Percentage Task Duration Complete and percentage task Work Complete Explained
Microsoft project 2010 presents you with a bounty of riches when it comes to task work. But getting there takes a little thought – let me explain…
How many times have you asked one of your colleagues have they finished their task yet, and been told something like 90% done? It’s almost a human trait and whatever percentage complete they give – it’s almost always wrong!
Even if they respond by saying something like only a few more hours left, that too, is probably just a guesstimate. So how do we get around this human condition and try to get a little closer to the truth?
Like most things in a project manager’s life, getting to the truth starts with planning.
If you are asking for a colleague to give them an estimate of a task, then asking them to estimate the duration is asking for trouble. Far better to ask them instead what are the work activities within the task, then go on to determine what resources are needed and hence calculate the cost.
Only then, can an estimate be made for the task duration.
So now you have your task schedule, you’ve loaded up and leveled resources, added costs and you’re good to go.
You’re now delivering the project and you need to track the progress. Just like in planning you need to think through the best and simplest way to enter progress into your plan at a level that gives you sufficient control.
Good old Microsoft project 2010 will allow you to put in a set percentage complete of zero, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% via convenient buttons on the task tab of the ribbon, and that’s fine when that simple level of control is required.
Better yet, you may choose to double-click on the task name and enter any precise number between zero and 100% complete, hence giving you even better accuracy.
But remember my advice when planning, maybe it’s best to ask your team member how much work effort they have performed so far and how much work effort remains on the task. Work effort is normally measured in hours, and Microsoft project 2010 will allow you to enter actual and remaining work in the work table for example.
Once such work effort is entered Microsoft project 2010 will automatically calculate the percentage work complete.
Be careful not to confuse task percentage complete and work percentage complete, although for a particular task with a linear spread of work, in which case, say, 10 percent task duration complete is the same as 10 percent work complete – this may not always be the case.
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