How to Change Working Time in MS Project: Step by Step Time Adjustment

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I’ve seen project timelines crumble because someone forgot to adjust the calendar. ⚡ Changing working time in MS Project fixes this in minutes, not hours.

The process hides in plain sight under Project Options. You’ll find it works the same in 2016, 2019, or Online—just follow the menu path carefully. I’ve tested this across versions.

You’ll set custom work weeks, holidays, or exceptions that actually match your team’s reality. No more weekend work magically appearing in your schedule.

Works for any project size, and the changes apply instantly. Here’s how to do it right.

📚 In This Guide

  • What You’ll Need
  • Instructions
  • Tips and Common Mistakes

What Youll Need

🛠 Materials & Tools
  • ● Microsoft Project (2013 or later recommended) installed on your PC 💻
  • ● A project file (.mpp) you want to modify
  • ● Admin access (if changing organization-wide settings)
  • ○ Optional: A mouse with a scroll wheel for easier navigation
  • ○ Optional: A notebook to jot down custom working hours or exceptions

Tips and Common Mistakes for Perfect Working Time Adjustments

The little details that prevent calendar chaos and keep your timelines intact.

Calendar Selection Tip: In Step 2, always double-check the For calendar dropdown—it defaults to Standard, but if you’re working with custom calendars (like “Engineering Team” or “Executive”), selecting the wrong one will apply changes to the entire project instead of your target calendar. I learned this after accidentally giving the whole company a 4-hour workday.

The Visual Confirmation: After setting new times in Step 3, don’t just trust the fields—scroll through the calendar grid below to verify your changes appear as white blocks. I’ve caught mistakes here that would have caused major timeline miscalculations, especially when adjusting non-consecutive dates with Ctrl+Click.

Recurring Exception Hack: In Step 4, when setting up annual holidays, use the Recurring > Yearly option but set the end date to “None”—this creates a never-ending exception that won’t need annual updates. Between us, this saved me hours of maintenance work across multiple project files.

Verification Shortcut: In Step 5, after clicking OK, immediately check the Gantt Chart view. If any tasks now show odd durations (like that 1-day task spanning two calendar days in a 4-hour workday example), you’ll catch calendar errors before they impact your entire timeline.

💡

Pro Tips for Change Working Time In Ms Project

  • The little details that prevent calendar chaos and keep your timelines intact.
  • Calendar Selection Tip: In Step 2, always double-check the For calendar dropdown—it defaults to Standard, but if you’…
  • The Visual Confirmation: After setting new times in Step 3, don’t just trust the fields—scroll through the calendar g…

Frequently Asked Questions

1

How do I change the default working hours in MS Project?


Go to Project > Change Working Time, select the calendar, and adjust the Default start/end time under the Work Weeks tab. Apply changes to the entire project or specific tasks.

2

Can I set different working times for specific resources?

Yes! Open the Resource Sheet, select a resource, and click Change Working Time. Modify their calendar separately, or assign a unique base calendar to them.

3

Why isn’t my task duration updating after changing working time?


MS Project recalculates durations based on calendar hours. Ensure the task’s calendar matches the new working time, and check if Effort Driven is enabled for automatic adjustments.

4

Is there a way to import working time settings from another project?

Yes! Use the Organizer (under File > Info > Organize) to copy calendars between projects. This saves time when reusing standardized schedules.

5

How do I add holidays or non-working days?


In Change Working Time, pick a calendar, and under the Exceptions tab, add dates as non-working. Label them (e.g., “New Year’s Day”) for clarity.

Changing working time in MS Project is a straightforward process that helps you align your project schedule with real-world constraints. By adjusting work hours, exception days, or calendars, you can ensure accurate timelines and resource allocation. Now that you’ve mastered the basics, try applying these changes to a sample project to build confidence! 🎯

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Michael Davis
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