eLearning Advanced Topics
Duration Types Overview
Definition: An activity setting that allows you to control how the duration, resource units, and
resource units/time are scheduled so that the equation is always true.
Represents resources
Duration x Units/Time = Units
Length of time Number of units worked Number of total units
of the activity per time period by a worked by a resource
resource assigned to the assigned to the activity
activity
4 Duration Types:
1. Fixed Duration and Units – Duration and resource units (i.e., number of work hours or
days) does not change.
2. Fixed Duration and Units/Time – Duration and resource units/time (i.e., workers) does
not change.
3. Fixed Units – Resource Units (i.e., number of work hours or days) does not change
4. Fixed Units/Time – Resource Units/Time (i.e., workers) does not change.
2 Rules for Duration:
1. If you use Fixed Duration, P6 will never recalculate the duration.
2. If you do not use Fixed Duration, P6 will always recalculate the duration.
Activity Duration Type When you When you change When you
change duration, units/time, what change units,
what changes? changes? what changes?
Fixed Duration and Units Units/Time Units Units/Time
Fixed Duration and Units Units Units/Time
Units/Time
Fixed Units Units/Time Duration Duration
Fixed Units/Time Units Duration Duration
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eLearning Advanced Topics
Changing the Duration Type
There are two options for selecting the Duration Type for activities:
1. Projects window, Defaults tab
2. Activities window, General tab
Projects Window, Defaults Tab
1. Open the Projects window by clicking on the Projects icon on the Directory bar.
2. Highlight a project by clicking on the name in the EPS table.
3. Open the Defaults tab in the Project detail tabs.
4. Modify the Duration Type in the Defaults for New Activities section.
a. Please note that the Duration Type will not change for previously added
activities. This setting will only apply to new activities. You will have to manually
change the Duration Type in the Activities window.
Activities Window, General Tab
1. Open the Activities window by click on the Activities icon on the Directory bar.
2. Select an activity by clicking on it in the Activities table.
3. Open the General tab in the Activity Details.
4. Modify the Duration Type.
a. Note that this will only change the Duration Type for the highlighted activity.
b. To change Duration Type for multiple activities:
i. Select multiple activities using the Ctrl or Shift keys in the Activities table.
ii. Highlight the Duration Type that you want use for the other activities.
iii. Right-click on the activity, select Fill-Down.
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Collaborative Project Management | [Link]