Microsoft Project offers calendars that can be used to set the working hours for a project and the resources working on it. In other words, you can set the base calendar for the project, and then override that with resource work times. This post discusses how to set the working time in Microsoft Project.
The following steps will illustrate the effect that working time has on a task in a Microsoft Project file.
Set up a new task:
- Enter a new task
- Enter 8 hours for the Duration
- Enter your Name as the Resource
- You will notice that the task occupies one day See below.
To change the base calendar for the project:
- Choose Tools, Change Working Time
- Choose “Standard (Project Calendar) from the dropdown
- Hold down the control key and select all the working days of the month
- Remove the 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM hours (to make half days)
- Notice that the calendar has changed to show your new choices
- Click OK, and notice that your task Gantt bar has gotten longer to accommodate the fewer hours per day.
To change the individual work hours for the resource:
- Choose Tools, Change Working Time
- Choose your name from the dropdown
- Click on the second day of the task
- Hold the control key down and select three days
- Click the “Nonworking time” choice to signify a vacation
- Click OK, and notice that the task has gotten every longer
–ray