Basic Resource Allocation / Task Duration Recalculation Question

[Jack Dahlgren MVP]

Leveling does NOT change resource assignment rates. It just moves tasks
around.
If you set the task type to "Fixed Work" and change the allocation, the
duration will change to accomodate it.
This is what most people would use. At the time of estimation put the
resource in at 100% and then when you decide that you only have half a
person, change the units (allocation) to 50% and the duration will change
appropriately.

-Jack Dahlgren

 

[Joseph Geretz]

Microsoft Project 2007

I have a task which I've estimated at 2 days worth of work. I have a
developer who is allocated roughly 50% of his time on support issues. If I
assign this developer to this task, I'd expect the job to expand to 4 days
after resource leveling is performed. But that's not what happens at all.
The task duration remains fixed, as though the percentage allocation was
taken into account originally when the task duration was entered.

From a management standpoint, this is decidedly unhelpful. Indeed, at
project estimation time, I often have no idea who will actually be committed
to the task, nor do I have any idea what that person's available resources
will be. What I need is a way to define 'volume of work' ahead of time based
on an assumption of 100% resource allocation, and then have that task
duration recalculated based on the resource percentage which is actually
committed to that task.

Can Project 2007 accommodate this?

Thanks!

Joseph Geretz

 

[Jan De Messemaeker]

Hi,

Yes, definitely, it can
The basic misunderstnding is that you expect resource leveling to do that.
Resource leveling will ONLY, that is like in ONLY, delay tasks when a
resoruc eis overallocated. It never schanges assignment units.
To do what you want, there are several ways.
One way is to insert in a task view the column work and to fill the work
estimate ahead of resource assignment.
Then when you assign the resource @50%, duration will double (unless you put
the task type to fixed duration...)
For the task type, check task information, advanced tab.

HTH

--
Jan De Messemaeker
Microsoft Project Most Valuable Professional
+32 495 300 620
For availability check:
http://users.online.be/prom-ade/Calendar.pdf

 

[JulieS]

Hello Joseph,

When you make the initial (first) assignment of a resource to a
task, project calculates the work for the resource based upon

Duration * resource assignment units

If you set a 2 day duration task and assigned a resource at 100%,
project will calculate 16 hours of work based upon the above
formula.

A method that works is to assign your 50% resource and enter 16
hours of work -- Project will then expand the duration of the task
to 4 days on the first pass. Using Resource Leveling in an attempt
to have project drop the assignment units to 50% will not work --
the command will only delay tasks and will not take action on a task
where a resource is assigned at above his/her maximum.

You may add the Work field to the task table (left side) and enter
the 16 hours of work and 2 days duration. Then when you create your
resource with a max. units of 50%, assign him/her and project will
recalculate the duration.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

"Joseph Geretz" wrote in message
news:%[email protected]...

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

Joseph --

I think you are doing several things wrong. First of all, when you assign
the resource to the task in question, you should use the following process:

1. Click Window - Split (this opens the Task Entry view).
2. In the top pane, select the task in question.
3. In the bottom pane, select the name of the resource, enter 50% Units,
and enter 16h of Work.
4. Click the OK button.

The software will automatically calculate a Duration of 4 days for this
task. Problem solved.

Your second mistake is assuming that leveling would do this for you.
Leveling can only do two things to resolve an overallocation:

1. Delay tasks and/or assignments.
2. Split tasks and/or assignments.

Leveling DOES NOT adjust the Units on a task. This means that if you
accidentally assign a resource at 150% Units, when the resource's Max Units
value is 100% Units, you are creating an overallocation that the built-in
leveling tool cannot resolve. The only way to resolve it is to manually
decrease the Units value to 100%. Hope this helps.

 

[Joseph Geretz]

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

I've been playing around with this in the interim, and I've basically come
across exactly what you've suggested. I've discovered that the Task Duration
is assumed to be estimated for the resource commitment percentage of the
*first resource* who is assigned for that task. Therefore, if at task
estimation time, I assign a resource at 100% to my estimated task, then
subsequently when I re-assign resources at different percentages, the task
duration changes accordingly.

So, if I understand correctly, what I need to do is create a certain
resource with 100% commitment, and make sure that when a task is first
defined / estimated, that 100% resource is allocated to the task so that
subsequent partial resource allocations will recalculate task duration
properly. OK, I can do this. I'm just suggesting, (for any MS personnel who
may be monitoring this group) that an option to specify 'Task duration
estimates assume single resource at 100% allocation' would streamline this
for us, and I wouldn't have to worry about the manual step of ensuring that
the first commitment to any task estimation is a single resource committed
at 100%.

Thanks again for your suggestions,

Joseph Geretz

 

[JulieS]

Hi Joseph,

My comments are in-line.
"Joseph Geretz" wrote in message

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

[Julie] You're welcome. We're all glad to have helped. You are the
lucky recipient of assistance from 4 Project MVPs. Luckily, we all
said the same thing

I've been playing around with this in the interim, and I've
basically come across exactly what you've suggested. I've
discovered that the Task Duration is assumed to be estimated for
the resource commitment percentage of the *first resource* who is
assigned for that task. Therefore, if at task estimation time, I
assign a resource at 100% to my estimated task, then subsequently
when I re-assign resources at different percentages, the task
duration changes accordingly.

[Julie] Not to be too picky but Project doesn't really assume
anything. Duration will equal work if one resource is assigned at
100%. Many people are more confident estimating work -- not
duration. For them, using the Work field to capture Work estimates
and then assigning resources and having Project calculate duration
based upon Work/Units is more comfortable. What Project doesn't do
on the initial creation of a task is factor work into the picture as
the only task value is duration. Both work and assignment units
(the other two parts of the mathematical equation) don't become
involved until you pair a task with a resource or resources. When
that assignment is created, then work and resource assignment units
fill in the other 2/3 of the equation.

So, if I understand correctly, what I need to do is create a
certain resource with 100% commitment, and make sure that when a
task is first defined / estimated, that 100% resource is allocated
to the task so that subsequent partial resource allocations will
recalculate task duration properly. OK, I can do this. I'm just
suggesting, (for any MS personnel who may be monitoring this
group) that an option to specify 'Task duration estimates assume
single resource at 100% allocation' would streamline this for us,
and I wouldn't have to worry about the manual step of ensuring
that the first commitment to any task estimation is a single
resource committed at 100%.

[Julie] You can specify any two parts of the math -- Project will
calculate the third. I usually look at the initial duration value
as an estimate. When I know the resource, I'll enter Work and
assignment units and let Project recalculate duration based upon the
other two pieces.

 

[Joseph Geretz]

anything. Duration will equal work if one resource is assigned at 100%.

Bingo - I think the light just went on.

If I understand you correctly, I'm simply entering the wrong data, based on
my methodology? IThe next time I develop a project I should enter *work*
rather than *duration*, and allow duration to be calculated based upon
subsequent resource assignment? (I guess I was misled, because the default
Gantt view presents the duration column.) It's easy enough to swap the
columns. Is there a way to configure Project to present the work column by
default in Gantt view?

Thanks!

Joseph Geretz

Hi Joseph,

My comments are in-line.
"Joseph Geretz" wrote in message

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

[Julie] You're welcome. We're all glad to have helped. You are the lucky
recipient of assistance from 4 Project MVPs. Luckily, we all said the
same thing

I've been playing around with this in the interim, and I've basically
come across exactly what you've suggested. I've discovered that the Task
Duration is assumed to be estimated for the resource commitment
percentage of the *first resource* who is assigned for that task.
Therefore, if at task estimation time, I assign a resource at 100% to my
estimated task, then subsequently when I re-assign resources at different
percentages, the task duration changes accordingly.

[Julie] Not to be too picky but Project doesn't really assume anything.
Duration will equal work if one resource is assigned at 100%. Many people
are more confident estimating work -- not duration. For them, using the
Work field to capture Work estimates and then assigning resources and
having Project calculate duration based upon Work/Units is more
comfortable. What Project doesn't do on the initial creation of a task is
factor work into the picture as the only task value is duration. Both
work and assignment units (the other two parts of the mathematical
equation) don't become involved until you pair a task with a resource or
resources. When that assignment is created, then work and resource
assignment units fill in the other 2/3 of the equation.

So, if I understand correctly, what I need to do is create a certain
resource with 100% commitment, and make sure that when a task is first
defined / estimated, that 100% resource is allocated to the task so that
subsequent partial resource allocations will recalculate task duration
properly. OK, I can do this. I'm just suggesting, (for any MS personnel
who may be monitoring this group) that an option to specify 'Task
duration estimates assume single resource at 100% allocation' would
streamline this for us, and I wouldn't have to worry about the manual
step of ensuring that the first commitment to any task estimation is a
single resource committed at 100%.

[Julie] You can specify any two parts of the math -- Project will
calculate the third. I usually look at the initial duration value as an
estimate. When I know the resource, I'll enter Work and assignment units
and let Project recalculate duration based upon the other two pieces.

Thanks again for your suggestions,

Joseph Geretz

 

[JulieS]

Hi Joseph,

You can edit the default entry table (left side of the Gantt) or
create a new table based upon the entry table. (my preference). See
Table > More tables, Copy. Rename the table and apply it and then
add the Work field. Then copy that new table to the global template
(global.mpt) through Tools > Organizer.

I hope this helps.

Julie

anything. Duration will equal work if one resource is assigned
at 100%.

Bingo - I think the light just went on.

If I understand you correctly, I'm simply entering the wrong data,
based on my methodology? IThe next time I develop a project I
should enter *work* rather than *duration*, and allow duration to
be calculated based upon subsequent resource assignment? (I guess
I was misled, because the default Gantt view presents the duration
column.) It's easy enough to swap the columns. Is there a way to
configure Project to present the work column by default in Gantt
view?

Thanks!

Joseph Geretz

Hi Joseph,

My comments are in-line.
"Joseph Geretz" wrote in message

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

[Julie] You're welcome. We're all glad to have helped. You are
the lucky recipient of assistance from 4 Project MVPs. Luckily,
we all said the same thing

I've been playing around with this in the interim, and I've
basically come across exactly what you've suggested. I've
discovered that the Task Duration is assumed to be estimated for
the resource commitment percentage of the *first resource* who
is assigned for that task. Therefore, if at task estimation
time, I assign a resource at 100% to my estimated task, then
subsequently when I re-assign resources at different
percentages, the task duration changes accordingly.

[Julie] Not to be too picky but Project doesn't really assume
anything. Duration will equal work if one resource is assigned at
100%. Many people are more confident estimating work -- not
duration. For them, using the Work field to capture Work
estimates and then assigning resources and having Project
calculate duration based upon Work/Units is more comfortable.
What Project doesn't do on the initial creation of a task is
factor work into the picture as the only task value is duration.
Both work and assignment units (the other two parts of the
mathematical equation) don't become involved until you pair a
task with a resource or resources. When that assignment is
created, then work and resource assignment units fill in the
other 2/3 of the equation.

So, if I understand correctly, what I need to do is create a
certain resource with 100% commitment, and make sure that when a
task is first defined / estimated, that 100% resource is
allocated to the task so that subsequent partial resource
allocations will recalculate task duration properly. OK, I can
do this. I'm just suggesting, (for any MS personnel who may be
monitoring this group) that an option to specify 'Task duration
estimates assume single resource at 100% allocation' would
streamline this for us, and I wouldn't have to worry about the
manual step of ensuring that the first commitment to any task
estimation is a single resource committed at 100%.

[Julie] You can specify any two parts of the math -- Project
will calculate the third. I usually look at the initial duration
value as an estimate. When I know the resource, I'll enter Work
and assignment units and let Project recalculate duration based
upon the other two pieces.

Thanks again for your suggestions,

Joseph Geretz

Hello Joseph,

When you make the initial (first) assignment of a resource to a
task, project calculates the work for the resource based upon

Duration * resource assignment units

If you set a 2 day duration task and assigned a resource at
100%, project will calculate 16 hours of work based upon the
above formula.

A method that works is to assign your 50% resource and enter 16
hours of work -- Project will then expand the duration of the
task to 4 days on the first pass. Using Resource Leveling in an
attempt to have project drop the assignment units to 50% will
not work -- the command will only delay tasks and will not
take action on a task where a resource is assigned at above
his/her maximum.

You may add the Work field to the task table (left side) and
enter the 16 hours of work and 2 days duration. Then when you
create your resource with a max. units of 50%, assign him/her
and project will recalculate the duration.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you get along.

Julie
Project MVP

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for the FAQs and additional
information about Microsoft Project

"Joseph Geretz" wrote in message
Microsoft Project 2007

I have a task which I've estimated at 2 days worth of work. I
have a developer who is allocated roughly 50% of his time on
support issues. If I assign this developer to this task, I'd
expect the job to expand to 4 days after resource leveling is
performed. But that's not what happens at all. The task
duration remains fixed, as though the percentage allocation
was taken into account originally when the task duration was
entered.

From a management standpoint, this is decidedly unhelpful.
Indeed, at project estimation time, I often have no idea who
will actually be committed to the task, nor do I have any idea
what that person's available resources will be. What I need is
a way to define 'volume of work' ahead of time based on an
assumption of 100% resource allocation, and then have that
task duration recalculated based on the resource percentage
which is actually committed to that task.

Can Project 2007 accommodate this?

Thanks!

Joseph Geretz

 

[Mike Glen]

Hi Joseph,

You're not entering the wrong data and the default Duration works well for
initial planning. If you enter Task and Duration, then assign a resource,
Project will automatically assign at 100% Units. This is a good way to
build your project.

Mike Glen
Project MVP
See http://tinyurl.com/2xbhc for my free Project Tutorials