Booking a room or equipment

[Carla]

How can we use project to constrain a task based on availability of a room or
equipment, but not be required to enter hours for that room or equipment? For
example, let's say we have a meeting room that is unavailable the first week
of every month. When the project reaches a task that requires that room, I
want the task to be bumped out to the following week when the room is
available. Right now we have added the room as a resource on that task, but
that requires us to enter time against the room in order to mark the task
100% complete. (If I enter the room with zero hours required, then it doesn't
bump the schedule since the room doesn't have any work assigned.) We're using
project 2003. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Carla,
If you are looking just to restrict the scheduling based upon a set schedule
when the room is available, you could create a task calendar marking the
first week of each month as non-working and apply the task calendar to the
selected task. However, if you want to check for scheduling conflicts (the
room cannot be used one more than one task at a time) I don't know of any way
other than creating the room as a resource as you have done.
Hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.
Julie

 

[Carla]

Thanks, Julie. I do just want to restrict the scheduling based upon a set
schedule, but it has to apply to every project (hundreds of projects), and I
don't want to set a task calendar manually for each one. Currently we have
the room in the resource pool and have blocked out the time on the resource
calendar, but it means MSP expects us to enter time for the resource which
isn't feasible.

 

[JulieS]

Hi Carla,
I understand. Unfortunately, I don't see another way around the issue
except for task calendars or, as you are currently working, with the room
created as a resource. As you have discovered, creating the room as a work
resource requires you to enter actual work against the room resource to see
100% complete for the task.
Forgive me if you know the following information already, but I'll just
throw these ideas out as suggestions of how to speed things along if you
choose either option:
With the room as a resource - The resource usage view may help you to enter
the % Work complete for the assignments using the room more quickly.
If you choose task calendars: You can apply the same task calendar to
multiple tasks. If you have a method of sorting or filtering the list of
tasks that need the room resource, you may then select all tasks in the
sorted or filtered view, click the task information button to show the
multiple task information dialog box and apply the task calendar on the
advanced tab.
Perhaps one of the VBA gurus who respond to this site could suggest a
automated method of working in your situation. Sadly, my skills in VBA are
in their infancy.

Hope this helps a bit.
Julie