is it possible to mention duration of sub 1 in months as it is more than
one month? can project calculate it?

2) CAS - EXTERIOR (summary task)    0.44 mons
Bumper (sub 1)                           0.44 mons
Front Panel (sub 2)                      0.44 mons

now in this case i want to show duration for sub 1, sub 2 in days. so is it
possible? as it is less than i month it will easy to dicuss with clients.

3) CLASS A - EXTERIOR 	32.88 days?
Bumper	                0.83 mons
Front Panel	                0.87 mons?
in this case i have changed the default duration unit from months to days
and i got the above result. i want the duration for the sub 1 and sub 2 in
days? can project calculate it?

please solve it for me

thanks in advance

Well since the requirement is to display the duration in months or days
depending on criteria which project does not know about, you will have
to enter it yourself.

You could set up a flag which indicated whether the duration should be
in months or days and use a formula to do the calculation but that may
be too much work.

Under tools/options/calendar, the necessary conversion factors are
given.  So in your example, 0.44 months is 0.44 * 20 days (if there are
20 days to a month in your setting).  So the answer would be 8.8 days.

Hi

In example 1, you could give duration of sub1 in months. In example 2,
durations of sub1 and sub2 can be given in days.

But, always if you change the default option of units midway while preparing
the schedule, for summary tasks the software calculates the duration in
changed units automatically. But for already existing sub tasks we have to
change it manually. Also, new sub tasks would automatically come in new units.

I hope it clears the doubt.
Vanita

Thnks for your direction and his time i understand your point.

thanks for your direction.

is it possible for you to suggest me how to set up a flag and also how to
make a formula for the calculation. i have 8 hours/day, 6 days/week and 26
day/month setting.

i understand your 2nd point that i can do it manually form the conversion
factors.

Thanks again

Well first of all insert the Duration1 column.  To do this, right click
on one of the headers on the left hand pane of the Gantt chart and
select Duration1.

Then right click on the Duration1 column header and click Customise
Fields/Formula.

Try the following two formulas:
ProjDurConv( [Duration] , pjDays )
ProjDurConv( [Duration] , pjMonths )

You will see that they display respectively the duration in days and months.

So now you have to do the conditional element.

In a manner similar to above, insert the Flag1 field.  Against each task
in the plan, set the value to be True if you want the duration displayed
in days and false otherwise (the values are set from the drop down boxes
as you click on each cell.

Now insert the following formula for the Duration1 column:

Iif( [Flag1] = True , ProjDurConv( [Duration] , pjDays ) , ProjDurConv(
[Duration] , pjMonths )

In the standard MS provided macros there is one that changes the tasks
displayed duration units.

FYI:  One month = 20 Working Days, not the 1st day of the month to the last
day of the month.  Also, the real duration unit that Project uses internally
is working time minutes to the nearest 10th.  All data is stored and
calculated in that increment.  The ability to enter and display days, weeks,
months, etc is purely for user convenience and the selected units are
converted to and from minutes according the conversion factors on the
Tools/Options menu, Calendar page.

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