OLAP Cube data for resource availability

[Ian Wolstenholme]

Hi

From the perspective of resource availability, what is the difference
between choosing the option to "generate an OLAP Cube AND update resource
availability" and the option "generate resource availability only" ?

If the second option is chosen for a limited time frame (say one year)
because it takes a long time to build the cube, what is the impact then of
choosing to generate resource availability for say the next 5 years. And if
these options are chosen later for different time periods how is the
existing data affected as a result. For example if I choose to generate
resource availability now for the next 12 months, does this affect the
previous resource availability data? And dos it overwrite the availability
data that was already there, making it appear as if a resource is no longer
available ?

Depending upon the responses to the above, one might be tempted to ask what
is the point of generating resource availability data for any period OTHER
than earliest project start date and latest project start date ?

Just need some clarification as the documentation isn't very clear on this !

Thanks

Ian

 

[Reid McTaggart]

The Resource Availability calculation and the OLAP Cube calculation are
totally separate and diistinct.

RA calculation feeds data to the View Resource Availability view in the
Resource Center. The date range you choose determines how far back and
forward in time you will be able to see data in the VRA view.

The time period you choose has ne effect on the underlying data. All you
are doing is setting the "width" of the window into the data. A resource's
workload and availability at any given point in time are (or were) what they
are, unless and until their load or availability change as a result of
changes in their Max Units, their calendar, or their task assignments.

When you recalculate RA, previous data is replaced. You get what you ask for.

Many organizations do not typically look very far back in time, except when
they are doing retrospective analysis. Because the VRA view is most useful
for anticipating and planning resource supply and demand, it is most useful
for looking forward. After all, you can't really plan in the past. Common
settings are to look back 4 weeks and forward 6-24 months. Some
organizations that do huge capital projects in strategic, competitive
industries (e.g., deepwater drilling), look forward 2-3 years.

In general, Resource Availability calculation takes very little time. OLAP
calculation can take a long time.

I hope this helps.