Part-time resources

[Newbie]

I am new to MS Project. I am using Project 2003.

Many of my resources are part-time available only 50% (or less) of the time.

I want to use *actual duration* to let the resources know the actual time a
task should take: e.g., 20 hours although that 20 hours will be spread over a
standard 40 hour week. The duration is also important for me in calculating
the actual cost - the same 20 hours * $$.

I did change the calendar for a resource, as discussed previously in the
forum. However, I didn't see any changes to the way things appeared. (In the
Base Calendar portion of my resource sheet Standard is listed. The pull down
lists 24-hours, Night shift and standard. So I have not idea if the changes I
made are being implemented.)

I have the MS Project 2003 Bible and have read it all day... - to no avail
on this issue.

Please help - this is a new job...

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Newbie,

Welcome to this Microsoft Project newsgroup

You might like to have a look at my series on Microsoft Project in the
TechTrax ezine, particularly #5 & 10 on Resources, 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 articles 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

 

[Steve House]

One problem is that the meaning of fields is determined by the programming.
'Actual Duration' as with all the other fields named "Actual xxx" means this
data is a historical fact, this is the dates that the task actually did
start and this is how long it has been going on (I phrase it that way
because for a task in progress there will be an Actual Start and and Actual
Duration reflecting the length of time work has been going on so far but
until it is completed the Actual Finish will be blank and there will be a
non-zero Remaining Duration). In short, "Duration" is the time you expect
that tasks in the future will take, the time they should take if you prefer.
"Actual Duration" is the time they DID take. Now because of the nature of
the plan as a dynamic entity, entering Actual Duration will also copy the
same number into the Duration field as well. Baseline Duration stores your
original estimate so you can later on compare the actual with it.

What you are calling "actual duration" is what Project calls "work." Work
is measured in man-hours and is a measure of the effort it requires to
complete the task. Duration is the length of time over which the work takes
place. In the example you cite and assuming the resource works a 40 hours
week, the duration is 40 hours (the total time when work could have taken
place according to the calendar between when work first happens and when
it's done), the work is 20 man-hours (the time it would have taken if he had
been able to devote his full attention to it), and his assignment units is
50%. Cost is man-hours of work*hourly rate. Costs are always based on
work, NEVER on duration.

The three calendars you see in the pull-down are so-called 'base calendars."
When you create a resource one of the fields is that resource's designated
base calendar and a copy of that base calendar is created under the resource
name. When you edit his work hours, you are changing the copy but not the
master. Never fear, it is the resource calendar that governs the scheduling
of the tasks once you assign the resources to them.

HTH