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Old 12-04-2011, 03:45 PM
sullied sullied is offline Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours Windows 7 64bit Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours Office 2010 64bit
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Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours
 
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Default Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to MS Project, but I'm attempting to convince my workplace to move from manually scheduling our work in Excel to using auto scheduling in Project. There is one thing that stands in my way, currently.



I need to schedule tasks down to the number of hours. I realize this sounds like micromanaging, and it is somewhat, but the nature of the work we are doing requires it. Here is my difficulty: I have tasks that need to start first thing in the morning because they take a full day but cannot be stopped once started. So, for scheduling purposes, the task takes 8 hours. However, when I have it linked to the previous task, Project has it automatically start after the previous task is completed, regardless of what time it is during the day. I can't have a task start at noon and then stop at 4pm, then restart at 8am the next day, because it cannot be stopped. However, I don't want to use the elapsed duration scheduling, because I don't want the task to continue into non-working hours. Is there any way I can have Project start the task at the next available 8am and still keep the project robust enough to automatically reschedule things when tasks slip or are completed early?
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Old 12-04-2011, 06:42 PM
JulieS JulieS is offline Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours Windows 7 64bit Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours Office 2010 32bit
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Hello sullied,

There is a work around.
For openers, you certainly can schedule to the hour or minute in Project. The more detail, the more time needed to set up and manage the project, but it certainly is do-able.
To your other question -- you need certain tasks to begin at the start of the work day. Create a one minute predecessor task linked Finish to Start with the task. Then create calendar which only allows 1 minute of working time per day at 7:59 am. Assign the 1 minute calendar to the one minute predecessor task. This will force the successor task to start at 08:00.

I hope this helps.

Julie
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Old 12-04-2011, 10:37 PM
sullied sullied is offline Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours Windows 7 64bit Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours Office 2010 64bit
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Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours
 
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I'll try that out...that should do the trick. What about a situation where a task cannot be stopped once started, cannot go into non-work hours, but doesn't have to start at 8am. For instance, I have a 4 hour task with only 3 hours left in the day, I could use what you described to force it to start the next day at 8am. However, what if the schedule shifts later and then the opening goes to 5 hours in the day. I can now complete that task within that day, but this method would force it to start the next day at 8am no matter what. Isn't there just a way to have Project stop putting tasks on hold during non-work hours and only schedule it if there is enough time in the workday?

Thanks a lot!
Rob
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Old 12-05-2011, 06:32 PM
JulieS JulieS is offline Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours Windows 7 64bit Task cannot stop once started, but cannot continue into non-work hours Office 2010 32bit
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Hi Rob,

If the task is only 3 hours in duration, then it can start as late as 2:00 pm assuming a 5:00 pm finish date -- create an additional task calendar where the only working time allowed is from 7:59 am to 1:59 pm.

There is no automatic way to have Project not split a task over non-working time.
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