Non-Working Day Calendars in UniPhi

Overview

Non-working day calendars in UniPhi define which days are considered working days and which are excluded from scheduling calculations. They ensure that project dates, milestone movements and resource allocations reflect actual operational working patterns rather than simple calendar days.

Because UniPhi is a live, portfolio-first system , accurate time logic underpins scheduling, resource planning, forecasting and reporting. Non-working day calendars are therefore a foundational configuration element.

What Non-Working Day Calendars Are For

Non-working day calendars control how UniPhi calculates time-based data across the system. They determine:

• Which days count toward duration calculations

• Whether milestones can fall on certain dates

• How dependencies shift when delays occur

• How resource availability is calculated

  
  

Without a configured calendar, project timelines may place milestones on weekends or public holidays, and duration forecasts may not reflect how the organisation actually operates.

Calendars ensure that the Time module and Resource Planning module use consistent working-day logic.

This becomes particularly important when dependencies between milestones and initiatives are visualised in the Time Dashboard , as schedule movement must reflect real working conditions.

Where Non-Working Day Calendars Link in the System

Non-working day calendars are embedded within several core UniPhi modules.

In the Time module, they influence project start and finish dates, lifecycle phases, milestone scheduling and portfolio Gantt views. When dates move due to dependencies or changes, the system recalculates based on the assigned working calendar.

In Resource Planning, calendars affect daily capacity and allocation logic. Resource planning data is stored daily , so public holidays and non-working days reduce available capacity automatically. This directly impacts resource load dashboards and scenario comparisons.

Calendars also indirectly affect reporting and RAG status. Since RAG indicators dynamically respond to changes in time, cost and risk , accurate date calculations are essential for maintaining reliable portfolio visibility.

How to Set Up Multiple Non-Working Day Calendars

UniPhi allows multiple calendars to be created to support different regions, business units or project types.

To create a new calendar:

Navigate to Hamburger Menu > Configuration > Financial Years (Admin licence required).

Go to the Non-Working Days configuration area.

Click on the “Add Calendar” yellow button.

Give the new calendar a name.

Define standard working days (for example Monday to Friday).

Non working days will be displayed in yellow when selected.

Add recurring public holidays and any one-off shutdown periods.

Save the calendar.

Once created, the calendar can be assigned at workspace level (project, programme or portfolio), or applied to specific resource groups. From that point forward, all scheduling and resource calculations within that workspace will follow the assigned calendar logic.

Using Multiple Calendars in Practice

Multiple calendars are particularly valuable in organisations operating across different regions or delivery environments.

For example, a UK team may follow UK bank holidays while an Australian team follows state-specific public holidays. Assigning separate calendars ensures that each project schedule reflects local working patterns without impacting portfolio comparability.

Different project types may also require different calendars. A corporate transformation initiative may operate Monday to Friday, while a construction project may operate Monday to Saturday. Applying different calendars ensures construction timelines are not artificially extended, and corporate projects are not compressed unrealistically.

Calendars can also distinguish between operational (BAU) activity and capital projects. Since resource planning is stored daily , removing public holidays from capacity calculations ensures resource utilisation dashboards reflect true availability rather than theoretical calendar time.

Benefits of Multiple Non-Working Day Calendars

The benefits of using multiple calendars are strategic rather than administrative.

Accurate calendars improve scheduling reliability, ensuring milestone movement and dependency impacts reflect operational reality. They enhance resource planning by reducing false over-allocation caused by public holidays or shutdowns. They support regional flexibility for multi-country deployments. Most importantly, they protect the integrity of portfolio reporting and RAG visibility in a live system .

Because UniPhi aggregates data at portfolio level , consistent and realistic time logic is essential for meaningful comparison across initiatives.

Best Practice

Non-working day calendars should be defined during system configuration workshops and reviewed periodically, particularly if the organisation operates across multiple jurisdictions or changes working patterns.

It is recommended that calendars align with HR policies, site working conditions and reporting requirements to avoid downstream scheduling distortions.