Planning, Scheduling, and Delay Analysis of a Commercial Building Using Microsoft Project (MSP): A Case Study

Delay in constructions is one of the common problems in India which usually results in large time overflow and cost increases. This paper examines real-life applicability of planning, scheduling and delay management in commercial buildings projects with the help of Microsoft Project (MSP). Three case studies containing G+4, G+6 and G+7 buildings in Maharashtra, based on elaborate Work Breakdown Structures and base schedules were studied. MSP was used to track progress and Time Impact Analysis (TIA) was used to assess the impacts of delays on project schedules and cost. This analysis showed that the cumulative delay days were 316 and the overall cost incurred due to this delay is ₹1,080,838. among 41 activities. The main delay causes were a shortage of labor, vendor-related problems, and design revision, problems of material procurement, and the environment. Testing comparative results proved that when compared to the manual mode of planning, the dynamic scheduling features of MSP facilitated much better visualization of critical paths as well as loading of resources and modeling of scenarios. The results support the need to incorporate digital tools and proactive delay analysis as key contributors to the efficiency of construction projects, risk management, and decision support within construction projects that are sized in the middle of the spectrum. Key wards – Delay in construction, Work Breakdown Structures, Time Impact Analysis (TIA), Cost Overrun, Commercial Buildings.