Schedule Work - changing as Actual Work (Timesheets) are applied

[TroyS]

I know that Actual Work applied will impact Scheduled Work, but i'm trying to
find a way to minimize the amount of changes and schedule updates that need
to be performed by PMs.

Here is the situation:

I have Ops Support tasks that occur throughout the year. I want and am
scheduling a Resource 4h per week on that task for the next 52 weeks.

If that person submits Actuals thru Timesheets say 3h for the week or 6h for
the week, the Work scheduled in the future week (say next week's planned
effort) is impacted.

Scheduled weekly: 4h, 4h, 4h (ie next 3 weeks)
Actual Weekly: 6h (Current Week), then Scheduled work is 2h, 4h (Next 2 Weeks)
but i don't want the scheduled work in the next 2 weeks to change

I've tried fixed units, fixed work and neither seem to do the trick. I don't
have any options turned (Tools - Options - Calculate) that should be grabbing
work from the subsequent week.

Any ideas would be helpful as I'm getting an earful from PMs. I suspect that
this is the nature of Microsoft Project and expect it, but no one wants to
hear that...

 

[John M.]

One way to simplify this would be to reduce the resources max units to 90%
and create a bucket in an administrative work plan (assuming you want to
capture the time). This way the units represents the availability for
project time. Then use the admin work plan EXACTLY as explained in the
help. You can set the duration of the admin task (which will be fixed
duration and 0hrs of work for each person assigned) but should not attempt
to plan work for the support task in an administrative plan.

If you are so inclined as to plan the non-project work, then you would want
to set it up as a fixed units non-effort driven task with the resource
assigned at 10%. If the resource works more or less than planned, it will
impact the remaining scheduled work unless the remaining work value for the
assignment is updated to reflect 10% for the remaining durations. This
would need to be a procedure put in place if you must have the 10% for the
remaining duration regardless of updates.

John M.

 

[Gary L. Chefetz [MVP]]

Troy:

To fully understand the tool behaviors and your options related to tracking
administrative time using Project Server invokes a discussion that goes way
beyond what we can expect to accomplish in a news group thread. From what
you've told us, I think you'd be best served by using a Fixed Duration task
with Effort Driven unchecked.

So, for a 4-hour/day assignment, given an 8hr work day, assign the resource
to the task at 50% units. The system will calculate the work for you. Once
you start accepting actual work into the task, you need to manage the
remaining work values. You also need to check your settings under Tools >
Options > Calculation Tab. Select the check box Move end of completed parts
back.... and select the checkbox below it.

The nature of project is that it is a scheduling engine. It constantly wants
to recalculate things. It's human nature not to like that.

 

[TroyS]

Thanks everyone for you input.
I certainly realize the intent of the newsgroups, but i was only looking for
some pointers to try in addition to what i've tried already.

I understand the scheduling engine wants to behave as necessary, but we
always run into PMs who have a different level of experience and a different
view on things. In this case, these really aren't PMs but Ops Managers