Selective Levelling

[John Sitka]

Hi,

Split window

top = Gantt Chart
bottom = Resource Usage

When in the Gantt Chart view I highlight a set of tasks

Tools > Level Resources > Clear Levelling > Clear leveling ? for "Selected
Tasks" > YES

Then with those same tasks highlighted which by the way come from
all the same resource, they show as a single resource set in the Resource
Usage
view. When the lower window has the focus I can

Tools > Level Resources > Level Now > Level Now ? for "Selected Resources"

This allows a finer level of control of levelling or unlevelling resources
than seems to
be available using only one view as the driving control panel for how
leveling is to occur

That is I can't seem to level only a select set from the Gantt Chart view,
And I can't Clear the leveling from only a selected set in the Resource
Usage view.
So both need to be used together to get the desired behaviour which is
granular control
over how leveling is done.

Two questions

1.) is there a view that allows selective leveling/clearing from one window?
2.) does this seem like a possible candidate for a Macro that would change
the view, wait a little while
until Project Pro 2003 changes modes and then calls the relevent events thus
helping the usability. That is clears the leveling of
a certain selected set of tasks then re-levels those resources assigned to
those selected tasks?

Qualifier:
I tried to accomplish the same thing with various filters but wasn't having
much luck, could it be that proper RBS definitions would help


Thanks.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

John --

You cannot do both together in a single view. The reasons are:

1. Leveling in a task view levels every overallocated resource on every
task and you have very little control over the process
2. Leveling in a task view allows you level only the resources you select
3. You can clear leveling in a task view but cannot clear leveling in a
resource view

Therefore, I recommend that you open two windows in your project while
leveling. First, apply the Resource Usage view and then click Window - New
Window, select the Leveling Gantt view and click OK. You can flip back and
forth between the windows using Alt + Tab and you can use both windows in
the leveling process.

I recommend that you use the following method for leveling overallocated
resources:

1. Level one resource at a time in the Resource Usage view
2. Examine the results immediately in the Leveling Gantt view
3. Clear the leveling on any tasks on which the leveling was not acceptable
4. Level the overallocated resource on those tasks using an manual method,
such as substituting an available resource for the overallocated resource
5. Repeat this process for every overallocated resource

Hope this helps.

 

[John Sitka]

Thanks Dale,

Sure does help, just a student driver right now.
I believe I have adapted the methodolgy you outline
naturally, reads like it anyway
My concern at the moment is my the future users.
The dual window usage, may be tricky for them
to pick up and once they get it to flow they might not
like the repetative nature of the clearing.

That was why I was considering a Macro that may run the cycle for them and
then bring focus back to a Gantt view. It seems doable....

The other part

Is there any filtering that can be exploited which impact levelling scope.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

John --

In the Leveling Gantt view, I filter for the resource that I have just
leveled. I'm not sure what else you might be looking for. Let us know.

 

[John Sitka]

Yeah I got it now.

John --

In the Leveling Gantt view, I filter for the resource that I have just
leveled. I'm not sure what else you might be looking for. Let us know.