Microsoft® Office Project 2007 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies®

Chapter 2. Defining What Drives Task Timing

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✓	Understanding task types
✓	Entering task duration
✓	Stopping and starting tasks
✓	Setting start and finish dates
✓	Splitting tasks
✓	Working with effort-driven tasks

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The timing of tasks is at the heart of all projects. Task timing in Microsoft Project is driven by a combination of factors, which is what this entire minibook is about. In this chapter, we explore some of the basic settings you can make when creating tasks that have an effect on timing.

First, you choose a task type that specifies what affects a task’s timing, such as whether the task has a fixed duration or a duration that changes based on how much work has been accomplished. You can enter a duration for each task, which is simply the length of time you think it will take to complete the task. You can also enter a start date or finish date, or you can even insert a pause in the middle of the task. Finally, the Effort Driven setting has to do with how the work performed on a task affects its timing.

Be sure to also take a look at Book II, Chapter 4 to brush up on Project, Resource, and Task calendars. See Chapters 3 and 4 in this minibook to discover how dependencies and task constraints further determine the timing of tasks.

Finding Just the Right Task Type

When you perform a task, the time it takes to complete it might be a set time (for example, when you take a test in school, it might end in 30 minutes whether you’re done or not), ...