By default, Microsoft Project schedules tasks using the working time on the project calendar. If you have tasks to be completed at different times, especially tasks that are independent of resources, you may want to set up a task calendar. Task calendars, which are new in Microsoft Project 2000, let you specify exceptions to working and nonworking time for individual tasks.

A task calendar is especially useful for situations in which you want a task to be scheduled outside the normal working times defined by the project calendar or assigned resource calendars. For example, you can use task calendars to define unique or specific exceptions for individual tasks, such as machinery that runs during nonworking time or machinery that requires maintenance during working time.

When you apply a specific task calendar to a task, these new settings override the project calendar settings when scheduling the task. If resources are assigned to the task, the task is scheduled by the working times that the task calendar and resource calendar have in common. However, you can have the task ignore the settings in the resource calendar by selecting the Scheduling ignores resource calendars check box on the Advanced tab in the Task Information dialog box.

Create a calendar for a task

1. On the Tools menu, click Change Working Time.
2. Click New.
3. In the Name box, type a name for your new calendar.
4. To begin with a default calendar, click Create new base calendar.
   To create a new base calendar based on an existing calendar, click Make a copy of, and then click the calendar name in the calendar box.
5. Click OK.
6. Make the required changes to the calendar:
   To change the calendar on specific days, select the days you want to change on the calendar.
   To select nonadjacent days, hold down CTRL, and click the days.
   To select adjacent days, hold down SHIFT, and click the first and last day for the calendar change.
   To change a day of the week for the entire calendar, click the abbreviation for the day on the top row of the calendar.
7. Under Set selected date(s) to, click Use Default, Nonworking time, or Nondefault working time.
8. To change Nondefault working time, type the times you want work to start in the From boxes and the times you want work to end in the To boxes.

Note   After you create a base calendar, you need to assign that calendar to a task.