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calendar - monthly basis

3 replies [Last post]
Wed, 2005-01-19 12:29
Isabelle Hendryckx
User offline. Last seen 19 years 15 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 19 Jan 2005
Posts: 4
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Hi guys,

I am currently working on a RDT project which has a fixed duration of 48 months.
That’s my first project and I am a bit lost :-)

My problem is that I have to calculate everything on a monthly basis (task duration, resource costs). In the calendar options, I see I can determine the number of working days for a month BUT it will remain the same number of days for every month whereas each month has a different number of working days. As a consequence, when I introduce a calendar of 21 days a month, my project starting on the 01/04/04 is ending on 11/02/08 (48 months)whereas it is supposed to finish on 31/03/08.

Is there another way to create a calendar which would take into account the real number of working days of the months that interest me (Jan 04 to Mar 08)?

I hope my explanation is clear because it is a bit complicated to write down.

Thanks for all,
Isabelle

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Replies

Thu, 2005-01-20 03:41
#1
Isabelle Hendryckx
User offline. Last seen 19 years 15 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 19 Jan 2005
Posts: 4
Groups: None
Thanks a lot guys!

That’s what I thought :-(

I suppose I will have to find another way to do it.

Have a nice day,
Isabelle
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Thu, 2005-01-20 02:49
#2
Paul Harris
User offline. Last seen 1 year 5 weeks ago. Offline
Joined: 11 Apr 2001
Posts: 618
Groups: Content Moderators, GPCCAR Editors
Isabelle

You do have a problem with this one.

In summary MSP calculates effectively in hours and then uses the factors entered in on bottom of the form found under Tools, Options, Calendar tab to calculate the months. This value has nothing to do with a calendar. So when you enter a duration in months it uses these factors to calculate hours and schedules the task over the applicable calendar ignoring the number of days in a month.

There are therefore a number of solutions such as removing some days from the long months or reducing the number of hours per day on long months but they are all work arounds and difficult.

The other option as suggested by David Bordoli is to find something else such as P3 which allows time units of months or if the schedule is small I usually put it into Excel with some formulae for logic etc.

You will find most financial Budgeting software will work in months but does not have the capability of developing a network.

Paul E Harris
Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia
Planning and Scheduling Book Publishers, Training & Consulting
www.eh.com.au
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Wed, 2005-01-19 14:41
#3
David Bordoli
User offline. Last seen 8 years 1 week ago. Offline
Joined: 8 Apr 2002
Posts: 416
Groups: Building Information Modelling
Hello Isabelle

:-(

I just tried it. I tried to enter 1 month as a duration and it seemed to just put in 4 weeks. Then I tried 1 emonth (elaspsed) and that seemed okay for 1 January to 31 January but when I moved the start dat it seemed to hang on to 31 days.

I don’t know if any of the ’experts’ can help you, I tried the help files (which wern’t much help!).

It doesn’t assist you I guess but Powerproject works quite well on this, in both month and elaspsed month modes.

David
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