Dead time in a large project

[Patrick]

Hi all. I am in desperate need for help!!

I have a MS Project file that has over 3000 activities. It is built in such
a way that all tasks that have no predecessor start at the beginning of the
project, so MS Project can level them later. There are no resources
allocated on tasks for more than the maximum allowed in the resource sheet,
so this is not the cause of the delays.

The project was created by inserting the WBS and activities first, then
dependencies, then work and resources. Tasks are all Fixed Work, so that the
duration can be determined by MS Project. Basically, the question I am asked
to answer is "When is this project going to finish?"

An example of the problem I am getting is that Suzanne, Robert & Steve are
assigned 85% on a task. They maximum is 95% and they are also assigned at
10% on another task that goes from project start to its very end (concurrent
to the task on which they are assigned 85%). After the levelling, the task
on which they are assigned is suddenly broken (split) and then there is a 3
month delay. I thought it was due to the fact that one of them was assigned
on another task, thus delaying other resources, but it is not the case
apparently. They are all halted for 3 months.

Of course, I checked all dependencies and calendars. So, these are also not
the source of the problem.

1. How can I unsplit all tasks all at once? Don't want to do thousands of
tasks manually...

2. Why am I getting this kind of delay (3 month in the example)?

3. I still have sometimes residual data of the levelling. MS Project and
Alzeimer seems to have things in common. How do you COMPLETELY delete
levelling data, so that you start from a fresh set of data, as entered
initially.

BTW, I am clearing the levelling every time and deleting the colomn (audit
delay).

Thanks,

 

[JulieS]

Hello Patrick,

My comments are inline.

Julie

Hi all. I am in desperate need for help!!

I have a MS Project file that has over 3000 activities. It is built
in such
a way that all tasks that have no predecessor start at the beginning
of the
project, so MS Project can level them later. There are no resources
allocated on tasks for more than the maximum allowed in the resource
sheet,
so this is not the cause of the delays.

[Julie] Just to clarify, Project will not change a task schedule due to
resource leveling when a resource is assigned above maximum units to a
single task. The task will be unchanged and Project will alert you that
it couldn't resolve the overallocation.

The project was created by inserting the WBS and activities first,
then
dependencies, then work and resources. Tasks are all Fixed Work, so
that the
duration can be determined by MS Project.

[Julie] The setting of tasks to fixed work doesn't let project determine
duration. The setting of fixed work just simply means if you alter
duration, project will change assignment units. If you change
assignment units, project will change duration. You do need to be
careful using Fixed Work task types for exactly that reason. If you
changed the task duration for one of the tasks that you had initially
assigned Suzanne, Robert, & Steve to, project will alter the assignment
unit above 85%. The assignment units may not have been increased above
the 95% max units, but an increase in assignment units on a single task
may cause overallocations when combined with other tasks.

Basically, the question I am asked
to answer is "When is this project going to finish?"

An example of the problem I am getting is that Suzanne, Robert & Steve
are
assigned 85% on a task. They maximum is 95% and they are also
assigned at
10% on another task that goes from project start to its very end
(concurrent
to the task on which they are assigned 85%).

[Julie] I assume this is a hammock task? (It's start date and finish
date are linked to other start date and finish dates?)

After the levelling, the task
on which they are assigned is suddenly broken (split) and then there
is a 3
month delay. I thought it was due to the fact that one of them was
assigned
on another task, thus delaying other resources, but it is not the case
apparently. They are all halted for 3 months.

[Julie] When you leveled, did you have the option "Leveling can adjust
individual assignments on a task" selected? If not, then yes, an
overallocation for Steve could affect the schedule of the task and
change Suzanne's and Robert's schedule as well. Before leveling, did you
do some looking around (perhaps in the Resource Usage view) to see which
tasks were causing the overallocation and where? It's almost impossible
to try to trouble shoot resource leveling after the fact.

Of course, I checked all dependencies and calendars. So, these are
also not
the source of the problem.

1. How can I unsplit all tasks all at once? Don't want to do
thousands of
tasks manually...

[Julie] Did you try Tools > Level Resources Clear Leveling selected
task?

2. Why am I getting this kind of delay (3 month in the example)?

[Julie] Without looking at the project, it's impossible to say
Constraints other than ASAP, task priority, predecessors, start date --
a *whole* bunch of things factor into leveling. I can create odd gaps
in projects by applying an ALAP constraint to a long duration task and
then assigning resources in conflict. Because of the constraint, each
time the duration of the project gets extended, the task shifts. If
that task is involved in causing overallocations, by moving tasks out, I
create gaps.

3. I still have sometimes residual data of the levelling. MS Project
and
Alzeimer seems to have things in common. How do you COMPLETELY delete
levelling data, so that you start from a fresh set of data, as entered
initially.

[Julie] Generally, removing leveling through Tools > Level Resources
Clear Leveling takes care of it. If you have allowed leveling to adjust
individual assignments, add the Leveling Delay field to either the Task
Usage and Resource Usage view and make sure it is all to zero.

BTW, I am clearing the levelling every time and deleting the colomn
(audit
delay).

[Julie] I don't know what the "Audit Delay" column is. I assume this is
a custom column? Deleting a column from a view does *not* remove any
data in the column, it just removes it from the view.

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Julie, Patrick, and all.

Secondly, I KNPOW is's
Let's first settle the language problem.
In the French version, Leveling is called "Audit" so I suppose "Audit Delay"
is a half-English translation for Leveling delay.

Secondly, I KNOW it 's a very large file, but honestly, Patrick, if you
can't send it we're all wildly guessing.
If you send it to jandemesATprom-ade.be I promise I'll have a look - and up
to now I always found the culprit.

Hope this helps,

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

Hello Patrick,

My comments are inline.

Julie

Hi all. I am in desperate need for help!!

I have a MS Project file that has over 3000 activities. It is built in
such
a way that all tasks that have no predecessor start at the beginning of
the
project, so MS Project can level them later. There are no resources
allocated on tasks for more than the maximum allowed in the resource
sheet,
so this is not the cause of the delays.

[Julie] Just to clarify, Project will not change a task schedule due to
resource leveling when a resource is assigned above maximum units to a
single task. The task will be unchanged and Project will alert you that
it couldn't resolve the overallocation.

The project was created by inserting the WBS and activities first, then
dependencies, then work and resources. Tasks are all Fixed Work, so that
the
duration can be determined by MS Project.

[Julie] The setting of tasks to fixed work doesn't let project determine
duration. The setting of fixed work just simply means if you alter
duration, project will change assignment units. If you change assignment
units, project will change duration. You do need to be careful using
Fixed Work task types for exactly that reason. If you changed the task
duration for one of the tasks that you had initially assigned Suzanne,
Robert, & Steve to, project will alter the assignment unit above 85%. The
assignment units may not have been increased above the 95% max units, but
an increase in assignment units on a single task may cause overallocations
when combined with other tasks.

Basically, the question I am asked
to answer is "When is this project going to finish?"

An example of the problem I am getting is that Suzanne, Robert & Steve
are
assigned 85% on a task. They maximum is 95% and they are also assigned
at
10% on another task that goes from project start to its very end
(concurrent
to the task on which they are assigned 85%).

[Julie] I assume this is a hammock task? (It's start date and finish date
are linked to other start date and finish dates?)

After the levelling, the task
on which they are assigned is suddenly broken (split) and then there is a
3
month delay. I thought it was due to the fact that one of them was
assigned
on another task, thus delaying other resources, but it is not the case
apparently. They are all halted for 3 months.

[Julie] When you leveled, did you have the option "Leveling can adjust
individual assignments on a task" selected? If not, then yes, an
overallocation for Steve could affect the schedule of the task and change
Suzanne's and Robert's schedule as well. Before leveling, did you do some
looking around (perhaps in the Resource Usage view) to see which tasks
were causing the overallocation and where? It's almost impossible to try
to trouble shoot resource leveling after the fact.

Of course, I checked all dependencies and calendars. So, these are also
not
the source of the problem.

1. How can I unsplit all tasks all at once? Don't want to do thousands
of
tasks manually...

[Julie] Did you try Tools > Level Resources Clear Leveling selected task?

2. Why am I getting this kind of delay (3 month in the example)?

[Julie] Without looking at the project, it's impossible to say
Constraints other than ASAP, task priority, predecessors, start date -- a
*whole* bunch of things factor into leveling. I can create odd gaps in
projects by applying an ALAP constraint to a long duration task and then
assigning resources in conflict. Because of the constraint, each time the
duration of the project gets extended, the task shifts. If that task is
involved in causing overallocations, by moving tasks out, I create gaps.

3. I still have sometimes residual data of the levelling. MS Project
and
Alzeimer seems to have things in common. How do you COMPLETELY delete
levelling data, so that you start from a fresh set of data, as entered
initially.

[Julie] Generally, removing leveling through Tools > Level Resources Clear
Leveling takes care of it. If you have allowed leveling to adjust
individual assignments, add the Leveling Delay field to either the Task
Usage and Resource Usage view and make sure it is all to zero.

BTW, I am clearing the levelling every time and deleting the colomn
(audit
delay).

[Julie] I don't know what the "Audit Delay" column is. I assume this is a
custom column? Deleting a column from a view does *not* remove any data
in the column, it just removes it from the view.

Thanks,

 

[JulieS]

Jan & Patrick

--in line.

Hi Julie, Patrick, and all.

Secondly, I KNPOW is's
Let's first settle the language problem.
In the French version, Leveling is called "Audit" so I suppose "Audit
Delay" is a half-English translation for Leveling delay.

[Julie] Thanks for the translation Jan. I admit, that one had me
stumped

Secondly, I KNOW it 's a very large file, but honestly, Patrick, if
you can't send it we're all wildly guessing.
If you send it to jandemesATprom-ade.be I promise I'll have a look -
and up to now I always found the culprit.

[Julie] Patrick, Jan is the king on leveling -- Jan, when you discover
the culprit, let us know.

Julie

<snip>