Task time conversions seem to be incorrect

Time duration values that you enter into the Total work or Actual work fields of a Microsoft Outlook task record are not converted correctly.

Outlook defines time units for tasks as 480 minutes per day (8 working hours) and 2400 minutes per week (5 working days), rather than 24 hours per day and 7 days per week.

To change the default time for tasks to 24 hours per day and 7 days per week, modify the Windows registry entries. To do this, follow these steps.

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

1. Click Start, and click Run. Type regedt, and click OK.
2. Click the UnitsPerDay value under the following key in the registry:
   
   For Microsoft Office Outlook 2007:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0\Outlook\Options\Tasks
   For Microsoft Office Outlook 2003:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Options\Tasks
   For Microsoft Outlook 2002:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Options\Tasks
   For Microsoft Outlook 2000:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Outlook\Options\Tasks
3. On the Edit menu, click Modify, click Decimal, change the Value data to 1440, and then click OK.
4. Repeat these steps and select the UnitsPerWeek value. Change it to 10080, and then click OK.
5. On the Registry menu, click Exit.
6. Restart Outlook.

NOTE: If there is no Task subkey, you can create one. Open Outlook and on the Tools menu, click Options. On the Other tab click Advanced Options, and click Advanced Tasks. Click OK, OK, and OK.

When you enter a time duration into either the Total work or the Actual work fields on the Details tab of an Outlook task, the duration entered may be converted to what seems to be an incorrect value.

For example, a value of either 1440 minutes or 24 hours will be changed to 3 days even though you might expect a translation to 1 day. This is because Outlook assumes a day value for tasks to be 8 working hours (480 minutes). If you enter a value of 7 days it will remain 7 days, however, if you enter 5 days it will be translated to 1 week because Outlook assumes a week value for tasks to be 5 working days (2400 minutes).