Baseline0-10 Estimated Duration (task fields)

The Baseline0-10 Estimated Duration fields show the approximated span of time planned to complete a task. When you set a baseline, Microsoft Project copies the Scheduled Duration values for tasks and stores them in the Baseline Estimated Duration fields (Baseline Estimated Duration to Baseline1 Estimated Duration through Baseline10 Estimated Duration). This is true whether the tasks are manually or automatically scheduled. For manually scheduled tasks, these values might be different from what is stored in the Baseline Duration fields. For automatically scheduled tasks, the values in the Baseline Duration fields and the Baseline Estimated Duration fields are exactly the same.

Data Type    Duration

Entry Type    Calculated or Entered

How Calculated    When you set a baseline, the value in the task's Scheduled Duration field is copied into the corresponding Baseline Estimated Duration field. The Baseline Estimated Duration field used (Baseline Estimated Duration, Baseline1 Estimated Duration, and so on) corresponds to the baseline that was saved (Baseline, Baseline 1, and so on).

Best Uses    Add one or more of the Baseline Estimated Duration fields to a task view when you've set at least one baseline and you want to compare baseline estimated durations with scheduled or actual durations. You can also use multiple baselines to compare baseline durations that were set at different points in the project.

Example    Your project includes a mix of manually and automatically scheduled tasks, and some of the manually scheduled tasks still have incomplete schedule information. You set a baseline for the project three months ago, and you want to compare the baseline estimated durations independent of the durations you've entered on the manually scheduled tasks. You also want to compare these baselines against the actual or current duration. You add the Baseline Estimated Duration and Actual Duration fields to the Task Sheet view to analyze your progress to date.

Remarks    The Baseline Estimated Duration field contains "0 days" until you set a baseline for the project, which you can do at any time during the project. To set a baseline, on the Project tab, in the Schedule group, click Set Baseline. In the dialog box, click Set Baseline. Select the baseline you want—Baseline or Baseline 1 through Baseline 10. Setting a baseline copies all currently scheduled fields for tasks into the corresponding baseline fields.