Units in weeks, not in days

[Danielle Jacobs]

Hello,

I'm creating a schedule for our division in MS Project.
I encountered the following problem: When I assign someone for e.g. (units)
20% in the resource sheet (he is available for 1 day a week; for 8 hours, no
fixed day of the week), MS Project schedules him for 5 days a week for 20% a
day maximum. However, I would like him to work with a flexible 20% a week.
For example, if the work is for 8 hours, the resource can work 8 hours on
one day. If he goes over his limit of 8 hours a week, only than I would like
MS Project to overallocate the resource, and not if he goes over the 20% on
one day.

Can anyone please help me fix this problem?

 

[Steve House]

The maximum availablility describes the number of hours he could work
during any arbitrary time interval and in general 100% is a good number
to use for a resource that is a single individual. Even though you are
going to only use him only 20% of the total time in the week, the fact
he *could* work the 8 hours in 1 day means he is available for his full
work shift, you're just not electing to use him for it. You assign him
the percentage he is expected to work over the time frame of the task
duration. So if the task is 40 hours long and he will do 8 man-hours of
work on it over the course of the week, his max is 100% and his
assignment is 20%, which repreents an average of two hours per day over
the week. It's not the PMs job to micro-manage the resource's working
habits so the fact that he may choose to work his 8 hours in some
pattern other than 2 hours per day is of no consequence - during that
week we can book him up to a total of 40 hours on various tasks and let
him sort out how he wants to get it all accomplished. All we are need
to be concerned with is that the task begins on Mon, will be done by
Fri, and represents 8 man-hours of work on the part of the resource. If
we have a second 8 hour task to do that week, for example, that actually
does need to all be done in one day, we can go ahead and assign him to
it, he'll show overallocated by 20% on that date and if necessary we can
use either leveling or manual work contouring to resolve the conflict.

Thee overallocation indicator is an instantaneous thing - if the
resource is double assigned for even one minute the red light goes on.

 

[John Beamish]

Project has not implemented a time allocation process that matches your
specific requirements.

I suggest that you make your initial schedule of tasks, follow that by
assigning resources and then, finally, clicking of View | Resource usage to
fine tune the dates and hours that your resource(s) will be working.

JLB, PMP

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi Danielle,

This is exactly the kind of precision I asked from you in the Dutch NG
I do not know why you did not react there.
I have a precise answer to your question now but since you do not seem to
appreciate my help..

Greetings,
--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
Project Management Consultancy
Prom+ade BVBA
32-495-300 620