Dates in Microsoft Project for the Web not calculating correctly

Question

I am setting up a project schedule that includes many tasks with dependencies, sometimes multiple dependencies for a single task, and I'm noticing that the start or end dates aren't calculating correctly. It seems like the program could be rounding or not counting weekends, but I've tried everything to solve this issue and am coming up empty. The web platform also doesn't have the same functionality as the desktop app, but I'm working on a Mac and the app is not available.

For example, I'm setting a milestone with a dependency (100% Occupancy) as a Finish-Start with the prior task (Lease-up begins) with an 8-month lag. Lease-up begins finishes on 1/12/2029 and 100% Occupancy should occur on 9/12/2029, however the program is calculating 8 months as 8/24/2029. If I go into settings and adjust the work week to 7 days everything in the schedule gets shifted, however the 100% Occupancy date then becomes 5 months and 7 weeks after the dependency, so I'm completely at a loss for what could be going on. I have already confirmed that my region and time zone are correct in Microsoft 365 settings.

Answer 1

I understand your frustration with the project schedule calculations in Microsoft Project. It sounds like you've tried various settings and adjustments, but the dates are still not calculating correctly. I'd like to help you troubleshoot further.

Let's break down the issue:

1. You have a milestone (100% Occupancy) with a Finish-Start dependency on the prior task (Lease-up begins) with an 8-month lag.
2. Lease-up begins finishes on 1/12/2029, and you expect 100% Occupancy to occur on 9/12/2029.
3. However, Microsoft Project calculates the date as 8/24/2029, which is incorrect.

You've already checked the following:

• Region and time zone settings in Microsoft 365
• Work week settings (trying both 5-day and 7-day work weeks)

Additional suggestions:

• Verify that the task durations are set correctly. Ensure that Lease-up begins has a duration of 0 days (since it starts and ends on the same day).
• Check for any other dependencies or constraints that might be affecting the 100% Occupancy task.
• Try recalculating the project schedule by going to "Project" > "Calculate" > "Calculate Project".
• If none of the above works, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance.

Regarding the web platform limitations, I understand your concerns. However, Microsoft Project web app has made significant improvements in recent updates. You can try using the "Task Inspector" feature to analyze the task dependencies and calculations.

Please let me know if you have any further questions or if there's anything else I can assist you with.