How to Set Task Duration, Work Hours, and Percent for Capacity Planning

Project Insight can calculate a task’s percent of day, duration, or work hours based on the other scheduling values entered. By default, Project Insight uses task duration and work hours to calculate how much of a resource’s workday is allocated to the task. Project managers can select another calculation type when they prefer to enter the percent of day and have Project Insight calculate either the task duration or the required work.

Project Insight does this by keeping two scheduling values editable and automatically calculating the third value. This helps teams plan task effort, resource allocation, and schedules using the calculation method that best fits their project management process.

Best for: This article is best for project managers and administrators who need more control over how Project Insight calculates task duration, work hours, and resource allocation.

What are task calculation types in Project Insight?

Task calculation types determine which scheduling value Project Insight calculates automatically. The three values involved are:

• Duration: The number of working days over which the task is scheduled.
• Work: The number of hours required to complete the task.
• Percent of day: The percentage of an assigned resource’s workday allocated to the task.

Project Insight allows you to choose which one of these values should be calculated from the other two.

How does the default task calculation work?

By default, Project Insight calculates the assigned resource’s percent of day using the task duration and work hours.

For example, if you create a task with a duration of five days, enter eight hours of work, and assign the task to one person, Project Insight calculates that the person is allocated 20% of each workday to the task.

The default calculation can be summarized as:

Duration + work = percent of day

Project Insight does this by distributing the planned work across the task’s scheduled duration.

How can Project Insight calculate task duration?

Project Insight can calculate the task duration when you enter the required work hours and the percentage of the resource’s day that will be used.

When this calculation type is selected, the duration field is calculated automatically instead of being entered manually.

For example:

• Enter eight hours of work.
• Set the resource allocation to 100% of the workday.
• Project Insight calculates a duration of one day.

If you change the allocation to 50% of the workday, Project Insight recalculates the duration as two days.

This calculation can be summarized as:

Work + percent of day = duration

Project Insight does this by extending or shortening the task schedule based on how much of the resource’s day is available for the work.

Project Insight can also calculate work hours when you enter the task duration and the percentage of the resource’s day that will be allocated.

When this calculation type is selected, the work field is calculated automatically.

For example, if a task has a duration of five days:

• A 50% allocation calculates 20 hours of work.
• A 100% allocation calculates 40 hours of work.

This calculation can be summarized as:

Duration + percent of day = work

Project Insight does this by multiplying the task duration by the percentage of the resource’s available workday.

What is the difference between Auto Calculate and Default Calculate?

The task’s Advanced Options include both an Auto Calculate setting and a Default Calculate setting.

What does Default Calculate control?

Default Calculate determines the calculation method Project Insight returns to whenever task scheduling information changes.

For example, if the default is configured to calculate percent of day, Project Insight will normally use duration and work to recalculate the resource allocation whenever relevant task information changes.

What does Auto Calculate control?

Auto Calculate allows you to change the calculation method for the task at that time. This makes it possible to use a different calculation temporarily without necessarily changing the task’s ongoing default calculation behavior.

In most cases, Auto Calculate and Default Calculate are maintained with the same setting. Advanced users may use different settings when they need to change which value is calculated for a specific update.

How do I change the calculation type for one task?

1. Open the task you want to change.
2. Expand the task’s Advanced Options.
3. Locate the Auto Calculate setting.
4. Select the value Project Insight should calculate.
5. Review the editable and calculated scheduling fields.
6. Enter or update the remaining scheduling values.
7. Save the task.

The available fields change based on the selected calculation type. The value being calculated is not entered manually because Project Insight derives it from the other two values.

Can I change the calculation type from the resource assignment screen?

Yes. You can change a task’s calculation mode while working with its resource assignments.

The fields displayed on the resource screen change according to the selected calculation type:

• When Project Insight calculates work, the duration and percent fields are available.
• When Project Insight calculates duration, the work and percent fields are available.
• When Project Insight uses the default percent-of-day calculation, you enter the work hours and Project Insight calculates the allocation.

Changing the setting from this screen changes the mode for that task at that time.

How do I change the default task calculation for a project?

1. Open the project’s settings.
2. Open Task Defaults.
3. Locate the Task Scheduling Options section.
4. Select whether Project Insight should calculate percent of workday, work, or duration.
5. Select the option to apply the setting to existing tasks when you want to reset the calculation setting across the project.
6. Save the project settings.

The standard setting calculates percent of workday. With this setting, project managers enter task duration and effort, and Project Insight calculates the resource’s percent of day.

You can instead configure the project to calculate work or duration when that approach better matches how your project managers build schedules.

What happens when I apply the setting to existing tasks?

When you select the option to apply the calculation setting across existing tasks, Project Insight resets the task calculation mode for the tasks already in the project.

Review the project schedule after applying the setting because changing which value Project Insight calculates may affect task duration, work, or resource allocation.

Can task calculation settings be used in project templates?

Yes. Project Insight honors task calculation settings in project templates. This allows different tasks within a template to retain the calculation method configured for them.

Project Insight does this by carrying the task scheduling configuration from the template into projects created from that template. This is useful when teams repeatedly plan certain tasks by duration, work, or percent of day.

Can task calculation defaults be configured globally?

Yes. The video confirms that task calculation settings can be configured by project or globally.

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When should I use a different task calculation type?

Use a different calculation type when your project planning process starts with information other than duration and work.

For example:

• Calculate duration when you know the work required and how much of the resource’s day can be committed.
• Calculate work when you know the task duration and the percentage of the resource’s day that should be allocated.
• Calculate percent of day when you know the task duration and required work hours.

These options are intended for project managers who use more advanced scheduling calculations.

When should I leave the default calculation unchanged?

Leave the task calculation setting in its default configuration when your team normally enters task duration and work hours and expects Project Insight to calculate resource allocation.

The default method is appropriate for teams that do not need to plan tasks by entering a fixed percent of day. Changing the setting is optional and is most useful for project managers with a specific scheduling method.

In short: Most teams can continue using the standard duration-and-work calculation. The advanced calculation types provide additional control when a project manager needs Project Insight to calculate duration or work instead.

What should I check before changing a task calculation type?

• Confirm which scheduling value you want Project Insight to calculate.
• Check that the other two values are accurate.
• Review which fields become editable after changing the calculation type.
• Decide whether the change should apply only to the current task or become the project default.
• Review existing tasks before applying a new setting across the entire project.
• Confirm that project templates use the intended calculation settings.

What are common mistakes with task calculation types?

• Confusing duration with work. Duration is the task’s scheduled length, while work is the effort required.
• Changing Auto Calculate without checking the task’s Default Calculate setting.
• Attempting to enter a value in the field Project Insight is currently calculating.
• Applying a new project default to existing tasks without reviewing how the schedule may change.
• Selecting an advanced calculation method when the standard calculation already supports the team’s planning process.

What related questions does this article answer?

Does Project Insight calculate resource allocation automatically?

Yes. By default, Project Insight uses task duration and work hours to calculate the assigned resource’s percent of day.

Can Project Insight calculate task duration automatically?

Yes. Enter the planned work and percent of day, then select duration as the calculated value.

Can Project Insight calculate task work automatically?

Yes. Enter the task duration and percent of day, then select work as the calculated value.

Can I change the calculation type for only one task?

Yes. Use the task’s Auto Calculate setting or change the mode from the resource assignment screen.

Can I set a calculation type for an entire project?

Yes. Use the project’s Task Defaults and Task Scheduling Options to select the default calculation method.

Can I update existing tasks with a new project calculation default?

Yes. Select the option to apply the calculation setting across existing tasks in the project.

Do project templates retain task calculation settings?

Yes. Project Insight honors the configured calculation settings in project templates.