Filtering Tasks in Resource Usage View (Report)

[Dann]

I am attempting to create a custom view based on the "Resource Usage" view.
(Ultimately, it will printed as a report.) The basic view shows each resource
and the tasks assigned to that resource. I can include any number of task
fields such as baseline start, start, actual start, etc. What I can't do is
filter the tasks to show just a sub-set.

If I am working in a task view I have custom field that uses a formula to
determine which tasks are either current or scheduled to begin within the
next two weeks. (Thanks to zo-d.com/blog/archives/ms-project-tips.html)
However, when I attempt to apply this filter to the resource view nothing
happens.

I then tried to create the same formula in a resource filter, but that
didn't work either as it is looking at the % work complete for the resource
and not the individual tasks. Is there anyway to filter the tasks that show
in this view?

 

[Catfish Hunter]

Not sure of what you want to get out of this so here's my guess. While in the
resourse usage view, turn on the auto filter. This will allow you to filter
down to a resource. Simple but it might work. You might take a look at View

 

[John]

I am attempting to create a custom view based on the "Resource Usage" view.
(Ultimately, it will printed as a report.) The basic view shows each resource
and the tasks assigned to that resource. I can include any number of task
fields such as baseline start, start, actual start, etc. What I can't do is
filter the tasks to show just a sub-set.

If I am working in a task view I have custom field that uses a formula to
determine which tasks are either current or scheduled to begin within the
next two weeks. (Thanks to zo-d.com/blog/archives/ms-project-tips.html)
However, when I attempt to apply this filter to the resource view nothing
happens.

I then tried to create the same formula in a resource filter, but that
didn't work either as it is looking at the % work complete for the resource
and not the individual tasks. Is there anyway to filter the tasks that show
in this view?

Dann,
OK, lets start with some basics on the structure of Project. The Project
database has three parts, one for task data, one for resource data and
one for assignment data. Assignment data bridges task and resource data.
Each of these object types has several spare fields associated with it.
For example, there are spare text fields, spare cost fields, etc.
However, Task Text1 is not the same as Resource Text1 nor is it the same
as Assignment Text1 - they are all independent spare fields.

When in a task view (e.g. Gantt Chart), you are looking at task data and
any formulas in custom fields will only apply to tasks. The Usage views
(Task or Resource) are combined views. The Resource Usage view is really
a resource based view although assignment data is also normally shown.
Although the "name" of the assignments is the same as the task name, the
data for the assignment rows is assignment data, not task data.

When a filter, grouping or a formula in a custom field is applied to the
Resource Usage view, it will ONLY apply to resource data, not to the
assignment data. And in fact, filters, grouping and formulas are only
available for task or resource spare fields - they are not available for
assignment spare fields. However, by using an advanced feature of
Project, namely VBA, assignment data can be manipulated with formulas.

Confused? Well sometimes I think that was one of the Project developer's
main objectives - to drive the users nuts.

OK, now that you have the basics on why your approach isn't working,
let's take a different look at what you want to do. You have told us how
you are trying to do something. It is much easier for us to help you if
you tell us WHAT you are trying to do rather than how you plan to do it.
You appear to be looking for some type of special report. If you can
explain that a little more, then we can find an appropriate solution. It
may or may not require the use of VBA.

John
Project MVP

 

[Dann]

Thanks for your reply. The challenge is that I want to filter the tasks that
are displayed, not the resource. Since my original post I read that task
filters cannot be used in Resource views, so I may be out of luck, but I'm
hoping there is a work around.

To recap my needs, I need to create a list of each resource and the tasks he
or she is assigned. However, I want to limit the tasks to those that are due
to start in the next two weeks. I have a filter that does this in a task
view, but I am not "allowed" to apply that filter to the resource view.

 

[John]

Dann,
OK, lets start with some basics on the structure of Project. The Project
database has three parts, one for task data, one for resource data and
one for assignment data. Assignment data bridges task and resource data.
Each of these object types has several spare fields associated with it.
For example, there are spare text fields, spare cost fields, etc.
However, Task Text1 is not the same as Resource Text1 nor is it the same
as Assignment Text1 - they are all independent spare fields.

When in a task view (e.g. Gantt Chart), you are looking at task data and
any formulas in custom fields will only apply to tasks. The Usage views
(Task or Resource) are combined views. The Resource Usage view is really
a resource based view although assignment data is also normally shown.
Although the "name" of the assignments is the same as the task name, the
data for the assignment rows is assignment data, not task data.

When a filter, grouping or a formula in a custom field is applied to the
Resource Usage view, it will ONLY apply to resource data, not to the
assignment data. And in fact, filters, grouping and formulas are only
available for task or resource spare fields - they are not available for
assignment spare fields. However, by using an advanced feature of
Project, namely VBA, assignment data can be manipulated with formulas.

Confused? Well sometimes I think that was one of the Project developer's
main objectives - to drive the users nuts.

OK, now that you have the basics on why your approach isn't working,
let's take a different look at what you want to do. You have told us how
you are trying to do something. It is much easier for us to help you if
you tell us WHAT you are trying to do rather than how you plan to do it.
You appear to be looking for some type of special report. If you can
explain that a little more, then we can find an appropriate solution. It
may or may not require the use of VBA.

John
Project MVP

Users,
My apologies. Part of what I wrote above is incorrect and I wish to
publicly correct my error. Resource or task filters applied to a Usage
view WILL also work on the assignment data. I was mistaken in saying
that filters only apply to task or resource rows in a Usage view.

See, I'm still in a learning mode too.

John
Project MVP

 

[John]

Thanks for your reply. The challenge is that I want to filter the tasks that
are displayed, not the resource. Since my original post I read that task
filters cannot be used in Resource views, so I may be out of luck, but I'm
hoping there is a work around.

To recap my needs, I need to create a list of each resource and the tasks he
or she is assigned. However, I want to limit the tasks to those that are due
to start in the next two weeks. I have a filter that does this in a task
view, but I am not "allowed" to apply that filter to the resource view.

Dann,
Now that you have explained what you want, how about this approach. Use
the Resource Usage view and apply the Date Range filter. You will have
to enter in the start and finish dates corresponding to a 2 week window,
but it should give you the report you want. If you don't want to limit
the report to a range of dates, then create your own resource filter for
Start dates greater than or equal to the desired date. If you want
individual reports for each resource, insert a manual page break at each
resource.

Hope this helps.
John

 

[Catfish Hunter]

Go to View/Reports. Select Current Activities/Task Starting Soon. Set the
options you like and Projects will ask you for a date range. Hope this
worksfor you!

 

[Dann]

Ahh...start with the problem, eh? Fair enough.

First, thanks for your overview of the various types of data found in
Project. I'd have to agree with your observation on Project "driving users
nuts." This forum helps.

Here is what I am trying to do:
I need to create a report that lists, for each resource, the tasks to which
he or she is assigned. The tasks should be limited, in my case to those tasks
that are currently active or scheduled to start within the next two weeks.

Seems like it should be reasonably straight forward, but apparently it is not.

 

[Dann]

Thank-you for your suggestion, it worked! I created a custom date filter that
includes all assignments that are not complete or are schduled to start
before a date entered in the pop-up dialog box. Very nice.

I also discovered an interesting quirk, entering am Actual Ffinish date for
a task in the Resource Usage view does not update the task in a task view.
However, if I update the Actual Finish field in a task view, the update
applies in the Resource Usage view. Based on your earlier post, my
assumption is that when I update the task in the Resource Usage view I am
actually updating "assignment" information. When I update the task view I am
updating the task data...which then "flows" to the Finish Date assignment
field as well.

 

[John]

Thank-you for your suggestion, it worked! I created a custom date filter that
includes all assignments that are not complete or are schduled to start
before a date entered in the pop-up dialog box. Very nice.

I also discovered an interesting quirk, entering am Actual Ffinish date for
a task in the Resource Usage view does not update the task in a task view.
However, if I update the Actual Finish field in a task view, the update
applies in the Resource Usage view. Based on your earlier post, my
assumption is that when I update the task in the Resource Usage view I am
actually updating "assignment" information. When I update the task view I am
updating the task data...which then "flows" to the Finish Date assignment
field as well.

Dan,
Hallelujah! I must have been clear cause you got it.

Oh yeah, and you're welcome.

John

 

[Stéphane]

I have the same need as Dann (filter assignment rows in resource usage view)
and I cannot make it work. If I use criteria such as "Remaining work" in my
Resource filter, or if I use AutoFilter, Only the nodes of the hierarchy (the
resources) are filtered, not the leaves (assignments).

 

[John]

I have the same need as Dann (filter assignment rows in resource usage view)
and I cannot make it work. If I use criteria such as "Remaining work" in my
Resource filter, or if I use AutoFilter, Only the nodes of the hierarchy (the
resources) are filtered, not the leaves (assignments).

Stephane,
What version of Project are you using? When working with a combination
view (Resource Usage or Task Usage), a filter will apply to the
resource/task and to the assignment. That's true whether you are using a
custom filter or autofilters.

John
Project MVP

 

[Stéphane]

It is actually project Server. Version in about box is :
MS Office Project Professional 2003 (11.0.2003.0816.15)

 

[Stéphane]

To be perfectly complete about my use case, I am using a consolidated project
(including several subprojects from Project server) and i am trying to filter
out assignments which remaining work is 0 (remaining Work "does not equal" 0).
One other thing that I have noticed is that the aggregated ressources
remaining work is displayed in hours, whereas the assignment rows are
displayed in days. Does it influence the behaviour of the filtering, any
known issues in this case ?
How do you display assignments in Days ?

 

[John]

To be perfectly complete about my use case, I am using a consolidated project
(including several subprojects from Project server) and i am trying to filter
out assignments which remaining work is 0 (remaining Work "does not equal"
0).
One other thing that I have noticed is that the aggregated ressources
remaining work is displayed in hours, whereas the assignment rows are
displayed in days. Does it influence the behaviour of the filtering, any
known issues in this case ?
How do you display assignments in Days ?

Stephane,
Well, I'm not a Project Server guy, (our sister newsgroup,
microsoft.public.project.server is the place to post questions on
Server). To change the format of the Remaining Work field, go to
Tools/Options/Schedule tab and set the "Work is entered in" value to be
whatever you want.

And yes, filters operate on the format you see in the view, unlike
formulas or VBA which work with the basic data - minutes for duration or
work values. However, for your particular filter, (i.e. "does not equal
0), it should work unless you have some assignments that change the
display value for remaining work when converted from hours to days.

Try the above conversion. If that doesn't help, you might want to post
to the Server newsgroup.

John
Project MVP