Adding groups of resources to groups of tasks

[anand_am01]

Hi,
I have what may be a fairly trivial requirement; and since a picture is
worth a thousand words, I've tried to include a picture here.
http://sap.sem.bi.googlepages.com/MS_Project_MVP_question.pdf OR
http://sap.sem.bi.googlepages.com/MS_Project_MVP_question.mpp

Context:
Let's say that, at the outset, there are 6 tasks with the following resource
assignments (I've kept it at 6 tasks for illustration, though in practice,
there are several hundred tasks ...

The initial assignments are ...

Task:Resource(s)
t1 r1
t2 r1,r3
t3 r2
t4 r2,r4
t5 r2
t6 r3

The requirement is to undertake the following transformations using task
'groups' and resource 'groups'. (The 'groups' may contain 1 or N elements )

Transformations sought:

TR#1: select TaskGroup_tg1 = [t1, t3, t5]; and add ResourceGroup_rg1 = [r5]
to TaskGroup_tg1.

TR#2: select TaskGroup_tg2 = [t2, t4]; and add ResourceGroup_rg2 = [r6] to
TaskGroup_tg2

TR #3: select TaskGroup_tg3 = [t1, t3]; and add ResourceGroup_rg3 = [r3, r4]
to TaskGroup_tg3.

TR#4: select TaskGroup_tg4 = [tg2, tg3]; and remove ResourceGroup_rg4 =
[rg1, rg3] from TaskGroup_tg4.

Can you pl. bring to bear your expertise to devise an 'automated' way to
accomplish such transformations?

Obviously, I've done/ am doing this manually; and it's killing me

Many thanks for your responses; and if you have the ability to flag this
question for the attention of MS-MVPs, that'd be greatly appreciated

The net result should be something like this ...

Task:Resource(s)
t1 r1 +(r5) +(r3,r4) -(r3,r4,r5) = r1
t2 r1,r3 +(r6) -(r3,r4,r5) = r1,r6
t3 r2 +(r5) +(r3,r4) -(r3,r4,r5) = r2
t4 r2,r4 +(r6) -(r3,r4,r5) = r2,r6
t5 r2 +(r5) = r2,r5
t6 r3 = r3

Thanks & regards,
/am

 

[Rob Schneider]

anand_am01,

Wow. Given that you understand the logic and transformations you see,
have you tried writing some Project VBA code to do this? (I can't get
my head around what you are doing.. but can you elaborate on why you are
doing this? Purpose?)

 

[anand_am01]

Hi Rob,
We have been asked to re-work the assignment of resources to tasks in order
to meet certain business constraints and commitments.
As such, some tasks receive additional resources, and others get new
resources; which is what I was trying to show in the prev. example.

Apols if the lack of formatting made it difficult to comprehend.

Rgds
/am

anand_am01,

Wow. Given that you understand the logic and transformations you see, have
you tried writing some Project VBA code to do this?

(I can't get my head around what you are doing.. but can you elaborate on
why you are doing this? Purpose?)

 

[Rob Schneider]

Well, my reaction is that you're making this all too complicated but I
accept that you've been asked to do this. If so, since you have an
algorithm designed for what you want to do, and you want to automate it,
then use Project VBA. I just don't get what you are trying to do from a
schedule/business perspective. Sorry.

That being said, seems to me that you might want to re-think what's
needed here. Feels like you don't need Project since you are being told
the schedule resourcing. What answer to do you want out of Project?
Just a picture of the plan that conforms to this complex resource
asssigments? And when you talk about Resource Groups, I get the sense
you are referring not to the field "Group" which is tagged to a resource
name, but "groups of unnamed resources" that are assigned to tasks?

Project is great if you tell it what needs to be done (tasks which
represent deliverables), what resources required, what the logic of
doing the work, constraints in resources or other activities, etc.
Project then computes the schedule. Feels like you aren't using Project
that way.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

I also got this message in my mailbox, and this is what I replied:

Project doesn't offer all this.
It can be written in VBA of course.. provided you invent a method to define
these groups (in Excel sheets?) Did you think of a solution for that?

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[anand_am01]

Hi Rob, Jan,
Thank you for your responses & insights.

The current schedule has approx 1200 tasks with an existing resource
assignment for each task (one or more resources per task); which results in a
set of dates (both milestone dates & completion date) that are deemed
unsatisfactory to the sponsors.

To this end, I've been asked to attempt to crash the timelines by
(re)assigning resources as appropriate across all tasks based on judgment and
consultation with other project team members to insert/ update/ delete
resources to tasks.

We're seeing situations where we're able to identify that (e.g.) For tasks
1, 19, 54, 77 and 309; we shd add resource no.s 3 & 7.

Thus, there are about 30 such groups of tasks and about 20 groups of
resources; and instead of having to deal with 1200 tasks and 50 resources; I
was trying to explore if there was a way of 'grouping' tasks & resources
towards this objective.

Thanks,
/am

 

[Rob Schneider]

Hi Rob, Jan,
Thank you for your responses & insights.

The current schedule has approx 1200 tasks with an existing resource
assignment for each task (one or more resources per task); which results in a
set of dates (both milestone dates & completion date) that are deemed
unsatisfactory to the sponsors.

To this end, I've been asked to attempt to crash the timelines by
(re)assigning resources as appropriate across all tasks based on judgment and
consultation with other project team members to insert/ update/ delete
resources to tasks.

We're seeing situations where we're able to identify that (e.g.) For tasks
1, 19, 54, 77 and 309; we shd add resource no.s 3 & 7.

Thus, there are about 30 such groups of tasks and about 20 groups of
resources; and instead of having to deal with 1200 tasks and 50 resources; I
was trying to explore if there was a way of 'grouping' tasks & resources
towards this objective.

Thanks,
/am

Making a bit more sense.

I guess I would instead of using VBA is just grunt it out. 1200 isn't
so many. However, do you really have that many that you need to track?
Can you take this as an opportunity to simplify? Focus on estimating
time for "delivering deliverables, not tasks."

Perhaps by using judicious sorting and grouping (both under the
"Project" menu), once you identify the patterns, you can get tasks that
are to be changed in unison, e.g. the example you gave for Tasks 1, 19,
54, 77, and 309 where you simply add two more resources ... you can use
Windows copy/paste quickly to add to the resources.

I hoping that all the tasks are modelled as resource-driven fixed work
so that when you add resources you actually see a change in duration?

I would also advise you to be assertive with the project teams and
sponsors to find out what scope needs to be cut to get the faster/lower
costs that they no doubt hope for. Just juggling resources may not be
good enough.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

The assign resources box allows you to enter such data very rapidly (select
the tasks, in the sassign resources window select the resources click
assign: you have now aded the 2 resources to all 5 of the tasks.. just as
fast as defining alls orts of groups and write VBA cose!

HH

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[anand_am01]

Thank you, this is just what I was looking for.

 

[Rob Schneider]

Thank you, this is just what I was looking for.

Sounds a much better approach than VBA!