Microsoft Project assigns the project calendar to tasks by default. But it is possible to assign a unique task calendar to specific tasks.
It is simplest to have one calendar assigned to all tasks in a schedule. This is why the default in Microsoft Project is to assign all tasks the project calendar. This makes sense, because generally all work in a project is performed using one work week schedule, perhaps an 8-hour per day five day work week schedule or a 10-hour per day four day work week schedule.
There are, however, many situations when it is appropriate to assign a task a unique task calendar. It is possible to make unique calendar assignments to individual tasks in a Microsoft Project schedule.
This article demonstrates a quick tip to assign an individual task a unique task calendar in Microsoft Project.
Below in Figure 1 is our demonstration project.
Figure 1
This is a piping repair and improvement project. Note that the task calendar column shows that all activities are currently assigned none for the task calendar. This means that all tasks are currently scheduled using the project calendar.
To view the project calendar assignment select the project tab and project information icon, Figure 2.
Figure 2
In the project information dialog, Figure 3, we see that the currently assigned project calendar is the ‘4×10 Work Week’ calendar.
Figure 3
This is a 10-hour a day four day work week schedule. Because all schedule activities have none as the task calendar assignment they are scheduled using the ‘4×10 Work Week’ project calendar.
We, however, want to assign the cure concrete task a unique 7-day workweek task calendar. This 7-day workweek calendar models the curing of concrete that continues through the weekend days. Let’s proceed and create a unique 7-day workweek calendar. Select the project tab and change working time icon, Figure 4.
Figure 4
We click create new calendar. Toggle make a copy of ‘4×10 Work Week’ calendar, type in the name Cure Time, and click OK, Figure 5.
Figure 5
Select the work weeks tab and click details, Figure 6.
Figure 6
In the cure time details dialog, Figure 7, we make every day, Sunday through Saturday, a 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM ten hour work day.
Figure 7
Click OK. Great! Our concrete cure calendar is complete.
Now we simply change the task calendar of concrete cure from none to ‘Cure Time’, Figure 8.
Figure 8
The final project schedule is displayed in Figure 9.
Figure 9
Note that the cure concrete task went from a 9-day task using the project calendar to a 6-day task using the ‘Cure Time’ calendar. Our cure time task now accounts for weekend concrete curing.
Summary
By default, Microsoft Project schedules tasks using the project calendar. However, it is possible to assign a unique task calendar in Microsoft Project to a specific task. If the task calendar setting is none then Microsoft Project schedules that task using the project calendar.
Assigning a task a unique task calendar is as simple as displaying the task calendar column and selecting a calendar from a drop down list of calendars for your respective task. In this way the scheduler can assign a calendar to an individual task for modeling unique efforts, such as the curing of concrete.