Resource Calendars and Resource Availability

[crizco]

We have some issues around true resource availability in EPM. When Project
Server (2003) was originally set up, we created a base calendar of a total of
7.25 hrs per day M-F. Our resources in the pool also pointed to this
calendar. Now that we've used Enterprise for a while, some of our PMs are
telling us that 7.25 hrs per day really does not represent a true estimate of
resource availability when they schedule.

So we have 2 options. Leave the 7.25 base calendar and PMs assign resources
less than 100% to represent their version of 'true availability' (since
different areas have different viewpoints of what this number should be), or
we create another base calendar of 6 hrs per day (where PMs may be able to
agree on) then assign our resources to the new calendar.

My question is, which way is best and what impacts would we get switching
resources to a new calendar of 6 hrs (opposed to the 7.25). Does this effect
only new projects? What about the ones in-progress? We would like to avoid
impacts from existing schedules on the server. Please advise.....much
appreciated.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

crizco --

Given your current need to not disrupt existing plans, I would opt for your
first choice. If you create another Base calendar that shows only 6 hours
of work per day, and then set that as the Base Calendar for each resource,
this will impact ALL projects, including all current and future projects.
Hope this helps.