How to Enter Holidays in MS Project
Managing projects effectively often requires considering various factors, including holidays. In Microsoft Project, you can easily enter holidays to ensure that your project schedules account for non-working days. This article will guide you through the process of entering holidays in MS Project, helping you maintain accurate and realistic timelines.
Step 1: Access the Project Calendar
To begin, open your MS Project file and navigate to the “Project” tab. In the “Project” group, click on “Change Working Time.” This will open the “Calendar” dialog box.
Step 2: Create a New Calendar
In the “Calendar” dialog box, you will see a list of predefined calendars. To create a new calendar specifically for holidays, click on “New” at the bottom of the dialog box. Enter a name for your new calendar, such as “Holidays,” and click “OK.”
Step 3: Add Holidays to the Calendar
With the new “Holidays” calendar selected, click on the “Edit” button to modify the calendar settings. In the “Edit Calendar” dialog box, you will see a list of all the days in the calendar. To add a holiday, click on the date you want to mark as a holiday and select “Working” from the “Working Time” dropdown menu. Then, click on the “Non-Working” radio button and enter the name of the holiday in the “Non-Working Time” field. Repeat this process for each holiday you want to add.
Step 4: Assign the Calendar to the Project
After adding all the holidays to the “Holidays” calendar, you need to assign it to your project. In the “Calendar” dialog box, click on the “Assign” button. In the “Assign Calendars” dialog box, select the “Holidays” calendar from the list and click “OK.” This will assign the “Holidays” calendar to your project, and all tasks will automatically account for the holidays you have entered.
Step 5: Verify the Calendar Settings
To ensure that the holidays are correctly entered and assigned to your project, review the calendar settings. In the “Calendar” dialog box, click on the “Holidays” calendar and verify that the holidays you entered are marked as non-working days. You can also check the “Task Information” view to see how the holidays affect your project schedule.
By following these steps, you can easily enter holidays in MS Project and ensure that your project schedules account for non-working days. This will help you maintain realistic timelines and effectively manage your projects.
