Microsoft Project 2016 uses calendars that identify working times to determine when resources in your organization are likely available to work on tasks in your project. Microsoft Project uses.

There are four types of calendars:

  • Base calendars: A base calendar is used as a template that the project calendar, resource calendars, or task calendars are based on. It defines the standard working and nonworking times for the project. It specifies the work hours for each work day, the work days for each week, and any exceptions, such as holidays.Project uses base calendars as a starting point for creating the other three types of calendars (project, task, and resource calendars). When you enter a holiday or a change to working times in a base calendar, those changes are automatically reflected in all other calendars that use that base calendar

 

  • Project calendars: Microsoft Project uses the Project Calendar to calculate the initial schedule of each task in the project before you assign resources to the tasks The project calendar sets the default working times for all tasks in your project. For example, if most of the work on your project happens between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, the out-of-the-box Standard calendar is the best choice for your project calendar.

 

  • Resource calendars: When you assign resources to a task, Microsoft Project calculates the schedule of the task using the calendar of each resource assigned to the task.. For example, if a resource has a flexible work arrangement and works four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days, you can set that resource’s calendar to reflect that schedule without changing the overall schedule for all other resources in the organization.

 

  • Task calendars: You can apply a Task Calendar as an override calendar on any task individually to completely override the schedule of the task and the resources assigned to the task. Use task calendars to enter special days specific to individual tasks in your project. For example, if the task must happen over a weekend but your project calendar specifies weekends as nonworking time, you can use a task calendar to call out that weekend as working time for just that task while leaving the rest of the project using the normal project calendar

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How to Set up the nonworking days in the project calendar in Microsoft Project 2016

Calendars are the primary means by which you control when each task and resource ca be scheduled for work in Project.

The project calendar defines the general working and nonworking days and times for tasks. Project includes multiple calendars, called base calendars, any one of which can serve as the project calendar for a plan. You select the base calendar that will be used as the project calendar in the Project Information dialog box.

MS.Project-Project-Information

MS.Project-Project-Information

Set the plan’s start date, project calendar, and other essential schedule settings in the Project Information dialog box

 

The Project Calendar in MS.Project 2016

The Calendar list contains the three base calendars that are included with Project:

  • 24 Hours: Has no nonworking time
  • Night Shift:  Covers a late-night “graveyard” shift schedule of Monday night through Saturday morning, 11:00 P.M. to 8:00 A.M., with a one hour break each day
  • Standard: The traditional working day and week, Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., with a one-hour break each day

Only one of the base calendars serves as the project calendar; the Standard calendar is the default.

Think of the project calendar as your organization’s normal working days and hours. For example, this might be Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. through 5:00 P.M., with a one hour lunch break each day. Your organization or specific resources might have exceptions to this normal working time, such as holidays or vacation days.

Customizing the Project Calendar in MS.Project 2016

You customize calendars in the Change Working Time dialog box. Click on the Project tab.

MS.Project : Change Working Hours

MS.Project : Change Working Hours

 

The Change Working Time dialog box opens when you click the Change Working Time button on the Project tab.

 MS.Project: Change Working Hours 2

MS.Project: Project Tab : Change Working Hours

 

Use this dialog box to set normal working schedules and working time exceptions for individual resources or the entire plan. Other common examples of working time adjustments include:

  • Recurring holidays or other times off that follow a known pattern, such as weekly, monthly, or annually.
  • Variable working times per week; for example, to address seasonal changes in working times.
  • Unique working hours for a resource.

 

To select the project calendar

  1. On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click the Project Information button.
  2. In the Project Information dialog box, in the Calendar box, click the arrow, and then click the calendar you want to use as the project calendar.

 

To set a specific date as nonworking

  1. On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click the Change Working Time button.
  2. On the Exceptions tab in the lower portion of the Change Working Time dialog box, in the Name field, enter a description of the exception.  You don’t need to name calendar exceptions, but it’s a good practice for you or others to identify the reason for the exception
  3. In the Start and Finish fields, enter or select the dates you want.
  4. Click OK.

 

To set up a recurring nonworking time

  1. On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click the Change Working Time button.
  2. On the Exceptions tab of the Change Working Time dialog box, in the Name field, enter a description of the recurring exception.
MS.Project:Set up a recurring nonworking time

MS.Project:Set up a recurring nonworking time

3. Click in the Start field, and then click Details.

4. In the Details dialog box, under Recurrence Patterns, select the recurrence values you want, and then click OK.

5.Click OK to close the Change Working Time dialog box.

MS.Project : Set up a recurring nonworking time 2

MS.Project : Set up a recurring nonworking time 2

 

To set up a custom work week

  1. On the Project tab, in the Properties group, click the Change Working Time button.
  2. Click the Work Weeks tab in the lower portion of the Change Working Time dialog box.
  3. Click a row below the “[Default]” value.
  4. Enter a description and the date range for which you want the custom work week to apply.
  5. In the Start and Finish fields, enter or select the date range for which you want the custom work week to apply.
  6. Click Details.
  7. In the Details dialog box, select the day and time values you want, and then click OK.
  8. Click OK to close the Change Working Time dialog box.

 

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