which one is correct way to enter tasks?

1-entering a tasks duration, even if you know the total amount (say sf) of the task and how many people you will assign to it,

or

2-just entering the square feet of quantity, and the units (labor) that will perform the task, and let project calculate the duration.


lets say I have 500 sf of wall to paint. I know this for a fact. I have 2 painters who can do 100 sf everyday. I know this for a fact too.

based on this, do i build my schedule like in 1 or 2? which is correct way?

also is there a way to enter 400sf for the total quantity of work? can work be sf i mean?

Either method is fine. It all depends on which value (duration or work) you are the most confident in. I personally find that people are usually more accurate regarding work than duration, so I am inclined to enter the task, enter the work upon resource assignment and let Project calculate duration.

so i will not (and can not) tell MS project that labor is doing 100sf/day, or I have 500 sf of wall, and there is no way to tell this right? i mean i can not enter sf quantities there correct?

all i can do is, i tell ms project either a 2.5 day duration, and assign 2 full time labor as in 1

OR

i tell ms project that i have a total of 40 hours of work, and i assigned 2 labor to it, after which it calculates 2.5 day

am i correct?

Sorry, no. Project does not understand concepts of X amount of square footage per day. I understands Work, Duration, and Assignment units. By you telling Project Work, it will calculate Duration based upon the Work and the resource assignment units. 1 resource working 8 hours per day can accomplish 40 hours of work in 5 days. 1 resource working 6 hours per day can accomplish 40 hours of work in 6.67 days.

ok and, work is always entered in hours right?

we do not and can not enter sf or sf / day etc correct?

so in other words, i enter 40 hours because i calculate it outside of ms project myself... correct?

Work may be entered in minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months. Work cannot be entered in square feet or square feet/day. You can enter variable consumption (sf/day) for material resources - not work.

ok so i enter 40 hours because i calculate it myself outside ms project correct?

Yes. Project cannot perform calculations based upon square footage.