Resource Allocation Alerts

[jpuls]

Thinking that this could be done in the stock Project Server product,
I posted this question in one of the other Project Server groups. I
understand that it is a matter of customizing things, so this post
here:

Let us say we have a resource manager A, and two project managers, B
and C. We also have a resource, Smith, who is being used in B’s
project in December and in C’s project in January. B’s project changes
so that the task Smith was doing in December gets pushed back a couple
of weeks, so that it is half in December and half in January.

Smith is now over committed in January, and Project Managers B and C
have a conflict, which resource manager A is responsible for
resolving.

Resource manager A wants to get an email automatically whenever a
resource gets committed more than 100% so he can manage it as soon as
possible.

What approach should I use to accomplish this goal in terms of custom
development? It seems to me this would be a fairly common need.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Rod Gill]

In reality, my experience is that emails at "set" limits create numerous
false positives. For example a project is updated and the PM just saves and
publishes as they don't have time to resolve problems at that time. Best
solution is a process (Resource manager checks allocations (under and over)
weekly, training: manager has training and support to get reports that work
for them and tools: the tool is customised to produce required reports.

I think that to expect a simple email to replace the need for a RM to check
the system is unrealistic. What about Resources with not enough to do?

--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com



Thinking that this could be done in the stock Project Server product,
I posted this question in one of the other Project Server groups. I
understand that it is a matter of customizing things, so this post
here:

Let us say we have a resource manager A, and two project managers, B
and C. We also have a resource, Smith, who is being used in B’s
project in December and in C’s project in January. B’s project changes
so that the task Smith was doing in December gets pushed back a couple
of weeks, so that it is half in December and half in January.

Smith is now over committed in January, and Project Managers B and C
have a conflict, which resource manager A is responsible for
resolving.

Resource manager A wants to get an email automatically whenever a
resource gets committed more than 100% so he can manage it as soon as
possible.

What approach should I use to accomplish this goal in terms of custom
development? It seems to me this would be a fairly common need.

Thanks,
Jim