Asta Powerproject - Editing the duration of tasks
To edit the duration of a task in the properties view:
- Click the task on bar 4 to select it.
- Click the Task tab of the properties view to display information about tasks, rather than bars.
- Click Dates in the pane on the left of the properties view to view information about the dates and duration of tasks:
- Enter 3d in the Duration field, then click the bar chart to finish editing. The duration of the task on bar 4 changes to three days.
You will configure the properties view to 'auto-hide', making it disappear until you want to use it again, at which point you can redisplay it instantly. To do this, click 
at the top right of the properties view. The properties view is reduced to a small tab at the very bottom of the window. You will redisplay the properties view later.
You will now use another of Asta Powerproject's tools - the Object Edit toolbar - to change the duration of a task. You can use this toolbar to edit a range of task attributes.
To edit the duration of a task using the Object Edit toolbar:
- Click the task on bar 3 to select it.
- Click in the Duration/Link Slope box that currently displays 5d and change the duration to 1w 1d (1 week and 1 day), then click the bar chart to finish editing.
To edit the duration of a task by dragging the end of the task in the bar chart:
- Position the mouse pointer over the end of the task on bar 2 so that the cursor changes to
.
- Press and hold down the left mouse button, then drag the cursor to the right. As you drag, a popup box displays the start date, finish date and duration of the task you are editing.
- Release the mouse button when the task is three days in length.
Durations can be given as 'elapsed' or 'working' time. Elapsed durations include both working and non-working time (non-working time may be holidays, weekends and evenings), whereas working durations include only working time. You can choose whether or not to display elapsed time on the bar chart.
You define what constitutes working time in Asta Powerproject's calendars. You can define as many calendars as you want, having one for each resource or one for each task if required. You can define the length of a working day for each calendar and set up working patterns that can include any combination of shift patterns and flexible working patterns.