how does leveling work?

[del]

Hi, I'm new at this so bear with me if this seems simple:

I have a series of tasks assigned to a single resource and I want to
know in which order to complete the tasks.

To understand this better I created a new project of 2 tasks of 2
days, assigned to 1 resource.
The 1st task's priority is 500, the second's 600. Right now both tasks
are assigned to the resouce at once and the resource is overallocated
(200% each day)
What I would assume, when I hit level resource, is to see task#2 last
for 2 days THEN task#1 (with a lower priority) to follow for the next
2 days.
But no.
What am I missing?

Thank in advance.

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Del,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

You need to select Priority,Standard in the levelling dialog for Project to
take note of priorities.

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #19 on levelling, at this site:
http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:
http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSearch&AUTH=23
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

FAQs, companion products and other useful Project information can be seen at
this web address: <http://www.mvps.org/project/>

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

Mike Glen
MS Project MVP

 

[del]

Hi Del,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup
Thanks

You need to select Priority,Standard in the levelling dialog for Project to
take note of priorities.

I thought I had tried that, but obviously I missed something cuz it
works now in the mini 2 tasks project I set up.
Now if I try to level using 'standard' only it won't do it. Apparently
if I don't first do 'clear leveling...' it won't do it. OK. I got that
working.

Going back to my original project I do:
Tools/Tracking>Update Project... Reschedule entire project to start
after (today) to get all my tasks in line. A quick glance and it seems
right.
then I do
Tools/Level Resources... Clear Leveling (to make sure it is right as
above)
Tools/Level Resources... Manual/Clear lev val before.../Level from
(today) by Prio,Standard/Level Now
and the task with the highest priority (700) is scheduled for ... May
2008!
The 1st task assigned has prio 500 but, hang on, there are 2 other
resources assigned!
The next one, 500, also has another resource assigned...
Then nothing for a while, then another assignment several weeks
later...
Totally confused now!

I guess the 500 first task was assigned because at least one of the 2
other resources was available.
Which brings a question:
What if A is assigned to tasks 1 & 2 and B is assigned to task 2.
B is ready now but A is busy. How can project handle the fact that A
must wotk on t1 (e.g. because of higher prio) 1st THEN on t2 while B
can start right away on t2?
Or is this impossible without resorting to some trick?

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #19 on levelling, at this site:http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc or this:http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMFrame.asp?CMD=ArticleSe...
(Perhaps you'd care to rate the article before leaving the site,
Thanks.)

I did have a look at it. In fact I had already been looking at it
before asking here. A lot of very useful info but nothing to help this
perticular problem...

Hope this helps - please let us know how you get on

I appreciate your help BTW
D

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

First, and I don't have the courage to explain it because it's rather long,
but you have to first do clear leveling before doing update project.

Second, I don't understand without seeing what you describe.
If you wish so, you can send the file to
jandemesATprom-ade.be
replacing AT by @ of course)

I'll have a look

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

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi All,

This is what I answered after reading his file:

---------------------

Hi,

Here are some answers:

1. My Norton for totally unknown reasons considered your mail as "possibly
spam" and deleted the attachment (I think)
For reasons just as opaque it now allowed your file to come in.

2. First general remark. NO FUNCTION , NONE, in Project will move Actual
Work. Project considers Actual work as reality and it is designed to change
plan data, not past history.

2. This being said, task 76 has one day of actual work and it was probably
set to May 2008. At that point in time only manual input can put it
forward - Actual Work is NEVER rescheduled not even when it lies in the
future. So now after your change it has some work on Oct 15 (note that this
will empeach other tasks by Danb to be scheduled then)

3. Where on earth do you get that 72 is scheduled while 118 is on? It has
some work done long ago but it resumes on Oct 25 well after the critical
task ends;

4. Task 76 is broken because it is interrupted to allow Danb to work on the
immovable task 118.

Don't forget to look at Task usage in case of doubt. Gantt Chart is nice but
difficult to read and you do not see the splits because of prior actual
work.

Hope this helps,