How can you add volunteers to a project's resources?

[tbbg]

We have an upcoming event that we're tracking in MS Project that will require
many volunteers in multiple positions. However, at this early stage we only
know that certain tasks will need a certain number of volunteers (i.e. "Task
41 - Set up volunteer check-in table" will need 2-3 volunteers) but we don't
know any names yet.

I'm afraid that if I add "Volunteer 1", "Volunteer 2", etc as work resources
to the Resource list and assign these resources to tasks, it will create a
nightmare later when we update the volunteer resources with actual names.

I've also played around with assigning volunteers as material resources
instead (using "Volunteer(s)" as the material label and adding the actual
volunteers later as work resources), but it hasn't been an entirely
satisfactory solution.

Any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks!

 

[John]

We have an upcoming event that we're tracking in MS Project that will require
many volunteers in multiple positions. However, at this early stage we only
know that certain tasks will need a certain number of volunteers (i.e. "Task
41 - Set up volunteer check-in table" will need 2-3 volunteers) but we don't
know any names yet.

I'm afraid that if I add "Volunteer 1", "Volunteer 2", etc as work resources
to the Resource list and assign these resources to tasks, it will create a
nightmare later when we update the volunteer resources with actual names.

I've also played around with assigning volunteers as material resources
instead (using "Volunteer(s)" as the material label and adding the actual
volunteers later as work resources), but it hasn't been an entirely
satisfactory solution.

Any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks!

tbbg,
I'm not quite sure why you think it will cause a nightmare by setting up
generic volunteer resources at the onset but here's perhaps a better
suggestion. I assume your volunteers are equally capable as far as job
skills. In other words, most likely you will expect to have a certain
number of resources for your upcoming event and you will assign them to
whatever task needs help. Why not simply create a "volunteers" work
resource with a max unit level equivalent to however many people you
expect to have. For example, if you expect to have 25 volunteers, then
your "volunteers" resource would have a max units level of 2500%. Then
you can assign the volunteer resources to your tasks and you will not
run in to any overallocation issues as long as your plan doesn't call
for more than 25 resources at any given time.

By the way, people (labor resources) will never be material. Please,
give them their dignity

John
Project MVP

 

[tbbg]

Hi John - Thanks for your reply! I will give it a shot and see how it works
out.

Incidentally, our volunteers are not "equally capable" in that certain
volunteers have (1) security privileges for access to private information,
certain physical locations, or certain material resources, (2) prior training
and/or experience required for certain volunteer positions, and (3) "staff"
status or "board member" status which is important for a few volunteer
positions. [Yes, certain folks actually volunteer at this event while others
are "forced" volunteers. ) ]

And no, I actually don't make a practice of assigning people as material
resources in previous projects. This particular project is for a non-profit
organization that I volunteer for, so I was experimenting with a few
different ways to assign these tasks. My imagined "nightmare" was adding
volunteer resources individually to the resource list, assigning generic
volunteers to tasks, then updating the generic volunteer resources with
actual names when known (potentially causing scheduling problems, since our
volunteers have different availability and skill sets). I shall avoid
stripping my unnamed volunteers of their dignity and will keep them as work
resources per your suggestion. ;o)

 

[John]

Hi John - Thanks for your reply! I will give it a shot and see how it works
out.

Incidentally, our volunteers are not "equally capable" in that certain
volunteers have (1) security privileges for access to private information,
certain physical locations, or certain material resources, (2) prior training
and/or experience required for certain volunteer positions, and (3) "staff"
status or "board member" status which is important for a few volunteer
positions. [Yes, certain folks actually volunteer at this event while others
are "forced" volunteers. ) ]

And no, I actually don't make a practice of assigning people as material
resources in previous projects. This particular project is for a non-profit
organization that I volunteer for, so I was experimenting with a few
different ways to assign these tasks. My imagined "nightmare" was adding
volunteer resources individually to the resource list, assigning generic
volunteers to tasks, then updating the generic volunteer resources with
actual names when known (potentially causing scheduling problems, since our
volunteers have different availability and skill sets). I shall avoid
stripping my unnamed volunteers of their dignity and will keep them as work
resources per your suggestion. ;o)

tbbg,
First, you're welcome.

If you have certain skill sets you can still set up group resources for
each skill set. In some cases, the group may be only one volunteer, but
the concept is still the same.

When populating the Resource Sheet, do not replicate resources. In other
words, if you want to use volunteer 1, volunteer 2, etc., do not also
include Bill, Joe, Mary, etc. and figure you will make the substitution
later. It could be done but it would be messy. When you first plan out
the event, assign the no-name resources. Then when everything is
assigned, simply update the Resource Sheet by changing the Name field to
actual names. However, unless you really want to assign specific people
to specific tasks, it will be much easier to go with the generic
resource groups as I described before.

John
Project MVP

 

[Steve House]

....

By the way, people (labor resources) will never be material. Please,
give them their dignity

John
Project MVP

Obviously you never saw the movie "Soylent Green" (LOL)

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

 

[John]

...

Obviously you never saw the movie "Soylent Green" (LOL)

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

Steve,
Just tell yourself, "It's only a movie, it's only a movie,..."

John