Overbudget on lowered Max Units

[Conrad Santiago]

We have an on-going problem. We have some production resources set at 75% Max Units. We do this because they are project leads and they have duties that arise on projects that are not easily scheduled. While they are scheduled to work on one project, they may be called away to do a QC review or confirm info on another project. For an 8 hour day, set at 75%, they are free to spend two hours a day on such lead duties

The problem is they don't always spend two hours a day on lead duties, so they end up spending 8 hours on a task in one day. Meanwhile, the gantt chart still shows them on a 6-hour day rate to complete the task. Our managers do update these tasks daily asking "How much more time do you need on this task?". When there is only one or two days left on a task, it is easy for the resource to gauge how might more time is needed. However, in the early going on a lengthy task, it is difficult to gauge, resulting in more hours be spent on a task. As the end of the task approaches, the resource is either cut short on allotted time or goes over budget

Where are we going wrong with this approach

Any advice is appreciated
--Conrad Santiago

 

[Gérard Ducouret]

Hello Conrad,

If the resources are working 8h/day in the company, I would set them with a
Max Unit of 100%. If generally they work only at 75% of their time on a
task, due to the leads duties, I would assign them at 75% on these tasks.
So you will be able to enter 8hrs/day of Actual Work on a day by day basis
if necessary.
<<in the early going on a lengthy task, it is difficult to gauge>> : So you
know why you must manage short tasks. Some companies use standard for that.
For ex some companies have as a standard not to plan tasks longuer than 5
days.

Hope this helps,

Gérard Ducouret

We have an on-going problem. We have some production resources set at 75%

Max Units. We do this because they are project leads and they have duties
that arise on projects that are not easily scheduled. While they are
scheduled to work on one project, they may be called away to do a QC review
or confirm info on another project. For an 8 hour day, set at 75%, they are
free to spend two hours a day on such lead duties.

The problem is they don't always spend two hours a day on lead duties, so

they end up spending 8 hours on a task in one day. Meanwhile, the gantt
chart still shows them on a 6-hour day rate to complete the task. Our
managers do update these tasks daily asking "How much more time do you need
on this task?". When there is only one or two days left on a task, it is
easy for the resource to gauge how might more time is needed. However, in
the early going on a lengthy task, it is difficult to gauge, resulting in
more hours be spent on a task. As the end of the task approaches, the
resource is either cut short on allotted time or goes over budget.

 

[Conrad Santiago]

Thanks for the response, Gerard. You gave me something to ponder on

I wanted to add this interesting side effect resulting from setting resources at 75% Max Units. For our project templates, we plan for worse case scenario. In this case, our template tasks are set to 75% Max Units. This way, if a 75% resource is assigned to the task, then we meet our deadline. If a 100% resource is assigned to the task, then we get slack. Great!, right
Meanwhile, our backlog charts include these new projects without assigned resources. So we fill our capacity with 75% tasks. When it comes time to assign the tasks to resources, some of them will be at 100%. Now, we are overbooked! Why?

We booked for 30 hour week tasks (75%) while some resources (100%) are putting in 40 hours of work on their tasks. Arrrgggghhh

--Conrad Santiag


----- Gérard Ducouret wrote: ----

Hello Conrad

If the resources are working 8h/day in the company, I would set them with
Max Unit of 100%. If generally they work only at 75% of their time on
task, due to the leads duties, I would assign them at 75% on these tasks
So you will be able to enter 8hrs/day of Actual Work on a day by day basi
if necessary
<<in the early going on a lengthy task, it is difficult to gauge>> : So yo
know why you must manage short tasks. Some companies use standard for that
For ex some companies have as a standard not to plan tasks longuer than
days

Hope this helps

Gérard Ducoure

We have an on-going problem. We have some production resources set at 75

Max Units. We do this because they are project leads and they have dutie
that arise on projects that are not easily scheduled. While they ar
scheduled to work on one project, they may be called away to do a QC revie
or confirm info on another project. For an 8 hour day, set at 75%, they ar
free to spend two hours a day on such lead dutiesthey end up spending 8 hours on a task in one day. Meanwhile, the gant
chart still shows them on a 6-hour day rate to complete the task. Ou
managers do update these tasks daily asking "How much more time do you nee
on this task?". When there is only one or two days left on a task, it i
easy for the resource to gauge how might more time is needed. However, i
the early going on a lengthy task, it is difficult to gauge, resulting i
more hours be spent on a task. As the end of the task approaches, th
resource is either cut short on allotted time or goes over budget