Hi all, I have a Project where when I schedule 80% of my tasks with a FS relationship I get the following scenario:

Task 1 - 12/01/2015 - 13/01/2015
Task 2 - 14/01/2015 - 15/01/2015

This is how I would expect task dates to appear however for 20% of my Project I get the following scenario:

Task 1 - 12/01/2015 - 13/01/2015
Task 2 - 13/01/2015 - 14/01/2015

The 2nd Task starts on the same day as the last day of the first task

Can anybody think why this may be occurring?

Thanks in advance

Turn on the display of time in File > Options, General. For the tasks that are beginning in the same day as the predecessor finishes, does the predecessor begin at the start of the business day but end before the end of the working time set either for the Project or for the assigned resource?

Tell us a bit more about:

• How many working hours are in a day - set in Change Working time
• Do you have resources assigned with different working time calendars?
• What is your definition of "day" in File > Options, Schedule?

Thank you for the pointers.

I have noticed that the tasks were created as Effort Driven and most (maybe all) the resources that have been assigned are working longer hours than the hours set up for the Project.

When I take a look in File/Options/Schedule the working hours are 7 per day whilst the resources are working 8. I know that Project will look at what is in the schedule settings and will assign all the tasks to have a 7 hour working day. By then assigning the resources that are working an extra hour each day I think has meant that the tasks are starting earlier than planned as it will then look at the 8 hour day that has been assigned to this particular project (in Project/Change Working Time) and will then start the task on that last available hour.

The problem is I’m sure that if you now change the settings in the schedule option back I think it is too late.

Does that theory stack up?

You are spot on. If the definition of "hours per day" is 7 when you enter a one day duration task, Project schedules it for 7 working hours. If you link that task F to S and assign resources who work 8 hours per day, they will start the successor task at the end of the first day.

My question to you is - do you know how many hours of work is involved in the tasks? You can certainly change the definition from 7 to 8 - but it will still keep the original work - duration values will recalculation (for example from 1 day to .875 days). I'd re- visit the work values (split screen with Task Form in the lower pane). Change the work values (after correcting the hours per day) and let Project recalculate the durations.

That's is great, thanks for all your help

You're welcome. Thanks for the feedback.