Microsoft KB Archive/113983

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PRJ: Manually Entered Work Changes with Fixed Task Duration

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Q113983

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Project for Windows, versions 3.0, 3.0a, 4.0

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SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Project, if you create a task with a fixed duration, the work value for the resource assigned to the task changes when you change the task duration, even if you have manually changed the resource Work field.

CAUSE
When you assign a resource to a fixed task, the assigned work is automatically calculated based on Duration. However, if you change the Work field manually, it is no longer recalculated when you change the task duration, allowing you to keep known estimates for a resource. However, when the work you manually enter for a resource is equal to the duration of the fixed task, the work value becomes "scalable"; that is, the resource work changes to the value of the duration when you change the task duration. When the work is equal to the task duration, Microsoft Project cannot distinguish between a work value that you enter manually and a calculated work value.

WORKAROUND
To avoid having work "scale" or change with the task duration, change the resource Work field to a value other than the task duration before you change the task duration.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior in Microsoft Project 4.0

 * 1) In a new project, choose More Views from the View menu. From the Views list, select Task Entry and choose Apply.
 * 2) Enter a task with a 1 day duration.
 * 3) In the Task Form, select the Fixed check box.
 * 4) In the Task Form, type Susan in the Resource Name column. In the Units column, enter 8h and choose OK.
 * 5) In the Duration column for Task 1, enter 2d.
 * 6) In the Task Form, enter 14h in the Work column and choose OK.
 * 7) In the Duration column for Task 1, enter 3d.
 * 8) In the Task Form, enter 24h in the Work column and choose OK.
 * 9) In the Duration column for Task 1, enter 4d.

The Work column for the resource Susan changes to 32h, even though you manually entered 24 hours work for Susan on the fixed task.

Additional query words: 3.00a

Keywords : kbusage

Issue type : kbprb

Technology : kbProjectSearch kbProject300 kbProject300a kbProject400