Resource Leveling

[ITPM]

I've read a lot of great posts regarding resource leveling across multiple
projects.

We upgraded to MS Project Server 2007 a few months ago. We have about 150
resources, and about 85 projects in our 'portfolio'. Resources work on
projects and "support plans" and log their time via Task Sheets each week.
Close to every resource we have is overallocated...it's disturbing.

I know that leveling is pretty intensive. We have to open up each project
that a particular resource is assigned to and level across the gamut. I also
know that leveling does nothing more than delay projects/tasks until the
resource IS available. This would honk off a LOT of PMs whose schedules
change as a result.

Is there any way to recover and do this properly? We're certainly not
planning our time well, nor allcoating resources properly. We are just about
to unleash MS Project Portfolio Server, but I hesistate due to this issue.

Thanks!

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

ITPM --

There is no easy way to level enterprise resources that are overallocated
across multiple projects. In my experience, the best way to accomplish this
is to do the following:

1. Open all of the projects to which an overallocated resource is assigned.
2. Click View - Resource Usage.
3. Select an overallocated resource and level ONLY that resource.
4. View the results of the leveling process in the Leveling Gantt view.
5. Clear leveling on any tasks not leveled in an acceptable manner, and
then use some other method, such as replacing an overallocated resource with
an available resource.

Just a thought. Let's hope a few others share their ideas with you as well.

 

[ITPM]

Thanks Dale. Great advice. I'll take all the ideas I can get!

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

ITPM --

You are more than welcome, my friend!

 

[Ben Howard]

In addition to cousin Dale's excellent comments, I think you need to fix the
more fundamental problems of "planning the resources and allocating the time
properly". Project Server is a classic example of "rubbish in, rubbish out",
and levelling will not solve this problem. Also, when you allocate
resources, at that stage you need to look at their availability. Seems to me
you need to raise the PM bar a little.
--
Thanks, Ben.

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[Jack]

If your projects are typically late or your folks work overtime then
you should be happy that reality matches the plans.
Levelling the overallocated resources will result in realistic
schedules.

If you are meeting your dates but the project schedules show otherwise
you need to focus on refining your project estimating.
Levelling in this environment will only compound bad planning data.