Planning and managing projects can be challenging, especially when it comes to ongoing operations. The ability to effectively utilize these operations in MS Project can be crucial to the success of a project. In this guide, you will learn how to set up ongoing operations and what important points to consider.
Main Insights
- Continuous operations can help to realistically depict planning and execution times.
- By using lead and lag days, you can integrate breaks and times such as drying of paint.
- Understanding the difference between workdays and continuous days is essential for more accurate scheduling.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Definition of the operation
At the beginning, you define an operation that you want to track in the project. In our case, the example is planning and executing a painting process for a table.
2. Scheduling the individual steps
The first step you enter is planning. In our case, planning takes three days, followed by an execution process that takes two days.
3. Consider drying time
A special feature of this operation is the drying time. You could say that in this example, planning is the painting of the table, and then you also need to schedule drying time. This could also extend over several days.
4. Add predecessors and linkages
To correctly capture the drying time, you need to work in the "Predecessors" category. Go to the predecessors bar and add a new link. In your case, this could include a normal "EA" (End-Start) linkage with an addition of three days for drying.
5. Confirming the results
After entering, you should press "Enter." Now you will see that the planning time extends to Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. However, you have five days of free time, which is not ideal for you.
6. Adjusting the drying days
If you only want three days for drying, note that the program by default considers not only workdays but also weekends. Therefore, incorrect scheduling often results in more days than desired.
7. Inclusion of weekends
If it is important to you that the table can also dry on the weekend, you must adjust the program accordingly. The program assumes that you need extra days for this.
8. Utilizing continuous days
An effective method is to use continuous days (CD) in planning. Instead of just using workdays, you can structure the input of days to include weekends as well.
9. Entering the continuous days
Replace the previous input with a linkage to "CD" (continuous days) by entering "71 EA + 3 CD" in the predecessor field, for example. Confirm this with "Enter."
10. Reviewing the plans
Through this change, you will notice that the planning time has now been shortened to three continuous days. The program has therefore taken the weekend into account for you.
Summary
In this guide, you have learned how to efficiently plan and manage ongoing operations in MS Project. The use of the right technique when inputting schedules is crucial to achieving the desired results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are continuous operations in MS Project?Continuous operations refer to tasks that include weekends and holidays, in addition to workdays.
Why are continuous days important?Continuous days allow for a more realistic planning of tasks that are not tied to regular working hours.
How can I set continuous days in MS Project?You can set continuous days by adding "CD" for continuous days in the predecessor row instead of the normal input.
What are the benefits of using continuous operations?Using continuous operations helps to better manage buffer times and schedule times that are not tied to office hours.
