Leveling problems

[Dave]

Problem 1:
If I set the max units for all of my resources to 100%. Leveling works
correctly. However if I change this to a value such as 50%. Leveling ceases
to function, and I get a lot of 'This overallocation cannot be resolved'.

This can be reproduced fairly easily. Create a project with 2 tasks, with a
work time of 16 hours for each one. Set the resource for both of these tasks
to 'Me'. Level this project Day by Day. MS Project levels this project
correctly. Then change the 'Max Units' for 'Me' to 70%. Try leveling this
again. You then get the 'This overallocation cannot be resolved message'.

I'm not 100% sure this is a bug? Is there some other way I should be
restricting the number of work units my resources can perform? To me,
setting work unit percentage seems the most intuitive way to tell project
that my resource is only available 70% of a typical working week.

Problem 2:
I have a resource set at max 80% units. But starting the next 2 weeks they
are only available 50%. I added the resource to my project and it shows up
as (current) 80%. Next week I guess it would show as 50%. I enter work for
10 hours and the duration changes to 1.56days to match (at 80%). I then set
the "start no earlier then" to next Monday.

What I want is project to spread this 10 hours work sometime in the next 2
weeks. I.e. make it 2.5 days work starting next Monday. But what happens
when project levels resources is the whole two weeks are skipped and the job
starts 2 weeks late. Why? Is there any way to specify the work hours and
have project "mold" these work hours into the resources currently available
time? Even better would be if it could do this taking other tasks into
account. E.g. I have 1 hours free today, 3 hours tomorrow and 2 hours each
the 2 days after that giving me a total 8 hours free. I'd like to enter an 8
hour task and have project schedule my work into these times. Am I asking
too much? To me this is essential for resourcing because that's the way it
works in the real world. I have a set piece of work which must be scheduled
within my resources current availability.

Thanks!

Dave

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hello Dave,

Before we go into more detailed discussion ther eis one thing you
definitely, absolutely need to know.

RESOURCE LEVELING DOES NOT CHANGE ASSIGNMENT UNITS.

This is not a bug, that is how it works: in case of overallocation, it
delays one or more tasks (using the assignment you entered as such) till the
overallocation is solved.

So your first problem is easy to explain: When you say you absolutely need
100% of somebody's time on a task, and then that he/she is only 70%
available, leveling cannot resolve the overallocation. Think of 2 guys
having to carry a long ladder. One will not do it in twice the time, he
simply cannot do it on his own.

So when you say max units is 70% you also have to change the assignment
units to 70% and behold! unless you have declarred the task as fixed
duration, Project (not leveling, just the normal calculation) will adapt
duration perfectly.

As for having one hour off today, 2 tomorrow and 6 next Thursday, enter
these in the Working time of the resoruce and Project will immediately adapt
your schedule the way you want it. If your guy tells you he will take two
hours off tomorrow that doesn't mean he will work at 75% of his brain the
whole day but that he wants to go golfing at 1500 hrs. If you tell that to
Project instead of trying to force percentages it works particularly well.

Hope this helps,

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
Project Management Consultancy
Prom+ade BVBA
32-495-300 620