About Summary Task Percent Complete

Like each task in a task schedule, every summary task has a % complete value. Unlike simple leaf tasks, summary tasks are parent or top-level tasks with subtasks below them. Summary task % complete is calculated based on the leaf tasks beneath it.

The calculation to determine the % complete for a summary task is:

Summary Task Percent Complete = (Sum of All Subtask Actual Duration) / (Sum of All Subtask Planned Duration)

Any leaf summary tasks or milestones below the summary task for which % complete is being calculated are ignored for the calculation. Sub-summary tasks have their own % complete based on the leaf tasks beneath them in the schedule hierarchy Regardless of the number of summary tasks that are created beneath a parent summary task, the percent complete for the top-most summary task is always calculated based on the leaf tasks beneath it.

For example in the example below, only the actual tasks are used for calculating the Build House summary task. If the schedule included additional summary tasks below the Build House task, only the 4 actual tasks listed (Clear the Lot, Purchase Materials, Hire Contractors, and Do Construction) would be used for calculating the summary task % complete. Those four tasks are referred to as "leaf tasks".

Note: For details on how task % complete is calculated, see Percent Complete Calculations.

How Percent Complete is Calculated for Summary Tasks:

First, the actual duration of each sub-task is calculated using the following formula:

Actual Duration = Percent Complete x Duration

Sample Tasks to build a House:

Task 1: Clear Lot

If we've done 50% of the work and the planned duration is 2 days, the actual duration is 1 day:

50% x 2 = 1

Task 2: Buy Materials

We have done 75% of the work and the planned duration is 4 days, the actual duration is 3 days:

75% x 4 = 3

Task 3: Hire Contractors

We have done 100% of the work and the planned duration is 1 day, the actual duration is 1 day:

100% x 1 = 1

Task 4: Do Construction

We have done 20% of the work and the planned duration is 10 days, the actual duration is 2 days:

20% x 10 = 2

With the task's Actual Duration values calculated, the total Percent Complete for the summary task is calculated using this formula:

Summary Task Percent Complete = (Sum of All Subtask Actual Duration) / (Sum of All Subtask Planned Duration)

Example from the above Tasks:

Summary Task
Sub Task Name Actual Duration Planned Duration
Build House

7 (sum of all sub tasks) 17 (sum of all sub tasks)

Clear Lot 1 2

Buy Materials 3 4

Hire Contractors 1 1

Do Construction 2 10
Percent Complete = 7 / 17

Our Summary Task to Build House is 41% complete based on the 4 sub-tasks below it.

Summary Task	Sub Task Name	Actual Duration	Planned Duration
Build House		7 (sum of all sub tasks)	17 (sum of all sub tasks)
	Clear Lot	1	2
	Buy Materials	3	4
	Hire Contractors	1	1
	Do Construction	2	10