Time Unit Properties dialog
You use the Time Unit Properties dialog to create and edit the time units that you use to measure durations.
How to access the Time Unit Properties dialog
To access the Time Unit Properties dialog, right-click a time unit in Library Explorer and select Properties.
Explanation of the fields on the dialog
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Enter the name of the time unit. Note that the names of time units must not include numbers. |
| Name (plural) | Enter the plural name of the time unit. |
| Abbreviation | Enter the abbreviation that you want to use when specifying durations in this time unit. |
| Compact abbreviation | Enter a very short abbreviation with which to represent this duration in the spreadsheet when displaying durations in Compact format. Enter a character such as an exclamation mark or an asterisk. |
| Seconds |
Enter the number of seconds that make up this time unit. For example, a minute would consist of 60 seconds.
You can specify the length of a time unit as either a number of seconds or a number of elapsed months, or both. For example, you would define a minute as 60 seconds; you would define a year as 12 elapsed months. If you specify a number of seconds and a number of elapsed months, the time unit is the sum of both numbers.
Note that you cannot edit this field for the elapsed seconds, elapsed minutes, elapsed hours, elapsed half days, elapsed days and elapsed weeks time units. |
| Elapsed months |
Enter the number of elapsed months that make up this time unit. For example, an elapsed year may consist of 12 elapsed months.
You can specify the length of a time unit as either a number of seconds or a number of elapsed months, or both. For example, you would define a minute as 60 seconds; you would define a year as 12 elapsed months. If you specify a number of seconds and a number of elapsed months, the time unit is the sum of both numbers.
Note that you cannot edit this field for the elapsed seconds, elapsed minutes, elapsed hours, elapsed half days, elapsed days and elapsed weeks time units. |
| Elapsed time unit |
Select this check box to specify that this is an elapsed time unit, that includes non-working time such as lunch breaks and weekends; clear this check box to specify that this is a working time unit, that excludes non-working time.
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| Linked time unit | When you define a working time unit, you must link it to its corresponding elapsed time unit, and vice-versa. Select the working or elapsed time unit that equates to this time unit. For example, week would equate to elapsed week and elapsed day would equate to day. |
| Exclude from snapping units list |
Select this check box to exclude this time unit from the Snapping Time Unit dropdown that you use to specify the time unit to which new tasks should snap when drawn in the bar chart; clear this check box to include the time unit in the dropdown. Excluding time units that you do not use for this purpose makes it easier to find the time unit you want from the dropdown.
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How do I...
... specify details of the selected time unit?
- Enter names and an abbreviation of the time unit in the Name group.
- Specify the precise length of the time unit in the Seconds and Elapsed months fields.
- Select the Elapsed time unit check box if the time unit measures elapsed (ie working and non-working) time, or clear the check box if it measures working time only.
- When you define a working time unit, you must link it to its corresponding elapsed time unit, and vice-versa. For example, you would link weeks to elapsed weeks and months to elapsed months. Select the appropriate corresponding time unit in the Linked time unit field.
- You can exclude time units from the Snapping Time Unit dropdown list, which you use to specify the time unit to which new tasks should snap when drawn in the bar chart. By excluding time units that you never use for this purpose, this makes it easier to find the unit you want in the dropdown list. If you want to exclude this time unit from the list, select the Exclude from snapping units list check box.