Assign an Activity Type to an Activity

An activity's type determines which assigned calendar will be used to calculate its start and finish dates during the scheduling process. Calendars specify valid working periods and nonworking periods such as weekends, holidays, and exception time.

If an activity's type is Resource Dependent, the activity's dates are calculated using the calendars associated with each resource or role assignment. Role assignments staffed with a resource use the resource's calendar. If the activity is any other activity type, or if there are no resource or role assignments on the activity, its dates are calculated using its assigned calendar.

How Activity Type Affects Dates Video

To assign an activity type to an activity:

1. Navigate to the Activities page
   1. In the object selector, select ﱆ Project or  Program, and then select a project or a program from the list.
   2. From the  Main Menu, select  Schedule, and then select Activities.
2. In the table, select an activity.
3. On the Layout menu, select  Activity Details, and then select the General detail window.
4. In the Type list, select an activity type:
   • Activity Dependent: Indicates the activity will be scheduled based on its calendar, rather than the calendars of any assigned resources or roles.
   • Resource Dependent: Indicates the activity will be scheduled based on the calendars of its resource and role assignments. Use this type when the activity duration may be affected by resource availability.
   • Level of Effort: Indicates the activity is ongoing with a duration determined by its dependent activities. The duration is calculated based on the schedule dates of its predecessors and successors. Administrative and support activities are typically designated as Level of Effort.
   • Start Milestone: Indicates the beginning of an important project phase. Activities of this type have a duration of zero and no resource assignments.
   • Finish Milestone: Indicates the end of an important project phase. Activities of this type have a duration of zero and no resource assignments.
   • WBS Summary: This type of activity comprises a group of activities that share a common WBS level. The duration is calculated based on its assigned calendar (the earliest and latest dates summarized from its activities).

     WBS Summary Types Video

     Note: WBS Summary type activities cannot have tasks, constraints, or expected finish dates. These fields will be read-only. If you change an existing activity type to WBS Summary, data in these fields will be removed.

5. All changes made to this page are saved automatically.

Tips

• With a milestone type selected, select Program Milestone to display the milestone in the Program Milestones view.